Do Angels Pick Their Noses?

As I was sitting in the audience watching my beautiful daughter dressed in her angel costume for the Christmas Pageant, my heart was bursting with pride. She was standing tall, looking so sweet, singing her heart out. There was a pause in the singing as other students had lines to speak. That was the moment my angelic daughter started digging for gold.

She was working her finger with such concentration that when her fellow angels started singing “Silent Night” it snapped her to attention, as if she suddenly remembered where she was. She opened her beautiful mouth to sing along when something on her finger caught her eye. That glorious treasure she discovered was enough to make her forget her song as she studied her finger and what was on it intently. It was such an interesting discovery that the darling angel next to her suddenly stopped singing so she too could peer at this amazing discovery. Oh the wonder and joy of being 5~

Halloween Night~ Trick or Treat

We went to Mama Katie’s for Trick-or-Treat and when we pulled up to her house the first thing Katie saw was a huge pile of leaves Austin so kindly raked up.  The girls had a blast jumping in the leaf pile with Emerson before we went Trick-or-Treating. 

My Beautiful Girls~Fall 2010~

I just love taking pictures of the girls in nature.  This day I had planned everything for a perfect fall photo shoot, but there are only so many things one can control.  For example, a child’s willingness to have their hair combed, the fact that even though the sun was shinning beautifully, it was only 35 degrees outside and the only coats I had in the car for the girls clashed horribly with their cute fall shirts.  Oh well, what really matters is that I think my girls are beautiful even without all of my planning.

 

I love this one- Sara playing peek-a-boo behind Katie who is trying to get that leaf to stay in her button hole.

My Baby is 3

Sara turned 3 on a beautiful sunny day, but it was freezing cold.  Being from California we planned a park birthday party.  All the kids had fun, except poor Sara who was freezing and just wanted to go home. When everyone started singing Happy Birthday to her, she started crying and saying “No”.  At least the pictures were cute.

Have You Ever Seen a More Desired Bagel?

 

                

Heady Halloween Party 2010

Our first year in Washington I met this cool and crazy lady named Katie in Sara’s Wobblers class.  She seemed really nice, and invited me to her annual Halloween Party.  Nate of course had been out of town so I struggled to get the girls in their costumes, and get to the party on time.  What I didn’t realize was that I was the only adult to show up in full costume.  The good news is, that was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.  The ladies and I, along with our daughters have been close ever since. 

This year Katie wanted to be “a blue person from Daddy’s scary movie”.  For about a month we threw out different costume ideas, but Katie never waivered, so we found her an Avatar costume.  Sara on the other hand wanted to be “Pinkalicious”  which was very fitting since she LOVES all things pink.

World Championship Sand Sculpting Competition

We headed to Federal Way to see the World Championship Sand Sculpting Competition.  It was amazing to see what people did with sand.   ~September 2010~

Murder Mystery Dinner Party

My friend Teresa hosted a really cool Murder Mystery Dinner Party at her beautiful home in Redmond.  The theme was Desperate Housewives of King County.  My boss was the murder victim, and I was Angela, the young tennis instructor.  I had so much fun.

Sara Wants to be Just Like Katie

                                                                                   ~September 2010~

This year both of the girls are in school full time.  Katie is thriving in Kindergarten, and Sara loves Preschool.  Katie has to wear a uniform to school, and on Chapel days she has to wear a certain uniform skirt.  Sara wants to be just like her sister, so we had to get her some “school uniforms”.  This is her “Chapel uniform”.

Here is another “uniform”:

                        

First Day of School 2010!

Katie started Kindergarten today.  Sara started full day preschool.  I started teaching a 2nd /3rd grade combo class.  Nate left for San Antonio at 6:00 am.  Needless to say it was a bit of a crazy, hectic morning, but it was an amazing day!

 

Katie spent the summer saying she was never going to Kindergarten, that she would only go to Pre-K class.  This morning she was nervous, but tried really hard to be excited.  She would say she couldn’t get dressed because she wasn’t going to Kindergarten, but then once she was dressed she said, “Mommy, I changed my attitude.  I am excited about going to Kindergarten now.”  It went back and forth like that all morning.

When we got to school, Mrs. Brindley invited the parents to joining for story time.  She read a cute story about Chester the Raccoon who was nervous about going to school.  His mom gave him a kiss on his palm and told him that whenever he missed her he could touch his paw to his cheek and he would feel her kiss. 

After the story the kids came to give their  parents a kiss on the palm of their hands, along with a kiss sticker.  It really warmed my heart and I actually managed to keep my sticker on my palm all day.  When I ran into Katie at recess and lunch I showed her my hand and it was like we shared a special secret.  She loved it.

This afternoon, while playing at “Old Mc Donald’s”, Katie told another boy in a very proud voice, “I’m a Kindergartner, I can do it!”  That said so much to me.

Sara also had a great day.  She was at school from 9:00-3:30.  She made a lot of new friends and she loved her teachers.  She saw Katie’s uniform laying out this morning and she really wanted to wear one so she did.

Sara of course woke up first this morning and was already dressed when I went to take my shower.  When I got out, I heard a strange noise coming from downstairs.  Here is what I saw:

Sara had turned our downstairs into a driving course for her bike.  She was racing around, even peeling out on some of the turns.  She had her balloon tied to the handle bars and was rockin’.

 

So on to my class.  I have a dream job right now.  My teaching partner is amazing.  The students (all 6 of them) are so sweet and they know the expectations and routines- they were all in this class last year.  We actually went on a field trip today.   It felt more like a day in March or April, than any day in September I’ve ever experienced.  Tomorrow we start getting right to work- That never happens the first week of school.

 

Here are my 2 darlings getting ready for school:

July = Family, Travel, and Loads of Fun

California here we come!  The Donovans invaded Eric and Kim’s house before we headed off to Tahoe for the annual Donovan/Sichi camping trip.  It was so nice to get to spend so much time with the families.  The girls LOVED camping, especially the getting dirty part.

When we rode bikes in Richardson Katie got her own bike.  She did a great job riding on the trails.  Sara rode in the trailer behind my bike and slept most of the ride.

  

Mommy and Daddy got to hike the Rubicon on our own!  It was a perfect date.  We talked without interruption, we held hands, we focused on each other.  Just what we needed to feel rejuvinated.

The girls loved the beach of course.  Sara even liked resting in the sand.

  

Two little campers:

   

My little tomboy diva Sara.

Enjoying a Bite in the Backyard

Summer’s first corn on the cob was a hit!