This month we:
- I spent a lot of time with the kids this month. Because of the flexibility of my schedule I was able to “goof off” quite a bit at the beginning of the month with the kids — which I paid for at the end of the month. However, we had lots of fun.
- The kids and I spent several days together doing fun stuff — reading books in the yard, painting toe nails, baking cookies, running errands, going to the library, walking and visiting parks, etc.
- We had pictures for our Fall soccer season. They turned out cute.
- Abby came over and watched the trio along with the Kilmartin, Haskell, and Bond kids (she had backups!). While Abby was with the kids at our house, the grown-ups went to play disc golf and then had a cookout at the Kilmartin’s.
- Jim and Sherri were here quite a bit to help Mike work in the basement. One day this remodel will be done… However, there has been significant progress. The main area and the guest room are usable again — now it’s the bathroom and storage area/exercise room. I love projects when they are done — I’m not a fan of them when they are in progress.
- I managed to make it to DDPYoga quite a bit (often with Jamie Bond) during the month and also completed most of the 21-day-fix. I worked out at least 5 days a week this month but I had a rough last week diet wise. However, I liked the fix enough that I’m gearing up for round 2. I even managed to post two 21-day-fix recipes on my food blog — Cheeseburger Salad and Creamy Ranch. Both are delish!
- The trio finished up their summer days at Sue’s house having fun with their friends.
- Bo attended Lego Camp at the local community college. He had a great time and came home with stories about the neat items they were building. Now he wants engines for his Legos…
- Laura and I managed to make a quick trip to IKEA one afternoon and then met the guys at Bianchi’s for dinner. Laura and Derek came to our house after the trio was in bed (their kiddos were having sleepovers with family) and we played Cranium. It was my first time at Bianchi’s and my first time playing Cranium — and I liked both!
- We had soccer practices and our first soccer games of the season. The kids are slowly getting better as the season progresses but they are winning because they have one little rock star on their team. They are having fun with it.
- We had a couple of playdates with Amanda, Josie, and Camden. Clara and Anna really like Josie and they are all in Kindergarten together this year.
- School Club Officers (JH, LK, JB) met several times, including on Jamie Bond’s Birthday. Needless to say, we went to MJs to celebrate after our work was complete that evening.
- We registered for school and dropped off many of our school supplies.
- Bo had Harrison over to play one afternoon. Harrison loved our cats!
- Mike and Derek went golfing a few times — at the driving range with Victor and at another course with Jeff and a few others.
- I booked our Disney Dining for our February trip. Shhhh… it’s a Christmas surprise!
- The trio and I met up with Jocelyn, Mirella, and Mason for a playdate and picnic at Rotary Park one day. Anna was a hot mess that day, but the kids still seemed to have fun.
- Bo continued to take piano lessons and is signed up again this Fall. He’s beyond the point where I know how to help him — it’s like reading a foreign language for me — so hopefully he can keep up without parental guidance.
- Clara and I went to Hobby Lobby and PetSmart together. We were looking for a frame for her room and replacing her fish. Apparently, we are fish murderers. Her first fish, Rapunzel, died and so we bought a new one, Popsicle. Popsicle got the ick and he died along with Anna’s fish: Rosie and Jo, and Bo’s fish: Jackson and Jokie. So we are fishless again….
- We went to the Back to School Splash at the Oglesby Pool where the trio was able to swim and see many of their friends before school started.
- I took Bo, Clara, and Anna for their back to school haircuts. Amanda is our official beautician. 
She attempted to teach me how to French braid — I’ve been practicing and it is slowly starting to look a bit better.
- I took the trio to the mall for Cherry Berry (frozen yogurt). I was on the fix and didn’t even have any — that was amazing! They also requested to buy soap at Bath and Body Works and play in the play area. I’m not sure why, but all three of my kids love to buy hand soap…
- I went with Laura to the part-time in-service at the community college. I am still teaching an online course for them. Laura and I managed to fit a trip to Marshall’s into our evening as well.
- Mike took a few days off and we took the trio to Jim and Sherri’s to swim in their pool. We also went to a Kane County Cougars game (complete with Fireworks) and did some errands in the area — a trip to CostCo, shopping, etc. Mike and I were able to sneak away for a dinner out at Bien Trucha — where we used a gift card we received for Christmas in 2011. We also played bags in the yard with the kiddos, which was pretty funny. 
- We attended a virtual shower for Mike’s brother, Peter, and his wife, Jenni, who are due with their first little one, Lucca, any day now. The family all logged into Google Hangouts and watched as they opened gifts in San Francisco.
- I took the trio swimming at the Bond’s one afternoon.
- The trio started school. Bo is in First Grade this year and Clara and Anna are in Kindergarten. So far, they are loving it!
- Mirella spent a few afternoons with us after school and the trio had fun entertaining her.
- I hosted a the Dzik, Lynch, and Kilmartin families for dinner one evening. I attempted to make Mexican food that was passable. The kids had a good time!
- Mike and I went on a mini-cleaning spree one Saturday morning — and then ran errands including Target and we finally bought ourselves a new mattress. It was time!
- Clara, Anna, and I made a cannoli cake to take to the Vasquez’s — but then it started raining and the weather was awful so our plans for a fun afternoon were ruined. Which also meant that I had an entire cannoli cake in my fridge while I was doing the 21 Day Fix… Not so good.
- Mike and I took the kids to Bianchi’s for pizza. So much for that fix… They liked it too. I think it will be our new “go-to” pizza place.
- I managed to sneak in a few post drop-off/pre-work walks with Laura and one with Laura and Bonnie.
- The kids were released early one day due to the heat — their school still doesn’t have air conditioning…
- I went to the informational meeting about swim team. I think we are going to wait one more year before joining.
- We had our first School Club Meeting of the year. JH, LK, JB, and I followed up with a trip to MJs. I’m calling it an officer’s meeting…
- Mike and I met at Menards to look at tile for the new bathroom but didn’t have any luck. It’s moved to our list of things to do in September.
- The trio’s first full day of school this year was also the first day of my Ph.D. studies. I am working towards a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership with a concentration in E-Learning and Corporate Training. Hopefully by the end of 2018 I’ll be going by “Dr. Weitl.” ;) Apparently one full-time job, two part-time jobs, and three kids just isn’t enough for me…
- I spent the last week of the month feeling pretty overwhelmed by all of the work that I let pile up early in the month. It was my own fault, but didn’t make that last week any more fun. 
- We spent Labor Day weekend in Des Moines, Iowa with the Bond and Kilmartin families. Our family stopped in Iowa City on the way for Molly’s Cupcakes (yum!) and a Mexican lunch. The hotel we were at had a waterpark that the kids enjoyed (once Anna could go down the waterslide anyway…). The moms kept the kids at the hotel and pow-wowed in the hall after they were asleep on Saturday so the guys could go to an Iowa Cubs game on their own. On Sunday, we went back to the waterpark in the morning before taking everyone to the game. The moms sneaked away on Sunday night for a bit and made a quick Old Navy run followed by The Cheesecake Factory. It was a fun trip and the trio had a blast. Traveling with friends is fun for all of us.
Like usual, I built it up in my head that the next month will be calmer, easier, slower… but somehow, it never is. September is already roaring by — but at least we are (mostly!) having fun! I have been plans to update the blog with posts about many of the fun things we’ve done this summer — we’ll see if September is the month I finally manage to make that happen!
You can see what else we’ve been up to this year: January, February, March, April, May, June, and July