Brielle's FIrst Day of K3

How is it possible that this little thing is old enough for preschool??! And her July birthday let her weasel her way in this year without having the wait another year like her big sis did!

Be still my heart, this is just not possible!

(Please ignore the ghetto apartment door...we're in transition)

She's just so grownie and big.  And she knows it.

Brielle wants so bad to be big like Kendall.  And for the fist time she feels she's doing something BIG... a BIG school bag, a BIG school folder...and BIG girl school shoes that she rocks like Pete the Cat.

I must confess, as bittersweet as having my baby start preschool, it was more sweet than bitter.  Can you detect the excitement on my face knowing that once a week I now get four hours to myself??  I was especially excited this particular morning because I was headed to pick out granite for the new house.  But I got a hard time from all my co-worker friends about just now excited I really was since we were  numero uno in the carpool line.  Peeps, I had to meet my granite guy early!

Hanging out with Mrs. Belinda waiting for carpool to start.

Have a great first day of school, Brielle!  You've reached official big girl status! I'll see ya in a couple of  hours!

Brielle Conversations {vol. 4}

While getting out of the bathtub, a hairband fell into the toilet.  Wanting to be a good example given Brielle's history of flushing random objects (remember the lodged bouncy ball that cost us a new toilet??), Mommy decided to wait and flush the dang band when she wasn't around.

Brielle:  Uh-oh.  There's a hairband in the potty. You gonna have to get it out.

Mommy (proud of her parenting skills used on the obviously effective bouncy ball fiasco):  That's right, we only flush poo poo, tee tee and toilet paper down the potty.

Brielle:  ...And Nemo.

Mommy just got one-upped by a almost three-year-old.

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While getting onto the potty, Brielle lost her balance before quickly regaining control.

Brielle: Whew!  I was almost Nemo!!

(Not sure about all the correlations to Nemo, considering I've never shown her the movie that I can recall.)

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While looking together at a picture,

Brielle: Look Kendall!  You wearing eye muffs!

Kendall: Brielle, those are called sunglasses.

Turning 7 and 3!

This year (since Mama can't throw a party in an apartment) the girls had a joint party at Splash Pad in August, right smack in between their actual birthdays. Brielle thought it was great and didn't complain having to wait a month for a party. Kendall, my over-thinker and rule follower, was horrified she had to have her party in a month other than her birthday month.

 But the day came, along with the biggest heat wave in forever, and EVERYONE, adults included, were grateful for the water!

Summer 2015 - Part 3

The last installment of summer photos is upon us. Once again it's flown by all too fast...

One last play date with Hannah before school starts...

Jennifer and Carey (aka Lucy and Ethel)...

An update on the house...

...complete with a tour guide...

The Exchange Club Fair...

First Day of 1st Grade

I ain't gonna lie. The first day of school this year was WAY easier (for Mama and Kendall) than the first day of kindergarten last year. (I was a hot mess last year. It was awful.)

Neither of us was over excited. Both of us were sad to see the summer, crazy as it was, go.  But the transition seemed so much easier.  Kendall already knows the school, and hoped to have a familiar face in her class this year.  (It ends up that none of her friends from kindergarten are in her class, but she does have a church friend with her this year.)

It was so much easier to walk her in this year.  I pitied the kindergarten parents, all hot messes as I was, walking out.  Some were dabbing eyes, some were on the phone calling their own mama, but most were in stunned silence.  I remember that thought so well, How in THE WORLD, has my baby grown up so fast??  I was just grateful to be the parent of a first grader this year.   No sense in looking back, although I will be putting a brick on her head soon. This growing up craziness is just happening way too quickly.

Here's Kendall with her teacher, Mrs. Shamburger, the day before at open house.

It's gonna be a good year!!  Happy 1st Grade, Kendall!

JuJu is Married!!!

Another day we've anticipated for months (well, years really)...JuJu is married!!

We all four were in the wedding. IT was a fabulous wedding in so many ways. Here's some highlights of Julie and Michael's big day.