A Brave New World

Today was a big day for our whole family. Mia, sweet Mia, is no longer a preschooler and she's moved on to a new school. WOW, I didn't think it would hit me so hard, and I soon discovered it was for days like this that God created sunglasses.

I had to be strong for Mia because she was just as nervous as I was, if not more, for her debut as a kindergartner at a new school. We pulled up to the school, found parking (and after that task seemed impossible I was almost OK with saying, "Well Mia, maybe we'll just start tomorrow" but alas, that wasn't an option), we walked up to the classroom, snapped a few pics (have to keep capturing these firsts) and to my excitement, Mia and a girl she met at the park a week or so ago hugged and became fast friends.

With every passing day I hope the drop off will get easier for us but that the excitement for the road ahead doesn't lose it's glow.

Another Circle Around the Sun

Another trip around the sun is under my belt and what fun it was celebrating the journey with my friends and family.

She's 5!!

Everyday it seems like a new milestone has passed and this weekend was no exception. And WOW, it was a biggie. Mia turned 5. With 5 comes the big K...grab your Kleenex, get ready, yes, K for Kindergarten. That's right, no more sweet little pre-school. I truly can't believe it. I'm rushed with emotions. Excitement, anxiety, sadness, comfort and disbelief all in the same breath. Moms and Dads out there, you know what I mean by each and every one of these adjectives.

It's crazy, where do the years go? With a blink of my eye, she went from just learning to walk to 5!!

Here's how the day went. Exhausted from the party prep the day before I was hoping to grab a tiny bit more sleep, but that wasn't in the cards. I was woken as I overheard Mia and Wyatt quietly talking in her room.

WYATT: Mia, what are you doing?
MIA: Getting my dress on, today is my birthday. I went to sleep when I was 4 and woke up and now I'm 5. It's my birthday today!
WYATT/MIA: YEAH!

After hearing the sweet exchange, I got up to soak it all in. Mia was dressed in her Snow White dress because Sunday, August 1st, wasn't just any ol' birthday party, it was her princess party.

The kids played while my Mom, Dad, Cary and I ran around getting all the last minute pieces in place.

At 1 o'clock the kids started arriving, the girls dressed like their favorite princess and the boys like charming princes. At 2 o'clock sharp we had a guest arrived that knocked the kids socks off...it was none other than Snow White herself. The kids stared at her in amazement, hugged her, stared some more and then started to pepper her with questions. "Where's the dwarfs? You could have brought your little bird friends. Who's at Disneyland if you're here?" TOO CUTE!! Snow White entertained the questions like a champ.

Ellie, my kiddos nanny and one of their favorite people on the planet, did the girls hair beautifully while Snow White's assistant did some face painting. It was great.

At the end of the day we all collapsed with exhaustion...but it's all about celebrating Mia's life and creating memories. And, at the end of the day, I think we succeeded.

Mia said it was "a great day!" Really, that's all I needed to hear.

We love you honey!
xoxo,
Mommy & Daddy

Excite your mind

The 2010 San Diego Science Festival Expo is tomorrow, Saturday, March 27 at Petco Park. Admission is free and there will be 150 hands-on exhibits and 20 stage performances. Visit the Life Technologies Discovery Stage from 10:30 - 3:30PM where kids can touch science. It's fun for the whole family!

Get all the details here!

A Month of Being Thankful "N" is for Nature

Nature, pure unadulterated nature, it clears my mind, frees my spirit and grounds me. Our family loves to be out in it, breath it in and enjoy it's smells and colors. Though I love nature and need it, I find it's something that I take for granted during the business of the week when I rushing from here to there racing the ever present clock.

These days with work and other responsibilities I find that I'm getting out in nature less than my body needs and I can feel it in my soul. My goal for myself for the rest of this year and next, to start building a pattern, is to get out in it again, revel in it, soak it up, get dirty, feed my spirit and feel it in my core. I feel so blessed to live in San Diego, a 10 minute run to the beach and a 1 hour drive to the mountains, it's time to get out and get going.

A Month of Being Thankful "M" is for Mia

There isn't a day or even a minute that goes by that I'm not thankful for having been blessed with Mia. Mia is the embodiment of love, joy, kindness, curiosity, adventure, and energy all rolled up into one exuberant little girl who has a verve for life like no other. She is a tom boy one day digging in the mud and a very girlie girl the next dressed in one of her many princess dresses. She is always asking questions and desires to know and learn all she can. Mia is a great big sister that thrives in teaching Wyatt how to do something. Mia is just Mia and we love her so much.

Now, don't get me wrong, we have our rough moments for sure, times when she hears you but doesn't move a muscle, times when she's just not going to budge when all you really want is an inch but the sweet moments wash all bad ones aside like a wave washes the beach clean everyday. There were footprints or anger there one moment and with one wave of water or emotion, they are gone and the moment is new again.

Mia is amazing in every sense of the word and Cary and I can't really remember life in such bright color before August 1, 2005.

I love you Mia!!

A Month of Being Thankful "L" is for Lollypop

There is just something magical about a lollypop. They are sweet, they last forever and they usually appear after you do something good. Wyatt and Mia love lollypops. The mere mention of one will make the books that have been pulled off the shelf get put back almost as quickly as they were pulled down. Wyatt got this cherry lollypop after being a champ getting his haircut.

Have you had a lollypop lately? If not, what are you waiting for?

Yummmmmmmm.