Tigers, and Bears, and Fall...OH MY!!

And bees, because we have been BUSY! 

Friends and family, my deepest apologies for going my longest stretch of time since the last entry, but the Paynter's have been on the go since the boys step foot onto the school bus and into their first day of 1st & 3rd grade!

So what have we been doing? Lil' bit of this, lil' bit of that and everything in between. 

The boys are loving their new teachers and classrooms at Agnor Hurt. Tripp is learning and even teaching me a thing in math and exploring the subject of geography. Baxter is regarding up a storm and learning to multiply. Tripp is still chasing balls on the playground and Baxter is the ladies man drawing pictures and picking flowers to take to school the next day. 

They have joined Cub Scouts and are in the tiger den and bear den. Which makes me a den mommy! It's adorable, fun, and right up a little boys alley! 

On the weekends they are on a U8 soccer team in Maryland. We have been trying to fit every outdoor activity in before the shorter days and colder weather arrive. Fishing, hiking, biking, ok...just ____"ing."  Tripp has become quite the basketball player but I still enjoy the fact that I can beat him at 7 but have no promises at 8!

On the first day of Fall, I scooped the boys from after school and we headed to the mountain for a little surprise. 

Amazing is the only word that comes to mind. 

As I reflect on the first month of school and go back and look at all the pictures of our adventures, I can't help but cringe at the fact that in less than one month, my little men will be one more year older. It is so hard to believe that they will be six and eight. I remember it like it was yesterday walking down Massanutten Mountain during Autumn Fest at 8 months pregnant and then two days later dressed for work and came home with this beautiful bundle of joy. Ok, ok, this isn't the birthday post...

At least you know you will have an entry on the 17th and 22nd. Till then, live, laugh and love!!