New Territory

August and September found us forging ahead into new territory...on many avenues.

{Mason} 

 All of a sudden, it seemed to this mama, the two oldest boys learned how to ride their bikes without training wheels. And then they were off! Up and down the street, through the field down the way, back and forth to neighboring driveways.

{Smith} 

With their new skill, came (just a bit) more freedom and some new rules. Turns out they were visiting some older neighbors many times a day, ringing the doorbell incessantly, and getting their 6 dogs in a frenzy every time. Oi. 

Our long legged boys were in need of bigger bikes, too. So, we purchased one used and one new bigger bike and handed-down a bike to Sawyer. The twin conundrum gets us every time - there was only one satisfactory used bike at the shop and I couldn't find another one anywhere. And I looked everywhere. So, we ended up buying a new one a few days later. S got the used bike, M got the new bike. Surprisingly, the "new" factor didn't cause problems at all. M's bike had a kick-stand and S's didn't. Major problem. Easy fix, the bike shop added a kick-stand to S's bike for $5.

We gained new territory, quite literally, in the purchase of a lot! We bought an acre parcel just east of Bozeman, on which we plan to build our new home. That red "2" marks the center of our lot.

 

The "park" directly across the street from where our house will sit.

Full basketball court next to park. Oh, and stunning mountain views, too. :) Our current house isn't on the market yet and we don't have anything drawn for the new house but the land is ours!

Silvy started preschool! Our little beefcake goes Monday and Tuesday mornings to Lone Mt Gymnastics School where he jumps, tumbles, and swims while learning his 1-2-3s and A-B-Cs.

Mason and Smith started kindergarten! Our monkeys go to all-day, every-day kindergarten. All my fretting and deliberating about placing them in different classes was needless - each boy is enjoying his teacher and classmates very much and is enjoying having his own "territory". They see one another at recess/lunch and seem to play together better at home since gaining some space from each other. Winning!

This begs the question, "How much camo is too much?" Camo shorts, coat and backpack.

School brings many new things - a new routine, new friends, new responsibilities, and an earlier bed time. All good.

I drove my kindergartners to and from school the first two weeks and then we transitioned to the bus. The bus is glorious. The bus stop is at the end of our street, about 1/2 mile from our house. I walk Sawyer and Gunner in the double-jogger and Mason and Smith ride their bikes. Many of the neighbor kids ride the bus too. Glorious.

This is all new territory for mama, too. This sweet and painful letting go of control of nearly every minute of my boys' day. Not knowing what they are doing moment by moment. I don't know if they are being kind to others, saying please and thank-you, or washing their hands after going to the bathroom. It's strange and wonderful and a bit sad, too. 

My bus-stop buddy.

 

 Our family mission statement. 

It comes from Matthew 22:37-40: Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

As October approaches, we say, "Onward ho!"