La Di Da

A few months ago, some moms decided it'd be a great idea to start a preschool group. We made up a schedule and planned out a theme. Then we decided to wait till Fall to begin. And then I sort of forgot about it. BUT OH SHOOT! I was the first one to host preschool!!! So Gretchen had her first day of semi-real-shoot-from-the-hip preschool.

Part of our activity for "A" day was to play with animals. That didn't take up enough time, so then we did dress-ups. Here you see John John cringing away from The Gretch (but still smiling in a Hi-Gretchen-I-Love-You-Don't-Hurt-Me kind of way...) Preschool finished bite free (unfortunately, the same cannot be said of nursery today. GRETCHEN. Sigh.)



We forgot to check the mail for a week, and there were LOTS of surprises waiting for us! The girls LOVE packages! Thanks Auntie Terry & Cousin Suzanne!



So all summer work was dead. Nothing. My career was a desert wasteland, complete with tumbleweeds and circling vultures. That has all changed. I now have work with a vengeance. So of course it's all coming in at once. The good news is that I will get paid. Yay! Also, I used the time stuck at my computer to watch ALL FOUR SEASONS of DR. WHO! (Thanks Jennifer!) (I am in love with this show. It just keeps getting better and better. Though I will never again walk past a store mannequin, angel statue or watch a reality show without cringing a little.)

Since I was totally slammed working, of course, OF COURSE it's the week I had a million commitments. Saturday we took the girls from church to Lake Tahoe. It was the perfect beach day. There were literally only 2 other people on our beach. It was sunny, warm and wonderful.




The squirrels were making us crazy. They were literally crawling into the chip bag when we turned our back. That is nasty. I threw the chips away in a fit of disgust. I don't care if you are cute, YOU ARE ALSO VERY GROSS.



The girls decided it'd be super fun to bury each other. I decided it'd be super fun to guard our food and yell at rodents. I also decided it'd be super fun to only sporadically apply sunscreen. Now I'm sportin' a sweet sunburn on my shoulders & chest, complete with random fingerprints where I DID apply sunblock. Go me.



Despite being crazy, ridiculously busy, it was still a pretty good week. Here's hoping I have a little more time to breathe next week. Deeeep breaths. Deeeeep breaths. It's all going to be ok. (I need a nap.)

The Week That Was

Oh my friends, what a week. Gretchen had some serious regression. Remember how happy I was last week that she didn't bite John John. Well she made up for it on our Thursday playdate. WITH A VENGEANCE. She bit him so hard. Poor, poor Johnny. There was blood. There was crying. There was spanks and time-outs and immediate departures. Oh my baby, WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH YOU???

Dear John John-

I'm so So SO sorry that Gretchen has been using you as a chew toy. You can totally bite her back next time. I won't intervene. (She deserves it!) She really does love you. Really.

Beware of this cute face. It is completely deceiving. She bites (but apparently only sweet little boys named John...):



Besides that horrible incident, the rest of the week was pretty ok. My amazing friend Jaime invited me to see Smashing Pumpkins with her. She called while I was at Mutual (like church youth group, for the uninitiated). I asked if any of the girls would mind babysitting when we finished up. They said, "Sure!" (because they are all nice, sweet, thoughtful girls and I love them all).
Girls: What concert are you going to?
Me: Smashing Pumkins, isn't that great!
Girls: Who?
Me: WHAT?
Girls: No seriously, who?
Me: I am old.

The concert was great fun (except maybe for the 10 minutes base/drum solos, which were a little yawn inducing. Drum solos = LAME. Also, I am a "girl" and therefore unable to appreciate their "awesomeness".) There were lots of drunk people to laugh at. Good times. Thanks Jaime!

Thanks also for this sweet ditty that's been bouncing around my head all week: DESPITE ALL MY RAGE, I AM STILL JUST A RAT IN A CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE!!!!!! (end flashback)

Then Jaime called to see if Colby wanted to go golfing. So he went all day Friday. For free. With free lunch. And then we had a pizza party at their house.

THEN Jaime called to see if we wanted to tailgate with them.

FACT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ME: I've never seen a football game in my entire life. Ever. I went to one once in High School, but didn't actually watch it. I, therefore, have never experienced a "Tailgate".

Oh. My. Word. I had the best initiation ever. There was Tri-tip on the BBQ. There was Rockband (literally on the tailgate). IT. WAS. AWESOME.



Colby let them know how much he appreciated their hospitality by serenading them. He left a BIG IMPRESSION on all the sweet children. Parents can now thank Colby for their toddler's appreciation of Rammstein.



If you just skipped over that video, I implore you. GO BACK AND WATCH. You won't be sorry.

Here's hoping next week is bite-free.

And you all should get a Jaime. Seriously, she's great.

Plum Delightful

Ella's first day of school came really early in the morning, so I didn't quite get the standard First Day Of School Photo (you know the one, where the child stands awkwardly posed in the outfit chosen for maximum fashion impact while holding a large empty backpack and sack lunch, stars/tears in their eyes, forced smile, etc....) Instead we have a Right After First Day Of School photo:



The stars aligned for Miss Ella, she's sits right next to one of her favorite friends in the world. Here they are, smiling and perfectly aware of how amazing they are. They are freakin' FIRST GRADERS. Boo ya.

And here's the obligatory, awkwardly posed first day of school photo, as mentioned above.



It was strange to have so much time away from Ella this week. I've been reading friends blogs talking about how sad it is that their kids are gone all day at school. Will I feel that way when my time comes? I really value my "Alone Time". Enough that if I'm in my room by myself, the girls know to ask me, "Are you having 'alone time', or can I talk to you?" Alone time is so precious. Maybe I won't value it as much when I get more than 10 minutes a day.

To celebrate our new school-week-lifestyle, Gretchen & I went on some playdates. Gretchen's favorite friend in the whole world is John John. She loves John John with a fierce 2.5 year old passion. Sometimes, an overwhelming passion. Have you ever heard the old adage, "You hurt those you love the most?" Gretchen must love John A LOT.

Look at how sweet they are, running scantily clad through the sprinklers:


Eating the plums we picked from their neighbors front yard (they said it was cool, we didn't steal them. Really!)


When Ella heard we'd been to John John's house without her, she was upset. Every time we go there, she plays spends her time playing on her own and/or screaming at Gretchen & John John. But apparently that's the highlight of her day. So Saturday she came with us to John John's house to pick the plums, play by herself in the sandbox, and scream at toddlers. In a Tinkerbell costume, of course...


Though Gretchen did leave a giant pinch mark across John John's chest (NO JOHN JOHN!!! I DRIVE THE CAR!!!) she did make a marked step towards maturity. I saw her leaning in frustration to bite him TWICE. And both times she stopped herself, contemplated her actions (mouth agape), and pulled back. Oh, my sweet, violent, darling girl! So proud!

That's our big news for the week. Gretchen DIDN'T bite her friend. What's your big news?