Back to school day!

This last thursday we went to the back to school day at our school.

So Ryder, Eden, and I headed to the picnic.

Ryder was so sweet with other kids.  He was asking kid's their names and asking if they were new too... I just know that he is going to do so great! I, on the other hand was so content to just watch he and Eden flourish with all the other kiddos on the playground.   

(Ryder would introduce Eden, "This is my sister.  She's three so she isn't going to school yet, but this will be her school too!" I mean, he was just so precious and the other kids were so friendly and receptive to him too!)

That night, we went back to the school to find out who his teacher would be and to get information about the first day and to see his classroom and to get a welcome from the principal.

 

Mrs. Wigley:

(How amazing is that name! 

And she has the sweetest personality to match...♥)

I have so many emotions about my first born going off to school.  Preschool felt different: it was only three days and it was  a school that we knew he would only attend for the year. Now, I watch him walk the grounds of his new school and, unless there is an unforeseen change, this is where he will be until 5th grade.  So much growing and learning and experiences and friends...

I'm so excited about ALL of it, but I still am emotional thinking of that big eyed baby that I had five years ago, trying to get my brain around the fact that he is old enough for things like kindergarten, lunch pails, school supplies, and uniforms...♥

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Tomorrow is his first day of kindergarten. 

We are ready for this!

Bring on this new adventure!

painting the night...

On Wednesday night we decided to take the kids to the Paint the Night electrical parade at Disneyland.  We had never seen it before and it was so much fun!

(It was evening time when we arrived but the humidity and the heat were still going strong...)

 I saved a little spot and the kids went on a couple of rides with Kit...

Mack was Ryder's favorite:

 Taking it all in...

 It was just incredible...

 I asked Eden what her favorite float was and she just said, "The princesses..." She couldn't decide...

But the absolute sweetest thing was how into it she was to see them all.  With each one that came into her view, she would pat my head and point and then wave with more enthusiasm than I thought her little body could contain...  As far as she was concerned, the whole parade was for her...♥

Disneyland!

This week we made our way back to Disneyland after a summer away, and it was so fun.

We met up with our friends the Carpenters on Tuesday and had the best time!

We always start on the Astro Blasters...

 Went to the castle and saw a couple of princess...

 And Eden had her first Small world adventure...

 Then we had headed over to California Adventure where we went on the Little Mermaid ride, went to Bugs Land...

 ...And Midway Madness...

 And we wended our day on the carrousel...

We had such a great day! 

We are savoring every last drop of this last week of summer!

dentist and rewards...

We had our second trip to the dentists office on monday and the kids did amazing!  I was really proud of how cooperative they were! (It's hard having strangers put their hands in your mouth!)

So we celebrated with ice cream. 

(The irony is not lost on me that I am celebrating a dentist visit with the consumption of sugar...♥)

Eating our way through our stay-cation

For our birthday's my parents had asked what we wanted and we had asked for them to take our kiddos for a few days so that we could just have a a little stay-cation.  It was the best present ever!  they took the kids from thursday to sunday of last week.

We had three plans for our days alone together:

1. rest and connect

2. eat good food

2. tackle a couple of fun decoration/wood projects for our house.

The thing that was so fun for us was to sit and eat food and talk for as long as we wanted.  No rush, no sitters that we were trying to get home to.

We joked that we just ate our way through our days together...

 Such good iced mocha latttes:

 One of our favorite places for appetizers...

Hole Mole fish tacos just hit the spot every time!

The Kettlebar at The District:

garlic fries...

crab cakes...

chicken and sausage bowl of goodness...

Breakfast at The Filling Station:

Yogurtland was served up for dinner one night, just because we could...

The best part of all of this eating was all of the uninterrupted conversation that went with it.  I love our family time around our dining room table every night, but getting to look across the table at this man that I love, and hear  from his heart, to dream and laugh and dialogue things that bring us joy and things that we carry and that we desire to keep the Lord at the center of... Those things happened around these phenomenal meal times.  I am more connected and more in love with this man because of the intentionality that happened at these tables and plates of hot delicious food. 

I am a better wife and a better mother and a better person because of the time that we get to have together... And for that, I have a heart that is full and thankful and deeply satisfied!♥  (I may have also gained a little weight as well, due to the very full belly I also acquired from this time together...♥)
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Did I mention how much fun my kiddos had with these two?!?
From parks with water pads, trips to Bass pro shop, a big trip to the Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert, playing with their cousins, playing dress up and legos, going to the movies to see Shawn the Sheep, having sleep overs, and swimming to their little hearts content...
(A few highlight photos in no particular order...)

These littles had the best time and felt such love and quality time... They can't wait to do it again!♥