A new school year...

Well we made it through the 1st two days of school just fine. I was a little worried because when Jaiden went to first grade she broke her arm and then dropped her lunch tray while trying to carry it with a cast. She also had her tonsils out in first grade, so hopefully this will be a better start for Camry.
Jason and I got back from the gym about 7:30 to wake up the girls. When we walked in the door they were all dressed and ready to go. I said "When did you wake up?" and they said " When you walked out the door." So they are usually sawing logs until I wake them but they got up at 5:40 and were so excited that they got all ready. For breakfast they requested cinnamon toast and mush. We said a quick family prayer and we were off. Well not until I got some photos. I took a few snapshots at home and then took them to school. Outside the door I got a few more photos and Jaiden was a little mortified. "Your not going to take pictures here are you? " But having a blogging mom and a scrapbooking mom she knew it was better just to smile and get it over with. So here are a few snapshots. At the end of the day I walked up to get them. Camry said the best thing about school was the 4 recesses and her new desk. Jaiden liked her teacher and recess.
The next day they asked to ride bikes, I had always ridden with them so I wasn't sure Camry was ready to do it on her own. She gave me a big hug and said "I'm fine mom. I'm in first grade," Jaiden reassured me she would go slow and they were off. What they dont know is that I drove my car a block behind them to make sure they made it. :)




Camry's first day of 1st grade. I wasn't sure I was ready for her to be gone all day, be she was.

Jaiden; first day of 4th grade wearing her new favorite Roxy shoes.
She has definitely grown up.

The tooth...

I just had to blog today while I was thinking about this ... because it makes me laugh. Camry just lost another tooth. She is only six years old and has lost seven teeth which is quite a bit. The funny thing is, that almost all of them have a story. Last spring she lost one of her first teeth on a field trip on the bus. All the kids were gathered around looking for the tooth which they never found, so we had to write the tooth fairy a note and she found us.



She lost one at a Smith family Christmas party. It wasn't that loose, but she sat and yanked it until it came out. She told me she was going to earn some money.



The latest tooth she lost was at a late night at her friend Mariah's house. She lost it while they were eating popcorn and some one had spilled the bowl of popcorn, so they were all searching through the popcorn on the ground until she found it. In the middle of the night that night she came in my room and told me that the tooth fairy only left $.75 cents and she always get two dollars. So I told her to go back to sleep to see if she would come again and sure enough she did bring two dollars.



Jaiden used to hold onto her tooth in a bag so tight that the tooth fairy had to carefully pry it out of her hand to get it, and hide by the side of her bed when she started to stir.



These are always fun memories that my girls often ask me and I feel like if I don't write them down I will forget.

A new day....

Tomorrow is a new day because it's the last monday before school starts. We are going to try and go to bed around 10:00 instead of 11:00 or 12:00. I let them stay up pretty late during the summer time and sleep in pretty good too. So in four days it will be a big adjustment. Especially for me.
I took the girls school shopping this week to Kohls and Old Navy. Luckily they are still pretty easy to buy for. I can generally talk them into most things, although Jaiden is starting to have an opinion especially on shoes. Grandma Smith took us to lunch at Wingers which is kind of another tradition we have that makes it a fun special day. Camry will be in 1st grade this year which means she will be gone all day. I'm not sure I'm ready for that. She and I had alot of fun last year when she got out half day. She picked out a lunch box. Yep the old fashioned tin box with Hannah Montana on it and she is so excited. Jaiden will be in 4th grade the the other day I could hear them out on the tramp where Jaiden was giving her the low down on school rules and her the homework whe will have. She is such a good big sister. She asked me if she could walk Camry home each day to make sure she gets there. How sweet is that.

That night the girls came home and did a fashion show for their dad and tried on all their clothes and laid them all out on their beds. That reminds me of myself as a kid. I loved to lay out outfits and mix and match them.

The next day (yes it took two days) we went to get school supplies and backpacks and all the gear for school. We rode our bikes on the school route the other day too, just to practice crossing the road and getting to school safely. I love that we live only four blocks from school so they can decide to ride bikes, walk, scooter or catch a ride with mom.

I realize that all these little preparations and talks are mostly for my sake and to get me through the first day. Both of my girls love school and are so excited to be going back to meet their teachers and see their friends. It also helps that I am an aide in the school
for a couple of hours and I can peek in on them and see how their day is going or leave a treat in their backpacks.
I have mixed emotions about them growing up so quickly, but I am excited to let them spread their wings and see what they can do. I have loved, loved being able to stay home with them the last two years and will always have those memories to treasure.

It's a girl thing

Almost weekly I will hear the girls in my room just giggling and squealing. After about five minutes they come out sporting some of my slips, dangly earrings, and some high heels (the higher the better) and then they will march around the kitchen with some attitude. It is so funny to see. I love how they play together and can entertain themselves for hours in my closet. I hope they always have that special bond.

Class of '88 Reunion

Twenty years? Ok I am officially old. The last couple of weeks has confirmed that. This is a picture of me with my high school friends at our 20 year reunion. Go Bobcats! This was during the family day activity at Willow Park. The four of us always had fun no matter what we did. It was fun to get together and reminisce about high school guys, our clothes and hair do's and to just laugh. I was on the committee to help find people for our reunion this year and it was fun to talk to alot of them and see their families. The time has really flown, but I'm so glad we were able to stay friends over the years.

Campin' Out