BTSB '13

Time yet again for our 7th annual

Cleft Back to School Bash!

Always the highlight of back to school ...

I love how the kids ask when we're having it - seems like love traditions like we do!

This sign ... it's starting to show 7 years of wear and tear!

Lindsey ... last year of preschool!

Amber's last year too!

Grayson, the newest kindergartner in the 'hood ...

Katie Beth - first grader

Whitney - first grader

Ty - 2nd grader in an all out cartwheel!

Jacob - 3rd grader in all his cuteness

Will - 3rd grader in full effect!

Anna Beth 4th grader with style!

Riley Catherine -5th grade in hollywood model mode

Blaine-o 5th grade - full of energy!

Jarrett 6th grade - and in true Cleft fashion, he was peppered as he ran through ...

this time with little plastic balls!  Love his face here - he knows what's coming!

Running from the onslaught ...

Tackled!

Will 7th grade - coming through faceless (don't even try to understand a middle schooler!)

And tackled forthwith for the hat trick!

Graham 7th grade - calm and cool

And Wes - newest 9th grader!

Ethan had football practice ... he's the oldest of the crew in 10th grade.

And a dance party (to 80's music of course) ensued ...

Fun cupcakes I made for the festivities ... each one had a flag with a school name on it.

Oh my goodness ... seriously don't know why we are so blessed to live in this little community.

So many blessings of raising our kids together.

It makes my heart so full.

And humbled at His great grace to us.

Now on to a GREAT year!

A Wet Ride!

The boys all earned their Six Flags ticket again this year,

due to reading 600 minutes.

Its a GREAT deal!

We waited until the last minute of summer break to go,

so Bowdie was gone to Boston on his mission trip.

Jordan came along for support ... it was good to have another set of eyes and hands.

Yes, it was raining ... yuck!

We spent about an hour in the car waiting for rides to open up.

Loving the Six Flags spirit wear!

First ride - Dahlonega Mine Train ...

Jacob is happy here ...

Notice Jacob in this pic ... not happy!

Is it over yet??!!

This kid does NOT like roller coasters ... of any kind!

Mindbender!

And Jacob perfectly happy to hold our bags and wait for us.

Seriously - he didn't care a lick that he didn't ride!

This is more Jacob's speed ... the swings!

Last ride - Thunder River.

I opted out - not much for getting soaked!

How they felt after the ride ... the ponchos came in really handy!

And the Log Ride.

An oldie but a goody!

And in keeping with tradition - we ended the night at The Varsity.

Couldn't do this every night, but once in a while ... yummy!!

The Problem with Summer ...

I really only have 1 problem with summer.

And it's a biggie.

Well, I guess I should re-state.

I only have 1 problem with GREAT summers.

It's that they end.

Way too soon.

This year, for some reason, I'm more summer-sick than ever.

I think because it was an especially fun-filled, lazy-days kinda summer.

We were able to join a neighborhood pool that's only a couple of miles away.

And attached to this pool is a waterslide.

Not a climb-up-the-ladder-and-slide-straight-down 

kind of waterslide.

But a walk-up-the-stairs-to-the-top-of-a-twisty-turny-ride

waterslide.

And the fact that all of our neighbors and several of our other good friends joined too 

made it that much more fun.

Get a taste below:

Waaaaaahhhhhh ... I want summer back!