Acker Country Living: Wrapping up 2019

2019 Finished out strong since my last post. Here are the literal bullet points on the kids:

Susannah started kindergarten and is killing it! She's a rockstar student and is excelling, as we figured she would. I regularly remind her (in all seriousness) that it's okay for her to not be perfect and/or the best at something; to which she generally replies with a nod, "I know, but I want to be." Her mother's daughter.
Sus also lost 2 teeth now, the second one just this past week.
Susannah turned SIX in November and is inquisitive and an absolute sponge, hungry for knowledge about all things. She's been asking a lot of great questions about God the past few months, and that's been so sweet to talk about. She's told us a handful of times that she really wants Jesus in her heart, and while she's not totally sure on what that means just yet, I pray as she learns more and begins to understand it the desire becomes a decision!
John started preschool and kind of likes it on most days! He loves friends and he loves his teacher, but he recently told me, "I don't think I'll go back to preschool. It's going to get harder, and that won't be any fun." He loves learning as much as Sus, but he'd rather not try.
John's also been taking Ninja Warrior classes this fall and has gotten really good at that stuff! He'd like to try soccer in the Spring since there's no track and field for his age -- he just wants to run really fast and get medals!
John is also the first person to ever discover a loose tooth before it's actually loose. (Because it's not fair, you know.)
Lately, John says, "That's not fair" approximately 47 times a day. He's not into the fact that Sus gets to do stuff he can't yet. And of course, Susannah is LOVING it.
Mary is the most hilarious and mischievous child this side of the Mississippi. She has a love of donuts, but she never asks for them -- just talks about them often. She's a smart girl, so it's probably her way of getting the people with the money and drivers licenses to get their minds on donuts, as well.
In one of her tumbles, Mary bumped one of her front teeth hard enough to turn it gray. If she loses a tooth before John because of that, IT WON'T BE FAIR.
I've prided myself on not having kids who throw fits in public; and as in all things parenting, it seems, God sent me Mary for a solid dose of humility. Mary wailed the entire time we were waiting in the pickup line (a line of people on the sidewalk, not of cars in a drive) a few weeks ago because I couldn't stop the wind from blowing.
Clark is the sweetest thang! He smiles as much as John did as a babe and is super chill. He can do no wrong!
Clark started rolling over last week, which is about a month behind schedule. Ha! He's just too content with life as it is.
Lastly, Clark's eating solid foods and lots of it these days, which is mainly because he stopped gaining tons of ounces between each appointment like he started out doing. He's the picture of health and so happy and sleeps so well, so that was kind of surprising to hear. But we're hoping packing in extra calories and fat will get him back on track asap!

As for me and Pete, we just celebrated 8 years of marriage last week! It's always so fun to look back over the years and remember where we were 8 years ago compared to where we are now. I vividly remember crying on our honeymoon because I was so scared I'd get pregnant before we wanted to, and Pete was all 😳😳😳 at the crazy woman before him, if you can imagine. I laugh at that now because man, having kids is the BEST! They drive me absolutely bonkers at least twice a day, but the life they breathe into me and Pete is incomparable.

Now for pics! Here's a random assortment from the past 4 months:

Church kickball game back in August

In Smithfield with my sister Katie and her daughter Addie

Susannah's first day of kindergarten!

John's first day of preschool!

John kept saying, "I'm winning! I'm winning!" Not by the looks of it, boy!

Sus started ballet this fall, too!

Took the kids to the county fair. This was the only good pic we got, while Pete, John, and Mary were on the ferris wheel.

The big kids have been doing Awana this year at the church around the corner from us, and they LOVE the program almost as much as they love their vests!

At our Acker Family Trip to the Eastern Shore

At the pier on our vacation -- beautiful sunset!

Tooth #1

For Christmas last year, Figgy gave John and his BFF cousin Than tickets to ride a real-life train this fall. I could not resist getting him dressed for the part.

All the boys on the way to the Cass Railroad!

We took a trip with some our best friends to Wintergreen this fall -- all of us under the same roof, and it was one of the funnest weekends ever!

Family selfie at the top of a mountain

Apple picking

Mom and Dad came for a visit, and the first thing the kids wanted to do was to put on shows downstairs in the basement. Everyone got a front row seat for the entertainment.

Buddies

Sus and some of her friends at the pumpkin patch on a field trip.

Sweet Sus got the citizenship award at school

For Susannah's birthday, I gave her a Panera gift card (because she's obsessed with Panera) so that she could pay for herself and 3 friends on a girls night out! (The moms were there, too, which was so fun for me)