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!

Sprinklers and Sandboxes

I've been loving the simple joys of summer. These lazy days where we don't have to rush out and be somewhere. My girls and I are so happy to be able to be spending some time outside and just being together. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Back to school...already?

Where has my summer gone? I feel like it flew by. I know everyone always says that, but it really went too quick. So I'm going to be enjoying every minute that I have left and packing in those precious moments I do have to spend with my girls before I have to go back a meet my own new class of second graders.

My daughter is starting kindergarten, which I may have mentioned already...lol. So we went back to school shopping yesterday at the outlets. She is really developing a style of her own. Lately it has been a fight to get her dressed in the morning. I figure if she picked it, she'll wear it. At least I hope and she did pick some cute things. I've also been thinking about how to make that first day extra special. I have a few ideas that I'll put together and share in a post but until then. What do you all do or plan on doing to make going back to school special for your kiddos?

Reconnecting with old friends

We finally got some good weather again so we took advantage and headed back to the beach. I've been thinking about how lucky I am to be blessed with some amazing ladies in my life. Here's one of them, my friend Laura, she is wonderful. We were on the swim team together in high school so let's just say we've know each other for a long time. We lost touch for quite while and connected again last summer. This summer we've been hanging out a lot and our girls get along just as fabulously as we do. I love it! I always imagined that we would be mom friends together and now we are.

Here's our girls...relaxing at the beach just like their moms. If Gillian would just turn her bag around it could be a Sun Chip commercial, right?

We've hit the terrible twos

My daughter is so sweet...absolutely well she used to be but all of a sudden she turned two and she really did become a terrible two. We've been spending a lot of time with family and every time she cries or throws a fit they'll say, "What's wrong she's never like that?" Then someone makes the excuse that she must just be tired. I don't want to admit it to them but that's what she's like all the time lately. I'm hoping she'll be back to her sweet self soon.I mean look at this expression. It just says it all. She is ready to cause some kind of trouble.

My father in law

My father in law lost his battle with Mesothelioma. On July 21, 2009 Bill passed away peacefully as he slept. My husband was there by his side and talked to him as he took his last breaths. I am amazed at how strong Bill was and by all he went through to prolong his life. Near the end when asked knowing all that you went through was it worth it...he said "I had to try."Bill was a character and I never really knew what was going to come out of his mouth. Talking with him was always an adventure. My hubby was always amused by the things that his dad would tell me. I think Bill was trying to get some good reations from me. He was good to me and always made me feel like part of his family. I will truely miss him.

Here's some pics with his granddaughters who he loved with all his heart. I just wish they could have gotten to know their grandfather as they became young women but I know he will be watching over them as they do.

Happy 5th Birthday Gillian!

Yesterday was my oldest daughters birthday and I can't believe that she is 5! It went so fast!!! We spent the day at the beach and then off to Friendly's for dinner and ice cream. We also spent the whole weekend celebrating. Kids and birthdays are exhausting fun. Above is celebrating with the family. Here are all six cousins enjoying cake.

This one is some fun with friends.


Here's a picture on the day she was born. I can't believe that I have a five year old. How did she get from so tiny to such a big girl.

Happy Birthday Gillian!