Post Labor Day September 2016

After Labor Day, a lot of changes started for the Stacers.  After being laid off in July, I started a new job with Samsung Austin Research Center (SARC).  It is part of Samsung, the huge company you all know (and hopefully love). I joined their Performance Team which is responsible for making sure that the chips going into your Samsung phones and tablets are the best and fastest at what they are designed to do. This is kind of a departure from my previous roles, but I had worked with a lot of people on the performance team a LONG time ago at Motorola. And my personal role is on the Correlation team which works to ensure that design models and performance models are accurately matching. I had contemplated not going back to work (as I have been part-time since Evan was born). But, this opportunity came up that would continue to let me work part-time so I felt like it was a chance I couldn't pass up - not many people will hire you and let you work part-time from the start!

Since I'm so late posting this, I can tell you that 4 months in, it is going well. I see a lot of familiar faces from Moto/Freescale/NXP. The work is new and interesting. The commute - not much better than before. But, I like the company and the people and the job so I think it's a win!

Now, back to what you really want to know about - the kids!  Ryan also started Preschool after Labod Day.

He was pretty excited to start school. He is going M/W/F this year... he would probably go every day if he could!

Walking up to school

Hey, look who is in his class again? Worst twins ever :)

The great thing about Samsung is they totally get flexibility. I can't really work from home, but they understand you have commitments that you need to be there for and that's okay. So here I got to go to Ryan's preschool for Breakfast with the Parents!

Caitlin is taking 2 dance classes this year - ballet and hip hop! Here she is ready to learn some hip hop moves - which she loves by the way!

Evan is playing soccer again this Fall. And best of all, he is on the same team with his 2 best buds!

Caitlin is playing soccer again too with her friend Charlotte on Team Ireland. Who says you can't play soccer and be fashionable?

The older two are both swimming with Lonestar again. Here they are dressed up for an 80s party - they went at Coach Adam and Coach Dax, 80s style.

Ryan is doing swim lessons still with Ms. Hannah and loving it. Maybe another future Lonestar swimmer here too!

We got to enjoy a night out to celebrate Mel and Lorena's bday. Fun to have the girls back together!

And last we enjoyed some family time with a great bike ride!

Labor Day and Irish Invasion

This year, early September was quite hectic. I started my new job just after Labor Day so I was determined to enjoy the last few remaining free days.

I took Ryan and Chelsea to Bryce's work for lunch.

We played soccer outside.

Love this pic of Caitlin reading a chapter book to Evan!

Boy Scout popcorn selling at Rudy's

But probably the biggest highlight was that Notre Dame came to Austin to play the Univ of Texas in their football opener. There was a lot of hype and activities surrounding this, and we had a lot of friends come into town for the game. I wanted to share a little bit of that excitement with the kids. So, the Saturday before the game, we rode the train downtown to attend the Pep Rally!

Ready for some fun

A train - probably the highlight for Ryan!

Ready to get hyped up about the Irish!

Cheerleaders performing

It was a little exhausting but it was a fun outing. The next day, Bryce and I headed to tailgate with friends and go to the game (scored some tickets thanks to Casey!)

Fred and Steve - fellow CPEGs that I haven't seen in years!

Bryce supporting ND for me :)

Mojo and Chas - great to see them!

Andy and Aaron - if you can't tell, Aaron's face is painted with an ND symbol and an OU symbol. Last year, he and Andy had a bet on the ND game (which ND won). Loser had to paint their face for this rematch!

View from our seats (which were pretty high up). It was an intense game - double overtime! Tough loss for the Irish which was to be the precursor to this not so great football season. Still, it was a fun weekend. I loved getting to see so many faces from college and attend an ND football game. Some day I hope to take the kids to a game at Notre Dame Stadium! Go Irish!

School Starts and Trip to NYC

I can't believe these kids started school and are in 3rd and 1st Grade. I get those facebook flashbascks from when they were babies and think wow, time is flying! I can't remember them being so little!

Evan's first day of school

Caitlin's first day of school

Picture of all the kids at the bus stop

The same week they started school, my mom and I flew to NYC to spend a long weekend. Again, best husband in the world for taking on the challenge of the 3 kids while I got to go have fun!

We met up with one of my high school friends Lauren for dinner! She gave us lots of good  NYC advice and hooked us up with a backstage tour of School of Rock!

Spent the morning at the MET. Love that museum

Mom and her Monets

Then, we took the long ride up to the Cloisters, another MET museum

Beautiful gardens/cloisters

They have these famous tapestries there if you recognize them

That night we went to our first broadway show, School of Rock! It was great and afterwards, a friend of Lauren's gave us a backstage tour. So interesting!

The next day we went to the Guggenheim.

And that night we went to see Book of Mormom... hilarious!

Sunday we had to fly back to Austin but first we took in a mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral. I love these huge Gothic churches like in Europe. So beautiful for a mass.

It was a great trip to just enjoy some time with my mom! Maybe we will make it an annual girls trip and take my sister with us next time when she isn't pregnant!

August birthday trip and getting ready for School

This year, we took a trip to Galveston to celebrate the August birthdays.  We took the whole family (Hammels and Stacers) and rented a big house on the beach. We spent two days enjoying the sun and sand and family. It was a great way to wind up the summer!

The kids loved all of the time on the beach, and I loved finally being able to relax a little while they played. I didn't have to chase a toddler 24/7. The older kids had a great time on the boogie boards. It was fun to slow down and just be.

The last night, we went out to a birthday dinner in Galveston to celebrate mostly my brother who turned 40 later in the month!!

And then it was time to go after one last walk on the beach.

When we got back from the beach, it was time to get ready for school to start!

Caitlin got a new cute haircut.

We did one last playdate at the park with our friends.

We met our teachers at Welcome Walk. Evan got Ms. Moeller for Third Grade.

Caitlin got Ms. Johnson for First Grade.

And we went bowling one last time with friends. Goodbye summer!