Take Me Out To the Ball Game

And Dad bought him peanuts, popcorn, cotton candy, hot dog, baseball Lego and a hat.  

Don't remember all that in the song?

Jack didn't get on the jumbo tron, no matter how hard he tried (including smooching his dad whenever the kiss cam flickered on!) And he lost $5 betting on the Braves vs the Yankees!  But he did have a fantastically cool time going to the ball game with his Dad!  Lucky guys :)

Just Me and My...

Mother and Daughter Day!

All dressed up to meet our new teacher!  pre-K starts next week!  

Bronwyn's teacher is new to the school yet knew a lot about Bronwyn.  :). Interestingly enough she is the only girl not seated next to other girls, instead she  is beside the rowdy boys.  I'm guessing my girl has the reputation of a socializer who knows how to keep troublemakers in line.  :)

Afterwards we went to Bs favorite lunch spot...Firehouse Subs...it's all about the sun chips, the sun chips, the sun 

chips...

And then the obligatory nail painting...

Topped off with a pseudo fashion show.

Looking goooooood..... 

Love spending a day with my girl!  

My Prince Has Come...His Name is Daddy

Birthday Love
Bronwyn:  "Daddy, close your eyes.  I have a birthday surprise for you."

(Bronwyn leads her daddy to the Exercise Room)

Bronwyn:  "Open your eyes!  Happy Birthday Dad.  This is how you can remove your big belly this year.  EXERCISE!!!"


Handsome Prince
Bronwyn:  Daddy you look HORRIBLE without your hat.

Daddy:  Is it because my hair is spiky?

Bronwyn:  No, it's because your hair so SO gray.


Good Advice
Daddy:  Come one Bronwyn.  If you don't get upstairs and to bed before your mother comes home she is going to be upset with you.

Bronwyn: Actually Daddy, I think she'll be more upset with you

Poor Obi

Happy Birthday month dear boy!  Thanks for bringing the kids such joy...sorry about the emasculating dress up.  Try not to eat her favorite doll for revenge...though not sure I'd blame ya!

First Week in Review

I've got spirit yes I do...

I've got spirit how about you?

Jacks had a wonderful, albeit tiring first full week of school.  He formed a new play group at recess with some new and old friends--where they play Star Wars most days; he attempted to be a Jack-in the-box when introducing himself to the class...jumping out from under his desk when sharing his name during class introductions is a clever mnemonic.  Knocking your desk and self over in the process makes your introduction definitely memorable :) And he has jumped write into learning where he got to strut his magnetic charm while sharing his understanding of all things magnet.

So happy you had a great first week, Jack.  Here's to 34 more!

Sugar Bugs

It happens.

You go to the dentist.  They clean your teeth.  Then next thing you know...

They've got you!!!  

When I was growing up, the dentist called it a cavity.  Now, it's a sugar bug.  When I was growing up it was called a needle filled with novacaine.  Now we put the sugar bug to sleep.  Hush little sugar bug, don't say a word.  With anesthesic wipe so you don't feel the needle; a movie on a jumbo screen mounted on the ceiling so you don't notice the needle; and strawberry flavored oxygen so you don't smell you mother's fear when she sees the needle!  Finally when I was growing up it was called a drill and a filling.  Now it is called an artist's tool and we are painting a princess on the tooth after catching the sugar bug.

No wonder Bronwyn loves sweets so much.  I'm rooting for a mouth full of princess dental tattoos, too.

Bronwyn did amazing--even the Dentist was impressed.  The Dentist spent considerable time discussing with Bronwyn the appearance of the etching to be placed on the tooth.  Bronwyn chose Cinderella, in a blue dress, with yellow hair, blue headband, and pink nails.  When the dentist completed her masterpiece, Bronwyn asked to see Cinderella.  Oh no...not possible she's actually safe inside the tooth.  Huh?  Bronwyn looked at her Dentist and said, "If she's in my tooth why did you spend so long painting her so many different colors?  They don't have colored x-Rays you know!"

Temperamental artists...geesh!

Bronwyn is now flossing regularly and looks forward to her next checkup where she'd like to watch a movie, sniff strawberry oxygen and get her nails not Cinderella's nails painted pink...Hmph!

3rd Grade Rocks

It's official!  Jack is a THIRD GRADER!  BAW!!!  Where did the time go?  (20% of it playing minecraft) the other 80% has gone by too fast!  Jack is so excited about third grade!  This is a year the students are expected to be more responsible; the year the begin standardized testing; and the year where homework intensifies (40 minutes a day)--clearly a year for big growth.  And we are hoping for a year of big fun too ;)

So this day *really* needed to start off special.  After all...third grade is going to rock!

First morning of 3rd grade!

Rockin' breakfast!  Jack's favorite pancake muffins with a bit of maple cream cheese and bacon.  YUMMY!  We added a tropical fruit protein shake and he was all set!

Look who's a proud 3rd grader!

A new book bag!  Minecraft Creeper!  Shocking, I know ;)

Showing us, once again this year, how she feels about being left "behind"...the only child not going on the bus :(

aww...Love you Jack!!!

Bronwyn wished her BFF Maddie good luck in 1st grade!!!

School bus gang!  

Get it all out of your system now, kids :)

Jack and Patrick...Neighbors and Now Classmates!!!

Never hurts to line up 15 minutes early...just in case!

Have a great year Jack!  We are so proud of you.  Always.

Get ready princess.  Next year that will be you too!!!  

Countdown continued

'Twas the night before the first day of school,
and the kids were a mess.
Tired and cranky--perhaps possessed.
I think they figured out summer vacation will end,
For Bronwyn to school goes all of her friends.
8 hours a day on Minecraft no more,
Jack now has 7 hours of writing and reading galore!
Outfits have been selected, ironed and stored
can we make it to morning without crumbling them on the floor??? please....
Nervous and anxious, common the night before...
will my old friends still like me or now find me a bore?
So what better way to prepare for the first day of class..
then a back to school eve dinner!  We all had a blast!

Ready for a back to school dinner!

Kids filled out their Back to School Interviews

Bronwyn doesn't start pre-school for a few more weeks, but she played along too!  She got a little help from mom and dad...can't really tell a difference in handwriting between the adults and the preschooler.  YIKES!

Jack's interview...will it change much by end of third grade???

I didn't get a picture but the placemats were chalkboard.  The kids played a game during dinner where they create math equations to represent answers to questions...like...

• What grade will you start tomorrow?
• How many more hours until the school bus arrives?
• How many students in your class?

They had a lot of fun with this!  

Bronwyn was so excited the party had party favors!  Inside was a bunch of Starbursts ;)

Jack and Bronwyn then made their own recipe for success!

Jack added 2 cups effort.

2 cups curiosity.  Curiosity?  "That's easy", says Jack.

2 handfuls of listen (looks like both my kids may have skimped on this one a bit...hmmm...)

Fun was popular...seems they both believe success is equal parts fun and effort... :)

Integral Ingredient! 

a pinch of luck...Jack wanted a guarantee this was 'good luck' and not the other kind.  I checked the expiration date...luck hasn't yet run out.  HEE HEE HEE HEE

Jack is already for a successful year of third grade (and all ready for snack time!!!) 

Now, off to bed!  That bus comes AWFUL early...yawn!

Countdown...

'Twas the night before the night before school starts,
And all through the school,
Teachers were preparing all their educational tools.
Jack was running down the halls full of glee,
To check out his class and see who his teacher will be.
His parents trailed behind with arms loaded with stuff--
school supplies and spirit wear...they huffed and they puffed.
Jack and his teacher greet each other at last,
They smile, say "hello" and she says, "welcome to your new class."
Jack spies were he sits and which classmates are nearby.
He searches for the rules and swears to comply.
He leaves with a smile, thinking his new teacher is cool.
This is Open House night at his elementary school!

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin'

Under 50 days until her 5th birthday and this still 4 year old accomplished a major milestone.

Only our Bronwyn would learn to ride a bike in a party dress AND take every fall off the bike like a champ--jumping up declaring "I'm okay!  Let's try it again!"

Proud of you princess!

Butterfly Royalty

Jack and Bronwyn are winding down summer.  A trip to the Nature Museum proved that Jack's hair gel is delicious to butterflies and Bronwyn is a snob...would only touch the Monarch Butterflies...as they most be related to princesses.  BAW!