Ackland Week: Part 1 (Random Photos That Didn't Fit into One of the Big Themes)

The first week of August we headed down to Potosi, WI to spend a week with my folks and all of my siblings and their families. 10 cousins this year -- Atticus the oldest, Wrangler (my brother Jonathan's youngest son) the youngest. We spent the week bowling, visiting a dairy farm, going to an indoor water park, Brad and I hitting our 8th year wedding anniversary, and celebrating Daphne's (my brother Jon's youngest daughter) 2nd birthday. Here the kids are shucking corn with Grandpa and Aunt Bekah.

The pool my dad set up for the grandkids in the backyard -- It ended up being super cold the week we were there -- too cold to really swim (hard to believe with the heat we're having this week but...)

Brad coming back from one of his epic (hills!!!!) Wisconsin bike rides.

 

Dinner out with all my siblings (and spouses)!

Thea Belle's 3rd Birthday Morning: August 27th, 2013

 

Thank you, Mom and Dad for the sweet baby doll high chair.

Thea Belle's 3rd Birthday Party

Last Friday, at the princess' request, we had a pink and purple ice cream party for Thea Belle's 3rd birthday.

I gave her three choices of party dresses and she chose this one because it is twirly and poufy and pink. And because it is her "Jake Bugg" dress -- the one she races to slip over her head whenever she hears Jake Bugg come up over the speakers. (Charmingly, she can tell it's one of his songs a couple bars of music in -- and can even tell you if it's the sad one, or the one were he stands in a prairie field or...)

Backyard ready...

Add friends (-:

And pink ice cream (raspberry sherbert is her favorite)...

  

Thea Belle picked my outfit and how she wanted my hair and my earrings. Her fairy outfit and fluffy kitten courtesy of the Rowleys (-:

Three!

Atticus Starts 2nd Grade!

Monday August 26th 2013: Atticus Robert starts 2nd Grade.

Neighbor kids (minus the kindergartners)

Getting off bus at end of day -- one of the hottest of the summer. No a/c at the school!!

Atticus was very hot and it took a couple hours in air conditioning and a snack to bring back the happy. He ended up telling Brad quite a bit about his day at the dinner table. I was glad to be there to overhear. I learned last year that there's no pulling it out of the kid unless he's ready. It usually happens at funny times of the day or later in the week. Atticus has so many traits that are similar to both Brad and myself and then some, of course, that are all his own. But one that is like Brad, is that if you push or pull in a certain direction, he natural instinct is to go in the exact opposite direction. Wait and be patient. And give him some time to himself and a snack. (Works pretty well for Brad too (-:).