We had a wonderful long Thanksgiving weekend! On Saturday and Sunday my daughter woke up and was happy when she realized she had an extra day off and didn't have school. She explained that she loves school but loves spending days with the whole family even better...and here we are all together :)So my new mission is teaching myself how to sew. I have no skill at all!!! I wish I did and I keep trying but my projects are not going so well. I wanted to make pillowcase dresses for my nieces which everyone says are so easy, but they came out very boxy and not the correct size even after following a pattern. Now I'm on to trying to make them each a tote bag. They were often times listed under kids sewing projects. So wish me luck. I'll post pictures when there done. Unless I'm too embarrassed. If anyone has sewing ideas for beginners, I'd love to hear them. Hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving too!

I would lose my head if....

Well you know the rest of that saying. I am wondering if anyone know some good tips to help me stop loosing my keys. Maybe I'm the only one but I feel like I am always looking for them. Today as I was leaving the gym I was sure that I locked them in the car. I embarassingly had to tell the receptionist and I proceeded to call AAA. Keep in mind that this did actually happen to me over the summer so I know that AAA can do this service. Then as I waiting I noticed that my coat was hanging on a hook and I didn't remember bringing it in. So quietly I put it on and realized that they were in the pocket. Slowly I left without saying anything to anyone and snuck into my car hoping nobody would see me drive away. How embarassing! Well thinking that I may not be the only one I googled How to stop loosing you keys and here's the tips I found.

1. Designate a place to keep your keys and NEVER put them anywhere else. I feel like this one is a no brainer. Why is it that I can't do this?

2. Repeat to yourself where you left your keys. So for my example at the gym, I should have been thinking coat pocket, coat pocket, coat pocket.

3. Keep a spare set just in case. Of course I don't have one.

4. Try a Carabiners Clip. This seems like it may be the first actual idea but I want to look for something cuter. I'll be doing that tonight, etsy maybe?

So these do seem like common sense but obviously I'm not doing them if I still can't ever find my keys.

Where have I been?

I really don't know where...I went back to work in late August so I can't blame it on that. My daughter did start school this year and that has been quite an adjustment but I don't think it's that either. I joined the gym for the first time about a month ago and I'm happy to say that I'm loving it and I've lost five pounds :) We've been fighting mini sicknesses like colds, flu and pink eye.

I think life has just taken a hold of me and I don't haven't had a minute free. So I would like to come back but it's hard to pick up where I left off. So I'll share one of our recent adventures to the Beardsley Zoo. Although we've been here before I was looking for something to do on one of my days off and it was a last minute not planned. Sometimes those are the best. No expectations just fun and as a bonus my dad was willing to join us. A wonderful day for everyone.

I've missed everyone dearly and even if I haven't been reading and commenting like I've wanted to...I've been thinking about you all xoxo. Can't wait to catch up on what I've missed.

Apple picking and painting

Yay for holidays off from school and long weekends! Rosh HaShanah has become our traditional apple picking holiday which I like because a significant symbol of Rosh HaShanah is apple slices dipped in honey which represent hope for a sweet new year and are traditionally accompanied by a short prayer before eating that goes: "May it by Thy will, O Lord, Our God, to grant us a year that is good and sweet. Here my girls are picking out some good apples and eating quite a few along the way. As soon as my new oven is here, since mine broke over the weekend, I'll be making some apple pie or apple crisp with all our yummy apples.

Now with school starting I have not been able to let the girls get crafty. I kept it simple and I'm sure you've seen these before. Using the handprint for the tree and then fingerprints for the leaves. Gillian couldn't quite understand the dots for fingerprints so I let her do her own thing. Very cute though still.

Then they let loose and let their creative juices flow :)

Time flies

This was taken on my birthday which was a week ago but it makes me think how quickly life goes by. I can't believe how big my girls have gotten. They are little ladies now with their own opinions and attitudes of their own. When did that happen? On that day I was really missing my mom. She's been gone for two years and I miss her everyday but especially on these occasions. I always miss her at holidays, birthdays (mine and any other family members) and the first of anything.

With Gillian starting school and not having my mom to lean on and ask advice, it's been hard. I miss her phone calls and her stopping by with a little something for the girls. I miss the things that you take for granted and don't realize how lucky you are to have. I know that I am lucky to have such a wonderful family and be so loved by them but I just can't help but think about how much my mom would have loved to be a part of that too.

Starting school and puppy love

Here's my big girl starting kindergarten. Getting back to work and starting school has been quite an adjustment for everyone and I know that we'll get there eventually, even me. I'm exhausted getting back to work, getting to know my own class, and getting back into my routine plus adding the new adventure of kindergarten in the mix. I know I've been neglecting my blog and my blogging friends, but I'll be back soon. Know that I'm sending you all much love!

Although, no matter what is happening with us we always have time for some love from Sonny. I love this picture!

Squeezing in the last of the summer fun

I will be meeting my new class tomorrow and I can't sleep. It is the start of a new year and I'm always filled with excitement. What will they be like? The anticipation is almost too much for me. I'm hoping for another wonderful class, which mine really was last year. I'm usually not blessed two years in a row but I'm hoping to break that streak this year. I will be able to tell by the end of the day who I'm going to have to keep my eye on, who's going to be my little helper, the tattler, the hard worker, the social butterfly, and so many more. It is fun figuring them all out. I'm probably just as nervous as my students when I walk out on that playground to meet them.

So summer is officially over for me! Here's the last of my summer fun with my girls. Yes that is a slip and slide and yes I also tried it out (to show how to use it of course) luckily there are no pictures of that but it brought me back to my own childhood and we had such fun :).

They didn't quite get the concept of sliding but loved crawling on it and then I ended up giving them some boosts to help them slide. Those giggles are priceless.

One last one today a little dip in our mini pool before bed. I will miss our summer vacation together but tomorrow I will be meeting their other children who lives I make a difference in this year. My new second grade family here I come! Wish me luck!