Kindergarten

We started kindergarten. Ms. Baim is our teacher and we really like her. So much so that today (the second day of school) we came home and began collecting all the things 'My teacher needs'. Mostly they were craft supplies (things already on the school supply list), glue sticks and sequins of course and then there were the paper towels (also on the list) but why C? 'Because she used all of her's to clean up the sick of that kid in my class'.
So I guess today went pretty well for us. We made a monkey and we were not the sick kid, or the kid who was crying or the kid who peed her pants. I'd say we are off to a great start. And looking forward to a great year.

From FL With Love

We've been gone- now we are back. 

I vowed to take more photos with my 'actual' camera this summer so that my kids will not think that everything in the years 2011-2012 was pixelated like a cell phone photo. I think I did ok on this trip.

We saw some wildlife.

Went to the beach.

With the added bonus of a jelly fish encounter. (She's fine- and a complete trooper.)

We went to the pool,

 

 

and perfected our swimming. (more to come on this later)

 

 We ate (everything- as the scale tells me now). We even made our our own donuts

 We went to the Children's Museum of Naples and HIGHLY recommend it to anyone with a day or two to kill. We drove daddy's car and tried out some careers.

And of course we picked up just a few oranges.

 

We celebrated Grandma's Birthday.

And played with all her toys.

 

After all that fun it was time to fly home... 

It would be a complete lie if I said I wished we were still there, but if I said I wished we hadn't gone that would be a lie too.

Not So Little Anymore

My baby graduated from pre-k yesterday. She sang her songs so well.
 (there is video but it's too big to post) (although I have two very talented video-figure-er-out-ers in my life I can't figure out how to post it)

She has grown so much and in so many ways. I couldn't be prouder of her. Her daddy and myself are still unsure about sending her to Kindergarten but that's our parental attachment and has very little to do with how wonderful she will do there as well. 
And got her 'diploma' from Dr. McDonald and Ms. Mills. 

Now only 4 more days till Summer actually starts and school is over. 
Although today we'll reach almost 100 degrees so I think maybe we can call summer a little early this year?   

Training Hard

Nick and Claire working hard. Training for the Tour-De-Bridge this July! 

We think we may sweep the under 4 category - if it were a race.

 

When you train hard- you crash hard- Nick took a two hour nap through the grocery store after our ride.

Birthday Imagination

'Dan Dan No Hand The One Eyed Wonder Horse' is turning 100 today!
Happy Birthday to the most eccentric addition to our house.

In other delightfully imaginary news:

Harvark (C's invisible friend aardvark) and his mother went with us to Charlotte but missed the return flight and had to rent a car. They arrived safely home this morning.

My REALLY Nice Valentines Day

Our little family had a great Valentines Day. We made valentines, and fancy dinner (Beef Wellington in puff pastry with a side of stuffed zucchini) and then we had a candlelit 'fancy' dinner. You know it's fancy because we ate in the dark and we used fancy words like 'Darling' and 'Crudite'.
At school the next day Claire told her teacher all about our fancy dinner and the fancy talking and the candles. They thought that was fabulous. So they prompted Claire to share her fabulous story with Dr. McDonald (the principal).
At the end of the story Dr. McDonald asked Claire what her Daddy got Mommy for Valentines Day. Claire got a coy look on her face and laughed out 'Yoou Knoow!' Ms. Kamen winked at me at the end of telling me the story and said 'I'm glad you had a really nice Valentines'.
Of course Claire meant flowers which is what Claire thinks you HAVE to get someone you love/like for Valentines Day.

And what lovely flowers I got- I did have a really nice Valentines Day.

Where is Everyone Else?

Today we unwrapped our "First Christmas" book that GB and Pappi sent us last year.. Claire and Nick spent the first three pages saying things like "We know Pappi" and "I love you too!". At the end Claire told me she loves her Pappi 100. (That's high praise, she loves me 20 and Jim anywhere between 8 and 15.)

We have been reading all about that First Christmas, Claire is really enjoying it and asking some really good questions that make me think....

Today while we read about the wise men she counted them in the book... One, Two, Three. 'How come there's only 3?' Because there were 3 kings who came to see Jesus, remember they followed the star from very far away. 'But where was everyone else?'

Knowing what we know now, it is amazing to her that not everyone followed that star to meet Baby Jesus.

This weekend we'll be going to see all the bright lights of Christmas but my little girl reminds me to always remember the first bright light of Christmas.

Merry Christmas!

Battle

This is what happen when I clean my kitchen. I find the makings of swords... and who can resist that?

Triumph!

Heartache

Conversation I had earlier with Claire :

(Claire is hanging off the bed pulling on the comforter)
M: You are going to break my bed and then I'm going to have to break your butt
C: If you break my butt I'll have to break your brain
(Claire thinks about it a second then her expression softens)
C: But not your heart, I'll never break your heart mommy.

Oh that that could be true my love.

My Independant Kid

Claire starts preK next Thursday.

It is crazy to think that just 4 years ago I was terrified about having a baby and couldn't wait for her to grow up and get more independent. Now that she has done just that I'm terrified again but this time I'm nervous for her- how will she adapt to being away from Nick and I for 3 hrs a day?- Will she find a little friend to play with?- Will she listen well to other adults? I know that answer to those questions: She will adapt just fine and is in fact completely ready to have some independence- she is a friendly kid and any kid who doesn't want to be her friend is obviously defective - She is a respectful kid who listens and takes direction well. I love her and feel completely secure and hugely grateful for the time I've spent so far shaping her into a beautiful woman who is respectful, responsible, loving and kind.
So she's ready but I don't think I am.
I see now that a lot of that crazy school shopping is in fact retail therapy for the mothers who are getting ready to experience separation anxiety themselves.
To the backpack store!

Princess Cookies with Claire

If you are a fairy princess

or just like the way they dress
then wave your magic wand
and create cookies from beyond!

Now take a bowl and whip the butter
Now's not the time to use the cutter
Next blend the mix and water, too
and make yourself a gooey-goo

Say the magic words, but please don't blink
Watch as your dough turns incredibly pink!
now cover your dough and let it chill
in the fridge, not on the windowsill!

Roll the cooled dough out with your rolling pin
Nice and flat, just not too, too thin
Use the cutter to make perfect stars
Place them not too near and not too far

Now you need a grown-up princess or prince
It's not such hard work, they really won't wince
They should open the over n and put in the sheet
Then wait twelve minutes for this magical treat

Once the cookies cool, add your magical touch
With some icing and fairy dust... just not too much!
Then call in all the fairies for a special treat
And feed them pink cookies to eat - so sweet.

Splashing in the Rain

Today it rained.

We spent the morning sorting clothes for the fall and water painting.

After lunch it was apparent that it was not going to stop raining so we geared up to go out.
Boots, Coats, Umbrella- Check!

Here is Nick standing in the world's smallest puddle- somehow he crammed both his feet into it :)

Nick sees the huge puddle- Nick RUNS to the huge puddle-
Nick splashes in the HUGE puddle!

We also experimented with different water slide technique.

If Claire held up her right leg she could go so fast she flew off the bottom and 'splashed down'. Nick just had to lay back and he flew off the end.

All in all not a bad day for having it rain all day.
They are forecasting rain again tomorrow... Maybe we'll break out the sewing machine...

Pulling Hair and Other Gram Reflections

Today I was looking at pictures with Claire. We came across some of my Grandma. I told Claire with all fondness that that was her great grandma. And she turned to me and said

"Is she the one that likes to pull hair?"

I guess we need to plan a trip to Gram's sometime soon. Claire says that because I always tell her in the midst of tearful hair brushing that 'your great grandma always says : If you wanna be pretty you gotta suffer'. It's sad to me that really that's what she'll probably take with her about her great grandma, it's sad because she really has a Great great grandma. Who loves her

and her brother.

Who loves family and a good time.

Even though sometimes she's not in the greatest mood, I still love her. And really miss being close by, or close enough to pop over for a bit. (to check if she's in a good mood or not) Or share some toast and tea in the morning at that great table that seats barely 5, or 12 depending on the day.

I don't know how to end this because it's getting kinda sappy, and I can hear her yelling 'For God's sake, I'm not dead yet'. So I'll just say that I love her and I miss her. I hope you have a great grandma who imparts great knowledge, or at least hugs and stability in your life.

*Grandma- if you ever go on the internet and somehow stumble across this I apologize for the pictures of you in your pajamas, and anything I may say that puts you in a bad mood. :)

Something to Smile About

Today Nick said the word 'kite', Claire colored 'in the lines' for the first time and colored an entire space instead of just scribbling.
I took some meds for this awful illness that just won't stop and Jim took a nap.
We are kind of low energy today but enjoying a low key day at home.
What do you have to smile about today?

Weed Whacker

Recently Claire learned a joke.

What is a skunks favorite sandwich?
Peanut Butter and Smelly!

She does pretty well at telling her joke except she leaves off the first line. So when you ask her to tell you a joke she just screams in her 'punch line voice' "Peanut Butter and Smelly!"

This afternoon because we are cooped up inside because of the rain -we decided to learn a couple new jokes.

I discovered she's actually pretty funny. Our conversations went something like this.

M: Why did the chicken cross the road?
C: because he likes roads
M: Why did the crocodile cross the road?
C: because he wanted to eat the chicken

Then we moved on to knock knock jokes:

M: I say Knock knock
M (whispers): then you say 'who's there'
C: Aunt Ami
M: No you just say the words 'who's there'
C: Aunt Mark
M: No... ok I say Knock Knock then you say who's there then I say Rhoda
C: Rhoda Aunt Mark
M: you are silly.
C: Knock Knock
M: Who's there?
C: Weed whacker!
Conversation dissolves into laughter....

She really is the funniest kid I know.

D is for

Daddy and Dinosaur: Jim took some time on his day off to do the Letter of the Day with Claire. It just happened to be D like daddy. They made dinosaurs out of the letter and then played with them for quite some time while I made dinner. It was really sweet to get to listen in on their play from the kitchen. My kids are super lucky to have such a great Daddy.

Dinner: Dinner tonight was stirfry? - any vegetable that was in my crisper with some soy sauce and ginger over rice.