Change...is Good, right? :)

So, August 2014 - a time of great change in the Harrop household.
First off, School started! Morgan in 1st grade, James in Kindergarten! Lets just say all-day school has been an "adjustment" for Morgan. She openly admits that she misses Mommy! (This may seem normal, but to me, who often hears how much she misses Daddy, I felt for her, but was also a little pleased that she wants to be with me that much too.) James has also been adjusting to half-day school, but every day. "I miss preschool, Mom," he'll tell me from time to time. But, now as August draws to a close, I think my two big kids are slowly warming up to their new routine. :)

Going on a ride -this little girl loves flowers! "Pick me one, Mom?" 

Sarah Grace is only 3, but she is happily part of a "pre-preschool" co-op group with 3 of her friends from church. One letter and one number each week, plus lots of play time with her best friends, equals tons of fun and learning. And Jo-Jo? Well, he's just along for the ride. :)

Our 1st pumpkin! It's already3x's as big!

Second, can you say rain!! Our little garden has been LOVING all this rain - and the kids are particularly excited about our first venture into the world of that oh-so-favorite sqaush: the pumpkin!
Jo-Jo in particular loves to peruse the tomatoe plants, often extending a not-quite-ripe fruit in his chubby palm. (He does NOT like to eat them...just pick them. Poor things.) However, he DOES enjoy the strawberries which are continuously popping out small handfulls of little berries each week....that is, if they survive his watchful eye.

Third, with the two oldest at school, the two youngest are getting a little more Mommy time. A few precious moments so far have been during exercise time. The other day I put in a Yoga video, and Jo-Jo stood right next to me, hands almost in Namaste position, then extended his hands overhead following the lady onscreen. :) So cute! And today, Sarah Grace, as I did pilates to some music on my phone, began to dance, all of her own accord. Her cute, still slightly rounded little girl legs twirled and bent quite gracefully, being completely free and loving moving...that is, until I decided to join her. "MOM! I DONT WANT YOU TO DANCE!" I immediately dropped into a push-up position, as if that is what I had meant to do all along. (Sometimes, she just wants to do things by herself...I've found this to be true when it comes to singing "Frozen" songs as well.) She definitely has a mind of her own, and makes her mind known. We've also been going to the park a lot more often after we pick up James from school, to help him transition better. We've made some good memories already.

Picking "Dandelion Fuzz" - one for each member of the family. :)

Fourth, and hardest change: Daddy has been working...a lot. He is transitioning to a private company family and marriage therapy practice, but has been "slowly" (and painfully) transferring patients from his old company, while simultaneously building a clientele in his new practice. Short and simple: long work days. :( And it has been affecting all of us. Jonny sleeps very little, working hard to complete paperwork. He does an all-nighter usually once a week. All of the kids miss him, and so does Mommy. We all are ready for this change, which Daddy is making so he can have more family time, which we all need. So, we're praying for strength to endure...and the end is in sight! I hope we don't have a month like this for a long, long time.

Daddy catching some quality time with the kids :)

Finally, on a more positive note, we are getting ready for a new temple only one hour away from us! I miss having the temple so close like we did at BYU, and now, if not up the street, one will only be an hour away. :) The Phoenix Temple will be dedicated on Nov. 15, and Jonny and I have been asked to help get the youth of our ward ready for the cultural singing and dancing celebration that will happen the night before! So, we attended a training afternoon, got the Hoe-Down and other dances at least a little committed to memory, and now we get to begin, over the next two months, to teach our youth! It's going to be an adventure, but a fun one! I'm actually really excited, the biggest perk being I'll get to be with my hubby during the week too! And dancing together. :) It takes me back to our college days when dancing was one of our favorite things to do together. I'm grateful for one more excuse to hang out with him. :)

So, all in all, a month of great, and sometimes hard, change.
Good-bye August. A good month in some ways, but...I honestly can't say I'll miss you that much. ;)