First Day of 1st Grade!

Sammy looks so excited, doesn't he? With school starting so late this year, we were all getting a little stir crazy and climbing the walls. Tuesday could not have come soon enough!

He was especially excited to see that his friend Nick was in his class. Nick is such a sweet, polite, and all-around nice boy--and his mother is just as delightful. I was just as happy as Sammy was, it seemed like a good omen.

Apparently that was wishful thinking.

So, what am I not happy about? Oh, just the fact that he doesn't have a teacher. Well, not a permanent teacher. He's had a different substitute every day this week--although I've been told that the "real teacher" should be starting on Monday. Hmmmmm, I won't hold my breath.

Sammy doesn't seemed to fazed by it, I think he's just happy to be back at school. And so I'm trying to not complain. I realize I tend to get worked up over things that really aren't as bad as I think, so I'm working on that. (Shut up, don't laugh!)

But really people. Really.

How hard is it to find a 1st grade teacher by the first day of school? Especially when you hear about ALL the teacher layoffs in SoCal.

Whatever.
After all the drama last year...I can't expect much from this school...and so I won't.

All right. So who wants to bet me a Diet Coke that he won't have his permanent teacher tomorrow? (Oops...is that my bad attitude showing through again? Sorry. Baby steps....baby steps.)

One last summer outing

Most people know that I'm just not a beach person--although many have tried to convert me.

I hate the sand everywhere....
the cold water....
the fact that I burn in less than 6 minutes...
and most importantly...
I hate wearing a swimsuit.

But the kids have been asking to go to the beach, so I decided to be a nice mom and take them before school officially started on Tuesday.

So Monday, we went to down to Newport Beach. Dana suggested it for the convenient (and cheap) parking and the park on the beach.

We stopped at this fun park on the way down. I just happened to see it while driving down Newport Blvd and so we stopped to play for a bit.

The kids loved this plane replica.

And this funky slide with the rollers.

And Helene enjoyed the swings too.

I know Hannah isn't in any of these pics....she didn't want her picture taken. But here is her photography attempt.

After some play time, it was off to the beach. I found parking literally 20 feet from the beach. It was perfect.

So I enjoyed this...

(Two of my favorite things: Diet Coke and Vanity Fair.)

While the kids did this...

Helene hated the sand and refused to walk on it, so she was pretty much confined to the blanket. Sounds mean, but she didn't complain...and it gave me plenty of time to relax and read for a bit without worrying where she was going to run off to.

Here is my favorite picture of the day.

We only stayed a little over an hour, but by then the kids were super sandy and getting cold from the water and wind. And, of course, I was totally fried. I never realize it until the drive home when I start to feel that all too familiar soreness and pain of a sunburn. I guess some people never learn.

Childhood Friends

I've known Sarah since I was about 8 or 9 when we both took ballet together. A year or two later, I switched ballet studios and we lost touch.

Flash forward to 1988. I had switched school districts that year and was attending a brand new school for 8th grade. There are few things worse than your first day at middle school--and not knowing a soul.

Home room was miserable.

First period was miserable.

Second period was PE and I expected that to be miserable, but I lucked out. I will never forget walking into the gymnasium and quickly scanning the bleachers for a place to sit---and seeing a familiar face.

There was Sarah.

And I couldn't have been more thrilled...or relieved.

I remember her waving to me to come sit with her...and the rest is history. Of the few friends I have actually kept in touch with from middle and high school, I've know Sarah the longest.

Disneyland 1990
(with our other good friend Angela)

We lost touch for a bit during the college years, but thanks to modern technology (YAY for email, Facebook, and blogs) we got back in touch.

This past Labor Day weekend Sarah got married, and the the kids and I drove up to Stockton on Sunday for the reception. I was so glad I did. It was so great to see her so happy and to spend some time with her and her family.

A few pics from the evening. They were all taken with my phone, so the color is off on the ones with low lighting. :(

Thanks Dad for chopping off the top of my head. :)

I don't know if she could look any cuter.

Hannah actually sitting still for a moment.

Sammy and Helene dancing.

Oh, how I wish the lighting was better in these next two pictures.
They are just adorable!
How did these three grow up so fast?!
Seriously...it's killing me!!

Sarah and I
September 2010

Sarah and I
June 1993
(yes, I know it's a terrible pic, but it worked for my photo montage...and it shows how we haven't aged a day. Right? Just different hair color now...)

So glad we've been friends for 25 years!
(wow...we are old. :) )

One more summer zoo visit

Summer is rapidly coming to a close and I have been so bad about documenting it this year. I cannot believe how late school starts this year--September 14th.
CRAZY.
Who's lame idea was that??

Anyway, we took advantage of the extra time and met up with Krista and Lauren at the zoo.

This was the first time I have let Helene out of the stroller for almost the entire time. She was "drunk with freedom", as Krista so eloquently described her daughter Liv's take on it.

It was really hot, despite it not quite being noon yet, so we cooled off with some shaved ice.
Helene was MIA enjoying her stroller liberation.
She also had free reign of the play area and couldn't have been more thrilled about it.
Such a big girl!

I'm going to try and be a nice mom and do a few more outings in these last 10 days of freedom.
We'll see how I do.