First Day of School

Today was Jacqui's first day of school. We (I) were planning to wake up at 8am to get ready for school, but she woke up on her own at 6(!) and asked about every 10 minutes until 0830 "Is it time for me to go to my school yet?" She is going to Lincoln Heights Elementary and her teacher's name is Mrs. Coyote. She is in the AM kindergarten from 9-1130. She was very excited to start school today and did not even blink when I left the classroom, "Bye mom, don't forget to pick me up later".

I went to pick her up and she was the last child to come running to the open arms of parents, as she was much more interested in all the other kids on the playground and didn't think she was quite ready to be with mom yet (such an independent little thing!). So I picked her up and we walked to the car, all the while her telling me the story of her day at about a mile a minute.

Her synopsis of her day went something to the effect of "Oh my gosh mom, they have 3 frogs! They are tree frogs, you know, so they can climb... They are green... We got to feed them crickets today and their little tongues go out all the time... It is SO cool. We have one fish, only 1, not three like the frogs. And I answered all the teachers questions today and I was always right because I am SO smart. Huh Mom? (Yes, dear). We got to play on the slides and the toys, and the slide has 2 bumps on it and it was so fun! And I got to play with the creative big blocks..."

Needless to say, it was a very successful first day and she had a blast! I was able to go and work out for an hour and run an errand which was great. 2 1/2 hours isn't much, but I found it just enough to have a small amount of me time... I think we are both going to like this new transition.

Cousins Weekend

Well I am running a couple of weeks behind, but thought I would post some of our weekend pics with G & G. What a fun weekend, and it sure was great to see everybody!

I think my favorite part of our time is sitting and listening to G & G's stories. It was really great to hear and learn about our new family members too (well not super new, but I learned more about you guys and that is nice!)

'The Girls'

'The Guys'

'The FAM'


Happy 61st Anniversary G & G!

Priest Lake

Just a few more pics to add from our Priest Lake visit. We had such a great time and Jacqui doesn't stop talking about the boat and the huckleberries, and the karaoke! What a blast, can't wait to see you guys there next year!

Karaoke at Elkins 'Sweet Home Alabama'

A trip to Priest Lake is not complete until you have had a famous Huckleberry Daquiri

Helping Uncle Jim drive the boat... How exciting!

Picking huckleberries at the back of their property line. They were all over the place!

Smores in the woods, does life get any better?

Roasting marshmellows on the fire...

First ride on the boat with Christa and Uncle Jim. Jacqui was so excited and loved dangling her feet in the water in the middle of the lake!

Priest Lake Pictures

Kayla and Jacqui were able to come to Priest Lake for a few days to see dad's new cabin. We were all so glad that they were able to join us! Jacqui seemed to most enjoy singing karaoke with mom at Elkins, driving the boat, swimming whenever she got the chance, picking huckleberries, and then eating her huckleberry pancakes. Kayla and I had a fun roadtrip a few days later from Spokane to Seattle. Kayla Mike and I went to a concert on Sunday and had a blast. Mike and I were happy that Kayla could help us celebrate our first anniversary. Here are some pictures from our time together!

Alaskan Cruise July 2009

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Jacqui-isms

Levi and I took Jacqui to see Ice Age 3 this week and she was pretty impressed with it and was talking about all the animals and is getting into dinosaurs. We also saw Transformers which she enjoyed and ate almost a whole tub of popcorn by herself. When we were leaving the theatre she was explaining to me that "Mom my tummy is so full, I ate all that popcorn like a dinosaur. I need to crack my fingers so my tummy is not so full". I am not sure where she linked cracking fingers to making her stomach feel better, but it stuck and she has been talking about cracking her fingers almost every time she eats so her tummy is not so full (strange connection I am sure!)

I took some of Jacqui's baby toys into the yard to clean them off so we could donate them to charity. We each had a sponge and were scrubbing them down when Jacqui said, "Wow mom, look at that spot I totally OBLITERATED it!" Not quite sure where she picked up that $5 word, but it sounds awfully funny coming from a 5 year old~!

Jacqui and I went to the Pet Shop today to look at the animals while we were waiting at another store. We were looking at the reptiles and Jacqui saw an iguana and said "Mom! You have to check this guy out, he is HU-NORMOUS!"

While wandering around later she found the birds and I was explaining that the birds were cockatiels, she looked at me and said "Mom, those are not cockatiels, they are mo-hawk birds, you know they call them that cuz they all have mo-hawks?"

Earlier this week she was at the sitters and managed to cut her own hair while they were playing cut-out with the scissors. I was furious with her and dragged her home telling her that I was not impressed and she knew better. She had a lot of attitude that day and decided she didn't want to come home with me and she let me know it, "cuz you are making a angry face at me and I don't like it!" She was also not impressed with getting her hair cut, but hopefully she won't do that again (last time she did that she was 2). Needless to say, I cut her hair to try and blend in the damage (luckily with her curly hair that is easy to do!) so now she has bangs and lots of layers, I will put some pics up soon.

The Tooth Fairy Arrives!

As you all know, Jacqui lost her tooth yesterday. She was waiting all day to see the Tooth Fairy. We decided to go to the park as a form of redirection, and had a nice little picnic with Hank. Jacqui played in the water park and on the jungle gym for hours. Today, we finally got home and she was asleep in the car. I carried her into the house and laid her in her bed and she was completely out. She wiggled around in her bed and moved her arm up under her pillow and immediately was wide awake. She felt all the coins under there and jumped out of bed and started screaming bloody murder! She was yelling "Mom, Mom, Come and look, you have to see this!!!" She was so excited she took all the money (a handful of pennies, nickels, and dimes) and proudly showed it off and then put them one by one into her piggy bank, grinning ear to ear the entire time. After she had ceremoniously put all the coins into the bank, she came to me and said "Mom, I am such a lucky girl, this is the best day of my life!" Well, there you have it, from the mouth of a 5 year old, the best day of her life. She is so excited to have the tooth fairy visit and take her tooth and wanted everyone to know 'what a lucky girl' she is.