Back to School Interview ~ The Athlete

He wouldn't let me walk him to his class line.  I was allowed to park and walk as far as his sister's second grade line but I could NOT go past that.  He blew me a kiss and threw a peace sign over his shoulder as a farewell on the first morning of school.  He had been complaining about it being the first day of school but he was thrilled to see his buddies and get back into the swing of things.  And don't tell him I told you, but he has a GIANT bit of a crush on his teacher.  I'm sure that little tidbit also helped with the spring in his step on Monday morning.

It's his last year of elementary school and he is trying out for the school football team next week. He's still my guy, but I think this might be the start of Version 2.0.

MEM ~ 8/27/12

Name & Age: The Athlete, age 10
Grade Level: 5th grade
School: St Edward the Confessor
Teacher's Name: Mrs. Iseley
Best friend: Grant
Favorite color: red
When I grow up I want to be: rocket scientist for NASA
Favorite snack: pretzel thins
Favorite cereal: Cheerios
Favorite book: Kingdom Keepers series
Favorite holiday: Christmas
Favorite food: bean & cheese burrito
Least favorite food: black pepper
Favorite game: Battleship
Favorite summer memory: visiting the Ronald Reagan Library
3 words that describe me: smart, short & athletic

You are the coolest kid around, my love.  It is so fun to watch you being you.  Have a great year!

Back to School Interview ~ The Princess

The Peter Pan collars and Mary Janes are gone.  She's a second grader and she wanted high tops and a new belt for her back to school look this year.  Just looking at this photo of her chokes me up.  I don't know where my little pigtailed toddler ran off to.

In honor of school starting I did interviews with The Princess and her brother.  Thank you Pinterest for pointing me to a free printable that I can use as a keepsake for them, too! 

SGM ~ 8/27/12

Name & Age:  The Princess, age 8
Grade Level: 2nd grade
School: St Edward the Confessor
Teacher's Name: Miss Rego
Best friend: Emily
Favorite color: turquoise
When I grow up I want to be: an artist
Favorite snack: pita chips & hummus
Favorite cereal: Frosted Flakes
Favorite book: Ivy & Bean series
Favorite holiday: my birthday!
Favorite food: chicken tacos
Least favorite food: crab
Favorite game: Monopoly
Favorite summer memory: My Nana visiting from Florida
3 words that describe me: tiny, smart & creative

You are so, so loved baby girl.  Have a great 2nd grade year!!!!

Big Deal

We had only met a couple of months before his birthday but I was frantic to find a great gift for him.  My future husband was back in California and I was in Florida.  Birthdays are big deal for me and I couldn't let his pass without him knowing how head over heels I was for him.  Later I figured out that he didn't care a thing in the world about anything that I sent him, but at least he'd known that HIS birthday was a big deal to me.  Eighteen years later his birthday is still a big deal to me.

He is handsome and ridiculously intelligent.  He is kind and patient.  He is witty and sometimes he's downright hilarious.  His eyes are still my favorite thing about him and he is an amazing dancer.  He married me with all of my faults and has made me better.  He is the most amazing Dad to the most amazing kids in the world.   He is everything I wanted then and more than I ever thought I could hope for.

He's my husband and today's his birthday.

He's a big deal to me.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Montoya.  I love you

Around the loop

We are back in the land of milk & honey and it's not a bad gig.  I am not complaining. 

After a LONG drive back from the wilderness we happily slept on our down pillows and woke up to watch the Game Show Network on the big ol' TV on the wall in our bedroom.  No complaints from me  . . .

but there is this one thing.

Roughing it makes us better

 

the sunrise view from site 135

Our kids are bright eyed and giggly and beg to ride just two more loops on their bicycles before dinner.  They sit at the picnic table and eat with us and chat about squirrels and tomorrow's hike and the horses they rode that day.

Yosemite National Park ~ Mist Trail

He takes the trash bag to the bear proof cans and she gets more water so I can wash dishes on top of the cooler.  The four of us go to bed at the same time and zip into our sleeping bags and say "good night, I love you".

There is not one thing in the world wrong with high thread count sheets and unlimited amounts of hot water, but at least once a year it's a good, good thing to want to ride your bike around the loop just one more time.

Checking out

No phones. No television. No computers.

Four bicycles.
Two tents.
Just me and my three.

One week.

Vacation . . .

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Ten Things to Smile About: July

Blink.  It's gone.  July was was last month. 

{Insert gigantic sigh}

Ten Things to Smile About: July 2012

My handsome little Athlete finishing All Star baseball with a smile.

The Princess' eighth birthday celebration being worth the wait.

Many small children singing and dancing together is truly a gift in itself.

Being able to see my little loves with FaceTime while I am traveling.

Adding a little business to pleasure and spending the day in Tampa with my Ya Ya and her wild and crazy little girl.

The kids learning how to eat with chopsticks. 

A terrific visit with my Mom.

Seeing The Dark Knight with E.  Any movie that's more than 2 hour long and starts after 9 PM has to be good if I stayed awake for the whole thing.

My sweet cousin's bridal shower.  I can hardly wait for the wedding.  I know she will be the most beautiful bride ever and I love an excuse for a good party!!

Visiting the Reagan Presidential Library

A breathtaking neighborhood sunset

Thank you, Emmy for keeping me on track.  I never want to lose sight of all my beautiful reasons to smile.

Give a little love

It's been more than two weeks since my baby girl turned eight years old. Her birthday letter from me is long overdue and I almost let guilt get the better of me and didn't write it at all. But on a dinner date with her tonight I realized that she deserves every little bit of love I can give, any time I give it.

My Lulu,

Your actual birthday was June 30 and I feel more than a little terrible that Daddy and I were in Italy for your big day. But, I know we are important role models to you and I truly hope that you're learning from us that the timing of the world doesn't always work exactly like we want it to. I want you to take the time to learn about life from us before you decide to run headlong into for yourself. Even at eight I can see that it won't be too long before you decide you've got it down. You seem to have your head so high in the clouds sometimes that it doesn't even seem to phase you when life happens, but I also know better.

That teeny tiny tough exterior of yours belies your gigantic soft heart. Your capacity to love has no boundaries. I see how much love you have for your brother, your cousins, your aunts and aunties and your grandparents. You love, love, love your Grandma and your Nana so much and you bring them absolutely endless joy. They treat you like the Princess that you are and you deserve all of the pampering they give.

The end of first grade was just a few days before your birthday and you are so dang smart, Lu. Reading is totally your thing and your favorite books this year were Ivy & Bean. You were so proud of yourself for being the first girl to pass all her "gumball goals" math facts and even though I tried to teach you not to be boastful I was really proud, too. You got 100% on almost every spelling test all year long and started making stories out of your spelling words when just writing sentences became too dull. You are a truly exceptional writer.

And a crazy fast runner. Finally after watching your brother's track meets for three years you got to run in your first track meet and you did not disappoint your fan club. You and your classmates ran a great relay and YOU WON your heat in the 100M dash putting you 14th out of 57 first grade girls. That was awesome. We cheered you on through fall recreational soccer and an awesome spring season at indoor soccer. It is so much fun to watch you compete.

You, my eight year old baby, are so beautiful. I love your bright blue eyes, your tangled blonde hair and your smooth, golden skin. I love watching you create an entire world for your American Girl dolls in your room. I love watching you sing and dance in the dining room while I'm making dinner or loading the dishwasher. You're hilarious. You make me laugh. You make me crazy. You make me love more than I even knew I could. You make me better.

I love you so very much. It unnerves me to know that you watch my every move. I try really hard to be someone you can look up to. I fail pretty often, but I want you to take notice just as readily of my willingness to say I am wrong. There is nothing weak about asking for forgiveness. You have so many gifts to offer the world and I pray you will embrace them all and use your talents wisely. You can go so far and I will be with you every step of the way if you'll let me.

Happy Birthday with all my love,

Mom

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Ten Things: June 2012

We're halfway through the year and nothing seems to stop the time that is marching across the lawn, through the house and down the street - leaving these adolescent children and more than middle aged adults in it's wake.  I just can't even stand how quickly time is passing in life and with my family.  In all honesty, I don't have many reasons not to smile but counting ten each month is always a gift to me.

Emmy Mom posts on the last Tuesday of every month.  I needed another week to accept that all of June is gone.

TEN THINGS TO SMILE ABOUT IN JUNE

A star performance by Officer #1 in the fourth grade play "Blame it on the Wolf"

Celebrating the end of first grade with the year-end luau.  They enjoyed sack races, limbo and balloon toss.  There are so many sweet little faces from first grade and we will miss Ms.Stigall.

My cousin (in-law) and bestie.  I love our chats in the car, our lunches and raising our kids together.  I feel truly blessed to have her.

Play dates, sleepovers and little girls with baby dolls

Family and friends who give their time and talent freely and love unconditionally

Healthy cousins who play{lots of } sports and cheer for each other

A quiet day at home and the beach celebrating Father's Day.

Tangible recognition for working too hard and a little dough for the road!

Eight years of being Mama to her.

ITALY

** Italy deserves it's own post, but I am still smiling.