Progress, Planes, Pumpkins, and Painting.

Thanks so much for your kind words the other day! I got a handful of comments, emails, and Facebook messages reminding me that Will and James are COMPLETELY different (you don't have to tell me!) and that rearing them is never going to take the same ingredients. James' sweet teacher from last year (whom I ADORE) emailed last night to tell me NOT TO WORRY about Will. She has already asked to have him in her class next year (and I warned her that he and James are not cut from the same pattern) - although that was before he'd made a "name" for himself. She mentioned that she has been there, done that with boys who are rule-followers and those who are not. We just have to let each child forge their own paths and shine in their own ways. (And I've really, really, really tried not to compare the two out loud in front of them. Really, I have.) She also mentioned that he is so charming that I will never know about half of the things he gets in trouble for because he'll bat his eyelashes and get out of it. God made him cute for a reason. Yesterday and today were MUCH better. He got TWO stamps both days (out of three...lost one for hitting a kid in the face with a train...seriously) and we were told to CELEBRATE big time for the two (that were generous gifts, apparently) in hopes that he'll enjoy the positive rewards enough to continue. We shall see...

Whew! On another note, we are in full-out party planning mode for James' birthday party. It is in exactly one month and I'm trying to get everything taken care of ahead of time. It is going to be interesting trying to pull that off while also trying to organize and unpack. SO thankful I decided not to have it at our house this year. The really tricky part is going to be remembering where all the party supplies are during and after the move. ;) We're going with a Planes Fire and Rescue theme and there isn't much out there in the way of party supplies. Hopefully it will all come together.

I got the cutest wooden monogrammed pumpkin in the mail the other day. I painted it a very fall-ish orange (NOT to be confused with Florida, Tennesse, or Auburn orange...) and put it on our front door tonight. It's so cute! It may wind up being my only Halloween decoration this year. :P It needs a wire hanger on the back and a burlap bow (and I may get Lori to fancy it up more than my little brown brushstrokes did), but here it is for now. Now it just needs to move to my NEW FRONT DOOR!!!

Our painters are DONE with the house. Hallelujah. That was quite a job! We still lack the built-in in the den but they'll put that in next week and then spray paint in, the mantle, and one cabinet in the kitchen (and maybe something in the bathroom, too). Overall, though, they are GONE. Carpet goes in Wednesday or Thursday next week and then movers come on Saturday!!!!!! My goal is to be IN the house (and out of our rental) by September 30th. I took off work October 1st and 3rd to work on getting everything unpacked. We have a *few* things going on that week, but mostly my attention will be on moving, moving, moving and unpacking, unpacking, unpacking. Yipppeeeeee!

My boys are off at the high school football game and I am going to try my best to finish Gone Girl tonight. (Y'all. I love it. Read it if you haven't. And let me know what you thought if you have!)