Happy Birthday to me

So I turned 38 today, and spent the day taking Sara to the American Girl store (she had been begging all summer!), and dinner with my family.  Tomorrow I am treating myself to a massage and then taking the kids and a couple friends to Fort Yargo to play.  Summer is rapidly drawing to a close, and it was a really nice one.  I think we hit a good mix of camp/busy/planned out activities and down time.  We were in Hilton Head with the Duncans when Camp Invention took place this year, so our small group at church invented our own - each family had at least one teacher/science teacher in the family, so we each took an afternoon with all 8 kids doing different activities - and the kids seemed to love it!

We just returned from our end-of-summer just me and the kids trip, this time to Chattanooga.  It wasn't new to us like Huntsville or Birmingham, but we tried to go see new things - the Incline Railway, Coolidge Park, Pointe Park, and Racoon Caverns - as well as visiting favorite museums like the awesome Creative Discovery Museum up there and Tellus on the way back.

Gem mining at Tellus

Not too old to enjoy this museum yet!

View of Tennessee Valley from Pointe Park - it was beautiful!

Looking back at goals set at the end of 2017, I'm happy to say I have accomplished some of them!

I have been counting calories since March, and have lost 36 pounds, putting me in a place where I am much happier with myself and fit into a smaller size of clothes.  I've also had stem cell treatment on my knee, followed by physical therapy, which has helped get back some range of motion/decrease some pain (still hoping for continued improvement there).  

Next door to PT is an exercise studio that I've been going to all summer that offers a variety of classes, and modifications for people like me who don't bend all the way :).  I hope to be able to keep attending when school starts.  I also think it would be cool to ride my bike all the way around Stone Mountain.

I've sewed a reasonable amount - made a couple new dresses for Sara and the pocket smock I had been planning for a while.  Knocked out a pair of PJ pants for David yesterday, and a knit dress for Sara this morning (and 5 minute dress for her doll before we left for the bistro!).  I'd like to do more sewing for myself this year-  I think it'd be fun to make my own skirt or dress.  Still need to complete the memory blanket for David before it gets cold!

Lastly (ironically) I need to spend less time with my face in a screen and more time with my family - the kids are growing up WAY too fast, going into 2nd and 5th grades this year, and I just need to put down the Facebook and give them my time and attention.  That being said, goodnight!