First day of Kindergarten

What a pain!!! After doing a little jig, jumping through 5 hoops and promising them my unborn child the school district finally let me take McKinsey to school. The state of California wants your kindergartener to have a dental exam, a physical, up to date shots, a TB skin test, a hearing and vision screening, and a lobectomy!!!!! We spent several hours in the district office before being sent to a retarded LVN who wanted to give me the run around cause Kinsey's shot's weren't up to date. I told her I was signing a waiver till I got Kinsey on my insurance and then I would take care of it all and the school had told me that I could waive the medical stuff till then, the LVN says "oh, you can't waive all that, the secretary was just trying to be nice, but she's not a nurse." I wanted to laugh in her face, but I didn't, I was nice and just let her give me her spill and feel important. Then I left and went straight back to the school where the principal personally walked Kinsey to class and introduced her to everyone. I stayed for a few minutes to snap this picture while her teacher read them a story. Then I quietly slipped out the door.

Second day of School for KiKi, First day of bus

Kindergarten starts at 11:30, so it is quite awhile after everyone else is gone. Kinsey was so excited she was up with everyone else at 6:30, she got dressed and inhaled a bowl of cereal.

She kept running to the door to make sure that the bus hadn't come yet. (it's 9:30)

Than she insisted that we go outside and wait just in case. (it's 10:20)

Finally the bus arrives right on time at 10:55. McKinsey boldly runs up the steps and greets her bus driver who remembers her brothers from last year. She sits up proudly in the front seat and waves to me until the bus disappears around the corner. Something tugs at my heart, my eyes glisten, and I feel a little bittersweet about this stepping stone.

Bucka'roo's

I forgot these pictures on my beach post, I just thought they were fun.

Pretty cute huh!

First day of 1st grade

Before school Brendan wasn't very excited, he actually hung on to his dad's leg when Jeremy tried to drop him off at his classroom with his teacher, but when he came home he just gushed, "I forgot how much I love school, I love homework, I love my teacher." I chuckled.

Back to the Beach

I love the beach, for one full day no one is crying, or complaining, or being mean to someone else. For one full day EVERYONE is happy. Today we played in the ocean, built sand castles and sand molds, flew kites, played t-ball, and scoured the sand for seashells (for mom).

I'm not sure what it is, but there is something about the ocean that is therapeutic, I don't know if it is the smell of the salt water, or the feel of the sand, or the crashing of the waves but it is truly a rejuvenating day. I hope that maybe we can squeeze one more beach trip in before summer shuts it's door.

After the beach, we went to one of the local burger stands, it never ceases to amaze me, how it is so warm at the beach, but when the sun goes down we are freezing.

Kinsey finished that whole monster burger... impressive.

Happy Birthday Brendan

Brendan turns six!!! He is waiting for his teeth to fall out now that he is six, that is what happens when you turn six you know. He could probably hasten the falling out if he ate a few more of the oreo's on his cake. He LOVES the Heelies mom sent him.

Princesses

I guess it is a common theme in our home to be a princess, and I don't push it because I want my girls to be girly, but because I want them to know who they are, how valuable they are, that they are of infinite worth and have limitless potential.

It is more than the pretty dress, but if I can help them believe in who is inside that pretty dress I want to, and I have seen how they respond to being a princess, they eat it up!!! I love my princesses and want only the best things for them.

Days of summer...

Before summer completely slips away into fall I wanted to post the remainder of our vacation pictures, if it gets to far away from me, I will feel guilty and not post at all...

We are so lucky to have Grandpa's pool, right down the road, many hot afternoon's were spent floating in the blue liquid, soaking up the sun.

My brood!!! A summer day can't be complete without the ice cream that melts almost instantly because it is so hot, sending sticky streams of chocolate chip mint or cookie dough down your arms.