Take this one to the bank...

Just had to lock this one away in the ol' memory bank.  That's all.

School and stuff...

So school started and DANG!  Why does it have to start so early?  Getting the girls up in the morning so vividly takes me back to my teenage years with my mom coming in singing like Julie freakin' Andrews...swinging the drapes open to bring in the sunshine to which I would bury my head under as many layers of blankets and pillows as possible while saying (or groaning is more like it) "go away".  My kids aren't even teenagers yet and they already do some version of this in the morning.  Of course I don't sound like Julie freakin' Andrews either...so maybe I should work on that a little.

Anywho...ELLA MAE STARTED FREAKIN' KINDERGARTEN!!!  And boy is this lil' lady lovin' it!  Several people have asked me..."did ya cry?"..or "how is mommy handling it??" With all the inquiries I almost felt like a bad mommy cuz their were no tears shed on either end and I think it is pretty kick-butt that she started kindergarten.  Now...maybe had she had a death grip on my leg and streaming tears this mama would have followed suit...but she marched right on in there and sat right down and there was no turning back!  Here they are right before heading out for the first day...do they look nervous to you?!?

This girl is ready to go!!

Doobs would sleep in her backpack if she could I think..

Sister hugs...

So NO, I did not cry or feel nervous or any of the above...I felt excitement for my daughters new journey. I felt proud of her strength, confidence and courage, proud of her sweet, kind heart as she sat down and starting talking to a new friend at her table.  She has gotten a "green" smiley face everyday since school started from Mrs. Sharp (except the one special day when she was line leader and making an excellent example for everyone and she got the coveted "purple" smiley face :))  No doubt in my mind this girl is going places...going wherever she wants to go...

Mrs. Sharp

AND this one made herself right at home..

silly girl...

Such a BIG girl!!!

Since Ruby had been in the PPCD program at the elementary school last year this was 'old hat' to her. She felt very comfy in her old stompin' grounds...although, because of the amazing team of caring and loving teachers at their school, I requested her to spend some time in the pre-k class...and they agreed!  She is a year younger then most of the 18 other kiddos in the class, but it is a great fit for her.  I am so grateful for her teachers and the learning environment they have created for her.  I get positive reports daily and have seen a huge jump in language and confidence.  We started learning some sight words and she is also doing really well with that too.  It is mostly family members names at this point...although fish is one that she has down pat.  Hmm...could it have anything to do with those little orange, salty crackers she stuffs her face with daily?  I wonder.  Anywho...super proud of this one too.  And it is another one of those moments when I can take a big, deep breath....and relax.  Relax into life...our life.  Relax and know that Ruby will get there when she gets there...and will bring so much joy and so many smiles to others along the way.  I mean...how can you not smile when she comes around the corner lookin' like this...

At least she has panties on...right?

She is ready for school!!

So much more to talk about but remember...I have to get up at the crack of dawn and sound like Julie freakin' Andrews!!!!

Rock on peeps!!!

Thriller...

So one of Ella Mae's favorite things these days is to dance.  Specifically to the Michael Jackson Thriller album. In the dark. With the candles lit. Oh, and in her tights, leotard and hot pink leg warmers.  She calls it "Spooky Night". And girlfriend actually has some dance moves (like her looks, she didn't get that from me either :)).  She has to go around the entire house and make sure all the lights are off, every curtain drawn so not a single ray of light is coming in...and then crank the jams. And you know Doobs gets in on the jams.  She is usually naked cuz that's how she rolls around the house these days...so it is quite the scene as you can imagine.  I would take some photos...but it is dark..and Doobs is usually naked, shakin' her "booty" all over the place.  I write these things down because I don't want to someday forget...forget the simple joys of life (yes I mean Thriller) and just how simple utter happiness can be.  How free the girls make me feel when they are running around without a care in the world...shakin' their "booties" to some amazing jams.  These simple little joys are what life is all about and I hope my girls always keep a bit of that innocence and that free spirit...even when they are 'grown ups' and have crazy stressful lives.  I hope when they hear 'good jams' that they can be immediately transported into a space in time that makes them feel like they are in leg warmers listening to MJ, shakin' their booties with the lights off, not a care in the world. We all deserve a little bit of that in our lives...Am I right??

So KINDER-FREAKIN GARTEN has started but I am obviously a little behind on all of this.  I will write about that soon but here are the haircuts leading up their first days of freedom..

Ella Mae marched right into the salon with no problems or worries about the hair choppin...and she got quite a bit chopped off.  She went from 'surfer girl' to 'cutey patooty' in a matter of minutes.  The little one was a bit skeptical at first, but eventually let us transform her into 'I have NEVER had a professional haircut' to 'look how clean cut I look!!'

Honestly, I know it is good for their overall hair health...but the surfer look was definitely working for them both.  I LOVE how they look now though and am so excited to head into the new year (no pun intended :))   I love seeing how each of them blossom and grow with each new turn of life and CANNOT wait to see what the future has in store for these two!  Stay tuned!!