Eclipse

Just got such a kick out of this (very dark) photo from the other night's eclipse watching.  We originally joined a few neighbor families in the street to catch it but the moon was pokey to peek over the mountain so when it got a little too late we decided to just put the kids to bed.  A few minutes later Corey looked from our backyard and saw it so we got the kids OUT of bed and watched from our backyard.  All three of them had their binoculars!!  Such cute stargazers.

The next eclipse like this one will be October 8, 2033.  Natalie will be 26 and Audrey will be 23.  Gulp.  Just. Stop. Growing.  So.  Fast.

Birthday!

I had a really great birthday last Friday.  Corey and the girls made me a delicious salmon dinner and a delectable chocolate layer cake for dessert.  I heard from family and friends far and near and felt very loved.

 I woke up Friday morning to the breakfast table all decorated

for a celebration:  a beautiful bouquet, cards, banners, streamers, 

and our family's special celebration plate, too!  Oh, and two little

munchkins under the table!

Natalie's card is on the far left.  She said, "Don't you just 

love this card, Mommy?  It's so me! Pink and sparkly

with sequins and tutu fabric!!"

Love the hand print banner.  

It explains the gobs of colored paper scraps in the craft closet.

And I love how they included the 41.

Yes, they really ran with the 41 theme this year...

 With Corey's 40th JUST around the corner,

I will surely remember this.

 Grateful for my sweet family.

And these two make celebrations extra special.

Creative Kiddos

Last week was Back to School Night at the girls' school, an open house to orient parents with the new year's classrooms and teachers.  It's always a fun night, sitting in the kids' desks and looking at what they've done in school so far this year.  I always love looking at the girls' artwork.  But it's especially exciting to see it when it's hung up at school!

These were Natalie's 3rd grade creations.  

She drew all 16 of those detailed and intricate geckos!  

It was a multiplication inspired art activity where they folded the paper to create 16 squares, referencing the product of 4 squares times 4 squares and then had to 

duplicate something 16 times, filling each square.  

Most kids chose simple shapes or a basic design. 

Our kid chose to draw 16 unique geckos. So awesome.

 And this was a poem she wrote about her summer.  I love how she used the word "epic" to describe a camping trip.  It had to be the one where she slept under the redwoods!

 And this is Audrey's Kindergarten self portrait. 

If you look closely you see the brown and yellow crayon streaks creating her hair.  

She is very fond of her "highlights" and always includes them when drawing herself.  

 And this is the happiest little cut and paste caterpillar.  I can't wait until this one comes home!

It's going to be a great year for these talented girls!

Soccer Season!

Although Natalie has been practicing for over a month, soccer season officially started on Saturday with her very first game! I don't think I've ever had so much fun at a sporting event.  She was so into it and played a great game.  It was awesome watching her have so much fun.

Before we left the house, Corey had a pep talk with her and told her, first and foremost, to have fun.  And secondly, to be aggressive, be aggressive, be aggressive.  Our girl was very timid on the field last year and he wanted her to "go for it" a little more this year.  Well, "go for it" she did!  We're really proud of her and her team, the Hurricanes!  They tied the game 3 to 3!  There's nothing cuter than watching a bunch of girls with pony tails adorned with soccer ribbons (and a new team tradition, glitter hair spray for games) battle it out on the field!

Audrey was not as enthused for soccer season to officially begin.  While she was into playing soccer this time last year, she's apparently lost interest entirely....even watching.

Glamping!

 The girls were playing Barbie out in the backyard the other day and when I asked them what the Barbies were up to out there they said, "they're camping!"  I took a closer look and saw...

A tent:

 A picnic table and a campfire:

 And two glamour girls camping away:  

 I don't know what's better...

the pink plaid tent or the Barbies' ultra practical camping clothes.  

"Those are their outdoor outfits, Mommy!" they insisted.

Awesome.