First Kindergarten Assignment

Eden and I had an assignment to do her self portrait...

We think we nailed it...❤︎

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Also, have I mentioned how much we love her teacher?

Mrs. Wigley is the absolute best!

a new rhythm...

Just being into the school year by a matter of days, I am surprised at how many emotions have emerged from having my mornings alone while both kiddos are at school!  I range from feelings of gratitude and calm, to antsy and listless, feeling like I should capitalize on Every. Single. Second.  As the school year began, I prayed for how God would have me use this time.  I drop the kids off at school at 8am and I don't get Eden until 1115.  

She is only in half day kindergarten and I am so thankful.  I think it made the transition so much easier for her.  Both of my kids have had those moments in Kindergarten where they have looked at me and said, "Wait, I'm going EVERY day of the week?!" Half day has made that so much smoother.

I am navigating those hours.  (I still wait for Eden to do Costco with me, because doing it alone made me miss my girl!)  So in addition to the normal household stuff, work, grocery shopping, organizing, and school involvement and events, the priorities have been spending time with Jesus and taking significant time to pray.  

I have started running again and have been having so much more energy! It feels really good!  I also use it as part of my prayer time.

Also some fun things I have been enjoying:

I have also gotten back into some craft projects that have been so fun and easy!

Making envelopes out of old magazines to give to friends or accompany gifts:

Scrapbooking and organizing photos:

Little craft "projects" for the house like this one using lichen from the cabin:

(It looks tiny but it was so satisfying to work on it...❤︎)

And organizing things so that I am better with my menus and meal planning.(Kit is coaching Eden's soccer team and Ryder is playing flag football for Friday Night Lights. I have been having fun organizing crockpot recipes and easy to assemble meals for the evenings that feel a little crazier than others...)
BBQ chicken sandwhiches are a favorite!

 Also combining chicken, black beans, corn, and a jar of your favorite salsa is a huge hit!

Sometimes while I prep things, the kids will work on school work or Eden will pull out her craft stuff:
Her color play has been a favorite!

We are slowly but surely getting into a groove and rhythm and I am thankful for all the ways God has allowed the things that we are a part of to be so life giving.❤︎
It really is such a sweet season of life!

Teeth

While we were at the Discovery Cube not too long ago, Ryder had a SUPER lose tooth FINALLY come out.

He hasn't left his last 4 teeth for the tooth fairy that he has lost.  It think he thought it was too much work to write the note...❤︎

So this time, Ryder decided to ask for reimbursement on the teeth that he hasn't given her:

"Dear tooth Fairy, I have lost 4 teeth since my last time.  I have forgot to do it.  I will show you.

(Diagram of his teeth and the word 'new' next to them).  Please do not take my teeth. By Ryder"

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Around here, the tooth fairy gives $5 for the first tooth and then $1 for each tooth after that.  She also leaves the teeth so that Ryder's mom can keep them and it doesn't look like SHE'S the tooth fairy...❤︎

birthday celebrations...

This last Sunday we celebrated my mom's birthday with swimming and pasta dinner!

We love our family time!

We love you Mom! 

We love that you were born and that you are our Mia!

summer...

On our last Saturday before school started, we took a little family outing for lunch to Huntington Beach's Pacific City and to walk on the pier.

We ate lunch at Bear Flag for AMAZING fish tacos:

 The view was amazing! (the beach was nice too...❤︎)

 We got some coffee and Eden took the opportunity to put her feet up, because being 5 is tiring!

While making our way to the pier, we found building blocks and the kids had so much fun with them!

We got some daily Queen shakes and headed to the pier and watched a surfing competition.

(Also the people watching was AMAZING!)

I felt nostalgic the entire day, realizing our summer is over and how old I feel my kids are and how fast I think times is going... But in the midst of all those emotions, I was overwhlemed with gratitude for our life and all that we get to be part of as a family!  We have so much to be thankful for and days like these really shine light on how truly AMAZING our life is!❤︎

A Solar Eclipse!

On August 21, there was a solar eclipse!

From Tustin, we viewed it around 10:15 in the morning.  It was covered by about 70%!

We found a free e-book to download through apologia.com and printed a couple of pages so that we could make this scientific event not only a learning experience, but also a little more fun!

These were the pages we focused on:

It made for a fun morning!

Making pinhole viewers!

They worked!

 

It;s always so fun to watch things through my kids eyes.  Learning something new is always a great experience!