The First Day of the Next 13 Years of Her Life

Padyn started kindergarten today. She seemed less anxious then I did. And boy, was she ready. She had her Hello Kitty backpack, Hello Kitty lunch bag, and new Hello Kitty pencil set to bring with her to her first day of school. Why wouldn't she be ready?

Ready for school...I love how her backpack is on upside down. I didn't correct her.At school...well, parked down the block from the school. Since it was the first day, it was a little crowded. We had to walk a bit to get to P's classroom.Padyn had seen her classroom on Friday from the outside, so she was pretty keen to check it out this morning from the inside. She immediately found some toys and a clipboard to draw on. But most exciting? Her friend Danielle was in her class! We didn't know this until this morning. I'm sure this is why Padyn was so eager for us to leave.Danielle was first to spot that her and Padyn's cubbies are right on top of each other. How cool is that?

And Kate? She wanted to be in kindergarten, too. Well, she wanted to play on the kinder playground, anyway. I'm not even sure Padyn would willingly climb up this little structure.And tomorrow? Only 179 days until summer break...

The Next Venus and Serena

Daddy took these pictures last week as Padyn finished up her "tennis camps." She knows what forehand and backhand are, she can balance the ball on her racket, hit it over the net, and push it on the ground around the cone obstacle course. Pretty good for not yet five and never having heard of the game before last month.

Kate...well, Kate can roll and chase the ball. But you have to start somewhere, right?

Photo Friday-Fun with Birthday Hats

Last Saturday we had the rare treat of sharing a birthday with a friend that lives far away. Sean turned two, and his family just happened to be in northern Cali for a wedding, so the brilliant woman that is Juls, planned Sean's party so we could go! Yeah! And, as an added bonus, we got to hang with Lulu and her family, too! Yippee!

The theme of Sean's party was Little Einsteins, which was right up my girls' alley. Now, they were very excited about the parting gifts (stickers and playdough and a kaliedoscope in LE theme), but we were ALL excited about the party hats. Hence, the theme of today's Photo Friday.

J showing Lulu how to be a bird.
Lulu's daddy and his bird imitation.
I'm not sure what type of creature Daddy was pretending to be with the hat on the side of his head.
Padyn and Mommy using the hat like a phone (this was probably the most popular usage of the hat).

I think Kate was pointing to Daddy's hat.
Really not sure what Padyn is being here.
And...no idea.
Any guesses? Happy Friday. And thanks again, Sean, for inviting us to your party!

Countdown...

Even though it's impossible for me to wrap my head around, Padyn will start kindergarten in 5 days.

FIVE DAYS!!!!

I don't know if we are ready for this. I mean, really...what am I going to do with Katelyn all morning? By myself? Without Padyn to entertain her? I don't remember what it's like to just have one kid. I think it was boring...



But it's coming anyway.



Five days and counting...

Photo Saturday-Because We Had No Electricity on Friday Afternoon

And since we had no electricity yesterday afternoon, we spent a bit of time outside taking said photos...

Trying to put things in the tree. I don't remember what Padyn had, but Kate is trying to put Dora in the tree.
Serious girl
Notice the fabulously coordinating outfits that my daughters picked out for themselves. Nice. Actually, it was better before we went outside. Padyn had the pink flowered pants that are in a photo at the bottom of this post on with that top. I'm telling you, we've got style in this household.
What is that face, exactly? Happy, pissed, frightened?
Just watching the world go by...

Checking out a spider web in the bushes.
Hanging with the tree. And no, the tree should not be that color in the middle of summer. The gardeners pruned it too early ( in my opinion) and it stressed it out a bit. But it's still growing...
What is up there, Kate?
So happy
Three feet

These next few pictures were taken a few days ago. I include this one with the pants, because Padyn WILLINGLY picked these out. This child NEVER wears pants if she can help it. She doesn't even want to wear shorts. It's skirts or dresses or a screaming fit. And here she is, in pants. She likes them a lot, for whatever reason.
Kate's been pretending to sleep a lot lately. In fact, when I come to get her from her nap, she's almost always under the blanket "hiding" from me.
Now they're both doing it.
New tennis visor from Bon Bon.
Contemplating... Happy weekend.

A New Source Of Healing

Kate came running up to me in the kitchen with a pained look on her face. She was gripping one meaty little hand in the other. She thrust her fist in my face....Ook, Momma. I hurt.

Sure enough, she had a tiny little scrape on her knuckle.

I made the appropriate sympathetic noises, gave it a kiss and sent her on her way. But she didn't go far. She stopped at the pantry, opened it and pulled out the dried apricots.

"I wanna apicot. It make it feewell beder." (I want an apricot. It will make it feel better.)

Who knew?

Random Car Conversation #16

Padyn: Mommy, if you don't want to hear Kate whine, you can just lift up your ears.

(I need to interject here that Kate wasn't whining. She wasn't even talking. We were all just driving nicely in the car to Papa's house.)

Mommy: Really? How do you do that?

Padyn: Well, it takes practice.

Mommy: Interesting. Let me see you do it.

Padyn then proceeds to scrunch her face up like she's smelling something really foul.

Padyn: Say something, Mommy. (So she can check to see if it's working.) No, it didn't work yet.

Padyn repeats the above sequence two more times. It seems she needs more practice. Then, a minute later, when no one has been talking for 45 seconds and I assume the topic has been dropped...

Padyn: Oh, there. It did it.

Photo Friday-Last of the Photos from Grandma's

We've been home for over a week, but my camera is still hanging on the closet doorknob where it was placed when we came home last Wednesday. But never fear...as I took over 200 pictures in Oregon, I have plenty more to share with you. But I promise...these will be it. I'll pull out my camera again this week and we'll have new scenery for you in the days to come.


The theme of this Friday is "Things we Do at Grandma's House. They are in no particular order of interest, but I'm sure if you asked Padyn, the tractor riding with Grandpa would be the favorite.

With no further adieu...

Digging-there's lots of dirt to dig at Grandma's (and surrounding areas)

Riding the ATVs-I totally need to get them helmets
Reading together...I found them like this more than oncePlaying hide and seek-this is when we went to see the waterfall. OH! Funny side note: So, we go to see the Butte Creek Falls. When we get there and are ooooing and ahhhing, Kate asks, "Where's Baby Jaguar?" I think we've watched the Diego and Dora Save Baby Jaguar episode one too many times.DancingRiding the tractor with Grandpa-Kate NEVER wanted to do this. The tractor is still a bit scary, apparently.Playing with Auntie on the boat (we didn't make it out on the lake in the boat this trip, but we enjoyed playing with it on dry land. )

Playing at a random little playground in a VERY small town.There were plenty of other things we did that you've already seen the pictures of. Clearly, the girls can't wait to get back to Grandma and Grandpa's house. But I'm sure G & G are happy to get a break from these two monkeys.

Happy Friday.