Paul Turns 36

The older we get the more we seem to opt for the "low-key" birthday celebration. For Paul's 36th, we stayed at home, celebrating with his favorite pizza, a one day reprieve from "Daddy Duty", and finished it off with a Ben & Jerry's ice cream cake. I think he enjoyed it!

Here he is emerging from the man cave for his "surprise" celebration.

The celebration decor...

and Paul blowing out his candles. Yes, yes, I know the candles say 35, but our number 6 seemed to have disappeared in our hour of need. Happy Birthday, Babe!

First Days of School

Here is our Hannah; Age 8 - First Day of 3rd Grade

It was such a relief to start school knowing where everything was, teachers, etc. rather than our middle-of-the-year move earlier. She was excited and ready to start back.

Although Hannah and Emma are now at the same school (hooray!), Emma started a week later than Hannah. The kindergarteners had a "staggered" first few days to get them acquainted with all the big changes. For chronological purposes, I should have posted the second set of pictures of Emma first, but got mixed up. Anyway......the first two pictures of Emma are on her second day of Kindergarten. On this day we finally had her teacher assignment and she is entering her room and finding her seat. She was so very excited.....and Mommy was so very sad -- Completely bittersweet!

Emma is OFFICIALLY a Kindergartener!!

Here is Emma on her first "staggered" day of Kindergarten. She went and spent the day at school, but did not yet know her teacher.

She was SOOO aggravated at having to stop and take these pictures. She had been waiting for this day forever!

Here she is climbing off the bus that first staggered day. I just love her expression! Much to her dismay I insisted on taking her myself the first few days, but in the afternoons she rode home on the bus with Hannah and Mr. Clements (waving in the back).

And a week after Emma got started, my baby boy made his first trek to pre-school. Wow!---I can hardly believe all the big changes going on in our house this school year. It takes my breath away at times. Jake attends "school" two days a week and he has loved it from the moment he stepped in the door. He asks every day if he's going to school that day.

My precious boy

Here's Jake with the dreaded "cheeese" smile showing off his "racing car" lunch box.

And here he is at school with "Miss Anese" (aka Ms. Denise). As hard as it was for me to walk out that door his first day and come home to an empty house, I have grown to look forward to those two days and the semi-freedom they provide me. It's amazing that God provides things that sometimes we don't even realize we need!