Miss M goes to School! (Pictures 13, 14, 15)

Last month, March 21st to be exact was a REALLY bad day.  Really bad.  The kids were so uncooperative, talked back, did everything they could possibly do to make me want to drink all the alochol in my home before 3 in the afternoon.  I didn't, I wanted to, but I didn't.  Buddy got home and became just as upset because I was and how they were.  He put them to bed, I barely said good night.

I was just doing my typical thing on the computer after Bud had gone to bed and I had a thought.  I checked out the Town's website for activities for the kids to maybe break up our days a little bit.  Then I saw it, ABC/123.  Hayden had done a few sessions of preschool here last year and we really like the teacher.  5 openings were left and I signed Maya up in lightening speed.  Huge sigh and a sip of wine and I felt so much better.

The next morning I told Maya I signed her up for preschool.  I got a HUGE hug, saw a HUGE smile and got so many "thank you Mommy's" that morning that my heart was healed.  Today was Maya's first day of her new Preschool adventure!

Maya was up at 6:15 this morning.  Before Hayden was even up and that never happens.  She wanted to put on her new dress we had bought yesterday about 2 minutes after being up.  Also, never happens.  She went to the bus stop with us and had her backpack in tow.  She really wanted to go with Hayden on the bus, but she knew she couldn't.  8:45 came and we left to drop her off.  She got out of the car and stumbled, scraping her knee.  She cried and I carried her in thinking, "Crap, she's not going to let me go after this!"

She was a tad apprehensive, but after one minute, I got a HUGE hug and lots of kisses and she went on her merry way to enjoy her new adventure.  Yes, I teared up, but not one fell.  I was just so happy that she was so happy and excited.  She had a fantastic first day and is very excited about her 2nd day.   



She even brushed her teeth.  Didn't even tell her too.  And she wore her backpack for the treatment.



All smiles as we hit the road!!



I call it, "Pokey" Picture 12

On our ride on Sunday, flowers were in bloom everywhere.  We stopped along a little dried up river and I did a little exploring with Maya.  We were looking for bears.  I took some pictures of some desert flowers, but this one caught my eye.  It's not a flower.  It's some kind of weed with lots, serioulsy lots, of thistles on it.  Isn't it cool?

I thought I'd play a little in Photoshop with it.  I didn't do much playing as this was the second overlay I used and thought it was perfect.

Dunin', Pic 11

We went to the Sand Dunes in California this past weekend.  It was a blast!  We went with our fabulous neighbors who have been out there numerous times before, so we had pros helping us out on the driving and fun. 
Buddy was in his element driving and playing.  He borrowed our friends quad a couple times and tore it up in the sand.  The Rhino isn't completely made for sand travel, but it made it.  I don't think a smile left his face the entire weekend.  The kids just love any form of camping and the sand being all around them made it even more fun for them.  It took a few trips through the Dunes to really enjoy what was happening, but they loved it at the end.  Maya took a little more convincing, she didn't like the bumps, but considering she fell asleep on 90% of the rides, I'd say she was fine with it.  Me, I'm a little different from my three kids.  Momma gets a little motion sick.  I toughed it out and went along, but it got the best of me on the last ride.  Plus, the slant in which we went ALOT was nerve racking.  It felt like we'd tip over numerous times.  We didn't.  I actually DROVE in the Dunes too.  That was fun, but I am a little too cautious and nervous at turns and jumps.  It made me appreciate it more though.  Driving and riding in the Dunes it COMPLETELY different from going for a ride in the mountains and camping rides. 

Were it not for these masks, we'd be picking sand out of our teeth for the next week.  We're still picking sand out of our ears...

Soaked, Pic 10

I've been meaning to blog for a long time now, I just haven't had the ambition.  Stuff going on, driving to and fro.  Busy.
A couple weekends ago we took a ride with some friends.  The kids, Bud and I crossed a little canal just like everyone else did.  Then, we had to recross it.  We kind landed in a hole in the canal and got a little wet.  Well, Buddy and I basically took a bath up to our waists and the kids' butts got wet.

It was a memory we will cherish for our lifetimes.

Happy Valentine's Day! Pics 8&9

Happy Valentine's Day, All! Ours started out wonderfully and then I got the call from school that H had thrown up. This kid NEVER gets sick and I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen him throw up; not counting the baby stuff. Poor guy was so bummd to miss his Valentine party and not be able to pass his treats out. Hopefully he can give them out tomorrow.

I wasn't able to get a picture of the kids together today, Hayden is not up to it. Here are the Valentine's I made for friends and family. Hayden's included a sucker for his classmates and a flower for his teacher and Grandparents. They looked great with the stems and stick poked through!

Of course I took a picture of the finished product!  I just may be doing this every year...

The Purple Bike, Pic 6

All Maya wanted from Santa and for all of Christmas was a Princess bike and a Princess helmet with a bell.  The Princess helmet and bell came from Daddy and Mommy.  The Princess bike, however, wasn't exactly what Santa had in mind.  It was a little harder to make, aka more $$, and it wasn't as cute and fun as the awesome purple and pink on that Mom and Dad talked up.  Which, honestly, is way cooler than the Princess one.

Santa delivered a week before Christmas and Mom, Dad and Hayden sat and waited for Maya to come down the stairs.  At the tree was the purple and pink bike.  She took one look at it, sat on the step, put her hands over her face (see this post for a visual), cried a little and said, "But I wanted the Princess bike!!"  She had already gotten the helmet, so we talked her down to look and showed her how perfectely the helmet and bell matched.  She was good to go after calming down and seeing our "vision" and Santa's reasonings. 

And so, the bike has been in use for a month and a half and she is a pro!  The bell jingles constantly, she loves wearing the helmet and she has only told us once that she did ask for the Princess bike.  The girl can move and has even figured out how to put on a detatchable basket.

Playing with Pictures

I love taking pictures and playing in Photoshop with them.  I don't have the major Photoshop, just the itty bitty one.  But, I found a great website with FREE textures and backgrounds, so I am playing it up!

I am going to try and make it a goal to at least post 1 photo a week, but hope for more.  So, here is the first of at least 52. 

The before:  Buddy took this, so I can't take the credit there.  But I just loved her little face! 

And the After: