drivers permit?

excuse me?

what is this?

Noah got his drivers permit? holy moly!

Installing the floor of the yoga studio ~

I am doing a terrible job keeping this thing up-to-date!

Nim came home from her trip to Chicago with presents for everyone and a whole lot of stories to share. We looked forward to our nightly skype or facetime chats because we missed her terribly when she was away.

Since her return we have had two different grandparent visits, Noah took a trip with his girlfriends (!!) family to Carowinds and Mount Mitchell, Gita finished her summer ballet classes, and we hosted a super fun costume party. I have tons of photos to share which I will get to eventually. But for now, here are a few pictures from the day that Nim and David put down the new floor in the yoga studio (which is so wonderfully close to being done!)

I

farewell, Nimuae ~

Nimuae left early this morning on her first-ever trip without parents, fully funded by her babysitting money! She hardly slept a wink last night and woke up at 3:50a.m. to hop in the car with David, heading to Greenville, SC for her early morning flight. Gramps was waiting for her at the gate in Chicago.

I got the quick call that she was safe and sound ~ I can't wait to hear how the flight was for her, what she was feeling. I am so very proud of her, putting her mind to making this trip happen, then seeing it all the way through. I am sure is is going to make memories that last her lifetime.

4th of July goofiness

Dear NeNe,

Thank you for sending the Carmonas and Loomers these lovely glasses for the 4th of July.

Here are some photos of the kids getting their goofiness ready for the celebration...

yoga studio is in the works!

Our yoga studio dream is finally coming true! It has taken many forms in our minds as we have been dreaming about it for years. For awhile we thought it would be large enough to teach classes in ~ and then thought it may just be a room in our house ~ for awhile we considered a yurt would be the perfect structure.

We tore down the yome earlier this year to make room for the new structure, and started drawing plans for an affordable studio that we could build pretty quickly. We settled on a 12 x 16 building. Also, we decided to employee our friend and master builder, Alan, to get the building dried in. Not doing the work ourselves is a new notion for us ~ and it was the best decision! Alan does the work so quickly and it is so well-done. And now that the building is framed (with a roof!) with doors & windows installed, we can take it from here ~ electricity, ceiling, walls, floor. It may take us awhile to finish it up, but it feels so exciting to have gotten this far ~ and to be so close to seeing this dream to completion!

all is fine around here...

stepping up

School's out!

Oh my goodness, we are so excited. A few months of not waking up at 5:30, or making lunches before eating breakfast (or having coffee), rushing out the door at 6:20 to get the kids to the bus stop. A few months of afternoons at the pool, later bedtime, and so much more time with each other.

We are so proud of all the kids for finishing this school year strong, with good grades and super reports from their teachers. 

But this is a very special moment for Nim, who says good-bye to her elementary school (hello, middle school). And what a way to finish it off :: 

at her ceremony last week, she received awards for AB Honor Roll, Citizenship, perfect attendance, and (what she is most proud of) a Presidential Academic  award. The ceremony was very moving and we got a kick out of watching Nimuae climb onto the stage 4 different times to receive  her awards. We are so grateful for this wonderful school in this amazing mountain community.

Nim, second to the left back row, with the other recipients of the Presidential Academic award

Nim with her first ever public school teacher, Mr O'Shea, who gets the award for "most strict" and "loudest" in the school...but leave it to our Nim to find his soft spot.