7 and 2

This is what 7 am looks like at our house.

 MMMM... love those green smoothies.

Which makes 2pm look a lot like this.

The Big K

The day came. Kaden went to Kindergarten for a very first time. He couldn't have been more excited. I couldn't have been more hesitant. : /

The night before I asked what he wanted for breakfast on his big first day. He choose hootenanies and a smoothie. So it was. 

He picked out his first day of school outfit and laid it out on his bench.

I offered to make him hootenanies and a smoothie every morning for the rest of his life if he would stay home with me. I reconsidered home school. I beg and pleaded a bit. I threw a minor fit. Then Kaden told me that kindergarten was important and he didn't think I was making very good choices. So I sucked it up and took my very first baby to school.

Besides my minor meltdown the morning went off without a hitch... til we found this GIANT spider that is. WHAT IS THAT? Sick.

My not so little "kindergarten boy"

Notice how last year on the first day of school he was so happy to let me kiss him and send him off. You can almost feel his embarrassment in this years picture. This boy better understand he has many more years of kisses ahead of him.

He is in love with his backpack grandma Kathy bought him. He all but ran to the school doors, he was pointing from the moment we got out of the car telling me where he was suppose to go.

I couldn't get him to turn around and slow down for a second. Notice how the pictures are blurry and his feet are still moving. This child wanted to get to class so bad he could hardly stand it. I was definitely cramping his style.

Okay so maybe I was "that mom" who follows her kid into the class room and is still taking pictures. But really I went in because he couldn't find his cubby. They had moved it since back to school night and he was confused. I knew he needed my help. :) Really. I promise.

Since I was already in the classroom I thought I would take a few more shots. He made a beeline right to his desk on the very front row and sat his cute but down.

Then immediately turned to his neighbor and said "HI! I am Kaden, What is your name?" (His name by the way is Quinn and according to Kaden he is quite the little stinker.)

It was then, as I watched him get comfortable and make new friends and gaze so excitedly around the room, that I realized he didn't need me there. AT ALL. It was time for me to go. So I snapped one more picture and forced myself to walk out the door. I didn't even cry...til I got in the car.

 

He loved it. Every second. The first thing he told me about was recess. The only thing he complained about was his snack. He said I packed him too big of a snack and so he didn't have enough time to play. I pack smaller snacks now.

You did it buddy. You conquered your first day of Kindergarten with signature Kaden smile and enthusiasm. And I....well I still let you go every morning so that is something.

San Diego 2012

San Diego is always a week that we look forward to starting in oh, about September. It is such a fun time. It is the perfect vacation away from all the stress and worry of life at home. The kids had been asking when it was "Sand Diego" time for months leading up to the trip. I think we were all anxious for a getaway.

Apparently the girls found something very interesting to the left.

The whole San Diego crew

On Sunday after church we always go to La Jolla beach to look at the seals and just relax.

Nope, you can' have her. She is all mine.

It was Addison's first time in the sand. She did okay with it unless it got anywhere near her face, then she screamed and cried. 

cute cousins

Kaden and Taycee found a squirrel on the beach that would eat right out of their hands. They were so excited. Kaden had a hard time holding still long enough for the squirrel to get close because he was just so full of excited energy.

We spent 4 days on the beach, playing in the water and soaking up the sun.

Aunt Kathy was so nice to play with Kaden in the water.

Kaden was so brave with the waves. He got pummeled a few times but just got right back up with a smile on his face.

We built a few sand monuments while we were there. It started with a pyramid and then just expanded from there. By the last day we had about 100 feet of the beach taken up with giant sand sculptures.

I didn't get a picture of the shark or the lightening McQueen we made,