We're 6 today!

McKayla Rhea is 6 years old today!  She woke up this morning and said, "mommy, I can count my age on two hands now!"  Yes, you can baby girl, yes you can.  She is getting so big.  I can't help but look back and remember poor Jeff panicking over her arriving in the middle of the night....funny guy.  The day she was born my mom came over and helped us get the house ready, we waited for Ian to get home from kindergarten and then we took off for the hospital to be induced.  (Jeff really didn't want any surprises)  I remember Jnet running into the room (they only wanted 2 other people in there) and seeing the look of triumph on her face because she snuck past the nurses station.  A few drugs and groans of pain later I had a 6 pound Japanese bundle of joy.  And boy was she Japanese.  I am sure the nurses wondered how this kid belonged to the very pale white girl in the room down the hall.  : )

This weekend we had her birthday party at the house.  Grandma Takako and Jnet came to celebrate too.  There were 15 children running around, 99% of them girls!  It was organized chaos.  She had a great time though.  Tonight we are skipping ice skating and soccer practice and going to dinner at Red Robin.....yahoooey!  I would have voted for Cheesecake Factory but hey, not my birthday.  Here are some pictures of her big day for you all to enjoy!

Back to School

One down, one to go!  Isn't the first day of school so bittersweet?  You can't wait for them to go back to school somewhere in the middle of the vacation because they are driving you BATTY with their fighting and whining and nagging.  But then the last week of vacation comes and you realize that it went so fast and you didn't get to do all those cool things you had planned way back in May. 

 

I have to say we did get to do some cool things this summer and I had a great time at the pool with the kids and taking them to the zoo.  But today they are back in class.  I took McKayla this morning and it wasn't like kindergarten.  She pretty much kicked me out the door.....McKayla I mean.  She was a little nervous but very excited that she had her own desk, not just a table and her teacher Mrs. Sharon had put all her things away so she was ready for her first assignment.  I can't believe she is six years old (or will be next Tuesday).  It seems like yesterday I was potty training her and we were making our first move.  Wow time flies.

Ian, the big man, does not start school until later today.  The junior high lets the seasoned 7th and 8th graders come in first, meet their teachers and then sends them home.  The 6th graders come in around 11am and have the school to themselves so they can get acquainted with the bell schedule, lunch and the classrooms.  I am so excited for him, he has endless opportunities at this school and we are just tickled that he is excited too.  I can't believe how fast he has grown up.  It has been almost 4 years since we moved from SoCal and he was in the middle of 2nd grade then.  That seems like a lifetime ago.  I keep thinking of little Brooke and how big she looked next to all our little boys.  Now our boys are the same age she was when we left and of course she is a young woman going into high school....sorry Tiya  : )

Well off to take care of kid number #2 and then maybe a hair cut today.  Whatever will I do with my free time : )  Yes, I know you all know me better.  

The Big Day!

The big day has arrived.  I always thought the day you picked up your class schedule was bigger than the actual first day of school.  Today we went to the middle school to pick up Ian's schedule, get his ID and photo taken and take care of other business.  We tried out the locker which is a bit sticky, and checked out some of his classrooms.

The good news is that his buddy has the locker next to him but his best friend is located on another hallway.  He does have a class with one buddy but not his other.  All things said it is a pretty good schedule.  He is excited.

He has been on the phone all afternoon talking to the guys about their schedules and trying to match up their classes.  I remember those days.  Of course I hung out with the brainy bunch and I never did have classes with them.  I was the dumb one among the bunch.  : )

We did finally get some school clothes for his skinny little body.  He picked out a pink Abercrombie shirt for pictures today....yes, all on his own.  He looked pretty good as you can see - McKayla not so much.  Ah the fun is just beginning.  I am so excited for him but sad at the same time.  I can't believe he is junior high.  They grow up just too fast!!

Hot, hot, hot!

This past weekend was a hot one so it was lucky that Jeff's company was selling cheap tickets to Coco Keys the indoor water park.  We had a really good time with our friends Jill, Brian and their kids Abby and JJ.  Here are some pictures from my new underwater camera.  That thing really kicks butt!  If you go to the pool, ocean or any body of water often I highly recommend one.  It takes great regular pictures and look at the ones underneath the water.  (Of course this is yucky pool water you are looking at so keep that in mind).

Enjoy...

Abby and McKayla synchronized swimming!

Ian under the giant water bucket

Ian and JJ 

JJ and Brian

Crazy week

With Ian home we spent the week catching up on sleep and getting back into a routine.  Soccer practice started the minute he walked through the door as did the requests for last minute slumber parties.  He was either at someone's house or someone was here three nights in a row.  To say he is sleep deprived is an understatement.  

We also went school shopping and are still trying to fit in all those last minute appointments like the eye doctor, hair cut and dentist.  The school shopping was a real "treat"!!!  I spent three days at 10 different stores only to buy a few things from only one store!  He is worse to shop with than Jeff.  Talk about a yuppy.  You guys who know Jeff know how much fun he is to shop with......NOT!!  Well Ian didn't fall far from that tree.  I am starting to wonder about that nature vs. nurture thing.  Jeez!

McKayla on the other hand is easy, throw it in the cart if it fits and it is pink, purple or has sparkles on it.  I hope she is that easy as a teenager but I don't think I could be that lucky.  

Today is the eye appointment, Monday is the dentist and orientation.  Somewhere in there we need another shopping trip and a trip to the zoo.  I really miss year round school.  The whole transition to the next grade seemed easier then.

Earthquake

Hello our California friends...are you all OK?  Jnet just called and told me about the earthquake.  It was a 5.8...wow!  We hope that you are all fine and everything is still standing.

Email me if you get the chance....

Hannah Montana and the slumber party

Last night as many of you know was the 3-D Hannah Montana concert with special guests the Jonas Brothers.  We decided to let McKayla have a friend spend the night.  We let Ian do so as well so the girls would not try to dress him up and make him dance with them.  

It went very well but the girls could not figure out the little 3-D glasses (they kept falling off) and I think they expected Hannah to jump off the TV at them.  Well she didn't so we ditched the glasses about a third through the movie.  We ate cupcakes (provided by my good buddy Jilly Bean!), ding dongs, m&m's, popcorn and Sugar Babies.  By the time the movie was over I was tired and the girls were jacked up on sugar.  Good thing the boys played dodgeball with them for over an hour after that.

This morning I was sure my little angels would all sleep in.  NOPE!  McKayla - of all people - was up at 6am!  What sort of child am I raising here?  6AM on a Sunday morning, that is just wrong on so many levels!!  She looks me in the eyes this morning and says "but mama, it was sunny outside so I thought it was time to play".  Who could argue with that?

A fun night for all.  I hope all of you enjoyed your Hannah Montana night.  Next up the Cheetah Girls movie.  What does it say about me that I know the Disney Channel line up better than CBS or ABC???