Kindergarten Rocks!

In preparation for the big day we hosted a "Welome to Kindergarten" party last weekend.  We got a few of the girls we know are going to be in school with one another together to help witht he transition and give us parents some support too!

It was all about the crafts.  The girls made some cards for their new teacher and also decorated rulers with kindergarten rules notes.

 Lexy posing so pretty!

Brunch of course - we didn't want to go hungry with all the crafting going on!

Looking forward to building great family relationships as we start school together!

More Scootchin

I am not sure I can find anything cuter.  Naked scootchin'!

Missing her clothes and a diaper does not stop this girl. 

Look at her hair - its starting to come in now.  She is such a little doll.  Addy thought this was so funny.  She was running around hollerng "she's naked scootchin' so look out". 

Sweet Addy

Brandy came over and wrote a lovely note to Addy about how special their time together was and still is.  This was really special to Addy.  A few days letter Addy on her own used it as a sample and wrote a note to her sister Charlotte.

So darn sweet!  She is getting more and more comfortable writing and even spelling words on her own.  I really can't wait to see how this comes along once she is working on this more consistently at school as well as at home.

Addy's new favorite thing is her baby alive doll.  She's been pretty devoted to feeding, diapering and putting her doll Lucille down for naps.

Sleepover Fun

A couple of weeks ago Scott and I set out to have a fabulous sleepover party with the kids.  I think we did a pretty good job.  We barrowed a tent and Scott committed to camping with the kiddos.  (Bless him!)

We watched a Scooby Doo movie while we waited for it to get a little more dark for the fun stuff.

We got the tent set up.  ( And by we, I mean 3 adults.)

Ghost tag in the yard.

Then we tried this youtube experiment to make neon liquid.  It failed. 

Scott and the kids got settled in the tent for ghost stories at about 10pm.  Then were inside by 11pm.  The vote to go in was unanimous.

The next day the girls did some fun self portraits.

Overall I declare it a success!

End of Summer Bash

Addy and  I enjoyed a trip up to JLMB to the splash pad for her friend's end of the summer party.  We had a ton of fun and got really wet.

The girls enjoying some watermelon during a break in the action:

Pathetically Cliched

Brace yourself . . . no pictures people.  I know, what good is a post without pictures?  They will come.  I just can't get motivated to download any tonight. Here is my problem:  I am having a complete come apart.  I mean it.  And its killing me because I always prided myself on being way better then all those pathetic moms going on and on about this topic.  Seriously, get over it! - I used to think when I would see the pictures and read about it. 

But now it is happening to me.

I've been telling myself that Addy is having a hard time, and blaming every tear and issue on the coming changes.  I think I am the one that can't handle the change.  I actually had a nightmare about it last night.

Addy is starting kindergarten in two weeks.

And it feels like life as I know it is coming to an end.  I can't handle it.  I am blubbering as I type this. Really. Sniff.  Sniff.

And I always made fun of all the "first day of kindergarten pictures" and stories.  Never again.  I get it now.  I have the supplies, I have the clothes, I have the backpack . . . I need couseling for me. I mean its not like she's home with me all day.  Frankly, its no different then any other day that she goes to school and I go to work.  But its DIFFERENT.

So, now that I have admitted that I am as bad as every other mother I can move on and post all about it.  And hopefully by typing it I am starting to accept it and I can move on.  At least until the big day comes.

Thats me, a pathetic cliche I used to make fun of . . . oh how it all comes back around. :)

Hot Stuff

Stay cool . . . its gonna be getting HOT!

Kid's Room (Almost) Reveal

Seems like ages since we started this project - ummm, that is because like everything in life these days we go slower then we used to.  I wasn't sure we could even pull it off, but we are just about there.

Here is, I mean was, our nice, lovely formal dining room (sorry couldn't find original and had to pull it off the blog so its blurry):

This is a picture of what it looked like most of the time.  We used it for meals about a twice a year and otherwise it was the junk room for all my piles, stacks, plans, projects, and rejects.  Seriously!!  All. The. Time.

Here is a picture of the inspiration for the new room:

And so a french country designed formal dining room becomes a fresh and fun kid's room.  There have been a lot of steps along the way.  Painting, moving furniture, buying furniture, moving more furniture, changing plans, waiting, cleaning. 

The room has looked like this (or something similar) for about 4 months as we slowly got things together.  Did I mention this room used to have carpet and we tore that out and put in the hardwood?  What a difference a floor makes??  So great!

A couple weeks ago we finally got the majority of furniture into the room and started pulling it together.

Then we got some buff family over here the help get this last (and crazy heavy) buffet out.

And replaced it with our new dresser and TV.

 This isn't the final reveal - family picture wall, cafe curtains and a few final touches to come, but we've broken it in with some movie nights and Just Dance with friends.

So far here is the before . . .

And the after . . .



Stay tuned for the final reveal!!!

Celebrating

Scott's parents were able to come up the last weekend of July for summer visit.  We used the chance to celebrate my birthday with the whole family.  We are so blessed to have such a wonderful family.  I couldn't have picked a better group to celebrate with!

My Dad was so proud.  We made beer brauts and I made kraut to go with them.  It turned out good!!

 After dinner we played outside a while.  Charlotte got her first wagon ride.  She pretty much loved it.

 We had bike riders, skateboarders, a wagon with a baby . . . it was our own circus.

 Brandy made these lovely cupcakes - YUM!!!

Watching the action in the street.

We ended the night watching some Olympics!  Perfect.