Apple Picking

We have had the BEST fall around here!!!

The weather has been UNBELIEVABLE!!!!

So we decided to take advantage before the rain started and headed out to 

Bellewood Acres to pick some YUMMY Honey Crisp apples.

It was a gorgeous day with Mt. Baker in the background!!!  WOW!!!

Love this one!!!!

Warty pumpkin....ewwwwww.

 On the tractor ride out to the apple orchard....

 

We had a great time playing at Bellewood Acres!!!  

Now that they're open year-round we'll definitely head back soon! :)

Fall Camping

Our friend Anne organized one last camping trip of the season to one of our favorite spots on the Skagit River!!!  Warm by day....cool by morning and night!!! :)

We woke up on Saturday morning a little earlier than normal (Annalise was VERY excited!). We headed out and Mark saw some King salmon jumping in the river.  

He grabbed his gear and we accompanied him to the beach.....

No fish caught...but still felt good to get out!!!

The fall leaves were pretty.....

And they have a GREAT playground!!!!

We had a fun day just hanging out, hiking and playing....

And for the record....Pete started this....(most people always assume it's Mark?!)

Silly Boys.

Jeff, Katie and the girls also made it down for the day....

We had a great BBQ potluck for dinner.  (Go Allan....)

Mark and Aidan went back out in the evening to see if the fish were biting....to no avail....

guess it just wasn't meant to be.

Lucky for us we had an awesome GLOW SHOW before bed!

 

It was a great LAST camping trip of the season!!!  

Can't wait to pull the trailer out in the spring! :)

 

Disappointment

I've been waiting and waiting to post this.  Thinking that the right words would just come to me.  They haven't, so I'm just going to do my best. I talked it through with Mark and he agreed...just say what comes from the heart.  This blog has been about recording events.  I don't want this event to go unmentioned because in hindsight I want to remember how greatly it affected our family.

Annalise had been going to our friend Irene for daycare for about a year and a half.  At the end of last school year we asked AGAIN if she was still interested in continuing to care for Annalise this year. She said yes and we assumed she meant it.

I got a text message the first Friday after school had started.  My parents were here and they had just taken Annalise to her first day of preschool.  The text message was from Irene saying that she wanted to talk about Annalise when I had a chance. So I called.  Turns out she had actually changed her mind about taking care of Annalise this year.  Seriously.  Now?  After summer and when we have NO time to research and find a new place for Annalise???  She continued on about how she feels uncomfortable leaving Henry and Annalise alone because she's worried about what might happen. "You know, the way that the two of them argue".  Seriously?  They are four.  And she let me know that Annalise and Henry just have different views of the world.  Really?   THEY ARE FOUR!!!!  I was floored.  Now?  After we had given her the opportunity to tell us MANY times?  "Well," she said, "it doesn't have to be right away".  What?  She just said that she was scared to leave Annalise alone with her child, yet this is the first time she's EVER mentioned anything like this to us?  No.  We are done.  She doesn't want her there....we don't want her there.

In my life I don't ever remember a time feeling so angry.  So completely disappointed in a person.  Thinking about what in the hell we are going to do.  Thinking about what I'm going to say to my sweet Annalise.  What are we going to do?  This means she won't be able to stay at Christ Lutheran preschool...all of the things we got to do with Avery during her second year of preschool are now taken away from us....from Annalise.  No more pumpkin carving night with Daddy, no Christmas Program, no Mother's Tea or any of the incredibly special things unique to that school.  That makes us sad.  Traditions that we were looking forward to continuing with Annalise that were taken away from us...without a choice.  It was heartbreaking to have to withdraw her, but I was assured by her former preschool teacher that this was NEVER about Annalise....and in my heart I ABSOLUTELY know this.

But....good things happen to good people.  We found a spot at a full time preschool here in Ferndale with Annalise's little buddy Ella.  It has taken a month to adjust.  There were a LOT of tears each day at the beginning.  (Both Annalise and Mommy!)  It has taken a month for me to be able to write about it....but Annalise is fine.  She is enjoying her new preschool.  Actually....Annalise is great.  She loves her new teachers and we are super happy with Monkey'n Around! 

I've probably shared too much.  It just feels terrible to be so angry and disappointed in someone.  Now it's time to move on.  We are fine....this is just a bump in the road.  And in hindsight, I think it's important to teach our girls that being angry and disappointed are okay feelings to have sometimes.

First Day of School

The first day of school...2012-13.

Avery's first day of 3rd grade (seriously...how is THIS possible?)....

And Annalise is starting her 2nd year of preschool.  (Yes...KINDERGARTEN next year!)

Grams and Gramps came over to be able to take Annalise to her first day of preschool.  

It's a tour day with a parent, so they were able to see the school and meet some of Annalise's friends and WONDERFUL teachers! 

She was soooo excited to have them here and show them around her school!

They had play time outside.....

 

Story time inside with Mrs. Johnson....

 

There was even a snack!!!

And after all of that excitement, there was an ice cream cone at Dairy Queen!!!