A moment of sadness.....

I'm sitting here in our new apartment, Daddy back in WI and girls sleeping away in their rented beds wondering where and when did they become SO BIG...

I guess I've been so busy these last 2 years that I missed the transition from toddler hood to school-aged and it makes me really sad.

Scrolling back through my pathetic attempt to capture our life on blog has proven to me that in the not so distant past Tay was just a baby, complete with curly Q's and chubby cheeks, and Ana was a pre-schooler in the fullest sense of the word.   And as I scroll down memory lane I think about our day today- frustration on my end because I couldn't get all I needed to get done, frustration on the girls end because that toy was with sister #1 WAY TOO LONG, and exhaustion at bedtime.

But look at their innocent little cheeks, smiles and eyes.  How could I let myself miss this all???????

It's just another reminder that we are doing the right thing by moving home and getting the family some roots.  I'm SO SICK of transitions and I'm sure the girls are too.

Hug your kids tonight, and laugh just a little more, especially when they're frustrating.  It seems to me that those are the times they can be the cutest.... I know I will.

Tay's open house

 Here we go folks- the beginning of next 12 years of our lives.... public education!

Taylor signs in herself- LOVE the natural formative assessment.

Tay was a little shy and wouldn't leave Justin and I's side so we played on the floor with her .

still a little unsure of this whole school thing- you can see it in her eyes.

Ana's Open house

Here she is:

DRUM ROLL.....

Ana and her soccer buddy meet up up unexpectedly; not only are the in the same class, but at the same table too!

Welcome to First Grade Ana Lu.

A sampling of the curriculum- of course an open house night with Mrs. Mommy wouldn't be complete without an interrogation of the curriculum and materials... oh the poor girls and their teachers... I really AM TRYING to keep to my mommy self.

A shot of Ana's desk to help her remember what it SHOULD look like (figure I might need to pull this out in a couple of weeks as a visual aide).

Ms. Wade gave each student a sweet note and an apple. I LOVE HER already!

Ana, Ms. Wade and the apple. 

Kindergarten and First Grade Day #1

We made it through day one with 1 bus debacle, 2 lost girls, 1 Corduroy hunt, 1 Kissing Hand and 2 packets of homework... here we go folks- school's back in session!

Let me explain... today the girls began life as bus riders.  Our new apartment is on a bus route with some of our best friends.  "YIPPPIEEE", we all think.  That was until the bus driver never showed up this morning.  No worries though, we hopped in our family bus (also referred to as the family car) and drove the girls to school.  And, all though this made them late for their first day the girls were all smiles.

THEN... after school I anxiously waited at the bus stop, camera in hand, but NO GIRLS get off the bus.

They put them on the wrong bus.  

Luckily policy doesn't allow bus drivers to leave 5 and 6 year old girls at random bus stops.  "What did they do?", you ask.  They gave them a private escort on their own bus, 45 minutes later, to our OLD HOME'S front door (remember we are moving into the apartment this week because we sold the house).  And it all worked out  just fine because, thankfully, daddy was working from home today.

In the end, the girls  saw no problem with the whole bus dilemma;  I made sure to call school, many times, and send many e-mails to avoid future dilemmas; and, even with the bus drama the girls were all CHEERS for the new school, and quite proud of themselves.  

Ana did a hunt through school for Corduroy and Taylor did a project with the Kissing Hand.  All in all it was a great first day.

Taylor dressed up for day 1 in her all time favorite dress and new sparkly scarf

Ana, excited as ever, sporting her new school clothes for day 1!

Girls and their new neighbor/long time friend heading to the bus

The bus gang- look how nervous Taylor is... despite her nerves Taylor did GREAT (remember this is her first time EVER IN HER LIFE without Ana by her side)

Notice.... NO ANA & TAYLOR PRESENT--- "WHERE ARE MY CHILDREN?", I think to myself.

Friendly, substitute bus driver, explaining why NO BUS showed up this morning... still no Ana or Taylor though.

Our new nightly routine- snack and homework- Taylor practicing her name and Ana practicing her NEW home address (very important given today's bus dilemma)

We're back....

Something about the first day of public elementary school has inspired me to get back into the blogging mindset.  So....we're back on blogger (for now at least).