First Day of School!

Here they are, all shined up and spiffy for the first day of school! Emma entering 3rd, Joey 1st. Claire starts pre-school this year, too, but not until next week, thankfully....mama can't handle a completely empty house yet!

The morning went off without a hitch, with the exception of Joey being a little self-conscious about his lip (dental injury...long story). I e-mailed his teacher to let her know his concern, so hopefully it won't be an issue today...e-mailing the teacher before the first day even starts...that might be a record!

Emma was a full out fashionista today, which is somewhat out of character for her. She sported a sparkly scarf, leggings, and new ballet flats. Since she was worried that her new shoes might give her blisters, she covered her feet in band aids before she came down this morning...she's a problem solver!

Now Claire and I need to figure out what to do with ourselves in such a quiet house! I'm sure we'll figure something out before the chaos ensues this afternoon!

First Show!

There she is, our little English rider...sporting TWO blue ribbons!

Emma had so much fun at her first official horse show! She's competed in a few small shows at the stable she rides at, but this was the real deal. Even though it was a small local show, we knew the moment we drove up that we were WAAAAAAY out of our element! There were horses and trailers and pick-up trucks everywhere. People dressed in sparkly western attire, people dressed in English riding attire...we weren't quite sure what to do! Luckily, Emma's instructor, Kara, was there to lead us through. Kara brought the horse and the gear and the know-how...we just brought Emma.

Emma competed in two classes: "short stirrup pleasure" and "short stirrup equitation", and came out victorious in both! Horses are Emma's first love...she is totally smitten with this sport. Proof; it was SO hot, but she didn't complain one bit (VERY unlike Emma!) In fact, she hardly made a peep the whole time we waited for her turn (also VERY unlike Emma!).

I have to admit, I was so proud watching her compete. She looked so grown-up and poised on that horse, it brought a tear to my eye. She was so confident and knew just what to do (I guess those lessons are paying off!). And the outfit...I swear I keep signing my kids up for the activities with the cutest outfits!!!!

I'm not sure how far we'll be taking this "horse show" thing, but I know this much is true, Emma will remember this day for a loooooong time!

Mannequins in Training

How do I explain this picture?!? Kristy and I took the girls shopping during their visit, which was surprisingly FUN...I think they've reached the age where they enjoy shopping and the whining is kept to a minimum! Of course, when they got bored they were able to entertain themselves by posing as mannequins in the store window. Yes, they stood in the window and struck funny poses as the people walked by. Kristy and I were at the checkout at the other end of the store and we heard squeals of laughter every time a passerby gave them a reaction. Not sure how the staff at Bath and Body felt about it....but I thought it was very cute!!!

Just Like Old Times....

Here they are, the Zahuranic/Paci crew! It's hard to believe it's been over 3 years since we've been together...and yet it was like no time had passed at all! There were some changes, though...first, we got to meet DYLAN!!!! He has to be the cutest, happiest little guy I've ever met, which makes up for the fact that he NEVER stops moving (his parents work HARD keeping up, I tell ya!). Second, Emma and Kaley actually got along, which is a switch from the old days when we had to break up arguments between them ALL the time. These two girls now have a lot in common, including the fact that they are budding songwriters (their "back to school" song is sure to be a big hit someday!). And of course, Joey and Lukas found their common ground with a shared obsession for the Wii. Put two gamers together and voila...instant friendship!
This was a great visit, made even better by the fact that Kristy & I DOMINATED the euchre table. I mean it, we destroyed the boys...it was really no contest, I actually felt sorry for them at one point. So now we get to hold onto the status as champions until we meet again...which hopefully is very soon!!!

Dutch Wonderland!

Finally! We made it to Dutch Wonderland. Can you believe we've never been there before? It is a small amusement park designed for kids 12 and under and it's perfect for our kids right now!

We were lucky enough to win tickets from the library for a chalk art contest, and we squeezed in one more FUN day before summer vacation is over.

We had a GREAT time! The kids loved the rides, the water park, and the shows. And we even ended the day with a round of mini-golf. What a perfect way to end our summer!

Two Kids and a Fort

So, you can't really tell by this picture, but Emma and Joey are inside a massive fort in our basement. The fort included EVERY blanket in our house. Inside was EVERY stuffed animal and pillow that they could find. The structure took all day to build.

At the end of the day, of course, they decided they wanted to sleep in it. In the basement. By themselves. Well, Tio and I didn't think they'd do it. We felt certain that they'd be upstairs within 10 minutes of the lights going out. I mean, come on. It's DARK down there. And spooky. Claire bailed on the idea before she even set foot in the basement. But Emma and Joey rose to the challenge. They slept all night in the fort...and even slept in later than usual (probably due to the cave-like lack of sunlight!).

Funny thing, after ALL of the fun adventures we've had this summer, sleeping in the fort ranked right up at the top! Seriously?!

Notice anything about this picture?

No, it's not that the licence plate on her bike says Joey (that's a third child thing). Look closely.....NO TRAINING WHEELS!!!!! That's right! Claire is riding on two wheels.

She was very insistent about this (that's also a third child thing). I, personally, was against it. She's only 4 and she does so well on her bike with training wheels that I saw no reason to mess with it. I mean, you all know what teaching a kid to ride a bike entails....me hunching over running along side her while she speeds out of control into the grass. But, Tio LOVES this stuff. So off they went next door to the parking lot of the high school, and within minutes she was on her way.

I can already tell this kid is going to grow up TOO FAST!!! (sniff)