Lapathon

Today was our first fall fundraiser at San Ramon. The kids were pledged by family members to walk laps around the soccer field. There were two options: pledge per lap or a flat rate. Lucky for us, we chose flat rate. Mackenzie was really into it and completed 28 laps.

Abby, Kesang & Kenzie

Fall Horse Show

Today Mackenzie competed in her first horse show. We entered her in two classes: the lead line walk & trot and the walk, trot & post.  She placed 5th and 4th place out of 8. It was great to see her get to put all her months of lessons into action and she was so proud to wear her ribbons.

Star Student

Today Mackenzie was the star student in class. A very important job indeed! Some of her tasks included sitting in a special chair, leading the class, and helping to decide the order that small groups got to go to their tables. She said the only thing she wasn't allowed to do was turn off the lights. This was something only a grown up could do.

Growing Butterflies

Now that school has started I thought it would be fun to do a little science project with the kids so I ordered us a butterfly growing kit. In the mail we received a butterfly garden and a plastic container full of caterpillars. Our first step was just to watch the caterpillars eat and grow.

After a few days they started migrating to the top of the container and forming into chrysalis. This is the metamorphosis stage when the pupa are ready to leave the container and be placed in the butterfly garden.

After 8 days our butterflies finally emerged and they were beautiful. We had 5 painted ladies fluttering around in the garden. Kenzie and I went out and picked fresh flowers for them and fed them sugar water.  After a couple days we decided it was time to set them free.

Although it was sad to say goodbye to the butterflies it was fun to see them flying around the backyard. A few days later when I was walking Emersyn I saw a butterfly on a bush and wondered if it was one of ours. When I told Kenzie about it she said we should grow more, so that we could see butterflies outside everyday. I think she might be on to something.

One Year Old

Today our littlest Malcolm officially turned one. Finn, Emme and I started our day off at a drop in music class. Emme had fun playing with shakers and dancing to the music. They even sang happy birthday to her. After class we sat outside and enjoyed some sun and fed the fish in the pond. In the evening Kenzie helped me make cupcakes and we had a small family celebration. Emersyn is now walking everywhere and rambling up a storm. Some of her new words are a Hi-Daddy combo and something that sounds like tickle, tickle while she tries to tickle you. She gives great hugs and kisses. She loves to be held, especially by her Mommy. She has a really hard time letting me put her down and walk away from her. A gift she saves just for her Mommy. She is almost sleeping through the night, and napping twice a day. The stats: 19lbs 3oz (25th percentile), 29inches (75th percentile). It has been an amazing year of changes and I can't wait to see our little girl grow over the next year. But it is still bittersweet to see the baby years coming to and end and the toddler years beginning.

So much fun to be one!

Today we celebrated Emersyn's first birthday. It was a minnie themed party with lots of pink! It was a warm afternoon so everyone enjoyed sitting out back. Jim fired up the grill and made us all some yummy food. Emersyn had fun following the big kids around. A lot different than when Kenzie had her party and was one of the few children. I quickly realized the kids outnumbered the grown ups! After lunch it was time for the best part the cake smash. Emme was probably our most reserved child with the cake. We put her minnie cake in front of her and she mostly wanted to play with it. She did manage to make a big mess and needed a tub afterwards. Once the kids were all jacked up on sugar our friend Heather did some Zumba games with them to wear them out. It was a great day for our special little girl.

Birthday girl

Liam & Finnegan

Finn, Adam & Kenzie

Landy, Shannon, & Helen

Grill Master

watching Emme eat her cake

checking out her presents

her favorite gift, a box from Anne & Levi

Mommy & Daddy's Homework

Well the school year is underway and Jim and I are enjoying the challenges and responsibilities of being parents to a kindergartener. We are volunteering once a week in the classroom for small groups. I have taken on the duty of Friday Folders where I take all the homework for the week and different flyers for the parents and organize by child and stuff into corresponding folders, while Jim has been working on stapling de-codable books for the class. Life has suddenly gotten very busy, but a fun busy.  

Lets get Dirty

So I've never had a green thumb, in fact I often jokingly call myself a black thumb, but our back patio was in desperate need of some greenery. So I headed to local nursery and asked for some plants that I couldn't kill. The kids had a lot of fun getting into the new dirt and digging holes. Finn was really excited about the watering part. He wanted to run through hose and cool off.