Where Has the Time Gone...

We took this picture of Addison a few days after we brought her home from the hospital.

This was 2007.

I took this picture in Addison's Kindergarten classroom this afternoon while she was there for her orientation.

This was 5 years after the above picture was taken.

Where has the time gone and who let our little girl grow up??

Addie loved her classroom and her pencil box.  Her teacher and I are friends, I used to teach her daughter, so she will be keeping a special eye on Addie.  But I really don't think it will be necessary!

Addie was super excited to try out the bus and can't wait to catch it on the first day of school- AT THE END OF OUR DRIVEWAY!!  

She showed Nicholas and I all around her classroom and pointed out all of the different things that her pre-school teacher had and her Kindergarten teacher now has.

And then she gave her teacher a big giant hug before we left!

I can't believe she's already going to Kindergarten but she is going to have so much fun and rock it like no one else!

Just as an aside, I really knew she was going to be ok when we went to Panera after orientation and she ran into a little girl from her class and proudly proclaimed that she was one of her many friends from earlier today!

Beachy Days of Summer

As much as I love having the lake literally in our backyard, sometimes I just need to be at the beach and enjoy the ocean and the sand and all that comes with it.
Today was one of those days.
The kids and I headed down the shore for the day with Michelle and enjoyed some time in the water and plenty of time on the sand.
It was well worth the drive over our usual short walk...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photogenic Stellas

These are from a couple of weeks ago...a little sibling love!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swinging Summer Fun

After our umpteenth trip to Home Depot this month, I took the kids to the park for some fun and to kill some energy. The girls are big enough now that they can enjoy the swings and they really do!! What's nice is that I can let the older kids run free while the girls and I enjoy some swing time and rest time!

Swinging Summer Fun

One of the great things about the new house is that we are very close to a park that the kids absolutely love and that I'm a pretty big fan of, too!  The playground is completely fenced in and there is a lot of shade and always a lot of kids for the Nicholas and Addison to play with.  We spend at least two afternoons a week there and it never fails to disappoint!!

This past week after running a few errands and getting some lunch into the older kids we headed over to the playground where Nicholas and Addison promptly disappeared and found kids to play with.  The girls had some lunch and then I decided to try them out on the swings.  This was actually their first time on outside swings because usually I bring them to the park in their carriers so that they can sleep.  I had put them in their stroller today and it was super easy to get them in and out.  Let me tell you, they LOVED the swings- Mady more than Carrington but still!  Nicholas adored pushing them on the swings and was super gentle with them...I feared that he would have them sailing through the air at ridiculous heights!

The LORAX

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." -Dr. Seuss

About a month ago I signed the kids up for a club at the local Simon Mall.  The club is called the Kidgits club and for $5 for the entire year both Nicholas and Addison have the opportunity to participate in all sorts of events and happenings at the mall (which is 5 minutes away).  They have face painting every Thursday and usually there is some type of special event every two to three weeks.  

Since the DVD release of "The LORAX" is scheduled for August 7th, today we headed over to the mall and got to meet the LORAX himself!  The kids also were able to make LORAX mustaches, plant seeds, play a recycling game and get some cotton candy!  They had a great time and are eagerly awaiting the release of the movie!!

I didn't have my good camera with me so I just took one picture with my phone.

I HIGHLY suggest you check and see if your mall has some type of Kids' Club! Like I said, we paid $5 a kid and we received the membership- which includes all of the events and face painting, etc.- we also received a T-shirt for each of the kids and every time we go to the mall the kids can spin the wheel by guest services and win a prize!  It really is a great club!!