Big August

it has been a HUGE fun week for our family. Tuesday, the girls had their first day of 2nd and 4th grade. I still can't help but to shed a little tear every year. I always worry about what the new year will bring, but I can honestly say that I feel 100% sure that both girls are in excellent hands with their teachers this year. Ellie's teachers (all 3 of them) seem great so far, and I've heard good things about them. However, I am worried about 4th grade girl drama that I've heard is coming, but I am arming myself and Ellie ahead of time for that.  I think Emma is going to flourish in her class. Her teacher is so far amazingly organized and obviously a whole-hearted educator. I think it is definitely a good fit for Emma.

We did our traditional first day of school yogurt trip this week, I've had some quality time with Mack while the girls have been at school, Mack officially started gymnastics again, and Ellie quit temporarily due to other conflicting activities.

This weekend we headed to Atlanta for the Taylor Swift concert. Before going, we discussed with Mack his option to go to Legoland while we were in Atlanta or have a birthday party in a couple of weeks for his birthday. He, hands down, wanted to do Legoland instead of a birthday party. So, we left early Saturday morning, and met the Berryman's in Atlanta at Legoland for Mack's "birthday party." It was fun, and all of the kids really did enjoy it.

After having lunch with all the Berrymans, we checked into our hotel and the girls and I began primping for the Taylor Swift concert. Worth and Mack headed to the Braves game. Our friends, Emily and Ross Simril were there with their children, Maggie, Ella Kate, and Jack. All of us girls went into the concert together, while the boys went to the baseball game. It was so good to see them again!

The concert was AMAZING. I can't say her opening acts impressed me that much, but Taylor was phenomenal! The girls were just about to fall asleep by the time it started, but turned around and rallied once Taylor got on stage. I have been to several concerts in my life.  I like Taylor Swift, however, I'm not a "swiftie" in any way, but that concert is up there with the Rolling Stones for me. It was quite a show! The girls had a blast too.

It is now Sunday, and I am procrastinating on going through book bags to fill out first week paper work, getting Mack's supplies ready for preschool that starts this week, etc. I enjoyed our weekend together so much, I guess I just don't want it to end.

Mack will ALWAYS win the bedhead award. This past Monday morning did not disappoint. 

The Bowers family newest 2nd grader (future artist)  and 4th grader (future fashion model). 

Emma at her new desk. 

Her teacher offered to take our picture. 

Ellie walking in to Mrs. Hansen's homeroom class. 

Although she wanted me to carry her supplies in, she almost panicked when I asked her to pose for this picture in  her class. I told her if I had to carry stuff to her room, she could at least smile once for the camera in her class. Mack, of course, photobombed. 

This was on my time hop that day. My heart exploded. I can't even believe she's getting so grown up looking. I am biased, but I think she is absolutely beautiful. 

I almost forgot to get pictures of the after school yogurt. This was the best I got. 

While the girls have been at school, on my days off of work, Mack and I have had lots of fun. We have played numerous games of operation, go fish, restaurant (where he "cooks" and serves me,) and  Mack the fixer man. It has been some precious time that further my realization that this child CANNOT play by himself. I love him so though. 

Making "rice and beans" for me. 

Emma sporting her new kicks that she now wears everyday. She LOVES these shoes.  

Mack's first day back at gymnastics. He has begged and begged and I wasn't going to let him take if I couldn't do it at the same time as the girls. Sure enough there wasn't a gymnastics class, but a tumbling class at the same time Emma takes. He was ok with this since he still gets to do pit and trampoline - his 2 favorite apparatuses (sp?). 

Ellie doing one of her last dismounts unless she can get into a Monday class. She wanted to quit all together until she nailed this dismount last Thursday. Now, she has decided, she wants to try to keep coming. Thursdays are her dance night though, so we are trying to get her into a Monday class which she is on the waiting list for. Who knows, I think gymnastics is really becoming challenging for her, which fuels her desire to quit. 

Mack loves the car wash, so I took him Friday morning. It made his day.  #littlethings

The kids were more excited about he escalators leading to Legoland that the actual Legoland..

Mack and Bo were fired up about Legoland. 

How much Worth weighs in bricks. 

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Emma's brick weight.

Ninjago Grey

Emma on a spy training mission

Legos, legos, everywhere....

ATL Lego style

The Lego Atlanta Capitol building and Georgia Aquarium

Other parts of the city of Atlanta

A lego stone mountain. The Lego Atlanta was amazing, and much easier to get around in than the real thing. 

Turner Field

FALCONS!

In line for the Ninjago ride. This was the best shot I could get of all of them. 

Next up was the huge playground with everything lego!

Bop really loved the boats. 

Instead of a ball pit, it was a lego pit. 

3 little monkeys

Emma at the very top of the playground

Waiting on the 4D movie

4D glasses ready!

The soon to be birthday boy got to pick out a lego set as an early birthday gift since this was technically his birthday party. 

We stayed at the Omni, and the kids were mesmerized by the view from our room. 

We met up with the Simril girls to head to the concert. L-R: Ellie, Maggie, Emma, Ella Kate. There were a  few little girls at the concert. 😂

Cotton candy was the first requested food item once in the stadium. 

Our seats were pretty good. 

But it was FREEZING in there. Emma sat like that most of the concert, except when dancing. It really got almost uncomfortably cold. I know I'm always cold, but everyone around us felt the same way. I'm not sure if it was just our section, since into the show the pyrotechnics were on our side. 

I take a terrible selfie, but I took one with my girls anyway. 

The girls were done during the opening acts. I was hoping they could hold out until the show started! 

Once on stage, Taylor did not disappoint. They gave you a bracelet when you entered the stadium. Ours didn't do anything and we were kind of disappointed, until she came out. It was as if they were being controlled and they all started blinking different colors and making waves across the stadium, etc. It was so cool! She mentioned, in the concert, that this tour is a stadium only tour, and since most stadiums are huge, she wanted to be able to see every person there. The bracelets helped her with that, and it was true. You could see every light on every wrist. It was really neat! You will see them on the upcoming videos blinking and changing colors in the audience.

She has some great dancers. She's still not a very good dancer, but she has definitely spiced up her game and her back up dancers made all the difference! 

Taylor doesn't have anything on Emma Bowers. I hate that I caught the tail end of her complete get down on this song. She tried to tone it back when I turned the camera on her:

The snake was a concert theme. This one was huge and I had to get a picture for Mack, since he has a small love/hate obsession with snakes. 

This was at the end. We ended up walking toward the exit  during the last song because I looked over and Emma was curled up in her shirt in her chair, laying down she was so cold and tired. We walked up and watched the end on the thousands of video screens that were everywhere. It was fabulous.