First day of KINDERGARTEN, First week of school!

Tuesday was a big milestone in our household!! Kindergarten! :D

Taylor starting kindergarten this fall has been something that I have been thinking about since... probably last year at this time. :) It just feel like a big step and a big change to now have a kid who is in school, who has started that adventure. And it is bittersweet to think about. She is growing up, and I have so many hopes and wishes for how this educational journey will start for her....and curiosity about how it will eventually end!

First day of school pictures. :) We wanted to take pictures in front of the house, but it was pouring rain outside.

Camryn will be moving to the official 'preschool' room at daycare a little later down the road, but that education has definitely started with her current teachers that she has now. :)

We are so excited for these two, and they were excited on that first morning!

After my own first school day was over with my new crew of kindergarteners, I headed right out to pick up Taylor. I wanted to hear ALL about her day! She was all smiles when I picked her up and wanted to tell me EVERYTHING! She was a chatterbox the whole drive to pick up Camryn. She talked about her teacher, kids in her class, books they read, what snacks she had, what she had for lunch, songs that they sang, that she got to go to gym and play dodgeball - which was her favorite part of the day. I feel so happy, and blessed, and just thrilled that the start has been so great for her. She never expressed feeling nervous, and went to school each day this week, excited to go!
We both made it our first day!!

That evening we also video chatted with Mem to tell her (and Speedo :)) all about our days. :) Camryn had a fun day back with her friends and teacher, too!

During the week, the girls seemed to have as much energy as ever each evening. They would just play and play together. I think they miss each other now that they are not together during the weekdays.
We had a couple of fun deliveries this first week.
A Zulily package arrived with new "Inside Out" shirts for the girls...

And we have some new cozy seating. By Friday, all I wanted to do was take a long nap right here. :) 

By the end of the week, I was EXHAUSTED. Everything felt tired. The girls had a special treat with a visit from Mem after school on Friday, and this tired mama was THRILLED to not have to make dinner as we went out to dinner together.

Hoping that next week is just as great for Taylor and Camryn, and that this continues to be a fun school year for both of them! And I am looking forward to taking a nap each day this weekend. ;)

End of Summer Break 2015

Here are the last pictures of our summer break....getting more into school but also still taking advantage of final summer days, too! :)

Two weeks before school started, Taylor went one morning to "Story Time" at her school. It was an hour and a half long, and she got to hang out with her class a bit, and get to know her new teacher, Mrs. Meyering!
Dropping her off before school

All smiles afterward! She got to listen to a story in the library, eat a snack in the lunch room, play at recess, take a tour of the school, get to know her classroom, and make a cute craft.

We cut the paper links on the school bus each morning as a countdown to the first day of school - such a cute idea!

Camryn and I hung out for that hour and a half, and she got to have a special breakfast at Big Apple Bagel with me. :)

Speaking of school, I re-organized, leveled some, and labeled ALL my books in my classroom library this summer. It took a long time, but I am really happy with the set-up now. :) Summer project complete!

Signs of fall as some of the days got a little cooler - hanging out, playing in the driveway with hoodies on :)

Ryan took most of the Friday's off in August, so one of them we took the girls to Dutch Village (Taylor earned a free pass through her summer library at school).
Taylor really liked this little train  - Camryn mostly had to be pushed through by Taylor as she wasn't quite strong enough to get moving very fast. :)

Right before we left, the girls decided they wanted to ride on the ferris wheel - and while Ryan isn't really a rides kinda guy, I gladly hopped on with both of them! The first time around the top, I think both of them were a little scared - you get pretty high up there!! But by the time we were done, they were loving it!

The final week before school began, Taylor had her Open House at school. It felt so different to be a kindergarten parent, and not the kindergarten teacher! I was very much that mom that took pictures of Taylor in front of everything in her classroom.... including getting a picture with Mrs. Meyering. :)

We also got in two more beach visits....
one with just me and the girls,

and Labor Day morning we also headed out and met up with Chris, Liz, and Annie, too! It was a wavy morning!

We had our last relaxed breakfasts together

Our last visits to the splash pad

Last nights out with friends :)

Our last little summer fun projects (making "calm down" glitter bottles)

We did have our first visit to Timbertown, that ended quickly with our first bee sting (poor Cam)

And last 'summer selfies' ;)

Cannot WAIT until next summer, but also EXCITED about this new school year for Taylor, and the adventure this next season of life will bring!! :)