Introducing Leo

 I have been begging Jay for an inside cat for a while now, but he was resistant because he felt guilty bringing a cat inside while Cat was still stuck in the backyard. I am convinced Cat is living his best life in his retirement oasis, so my conscience had no issue welcoming a kitten to our family.

Surprisingly while Tuttle and Jay took Rosie to the vet this weekend, they found a litter of kittens up for adoption in the waiting room. After a few photos and a phone call for approval, I knew the boys would  be coming home with a new Thorne.

We discussed names and settled on Leo. He resembles a lion, and Maggie loves that it is her astrological sign. He is the tiniest ball of fluff full of energy and eager to explore. We have each taken a turn lulling him to sleep him and chasing him around the house. Rosie also approves of her new little brother.

Aside from kitten snuggles, all three kids are in full action with fall sports now, so our Saturdays are go, go, go, and require Jay and I to divide and conquer. Maggie and Jacob both had practice Saturday morning. Tuttle was drafted to the U15 Braves. He met his team on Saturday afternoon while I took Maggie and Jacob to a birthday party. To keep the action going, I organized a trip to Sky Zone with Tuttle's buddies on Saturday evening. Needless to say everyone slept in on Sunday!

Right now the days are zooming by filled with activity. I love watching everyone thrive in their elements.

Surviving and Thriving

 We all survived the first two weeks back to school. The kids are loving their new teachers and schedules. The early mornings are getting a little easier, but Jacob still requires a nap most days after school. (I feel the same way!)

Maggie started her new gym schedule, so she is practicing Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays for four hours and again on Saturday mornings. It sounds exhausting, but she does not know what to do with herself when she is left alone. She has declared that this is her best season yet with the new coaches and teammates. 

Jacob had football evaluations this past Saturday, and he was determined to show off his natural ability. He really wants to do tackle football, but we are requiring a year of tackle football to learn the game first.

Tuttle is starting off 7th grade very strongly. His highest grade right now is math- he has a 100%! He has classes with some of his best friends, including Cade for lunch. We will add baseball practice to his schedule next week after his evaluations. 

All in well in the Thorne house. Jay and I are staying busy at work, and the kids are thriving with their new school year.

Back to School

 I swear this summer absolutely flew by. Between vacations, gymnastics, working, camps, and travel, we all agreed that it went by entirely too quickly.

Luckily 2/3 kids were excited about returning to school. The middle schooler much prefers sleeping in and playing X-Box with his friends. :)

We made sure to cover the essentials for school- a haircut for Jacob and a manicure for Maggie.

Maggie and Jacob hit the JACKPOT with teachers this year. I cannot wait to hear all about all their projects and activities at school. Jacob has Ms. McGowan for first grade, and Maggie was placed with Ms. Stancil and Ms. Barker for 5th grade. Both kids will have Ms. Motil for AIM.

(The secret weapon for getting successful back to school pictures is to take them the day before the first day! The morning is way too hectic and stressful to guarantee happy children.)

Tuttle was not subjected to the photos, but he did agree to a quick picture before leaving for the bus.

There are positives to getting back into routine. The boys are looking forward to their fall sports (Tuttle-baseball, Jacob- flag football), and I am not as anxious about the kids while I am working from 9-1. Plus we all need to stay going to bed earlier!

Here is to another AMAZING year in Cherokee County!