there was this one time…
I walked into elsie's class this morning and laughed at her writing piece. I'm always nagging her about her pack rat ways, though it's incredibly hard for her to get rid of stuff, it's nice to know she acknowledges it. I think she added the 'to do' part to show the difference between to and too…don't think that's supposed to be there. I try to get rid of bits while she's at school but you know all hell will break loose when she looks for that one thing I threw out.
the little one is still home with me for a few weeks, and even then, she's only gone a few mornings a week. 🙂 
i'm not complaining, i love my babies home. but i also love them having routine and thinking of all that information their little brains are soaking up. or i hope 😉
The other day at E's school, they hosted a Japan day, which also fell on Very Special Person day. I was thrilled to be her special guest:) It's neat to see her in her own element. Socializing, listening, participating. I just melt when I see her little face light up! Udon for snack!
One of the many reasons I love preschool for my children. One, they have a way with kids that I just don't 🙂 They can take the simplest objects and turn it into the funnest activity. Especially when it comes to paint or anything messy. That's why I pay them the big bucks! 🙂
One of my favorite parts of preschool, the playgrounds. They always make it so fun for the kids- putting out themed activities. Over winter, they even trucked in some snow from the local mountains! 
The lovely necklace she made me for coming to her 'very special person' day. 
She was so proud to have me there with her, as I was proud to be there. We love school days 🙂 😉
Sorry for the delay, here's the two lovely winners from the ella drawing:
Shoot me an email and I'll hook you two up 🙂
the night before the first day of school, she said to me, "i changed my mind, let's just cancel it, i don't want to go." (i'm laughing that she used the word cancel- she's 3!) there were lots of tears as she cried herself to sleep. she's attached to me, just as all of my children were- but she is very social so i knew she'd be just fine! this morning, the first thing she said to me when she woke up was, "stttaaaaaaay home." 😦 heartbreak! 🙂 now if she was child 1 or 2 i might have fallen for it but by child 4, i knoooooow better and off we went as i knew there were many adventures in store for our little social butterfly! 
i said, just one picture, and cam literally stood for ONE picture. 
and kira is in some with her friends but i don't feel comfortable posting friend pics on the blog. 🙂 one of her friend's dad told us about a great tradition he has, taking a pic of his daughter on the first day, every school year, holding up a sign showing the grade she is entering. we are sad we missed that with the kids but will definitely start up with miss E! who is home with me for another week, then will start her preschool. we've had many tea parties and dressup days. she has perfected the art of lip gloss. geeeeeez. im just happy it's actually on her lips and not all over the rest of her face 🙂 
i watched julie and julia with my MIL the other week and it made me miss my love of blogging. i'm trying to think of what i can do with this blog….. for now, i'm just happy i posted twice in a week…..again! 🙂
how is that possible!? the 3 big kids went to school this morning. 2 of them at new schools. i couldn't help but get a little teary eyed when the last one left. i woke up at an obscene hour to make these muffins, was out of sour cream so i used my precious favorite yogurt. (the vanilla with the cream top- delish! somedays i eat only that all day until dinner 🙂 ) i can only get it at whole foods and have developed a crazy obsession with that store.
in one day is sure to put parents in emotional overload.
last time driving to school for him- until college 🙂 the rest will be walking distance. 
last walk from car to school together until high school. 😦 (that's what sappy moms do, document in the littlest ways) 🙂 
i wish i knew what was going through his mind right here! he's a year younger than the rest of his class and at the time, and even now.. we think it was the right thing to do to put him in early… but now we can't help but look at it as, one less year with him at home. 😦 i'm such a sap!!! seeing him in that tie just gets me! 
the ceremony began with the somewhere over the rainbow version that used to make me think of the ER episode where dr. greene passes away. now i will have my little guy's sweet face cemented in my heart when i hear that song. chris, my mom and i were pretty much big cry babies at that part 🙂
my baby! i love him so much and cannot believe what a big guy he's getting to be. 
goodbye big brother, see you in high school 😦 
i know this is down below but i am so glad chris got all these pics, as i get all shaky and emotional and can't compose a picture worth beans. i love my matchy men! 🙂 
and then a few hours later, we went to kira's middle school graduation. it's a lot more formal at that grade so we managed to keep ourselves together 🙂 but we are super proud of her and are shocked that she will be entering high school in september. she has lots of sports to keep her busy this summer, including training for cross country. here's our lovely girl! 
looove this picture of her 🙂 lei for our lei 🙂
candy lei!
me and my girl
he is so wonderful with kira. i don't know what i'd do without him. 
my mom and my 2 girls. 
and this one cracks me up so much. elsie's little face and my mom looking at her. i love it!
amazing! a picture of all 4 together!!! one of these two that melts me!! there's all kinds of crazy light/shadows going on here but dang they look cute 🙂
and our little buddy… who is dragged around wherever we go.. without a complaint. we adore her! 🙂
these sets of ages, where all my kids are now… i wish i could freeze it. kira about to start high school, where i know our next 4 years will be a blur. cam about to start middle school, and the overprotective mom in me wants to protect him from any social anxiety that may come. caleb in elementary and who still plays in class and adores his teachers. and elsie. 3 and home with me. i can't imagine elsie 10 years from now, in kira's graduating shoes. kira will be over 20. scary. i never thought i'd have such a large family and now i can't imagine my life without them.
there's my sappy graduation post with a plethora of pictures. i will look through them again with the youtube video of somewhere over the rainbow and surely tears will fill my sappy eyes 🙂
lol caleb brought this home from school the other day. his knack for getting to the point cracks me up. 
eeeek, that green paper under his is elsie's preschool registration. i can't believe that she's nearly 3. 😦
and recent layouts:
it's the deal of the day should you want to stock up on some of the creative cafe paper today 🙂 funny thing about the above layout- i photographed it and took it up to my computer, then realized E had added gems to the paper. i had to photoshop them out.
quoting elsie from the other day: 
one of my favorite sticker sheets here.
i am in love with this AC heart paper! this looks super crooked but it's not. 
that's it. just trying to give my blog more love, even if with just little things. we have a 3 day weekend filled with 3 soccer games and a basketball game, family coming from australia and a whole lotta relaxing! yay!
on our way to the 5th grade's state float parade. as fun as this project should be- i dread it. for the 3 months that it is preassigned, i stress. i have high hopes for child 3 and 4 to get a head start and get the creative juices flowing 🙂
it appears elsie has what chris and his other family members have- eyes that are sensitive to light. this girl can't go in sunlight without her glasses. oh i wish i stocked up when they were on sale after summer.
cam chose west virginia as virginia was taken.. our family has big love for the state of virginia 🙂 good memories.
especially this little guy who was born there. we can't wait to go back and take a family vacation there someday.
at his little thanksgiving feast/performance 🙂
im seriously slacking on kira pics! putting on my to do list as she is home this week from school. she's just a busy little bee, that girl 🙂
aaaaaaaaah the hustle and bustle of the first day! the excitement! ohhh how i wish it would last all year! 🙂
we started the morning off early.. we drove kira to school but she decided that she could walk just as fast so she hopped out– i lOOOOVOE this picture of her so much. even with the hair in her face. she's just so ready. bag, binder, cell phone.
and i have to share what she did with her cover of her binder. because that is so important in middle school you know.. what's in the sleeve of your binder! 🙂
and we got to school early enough to miss people in this shot! amazing! 🙂
and though he didn't get in the same class as his BFF, we are praying for an amazing year anyways 🙂
after being here so much last year, when we walked up, it's like she all of a sudden remembered.. heeeeey.. i know this place! i love how little she is next to chris.
and this. LOVE his little funny happy spirit greeting the second grade 🙂
here's to 2nd, 5th and 8th grade!
ps for the month of september, i'll be hosting little photo shares at 2peas. it'll be back to school themed if you're interested in joining me. 🙂
watersix 