Back to School 2014 & First Day of Kindergarten

We kicked off heading back to school with some photos. Each girl by the tree we planted for her when she was born. 

Charlotte wasn't into it. 

Grace on the other hand…

Let's do this!

I will cherish this photo in particular of her. 

Every time I look at it, I cry. 

Not happy with how Charlotte's pictures had turned out, I decided to give Charlotte another go. Charlotte was a bit - shall we say - upset over the apparel I had chosen for this little photo shoot. The shirt in particular was not up to snuff. It was too tight around her neck and itchy. 

Ummm….if looks could kill!

My goodness! She REALLY doesn't like that shirt!

But then, a changing of the tides and she warmed up. 

It's a grin. No a smile! Hallelujah it's a miracle!

I was finally able to get a few photos where she didn't look like a kid possessed by a demon!

Phew! Mission accomplished!

{Oh and don't get me started on her haircut. It's been a rough summer around these parts for hair.} 

Truth be told, the only way I got Charlotte to even to pretend to smile was with a bribe. A mom's got to do what a mom's got to do!

A trip to Starbucks for a treat if she would smile and not whine. So as promised….

Our last mid-day, weekday treat break as a threesome.

{On a side rant: Why does Starbucks sell cake pops in the morning? Why does Starbucks sell cake pops…period?!?! Are they really just trying to subliminally tell parents not to bring their children into their stores anymore? If they booby trap the store with crap parents don't want to feed their kids, the parents (in turn the kids) will stop frequenting the stores. Is that what Starbucks is telling us when the set up cake pops in their display at 6 am? I can't tell you how many times I've been in line at Starbucks with a mom and child a few places back and the kid asks for a cake pop and then the mom has to go through the whole song and dance about how cake pops are junk food and that they have to get something else only to have protests and tears from the child. I mean come on Starbucks. Cake pops?!?!? Let's focus on products that you are only mediocre at…like coffee. End of side rant!}

Back to school photos snapped, tummies full, we set off to prepare for our Back to School dinner!

I set up a few little decorations and of course bought a cake! 

As Julia Child once said, "A gathering without cake is just a meeting." 

I made some chalkboard placemats for some school spirit. 

It was a very lovely dinner. Manna and Boppa joined us and the girls got to choose their meal.

They chose pancakes and corn on the cob. 

As a back to school gift, they received an alarm clock. Figured it would help with those early morning wake up calls when it is pitch dark outside.

The next morning, we were up early to meet Grace's teacher. 

The meeting went well and Grace's teacher is very nice. I am confident that Grace will be in good hands!

In the meeting, Grace decided she wants her teachers and friends to call her Gracie but she wants her family to call her Grace. She says it is "more adorable when my friends call me Gracie."

The night before the very first day of kindergarten was Grace's first soccer practice. I and a friend are coaching. Let's just say I earned this beer after practice.

And then it was time for Kindergarten. 

Lunch was packed. 

First day photos taken. 

Drop off was a breeze. She kept saying goodbye even before it was really time for me to go.

I hugged her and she was gone. 

Out the doors to recess. To a whole new world. 

She didn't hesitate. She wasn't scared. She was very ready and that is very comforting. 

It was a little harder for me. 

I sat and watched her play at recess (she couldn't see me) until the bell rang. I saw her find friends and find her way to her classroom. There was relief in seeing her adjust and take care of herself. To be her own little person. 

My words are not right here because I can't describe the way I felt that morning accurately. 

Happy. Proud. Sad. Selfish. 

Excited. Scared. 

I never thought I would be "that" mom that gets all emotional on the first day of kindergarten. I mean it is kindergarten, not war. 

But just as the birth of your first child turns your world upside down, so does the first child going off to school. Everything changes. Your day. The sounds. The lack of sounds. Your involvement. Your lack of involvement. Your ability to know what they did, what they ate, where they went…

It was an emotional day - to say the least. When I was talking to a pregnant friend who dropped off her son at kindergarten that same day as well, I was comforted to know that I was not alone. She'd been a "wreck" too but then again she had pregnancy hormones to blame it on! What was my excuse?!

Her response? 

"Your baby not being a baby anymore is a good enough excuse!"

All I can say is that Charlotte's first day of kindergarten is going to be R-O-U-G-H!

I might even wear all black that day.

Charlotte was a trooper. She wanted to go out to recess with Grace but understood that it wasn't her school and settled for a morning with mom making cookies. 

Charlotte and I had a great day but it always felt like something was missing. 

And it was SO quiet!

How I have treasured these days and years with these two constantly by my side. 

So much of me is sad to see this stage end but I know great things are yet to come. Now I just need my heart to catch up with this logic and we'll be good to go!

It's Hot Outside. Got AC?

Unlike most of the female gender, I am not a hair person. I've never put a ton of time, effort or thought into my hair. Most of my "big" hair decisions in my life have been made by my mother because she is a hair person! My hair could be green and I probably wouldn't care. A few weeks ago, I went out on a limb and made a hair decision on my own. 

I got bangs. BANGS! 

I haven't had bangs since I was eight and if anyone out there is considering this drastic change - a word to the wise….DON'T DO IT! 

Let me clarify that a bit. Don't do it under the following conditions.

1. Your children are still at the age which require you to join them in the swimming pool - every afternoon.

2. You have a hate relationship with a round brush - or any brush for that matter. 

3. The temperatures outside are competing with those on the surface of the sun. 

Consider yourself warned. 

Speaking of warm weather, it is SO hot here. We tried to go for a walk the other morning but had to turn around after just a few minutes. Our yard has no shade - and no pool - so as crazy as it sounds, we are spending most of summer indoors!

We do make it to Manna and Boppa's pool a few times a week! Grace was pretty excited that she was able to touch the deep end after a 'pencil dive.' Just last night, we tried a real dive (head first) and she was able to retrieve a ring off the bottom of the deep end! Way to go Grace!

We had friends over for dinner on Friday so that meant LOTS of trips to the grocery store - including Costco. Flat bed cart no so much fun. 

The good news is that our dinner was lots of fun! Our guests brought the girls shrinky dinks which they LOVED!! It was the first thing they wanted to do bright and early the next morning!

All the playing indoors, thanks to the AC, has sprung a new interest in some 'old' toys! Recently, Legos have entered the Barbie Dream House!

Necessity is the mother of invention and Graced needed a high chair for her Barbie baby! 

Finally, I came across this little blurb in Cosmo a few days ago and it really resonated with me. 

 "Small omissions" speak very loudly. 

Getting Back on the Horse - The Blogging Horse

I've definitely lost my touch - if I ever had one - on this whole blogging thing. I ALWAYS felt like I had something to write about. My family would even say... while I was snapping a photo or telling a story... that they smelled a blog post coming. They were usually right!

Lately, I can barely remember what I did yesterday, let alone recall something significant worth sharing. I just got to get back on the horse and then the creative juices will start flowing. Right? Regardless, these are my memories, my thoughts. If I don't purge them today, I'll never remember them tomorrow, let alone six years from now. So back on the horse we go!  (You can always follow me on Instagram. Not as much "purge" as a blog post but fun little tidbits nonetheless!)

The big news of this past week? I became an aunt again. Yay! Court's brother's family grew by one on Wednesday. I haven't gotten to meet the newest addition but I hear all are well!

Speaking of babies....babies ARE a conundrum, aren't they? They are so cute and amazing and they bring so much happiness. Every time I see one, it just makes me crazy. Throw in the fact that I'm up to my eyeballs in archiving my photos. I'm currently working on photos from 2009 - Grace's first year. All those firsts! All the cuteness! I'm just in total bombardment of "baby" and I ain't gonna lie, it makes me want another.

At least, it makes me think about wanting another. A lot. God was onto something when he made babies so darn cute. He was also quite genius in sprinkling some kind of magic voodoo powder on a mother's memory so that she'll look right past the haggard, exhausted mother holding a tiny, new baby in the grocery store and at first sight want another....instantly...overwhelmingly. It's crazy. (*Side note: Funny how He didn't feel the need to sprinkle the same magic voodoo powder on men. They can recall all the HARD stuff on contact! They are not as easily bamboozled by cute...cute babies that is! ha!)

So other than 'The Great Baby Debate' going on upstairs, we've been up to the usual. Busy, busy.

The sun has been out so we've been out more too. Bring on summer! It is still amazing to see Grace run post surgery. She just flies! She easily runs a half mile at a dead sprint. 

I took this photo with my iPhone. The sun was in my eyes and I couldn't see the screen so I just blindly snapped away.

When we got home from our walk I looked at it and it really hit home. It captured so much more than I'd realized. Yes, it captured a sunny winter day. The vineyard that surrounds our house. Mt. Adams in the background. 

What caught me most was the distance. How far Grace was down the road. At a dead sprint. Symbolic of her growing and maturing.

Charlotte in hot pursuit. Snipping at her heels.

Also, extremely symbolic.

And me. Left in the dust.

You guessed it. Symbolic.

There are times when I've had it up to my ears and I've secretly counted down the days until Grace will be in kindergarten...ALL DAY! EVERYDAY! After seeing this picture it hit me pretty hard how much I'll miss her. All day. Everyday. 

Switching gears. Dogs! Oh thank god for dogs! The dogs love going on our walks. It helps burn off some energy. Luckily, they entertain themselves for the most part. You never know what they are going to be up to when you look outside. 

Spring is springing and so they are chasing and sometime capturing little critters that are returning to these parts. I am REALLY hoping they channel some of their energy towards snuffing out snakes this summer. Fingers crossed.

Court is out of town for a few days which is hard in all ways OTHER than the cooking department. It's no secret I don't love to cook. The only reason I ever REALLY cook a meal is when Court gets home from work. Even then, it sometimes doesn't happen! So while the cat is away, the mice will eat pancakes for dinner, hit Red Robin and order pizza. woo hoo!!

Other than trying not to cook, we did manage to have a little fun. We saw the Lego movie, and did a few projects. The girls made chalk which they loved!

We also made panda ear headbands. Grace and Charlotte pretty much have refused all hair doodads of any kind. Charlotte will do a pony tail from time to time but Grace absolutely refuses.

Slap some white and black felt on a piece of plastic and they won't take it off.

Go figure.

End of Summer; End of an Era

Hard to believe it is September.

Really hard to believe. I was just getting into the groove of long, warm days and endless hours in the pool, in the yard, in the sun.

I can safely say this is the first year I've never wanted summer to end -

Autumn has long been my favorite season - 

but summer with kids is sooo much easier. They are happy, barefoot, exercised...their naked bottoms bronzed ever so slightly by afternoons in the sunshine.

So how have we arrived here - the last hours of Labor Day weekend - so quickly?

With the alarm clock tomorrow morning, we are slapped back into reality.

School, schedules....darkness! Not to mention the holidays loom closer and closer by the hour.

(Side note: Who's started shopping for Christmas? Crazily enough - I've started; every year I tell myself I am going to be more organized for Christmas and every year I fail.)

Fall hasn't officially even started and I am already exhausted.

Granted I have a little summer cold with a nice mixture of allergies slowing me down but regardless I am tired. Autumn has long been my 'busy season' - if a SAHM can say she has a busy season...this is mine. Between now and January 1, it will be hustle and bustle and endless, endless to-do lists.

In a way, I love it. I love the structure and the checklists but I think what is really weighing on my heart is time. There is just never enough time and when you are measuring time against two growing girls...it stuns you and takes your breath away.

Grace will be five in three months.

Charlotte will be three in a matter of weeks.

Grace will be in school - all day, every day - in one year. 

In a way, I view this as my last year with Grace.

In reality, I know this isn't true.

But this will be the last year without the pressures of school, the outside influence of friends and the beginning of an onslaught of after school/weekend activities. 

It is an old cliche - one I despised as a kid - but nevertheless true. 

It goes by so fast. 

SO, SO, SO fast. 

It really is one of the cruelest realities of life. When you are young, you don't understand how hard it is or how fast it goes...then once you get a little older, a little more perspective, you just can't believe how true it really is.

All those years, all those adults - actually telling you the simple ass truth...and you didn't listen!!

Ok enough of my crazy rage against time...let's recap the weekend and get ready for tomorrow and all that comes with it!

Friday night was one of those summer nights. Ate dinner outside, stayed up a little too late, drank a little too much vino - but all in all, good fun. 

The girls even got their first driving lessons.

It was so cute! They loved it.

My phone crapped out two seconds after this pic! Darn!!

In other news, Stranger and Hiccup are still around! They have completed their entire puppy shot series and go in for the BIG appointment on Thursday. 

Saturday we kicked off Court's manic harvest schedule for the next solid month by having one last hoorah! Dinner in Yakima!

Both girls fell asleep in the car on the way up to dinner and stayed asleep until their meal came.

I'm telling you summer sunshine is magic!!

They wouldn't wake up!

We even tempted them with their first Shirley temples! 

(Charlotte loves maraschino cherries...but nope...on they slept!)

My summer cold - tied in with some problems I'm (still) having with my teeth kept me up ALL night Saturday. I was seriously up from 1 am to 4 am so Sunday we laid low. 

But today, to close summer, we went to the parade in town.

It was your typical parade. Marching bands. Floats. Fire trucks. 

Tractors. 

Oh and this!

Didn't know this was parade material in small town USA.

Just another indication that time is marching on and I am getting old.

But on time must go and so must we.

Farewell sweet Summer. Hate to see you go but it's been a good one. One of my favorites. 

Do me a solid will ya? 

Tell Autumn to be good to us and Winter to be short and sweet.

Thanks!

Look Hoo's Back!

You may recall our run in with an owl - in our living room - last year. You might also recall how that same owl raised a nest of baby owls in a tree right outside our living room window. Read about it here and here. It was amazing. I enjoyed every second of watching them peak out of their hole and cautiously and clumsily take to flight.

Then, just like that, they were gone. Grown up and gone and we were empty nesters. Literally.

My evening owl entertainment left a void in my evening repertoire. Even knowing that the owls wouldn't be there, I'd check every once in a while just in case.

So imagine my surprise when I posted up on the couch Tuesday night to fold heaps of laundry and relax in front of the 'boob tube'. Court was at a dinner meeting, the girls were asleep so I was settling in for some me time. Just me, the laundry and the ...and just like last time, I could feel the eyes upon me. I swear I knew she was there even before I looked up. She met my stare with confidence - unblinking - and for the second time in just days, I cried.

The owl - other than bringing the girls home and watching them grow - has been one of my most cherished memories of this house and I wanted to see her one more time before we moved.

Yes, you are reading that correctly. We are moving - soon - though I don't know exactly when. There are still a lot of unknowns and variables. The good news is we know where! More on all that when the time is right...and I actually know something.

The move is bittersweet. The main thing the move does for us is that it gets the girls in a better school district. It also puts us closer to Court's office thus shortening his commute. The down side is we are leaving the house that was our first home. We lived in a house prior to this one but it wasn't a home. There's a difference ya know. This is where the girls came home from the hospital, where we endured sleepless nights and 18 months of all-day pregnancy sickness. It's where we hosted family gatherings and where I cooked my first Thanksgiving meal. It's where we lit off firecrackers three weeks post 4th of July and where we roasted marshmallows with friends in the driveway. It's where the girls learned to crawl, walk, swim and ride bikes. It's the only home Grace and Charlotte have ever known.

While this is the only house Grace and Charlotte have ever known, they aren't the only children to be raised in this house. Court's father, uncle and aunt all grew up here. This house has been inhabited by a family member for 63 years and upon our departure, the tenure ends. *Sigh.* Like I said, bittersweet.

But life is ever changing and change, whether difficult or waited for with baited breath, is good. I look forward to our new house and the process of making that place our home. (The girls and I have been listening to Phillip Phillips a lot lately! 😜)

So seeing the owl flooded me with a lot of emotions. We quietly sat and watched each other for quite sometime - although I wonder if she wasn't watching the muted tv screen glowing behind me. She couldn't have been that transfixed on me.

Then again, perhaps she came to say goodbye. To give a nod of thanks for rescuing her from the chimney and in turn saving the lives of her owlets. (I checked. The proper term for a baby owl.) For she has not returned since Tuesday. Every night, I check and wait. I'm content that even if I don't see her again before our transplant we had one final moment. One final goodbye. Truth be told, I'll be looking for her every night even after we move. 

Apologies and Catching Up

Most everyone is gearing up for the weekend to come....and here I am just getting a post up about what we did LAST weekend! There just never is enough time in the day!

A friend recently asked me how I find time to blog.

I laughed because I don't! I can't. It is hard!

I keep thinking life will get easier next week. Things will calm down next month.

I've been saying that for a few years now....I think I am finally coming to terms with the fact that from here on out, it is going to be crazy! Regardless!

So my posts are random. My posts are "old news" but I am doing the best I can.

Hopefully, you will stick with me!

Anyway, after a busy week of sickness and stress, we headed out for some R&R in Seattle.

There was much sleeping 

and chill axing by all!!

Much needed.

On Saturday, we took the ferry to Bainbridge. 

The girls LOVE the ferry!

I think they know the ferry = Bun Bun the Bunny! The last time we took the ferry, we were with Grandma and Grandpa and Auntie Molly. It was that trip where we met the VERY famous Bun-Bun!!

Bun-Bun is a bunny that belongs to a children's store on the island. 

Such a good gimmick!

[Note to self: If ever own a store, have a cute, cuddly ADORABLE bunny 

to lure in the kids. Works better than candy!!]

We made the most of the thirty minute ride! ha!

Once off the ferry, we had lunch but promised we would visit Bun Bun immediately following lunch. Charlotte must have gotten the memo that this was a vacation because she ate and promptly fell asleep!

Grace occupied herself for hours coloring. She piped up only to make her request to see Bun-Bun the Bunny known. We offered to get her some dessert for being so good but she declined.

Let me repeat that. 

Grace. Refused. Dessert!

They even had chocolate cake! This was a first. So now you know how important seeing Bun Bun the bunny is on her scale of things to do!

I'm not going to lie.

A little wine was had at lunch.

More than a little. Maybe. Less than a lot? 

Depends on your definition of a lot!

haha

Heaven!!

On to Bun Bun!!

We did make a pit stop at the toy store...like I said, we were feeling good. Grace lucked out and got a bed for her plush bunny, conveniently named Bun-Bun!! hahah So original!

Charlotte was still asleep so she missed out on "easy breezy" Mommy at the toy store! Bummer!

That'll teach her to sleep through lunch! hahah

We did wake up Charlotte to see Bun Bun so perhaps that made up for missing the toy store.

No pics this time but you can check out Bun-Bun here. 

Both girls were AWAKE for the ferry ride home! They were jazzed!

Our visit with Bun Bun concluded our jaunt to Bainbridge as we trying to catch the 2 o'clock ferry to make it back to Seattle in time to go swimming with cousin June. 

Again, no pics. Sorry!

The wine that had me feeling so good about an hour before, had me in an almost catatonic state while June and her parents visited. I refused to swim - the water in the pool is freezing - so Court took one for the team and took the girls swimming.

After swimming, the girls were playing and the adults were talking, Charlotte managed to face plant into a wall. I don't know how it happened. It was so fast. All I know is that it was hard.

This is what her face looked like minutes after it happened!

I am assuming this will be a pretty big shiner by tomorrow!

The next day, we say a children's theater production of Rapunzel.

While it was much different than the Disney version Grace and Charlotte, it was delightful nonetheless. 

The girls are coloring and creating more and more! 

So fun!

We had planned on taking the girls on the ferris wheel (seen in the top picture) but we were all pooped!

All of us were still not feeling well so we rested a bit and then, surprisingly, it was time to eat again!

We met Auntie Molly for dinner...not our best family representation.

We were all tired, cranky and some of us were crying...I won't mention any names but it reminds with Face.

Sorry Auntie Molly!

Monday morning, I woke up to a hole in my favorite jeans. 

I cried.

The thought of trying on new jeans and paying for them literally brought me to tears.

Jean shopping is up there with bathing suit shopping.

Throw in two kids in the dressing room with you?

If someone made me a deal where I could magically get a pair of jeans that fit well if I poked myself in the eye, it would be a no brainer!

I'd much rather wear an eye patch for a few weeks than attempt jean shopping at this point in my life!

The drive home over the pass was covered in snow. I mean COVERED!! 

It was unbelievable. I was so thankful Court was driving! It came down hard, fast and slushy! Nothing worse than driving in thick, slush!

It was a good trip to Seattle. 

We accomplished what we needed to accomplish. 

Got to see some family - albeit brief

and got a little sleep!

Back to reality and frost control!