Kayak adventure!

We bought a groupon for a 2 hour kayak tour and I took Ella on a date :-) for quite a while, (years?) Ella always wants dates with me so it was good to make sure i focused some attention on her before school starts. Plus...it's kayaking!! I really enjoyed it. It was a beautiful day, the tour was awesome and I'd totally go again. It was a little harder bc Ella isn't quite old enough to actually be a consistent, helpful paddler but, still, good times :-)

Ella's 7 1/2!

My big girl is getting bigger! Ella had a half birthday this week which she loves to celebrate :-) She really is maturing in a lot of ways. She still reads voraciously and is doing really well in school. She's doing above grade level work in reading and math. She's also improved in being respectful and in writing detailed answers-two areas that were "satisfactory" last marking period and moved up this period!

Ella is sensitive and thoughtful and will spend hours on a project in her room that is almost always a present for me or Chris. In the last month she's written a few poems, written 2 worship songs, made books for us (using paper, a hole punch and ribbon), and countless art projects. She really seems to have some artistic talent and is taking her first outside of school art class right now and loves it. She doesn't know a single kid in the class and they all know each other and she has NO fear or apprehension going into a situation like that. She walked right in the first day, sat down and waved good bye to me. I admire this quality in Ella so much! She happily fits into new situations with strangers in a way many people can't as adults! Love her! She's independent and quirky and has a memory and problem-solving acuity I find tremendous for a 7 year old. Excuse me, 7 and a half ;-)

Beautiful spring school pics

Out to dinner at chickfila for her half birthday

Silly girl :-)

Ella's enjoying accessories lately, sunglasses, necklaces and all kinda of hair do's and decorations :-)

A recent picture she drew

She looooooves me lately and tells me often :-) very sweet

She's learned a bunch of card games from her cousins and loves it!

5 teeth gone!

First grade field trip!

Ella's class went to a local farm and I got to chaperone! It was a farm I'd never been to and it was really beautiful. The kids got to do and see a lot!

We fed goats

Most of "my" group :-) they were really respectful and well behaved!

Hayride that went through the creek!

The "snake tree" really had a huge black snake hanging in it when we ride by!

The kids got to learn all about seeds and plant their own plants to take home. Really fun trip :-)

Halloween hilarity

Definitions by Ella. Ha!!!!

Three Piggy Opera!

For a few months, all 3 kindergarten classes at Ella's school have been working on a show for the end of the year.  I got notes home about it, heard about auditions from Ella, and purchased a shirt for her to wear for it.  However, I was NOT prepared for the type of show they put on!  Who takes on coralling 75 5 and 6 year olds and teaching them a 45 minute play complete with narration, many parts with memorized lines, choreography, costumes, moving sets and scenery, and numerous songs???!!???  I was extremely impressed.  The cuteness factor was through the roof and no one forgot lines, cried, ran off the stage, threw up, peed...what are the odds with that many tiny people? My hat is off to her teachers.  It was awesome.  

Ella was chosen to be a narrator because she's one of the top 3 readers in her class!  She hates being up in front of people and performing and always says no in any opportunities I've given her but she LOVES her school and had no qualms about doing her part.  She narrated loudly, clearly and with no apparent nervousness or stumbles.  Who is this child?? I'm so proud of her since, like me, I know it's not her thing to be up in front.  I'll stop gushing but suffice it to say, the Three Piggy Opera was wonderful!

Thanks also to my parents, grandmother and mother-in-law who came out to watch!

Peeking through the scenery after the play

First non-trim!!

BEFORE

 

 

AFTER!!

 Ella was ready for a change and Aunt Amy was willing to do a haircut so we went for it!  It's only been a few hours and one post-haircut bath and it's already soooo much easier to care for.  Seems like this will be ideal for teaching Ella to do her own hair!  And she looks so cute with a "mature" shorter do!

I'm no artist...

I was trying to cut and then paint Ella's nails and she kept jerking away and even started crying at one point saying I hurt her. Then...
Me: Ella do you know what toenails are? They're dead. Like your hair. You being scared of me cutting your nails is like going to a hair salon and crying when they cut your hair. You wouldn't do that because it doesn't hurt!!
Ella: but no mom. It's different.
Me: no it's the same
Ella: no but they are different...they do it all the time, they're like....artists mom. They're talented. They know what they're doing. So it doesn't hurt.

What???

I acted all offended and assured her that I'm no toenail artist but after 32 years of life, I know how to cut them.
Where does she come up with this stuff???!!

First Day of KINDERGARTEN!

The time has come!  After almost 6 years of spending most every day with me, Ella has started school!  Preschool was good preparation but 2 1/2 hrs a day is a far cry from her new schedule-an almost 8 hour day!  We've heard great things about her school from people in the neighborhood which is encouraging.  Her teacher seems sweet and sent home 2 pictures of Ella from during the day along with classwork she did on the first day! I LOVE having the pictures and being able to see what she was doing during the day!

 

I definitely cried when the bus drove away in the morning and was overcome with a feeling of being irresponsible-is it really right to put a 5 year old on a bus and walk away?  It felt so wrong!  In a brief moment of panic I stopped Chris on the walk back to our house and said "We just put a little 5 year old on a bus!  Is that ok?? Is this really allowed?"

Thankfully the day passed quickly with attending my brother-in-law's dad's funeral and stocking up for the hurricane at Costco but I was ANXIOUSLY waiting for the bus in the afternoon.  I looked at the clock every 5 minutes for well over an hour and every time I heard a noise outside I ran to the window to see if it was her bus.  Then I ended up standing outside for 20 minutes at the bus stop because I didn't want to miss it!  I was SO relieved to see her smiling and walking off the bus.  She had a great first day and can't wait to go back next Tuesday.

The worst moment of the day was probably when I was in Costco and my phone rang with Ella's school on the called ID.  My heart stopped as my brain simultaneously went into counselor mode (a soothing voice saying "choose to be calm, everything will be fine, deep breaths, accept things as they come...") and freaked out mom mode (high pitched fast fast voice scrolling through all the horrific possibilities of what could have happened to Ella).  So I pick up the phone and....it's a robocall saying there's a hurricane coming.  Great.  Thanks.

I still feel like there are a lot of unknowns but excited for that "first day" hurdle to be over and to see what this new season will bring! Go Ella go!!

New Hiking Spot!

Last week we were introduced to a great new spot to hike that is kid-friendly (lots to see and touch but a nice wide, paved path!). There was a really impressive waterfall (complete with signs letting you know "people have drowned here") and a cool suspension bridge we got to walk over. While we were there Amy got some great pics of Ella. We are TOTALLY in the market for a nice camera like hers!






And finally one horrible sad one :-( I think she was crying because I wouldn't carry her. What a horrendous face!! Way to capture the moment Amy!