Kindergarten Lunch

Kallie & I had lunch with our favorite kindergartner earlier this week! He'd had a little bit of a rough morning, so on the way to school I promised him we would come eat lunch with him & hopefully that would make his day a bit brighter. :)

Tanner was so excited when he saw us & was thrilled (as usual) to show his little sister off to everyone. The kids loved seeing Kallie & the teachers couldn't get enough of her. She was passed around to at least 4 or 5 of them. Tanner ate his lunch, plus the extra fruit I brought for him, & we chitchatted the entire time. One of the best things about being a stay at home mommy is being able to go visit & do things at my children's schools during the day. My big boys would be embarrassed & appalled if I tried to go have lunch with them, so I enjoy being able to go with at least one!

Later on that afternoon, Tanner's teacher sent me these pics from math time (they're learning about shapes). I love that she sends me pics & texts & we have great communication already! :)

Fast forward to Friday...after great behavior all week, Tanner was able to visit the treasure box. He got in the truck EXTREMELY PUMPED about his new batman toy!! A happy Friday & great 2nd week of school for this little dude!

Tanner's Tooth

So, right before school started, we discovered that Tanner had a loose tooth! His big brothers have had dealings with loose, lost, pulled, & missing teeth & the tooth fairy for years...& he was happy to join the club! Hee hee!! He's been showing everyone & pushing on it with his tongue for the past couple weeks & we've been expecting it to come out any time. His teacher told him he was in good hands because she's the official tooth puller at his school. :)

Well, Sunday morning Tanner was in the bathroom while the rest of us were sitting in the den. All of a sudden he came running out yelling, "It's out, it's out!!" with the tooth in his hand! He had pulled it out himself!!! He's following right in the footsteps of his brother Taylor, who pulled most of his own teeth. :)  We were all excited for him! Our baby boy looks so darn cute & has discovered that he can do all sorts of new tricks, like fit food & straws through the space...lol.

On Sunday night, he was sure to get it under that pillow & went right to sleep so that the tooth fairy could make her visit.

He woke up Monday morning & immediately checked to see if the tooth fairy had gotten his tooth & left a surprise. It was gone & she left him a whole dollar!! Wow! I don't know how the tooth fairy hasn't gone broke...our bunch has definitely kept her busy & she still has many years to come visit our house (but don't remind my hubby!)...

 

Biggest Fans...

After the wives' spa day & luncheon, I jetted back to Mobile to grab my kiddos & head to our 1st scrimmage of the season at Ladd. My boys are SO READY for some football; they were chopping at the bit to get there! As a matter of fact, Tanner was up & dressed by 8 a.m....the scrimmage was not until 5:00 that evening!!

I didn't really take any pictures while we were there, but I did snap two that I wanted to share...

This shows how excited my boys are about the upcoming season! They live & breathe football year round, so when the actual playing season arrives they are beyond pumped!!

This was just breathtaking to me. This baby girl is her daddy's biggest cheerleader.  And I've never seen him get off the field so fast...said hey to his boys, kissed his wife, & grabbed his girl. Makes my heart happy.

Spa Day & Luncheon

What do poor football widows do when their hubbies return to work for another long, demanding, rigorous football season?!  HEAD TO THE SPA OF COURSE!!!
That's just what the South Alabama football wives did on Saturday! We met up at the gorgeous Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club, & Spa in Fairhope/Point Clear (about an hour south of Mobile) for a morning of pampering & relaxation.  We were given gift certificates to use on whatever treatments we chose - manicures, pedicures, massages, facials, etc. After our services, we met in the main restaurant for lunch & our 'back to the season' wives' meeting. It was so nice to have a little "pampered getaway" & hanging with the other wives was so much fun!!

I hate I couldn't really capture the beauty

of this place in pictures!

Here we go...yay!!!

I didn't want to snap pics in some areas (like the quiet room), but I was able to get a few during my manicure. :)

Don't you love this color?! I took my own polish. It's midnight blue...in preparation for football season...wink, wink!

Lunch -- what a spread!!

Elise, our head coach's wife, always makes us great binders with lots of info for the upcoming season. She also included lots of Jag goodies - pens, pencils, koozies, bracelets, shirts. I took several things for my boys, plus stuff for Tanner's class treasure box! :)

I had to include a sneak peak of a shirt our wives are getting. 

Isn't it cute?! I can't wait to wear it!! 

Group shot!!! Had such a blast with these ladies!!!

High School, Middle School, & Kindergarten

On Monday, the Bowens Boys headed back to school. Timothy started high school, Taylor started middle school, & Tanner started kindergarten...whew! What a milestone year!! Tim & I couldn't have planned it this way if we had tried! :)

The weekend before school started, we made 1st Day gifts for Taylor's homeroom teacher & Tanner' teacher. This is right up my alley because I love being crafty & doing things for the boys' teachers!

Monday morning

Timothy Bowens, the high school freshman

Aren't teens always on a device?!

Taylor Bowens, the middle school 6th grader

Hard to tell in this pic, but this is me & the big boys walking around the corner to the bus stop. People were on my case - my hubby made fun of me, my sis fussed at me, & my neighbor laughed at me, for walking w/ the boys. But, I didn't care one bit!! These are my babies & I will walk with them everyday if I want...

...so I only went that 1st day. The next day I went right around the corner & watched from a little farther back. After that I tried to hang back. Give me a break...it's hard to let go!!

 

Our morning schedule is a little cray. The big boys leave about 30 minutes before Tanner even wakes up! Their schools both start almost an hour earlier than Tanner's does, so I have a little time (usually spent feeding Kallie) before getting my youngest son up, fed, dressed, & off to school.

 

Tanner Bowens, the elementary kindergarten kid

So happy to still have a kid I can walk all the way in to school...

He was overflowing with excitement!

He's also happy to be wearing his uniform to school,

just like his big brothers do. :)

Tanner w/ his sweet teacher, Mrs. Burkett

I hugged him, kissed him, took pics, waved, & told him bye at least 10 times. Again, so hard for a momma to let go!

 

While the boys were away, Kallie & Mommy had the day to play!! We'll have lots of girl time over the next several months while the boys are in school!

Well, in the afternoon, I headed back to the carpool line. Oh what joy! Honestly, it's much easier this year with only one school pickup as opposed to 3 last year.

After everyone was home, we went to Sonic & I treated my crew to First Day of School slushies! (forgot to get pics) Then, after grabbing a couple missing school supplies & enjoying a little down time, we had dinner, bathtime, bedtimes, & Mommy was left to fill out everyone's paperwork...fun times!

Had to throw in a pic of Tanner's daily binder - totally adorbs!! Cutesy things make my heart happy!! Lol!

Our bunch had a successful first day!

Here are a few tidbits from the rest of the week...

 

I signed up to be a Kindergarten Lunch Helper at Tanner's school, so I went up each day with a few other moms to help at lunchtime.  We helped get food on trays, helped them carry them, helped them get lunch numbers punched in, & opened cartons, juice, snack bags etc.  I never got to do things like this as a working mom, so I really enjoyed being able to go up & help. Plus I got to see my baby boy during the day - best part!! I also wanted to take advantage of being able to help out at school without a baby attached to me; thankful that my mom spent the week with us & she kept Kallie during my trips to the school!

Each year, Hutchens has a school photographer come & take 1st day pics of the kindergarteners - to commemorate their very 1st day of school! We got them back very quickly (by the 3rd day). Here's Tanner's picture proof - so, so totally cute!!!

Did I mention how much I love Mrs. Burkett? She's so sweet & I like the way we already text & email to touch base. She sent me this pic via text Thursday afternoon. Tanner & 2 classmates sorting buttons during math... :)

Friday morning!! My boys survived the first week!!!

Tanner, who's had to take a lunchbox all through preschool, was understandably fascinated about the lunchroom & trays of food! Ha!! He got "tray lunch" everyday except Friday, when I was happy to make his lunch & leave him a little note. He told me Mrs. Burkett read the note to him. :)

Well, I'm so happy my guys have had a great

first week & great start to the school year.

5 days down, 175 more to go...