First Day of School 2013

This week is First Day of School week here at the little blue house.  Yesterday, my daughter, Shaylee,  started her 5th grade year, and her last year in elementary school.  Today my son, Will, started kindergarten.  

As expected as soon as I turned to walk away from Will as I left him sitting at his new school table, I started to feel my eyes swell and my chest tighten.... tears were coming!   Something about leaving your child behind on the first day of kindergarten really tugs at those momma-emotions.   I remember sobbing on Shaylee's first day of  kindergarten too.  All of the memories of their tiny little newborn hands grasping on to my finger, their first toddely walks, their chubby baby faces... they come rushing back with a sudden realization of how quickly they have passed.... then the thoughts of the future come-- the next thing you know it will be high school, then college, then marriage... then I'm an old lady then I die.. life's too fast and too short.  Anyway, with all of those crazy thoughts, memories, and worries, floating around in my brain--its no wonder why I'm an ugly-crying fool today.    I'm sure the last day of school, when Shaylee "graduates" elementary school will be an equally as big tear fest!  (Yay??!) 

yep--those are tears!!!

This will also be the first time in 10 years that I will not have a young child to take care of all day every day...its kind of a weird feeling. On one hand, I am pretty excited for the freedom and the possibility of what I can do or where I can work.  On the other hand, its a new territory I'm entering and its  a little scary, and although my kids can drive me crazy at times.. I am going to miss them.

On a lighter note, I thought it would be fun to start a new tradition and interview my kids with the same  few simple questions each year on the first day of school. I wish I would have thought of this when Shay was going into kindergarten.

First Day of School Survey  2013

Shaylee- 5th Grade

Will-- Kindergarten

 What is your favorite color? Shaylee:  turquoise     Will: Every color they make

Favorite Song/band?   Shaylee:  "I Love It" by Icona Pop     Will:  Daft Punk

What do you want to be when you grow up ?  Shaylee: Broadway Star   Will: X-Gamer

Favorite tv show?   Shaylee: Dance Moms and America's Next Top Model    Will: Nitro Circus

Favorite Hobby/ Thing to do?  Shaylee:  Shopping,  Will: Skate Boarding

Fave food?   Shaylee:  Crab legs    Will:   pancakes

What are you looking forward to this school year?  Shaylee:  I’m looking forward to being in the top grade of the school…  Will: I’m looking forward to having a really nice teacher

Favorite Subject? Shaylee—History (but not Geography—I hate Geography)     Will-- Science Stuff

 

 

 

Take Me Back Tuesday: Halloween Memories

Halloween is tomorrow!! It is just as fun for me, if not more fun than Christmas, I love this holiday! So today for take me back tuesday, I am sharing just a few of my favorite Halloween memories  of the kiddos from this past decade.

 

5 (or more) things that made (the past 2) Weeks Fabulous

1.  I had my annual eye-exam.  I actually love getting my eyes checked, my eye-doctor's office always has a big bowl of candy bars free for the munchin,  I find trying to read the tiny letters a fun kind of challenge... and a new exam usually means new glasses, and I love shopping for new glasses!  I haven't found the right pair yet, but its always fun to try different frames on.

 

2.  IHOP is now serving up my favorite flap jacks,  PUMPKIN PANCAKES!!!  They are so good, and you can get two of them along side two eggs and hash browns for only $4.99!  So, the fam and I had breakfast for dinner at our local IHOP last Friday, and were pleasantly surprised with an on going kids eat free at night policy!!   Will got the chocolate face pancake and almost didn't want to eat it, he just want to smile at it!

 



3. Last weekend the kids were treated by their grandma, to a trip to the Renaissance Festival, and they had a wonderful time.

4.  While the kiddos were out with their grandma, Geoff and I got to hang out with our friends, Melissa and Justin.   We had a yummy Sunday lunch at one of my favorite restaurants, and then went exploring some sweet thrift and antique shops down town.  We found lots of fun stuff and had a great time.

Melissa and I with some creepy vintage masks

 





5. Will went to the KC Pumpkin patch on a field trip with his pre-school.  I got to go along, after convincing him to let me!  The kids were so cute and had so much fun despite the freakishly cold for the beginning of October weather.   Another bonus, the KC Live crew was also there filming, and if you tune in this coming Friday, you might just catch a glimpse of Will and I!

6.  The football team Shaylee cheers for got to play at the Arrowhead Stadium (home of the KC Chiefs) youth field... basically the practice field.   Shaylee of course was there to cheer.  It was pretty special for her, and she did awesome.

 



7.  I had myself one of the most epic good hair days everrrrr!

 



 

 

 

Well, those were the high-lights of my past two weeks,  what has made your week fabulous?  Hopefully I will return to my 5 things, once a week routine next week.   I know I have some exciting things coming up this week!

Convos with the Kiddos: Will's Art

Will, my 4-year-old,  has the potential to be an artist some day, or maybe a professional baseball player, or maybe a samurai ninja.. LOL.   Seriously though, the kid loves to be artistic.  Drawing on his Magnadoodle, or coloring with crayons and markers are some of his favorite things to do. 

A few days ago he rushed into my bedroom while I was putting away laundry, very excited and proud to show me his latest piece of "art."  

"OH, wow!" I said, in that "I-have-no-clue-what-this-is-but-let-me-act-excited" mommy kind of way. "Tell me about it," I said.

Will tells me an unexpected and thoughtful explanation for his art:
   "Those are foot prints of animals.  Animals with holes in their feet.  Because, we need to think about the poor animals with holes in their feet."

Indeed Will, we do!

Convos with the Kiddos: A Smell that Will Likes

It is 7:30 in the morning. I am reading my daily blog list, and sipping coffee.  My 4-year-old little boy, Will, climbs on to my lap.  He cuddles into my shoulder, then takes a big deep breath in and says, "MMM, I love that smell!!" 

"What smell?"  I say.

"My fart's smell, did it touch your nose yet?"

School is out and the Pool is open!!!!

My little blue house is conveniently located a short walk or bike ride down a paved walking path from a fantastic city pool.  My family takes full advantage... we go to the pool practically every day.



Shaylee and I today at the Pool

The pool opened this weekend for the 2012 season.  As I lay in my lounge chair and watched my kids play in the shallow end of the pool a very surreal feeling came over me.  A WHOLE, ENTIRE school year had passed since the last time I was lounging by the poolside... yet in that moment it felt like no time had passed.  It was a very strange feeling. 

Shaylee and I last year, hanging out poolside


I am excited for this pool season.  Shaylee is already jumping off the diving board like a champ, and Will is so much taller this year, he can go much farther in without the water going over his head.   My favorite summer days are spent in a lounge chair next to my friends, chit-chatting and people watching, while my kids have fun and get some good exercise.   Summertime just wouldn't be the same without the pool!

Will and Geoff playing in the water the first evening of the 2012 season

T-Ball

Saturday was my little guy's first ever T-ball game.  He looked so big in his little uniform.

posing with Daddy before the game.

The game itself was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. Every time a kid hit the ball off the tee the entire outfield would run for the ball and dog pile each other to get it.  They took the idea of "crouching down" very seriously and they were all lower than low to the ground, but completely adorable at the same time.  There were a couple criers, and one little outfielder actually spent an inning being held by is third-base-coach-dad.  

crouching down

Swing batter, batter swing!

I can't believe how big Will has gotten. He's my baby and he's growing up.  After having kids my eyes were opened to how ridiculously fast time moves. Today T-ball, tomorrow MLB!!

5 Things that made this Week Fabulous

1. Will, who is only 4 years old, learned how to ride his bike without training wheels.  I'd like to take some credit for this achievement but the truth is that little guy did it all by himself.  He has been a master of training wheel bike riding for some time now.  He went to a friend's house (Shout out to Nicholas!) and wanted to ride bikes, all the bikes to ride were training wheel free, but that didn't stop my man.. he just got on and figured it out!  Look for Will at the 2024 Xgames!!

2. I got to accompany my daughter, Shaylee,  and 50 or so other third graders to the Kauffman Center to enjoy the "Orchestra Moves" interactive concert with the KC symphony and to explore art at The Nelson Atkins Museam of Art.  The Shuttlecocks and Monet's Waterlillies are my favorite.

3.  One of my most favorite people in the whole world (shout out to Joey Figueiredo)  won a huge international hair competition and is going to the biggest hair industry convention in Orlando, FL all expenses paid!!  He worked super hard on both his contest entry,"Copper Shine,"  as well as promoting it.  Joey is one of the most hardworking, dedicated and driven people I know-- the boy is going places and is bound for fame!  He's the best and he totally deserved the win!

"Copper Shine"

4.  My mother's day gift was a fabulous pin-up photo shoot by Papermoon Photography by Charlie Girl at the fabulous  house of Vixen Pin-Up Photography.  Charlie is such a sweetie, it was so nice to meet and work with her, what a darling.  The girl does some crazy good makeup and I am sure the pictures will be fabulous (I haven't seen them yet!)   The always amazing Nikki Moreno-Whipple was also on hand,since the photo shoot took place in her beyond cute mid century style kitchen.  Nikki worked her hair magic and transformed my locks into something the great Marilyn Monroe would gladly wear.  The ladies made me feel like a million bucks!  I would rather spend my cash on that kind of experience over a boring old spa day any day!   Here is a cell phone pic of my amazing hair and makeup-

5.  Mother's Day!!!!  One of my favorite days of the year. I was treated to lunch at a cute little cafe, Celebrities. Then we headed to my grandma's house to spend time with the family.  My kids ran around and giggled with their cousin. I got to spend time with my kids, niece, husband,  grandparents, mom, step dad and brother.. and we all got along wonderfully!  I enjoyed  some yummy food that I didn't have to cook and ended the day with a cold beer and the season finale of Once Upon a Time, I am saving the finale of Housewives on my dvr for later, I have to catch up on a couple of episodes first.  All in all, it was a great day and a great week!

Lunch with my babies

My Mommy and my Bother and I

A date with a younger guy...

Last Saturday I had myself a hot date with a younger man!  He has gorgeous big brown eyes, sandy blond hair and is about 3'8"tall.

He's pretty cute... this is Will, my 4 year old stud!  He wasn't doing the potty dance, he was trying to model his super cute "Hipster meets Prep" outfit.  Black Converse shoes, pin striped skinny pants from H&M, Chambray shirt from Target and Skull and cross bones tie from Old Navy.. my boy has mad style.

After our little cell phone photo shoot in the front yard, we headed to our local Chick-Fila.

Chick-Fila is Will's favorite eatery and they happened to be hosting the very special, "Mommy/Son Date Knight"  event.   The restaurant was transformed into something a little more fancy with  valet parking, table cloths, and servers and food served on a plate instead of a bag. They had a real Knight in shining armor walking around, and each little guy got to decorate his own knight sheild.  Unfortunately, I didn't get any pics from the inside... I got carried away gazing into the eyes of my date and explaining why he couldn't go into the play place this particular night.

While waited for the arrival of our chick'n strips and grilled chick'n delux we headed for the free photo booth ... photo booths are always a good time.

What's a date without something sweet to end with?  Fro-Yo time!  We made the biggest yogurt sundae and shared it at Orange Leaf.... YUM.   

 I love getting one on one time with each of my kiddos. I must remind myself to "date" them more often... And to enjoy some Fro-Yo more often, cuz it is goood.

Lucky me, the date ended with a sweet kiss.

Easy to Sew Apron Tutorial

I was making my own little flirty, girly apron and my little man,Will, decided he wanted me to make an apron for him as well, so he could pretend to be a "restaurant guy," and wear it to "help daddy make pancakes."  So we picked out some dinosaur fabric at Hobby Lobby and went home to sew . 

I didn't have a pattern, I usually don't use them anyway--they confuse me.  I am all about easy peasy mac and cheesy, eye-ball it style measuring and as little pinning as possible when it comes to sewing.   I wanted to make it way less frilly and more "restauraunt guy-ish." This is the apron I ended up making! It's pretty cute and it would also make for an adorable art smock for school.

So I made up a little tutorial of what I did, because who doesn't like a "SEW EASY" project!

1. Start out with  two rectangles of fabric, this is 2/3 of a yard of fabric folded in half, and then cut in two pieces.

Then fold the two pieces in half and on the cut side of the fabric cut out a rectangle shape.

You should end up with two pieces of fabric that look like this.

Then cut 4 strips of of coordinating fabric, these will become the neck and waist ties... I made mine about 5" by 16".

Then  iron them in half, right sides should be inside the fold.  The fabric I used had no "wrong side."

Next, sew together the long side and one short end, the other will be left open to turn the  fabric right side out.

Turn the fabric right side out, I use the handle of a wooden spoon to help push the fabric through.

 Now pin the four strips in place, to the right side of one piece of the apron  fabric, the raw edges of the strips to the edges of the fabric.

I  pinned all of the strips in the middle to keep them out of the way when sewing up the seams of the apron.

Pin the two pieces of apron fabric right sides together and sew around  the top and sides.

Now turn the apron right side out, remove any pins, and iron down the seams.. almost done now!

Next  hem up the bottom, start by folding up about 2 inches or so

Fold the fold in half pinning the raw edge of the fabric into the fold, this will make a lovely professional looking hem with no raw edges to be found on the front or the back.

Sew the hem once near  the bottom of the fold, once near the top...I like to use the cute zig zaggy stitch.. on my machine its number 04.

We could quit, but let's add a pocket.. its easy grab a square-ish  piece of coordinating fabric, fold in and iron all sides, sew down the top fold, its going to be the top of the pocket, you could add a cute little trim also if you like.. I didn't have anything so this pocket is plain jane.

Pin the pocket where you'd like it, and sew around the bottom and sides.. and pat yourself on the back because you just made an adorable little APRON!!! Waaahoooo!!!

Here is Will, wearing his apron, helping Daddy make pancakes this Saturday

Oh and P.S.  The Apron also fits me, you could easily use a larger piece of fabric to make it longer, if you wanted to make an adult size apron,  other than that just follow the same steps!