First day of 2nd Grade

Grace started school the week before last. She's never excited to start school. She doesn't mind it when she's there, she just doesn't want the fun, play all day, swimming, summertime to end. I don't blame her. My kids are not morning people either (especially Lyla), so when summer comes they sleep in. Nothing crazy but they're not getting up at 6:45am! But getting up for school every morning is an adjustment.

Anyway, Grace did fine with school starting. She wasn't thrilled, but she made it. She seems to have a nice teacher that Grace describes as "nice but serious". Ms. Peterson has been at Hunter's Bend since it opened, from what I've heard. I can't believe Grace is in 2nd grade already. I love this age. I wish I could freeze her right here. Sweet, sweet, sweet and still childlike and imaginative.

The Monday evening before school started, we went to the mall to buy school shoes. I do not understand Grace. She loves clothes. She changes outfits 2-3 times a day and that doesn't include pajamas. The weird thing is that she does NOT like to shop! She definitely has an opinion about what I bring home to her but she doesn't want to be the one to go pick them out. She needs a personal shopper. My point is, the shoe shopping expedition wasn't the most fun experience and I ended taking the 2 pairs of shoes I bought that night back! What we do still have is the little pink stuffed animal that Grace is holding in the first picture. Mimi was with us so they talked Mimi into buying them a toy, which is what they always choose over clothes shopping! We found these little weird looking animals in Claire's Boutique. It took forever, the music in Claire's was very loud, we left with headaches and Mimi and I were quite frustrated. But, as Mimi said, we should be glad they still want toys. Yes, that's right. We do need to appreciate that fact. Soon all of the toys will be put away and electronics, UGGS, COACH purses and skinny jeans will be what they will want (not that they will get those things!!!). Anyway, that's the story on the little stuffed animal in the picture.

Here's is our big 2nd grader...Grace Elaine! Mrs. Peterson

Look at those books!!!! This is serious!

Her own little desk!

The Clubhouse

One afternoon at Joni's house the girls discovered that Joni had emptied the front closet. They quickly decided it could be their clubhouse. They put tape on the walls inside to write things on, and put signs outside. They also taped a baby phone to the wall because you have to type in the code to get in the door, of course. They also made up a little ritual they do when they enter the clubhouse together. They put their first two fingers in a bowl of water and then touch their chest with the fingers. Then they repeat something together. I never quite figured out what they were saying. There was too much laughing and stopping and starting for me to understand what they were saying. They worked for a long time to get the clubhouse ready. I don't know that they have even played with it since then. It's all about the process!

Williamson County Fair

We went to the fair with Joni, Larry, Reesi and Elye this year. Our girls have different ideas of what you do at a fair though. Grace and Lyla want to ride the rides. Reesi does not want to ride rides. We stayed with them for a long time though. The first thing we did was sign the girls up for a kids "tractor pull" and "tractor race". Joni said these were the kinds of things they do when they go to the fair. Lyla and Reesi were in the race together. Lyla won the first heat. She was happy about that. On the final heat of the race she was right behind another little boy. He came right up to the finish line but stopped and didn't actually cross it. Lyla kept going and actually crossed the line. The little boy "won" the race. Lyla was very upset with this outcome. He didn't cross the line! I agreed with her but what can you do? She wanted me to talk to the officials and tell them she won. She was mad for a while about that. Then Grace was in the big kid tractor pull. She had to ride this little tractor while pulling something behind it that would pull against her and make it hard to pull. She didn't win but she was fine with it. Next we went to the Purity Dairy barn where the kids go through a farm and gather eggs, brush a sheep, plant the corn, gather vegetables, milk the cow, etc. and then sell it all at a store in the end. They get money for their items and get to buy milk or an ice cream sandwich. After that we quickly walked through the real animals and saw an enormous pig that had given birth to babies that morning! They were pretty cute. After all of that we split up and went on to the rides. Grace and Lyla talked us into letting them get in these huge blown up balls that float on the water. That's what they really wanted to do but it was $5 each for about 5 minutes. We said they could do that or get ice cream. They chose that over ice cream. (crazy kids!) So, after waiting about 20 minutes they got in the balls and loved it. That was the best "ride" of the night. Then we went on a handful of rides and had to call it quits b/c the tickets are super expensive. Last year we got a discouted price on the unlimited ride wrist bands through Eric's work, which was great! This year we weren't going to be able to go on the discounted wrist band night so we had to pay full price for our rides. The girls had a good time but we did learn to come on the night they can ride more rides! That's what they like about the fair the most. These pictures are in backward order.

Ponytail!!!

Look closely...Lyla has a little ponytail in her hair!!! One afternoon a few weeks ago, Reesi was over and they were going to play in the water in the backyard. I put Grace and Reesi's hair up and asked Lyla if she wanted me to put her hair up too. She looked at Grace and Reesi and said yes, to my amazement. She even left it in after they came back inside to play. I didn't make a big deal of it or even act like I cared one way or another. She hasn't worn a ponytail in her hair in so long I don't even remember when it was. But, when I snapped this picture she quickly yanked it out and scowled at me for taking the picture. She hasn't been willing to put it in again since then. Oh well, maybe one day.

She will miss her preschool friends

A few weeks ago, one of the moms of Lyla's preschool friends organized a little swim party for their preschool class. Only a few were able to come, but they definitely enjoyed themselves. In the picture from left to right are, Seth (Carter's little brother), Carter, Jackson, Lyla, Margaret, and Drew (Jackson's little brother). Seth Adams was also there but didn't get in the picture somehow. Lyla will miss all of her preschool buddies but I'm sure she'll begin making new friends very quickly.

We will treasure this picture for years to come...

I have fond memories of playing house with my sisters. It is very sweet to see it play out again in our girls. They LOVE to play house. This summer Reesi has really gotten into getting dressed up in Joni's clothes. They were at my house one day and Reesi put this skirt of mine on as a dress, put a balloon under it for a pregnant belly, my high heels on and a sequins scarf around her neck. Grace has my shoes on. Lyla has the inside of her furry crocs on. They are playing house and taking their babies for a walk. I just love these pictures. I hope they will love looking at these in the future. They'll probably say, "Mom! Why did you let us out of the house looking like that!" I'll just laugh!

Swimming with Katie Grace

We (me, Julie and Joni) have a cousin that lives in Columbia. We don't see them much but this summer we made time to go swimming with Angela and her sweet little girl, Katie Grace. We were glad we did and wished we had done it more. We went to the Spring Hill Rec. Center. It is new and the pool is AWESOME!!! We are getting jipped (sp?) here at the Franklin Rec. Center. At the Spring Hill pool, it is zero entry, which is perfect for the babies and has a play thing in the middle. It means the girls can go all over the place and not get in over their heads! At the Franklin ctr. Lyla and Reesi are in over their heads in the shallow end! Anyway, they had a blast. Here are the pics...