Safety First, Then Fashion

Another Lauren couture original...

Say Hello to My Little Friend

Bill found a gecko by our front door yesterday and Emma carried it around for quite some time. She laughed when it ran up the back of her arm because it tickled.

Lauren's New Hair Style

Lauren needed a haircut, so yesterday while Emma took her nap, we went to a salon which caters to kids, where she told the stylist to cut it really short. We compromised. It's amazing that 2" less hair and she looks so much older (compare to her 1st day of kinder pictures and you'll see what I mean).

First Day of Kindergarten

A day late in posting, but boy it was an awesome day! We got ready and took some photos before leaving. Lauren wanted a picture with her first homework assignment completed.I wanted a picture of her with her tagged backpack telling the teaching staff where she's supposed to go after school. It is like a humane way of tagging kids, and I wonder if this is done elsewhere or is a Texas thing, like branding cattle. It's smart and I used a 3M cable tie to ensure that tag was never coming off.We parked the car and went to the drop off location waiting for the first bell to ring. We saw friends from the Montessori school and Lauren seemed genuinely thrilled to be at the new school.

She saw her principal walk in and yelled hello to him (that's him in the background).
We walked through the door and down the hallway to her classroom. I couldn't help but notice how confident she walked, even though she looked so small in the big school. She did just fine and waved us goodbye after getting her backpack in her cubby and finding her name on the desk.
I couldn't stop watching the clock wondering every few minutes what she was doing at that moment...was the announcement bell freaking her out (sounds like the start of the fire drill bell and she doesn't like them), did she find her lunchbox and was she able to open everything, were kids being nice to her, did she get to the YMCA program OK...it was 2:40pm and I knew that school had been dismissed and she should be at the Y program (which is inside the school in the gym/rec room). I couldn't stand it any longer and left to see if she was OK. Boy, was she mad that I interrupted her Y program when I showed up "early". The Y director said Lauren was already her favorite because when she called Lauren's name, she stood right up and loudly said "HERE!" - the director couldn't believe she was a kindergartner. She started learning the Pledge of Allegiance, did matching, and sang songs. She says she loves kindergarten...I knew she would.

No Kids on the boat

This weekend we had our adults only boat trip. Our babysitter came at 1:00 and we headed to the boat with some friends. We had a nice relaxing time on the water. First we did watersports and Jessica had the biggest jumps of the year and since we had friends on the boat we were able to capture them on camera. I also was able to wakeboard since there was another driver.

Looks like Jessica was about 4 feet above the water!!


Nice jump! all the practice this summer paid off!
I didn't feel as comfortable outside the wake like Jessica. I need more practice before I jump the wake. -Bill

Lauren's last day at School in the Hills

I thought I would be more emotional about the whole last-day-of-preschool day for Lauren, but I think because I know she'll be there every day picking up Emma that it isn't so final. But, to capture the moment, she took a picture with Mr. Dan and Ms. Alicia, who own the school. It was a great picture.

I found it funny that I could not get Lauren to wear her summer t-shirt at all for the summer program, except on this very last day she decided to wear it, with her fancy plaid skirt. She had her socks pulled all the way up to her knees, but they quickly inched themselves down in the car ride over.

~Jessica

Kinder Camp Photos

Lauren walking with her new backpack into her new elementary school. She couldn't wait this morning for kinder camp.Lauren found her name tag on the table where she will be sitting. How did they know to put her right by the door so she could greet everyone who walks in? She even found the cubby area and hung up her backpack. She's a pro at this school stuff already!While the parents went into the library for orientation, Lauren stayed with her teacher and made her first kindergarten art project.She also received her first homework assignment...Here is Lauren with her new kindergarten teacher, Ms. McCauley. It is going to be a GREAT year!!!!