Rainforest Cafe

Rainforest Cafe is Kayla and Collin's favorite restaurant!
And so we chose it to celebrate the end of August and their
first month at school. We are proud of both kids for doing their
best and having a fun and successful month at their new schools.
If you've been to the Rainforest Cafe, you know that they
have a special desert called the "volcano" and they present
it by yelling "VOLCANO" as they bring it to the table.
It has sparklers on top. The kids each got a monkey as well.
What a fun day!

Collin Days

Here are some photos of how Collin spends some of his mornings while big sister is in school.
He is still absolutely loving swimming and is making good and quick progress.
He can't keep himself still or contained when I say it's time to get ready to go to swim class... he is SO excited each time!
Preschool, however, is a different story. The novelty has worn off and he doesn't just dislike going- he is going in screaming, kicking and scratching.
And that is no exaggeration! On Tuesday I said "Forget it- he obviously is just not going to do it."
And one of his teachers told me to be consistent and let him know who has the power (me) and to simply put him down, kiss him and leave.
So Tuesday and today I left him there screaming, which was not much fun for either of us. But each day the school called me and told me he was having a blast 5 minutes after I was out of sight. Little stinker!
Little boys are soooo attached to their Mommies, I tell you.

We are taking the kids to Rainforest Cafe this weekend to celebrate the end of August and a month of doing a great job in school.
Kayla's teacher gives out Popsicle sticks for good behavior, and her art teacher gives them "art bucks" for good behavior, and Kayla was pleased as punch to tell us that she has the most of both in her class.
So we will be celebrating her great behavior and effort in school, and Collin's good manners and effort in preschool.
Once he goes in to preschool with no crying he will be getting a Batmobile toy, but because he does such a great job once he's there without me, we thought he should be included in the celebration anyway!

We're just happy both kids have activities they love and that they are both happy to be here.

Towels

I remember all the warnings I got from well-meaning people when I first began talking about finding a house with a pool.
"You'll hate cleaning it". Not so... I love cleaning the pool. I have no idea why.
I walk around and around skimming it and checking everything.
"You'll get sick of going in" Not really. Tim and the kids swim more often than I do, but I love the routine of dinner, swimming, shower then bed time.
They are so fresh and so tired when they finally curl up in their beds!
"You'll constantly worry about the kids" Not with this pool. We are fortunate to have a fence around it. When we go to buy, this is a must again.
We got a few other well meaning comments that I won't take time to list here.
BUT I HAVE MY OWN complaint about having a pool.

I am now a full time laundry service. Besides feeding kids, my sole purpose in life has become to launder towels.
We have towels for bath time, towels that come in after swimming, towels in bags from Collin's swim lessons, towels strewn across lawn chairs and over the pool fence.
I have a towel by the kids bathtub because we haven't found and dug out their bathroom rug yet. There are always towels in the laundry room.
There is usually a towel by the backdoor at some point because we have wood floors and wet feet come walking through.

SO, while I love having a pool and wouldn't have it any other way in AZ, of all the things I worried about with having a pool, I never would have thought it would come down to TOWELS.
I have to get back to my laundry now.

Our weekend

We had such a fun filled busy weekend. Below are some pictures.
Yesterday Aunt Pat, Tim, Kayla, Collin and I went to the Arizona science center to visit the Narnia exhibit.
It was really out of this world.
Photography was not allowed, so we tried to capture what we could on Tim's cell phone camera. Here is a link if you want to check the exhibit out. The video at the bottom of the page is great! http://www.azscience.org/narnia.php
It tours around the country like most of those exhibits so if it comes to your city I would highly recommend it!
We walked through the wardrobe in to a snowy wonderland, much like the movie.
The kids were in awe! They got to see Mr. Tumnus at the lampost, sit in the white witch's throne and watch a real catapult demonstration!
Afterwords we had a great lunch together and then I had to leave to shoot a wedding.
Tim and the kids swam with Aunt Pat in our pool and I hear it was a blast.

There are three pictures below of the Narnia exhibit.
Then a picture of Lucy with Kayla. Lucy grew a TON this month for some odd reason.
Lastly there is a picture from this morning. I was describing to the kids and Tim the father/daughter dance at the wedding I was at.
In the 1970's the bride's mother walked in to the living room to find her husband holding their newborn baby daughter and dancing to the song, "Could I have this dance for the rest of my life" and he was crying saying he was just so happy.
Of course I was teary-eyed, describing this to everyone.
We found the song on Youtube and played it and Tim grabbed the kids and started dancing with them to the song.
It was a very sweet and very silly moment. :)

What a fun day

Yesterday started off with Kayla at school and Collin at preschool while I went shopping.
After school we got to meet Kayla's new piano teacher, Miss Jennifer, who we love.
She has a very free, adventurous curriculum, which will be a big change from our teacher's method in Colo Springs, but it sounds fun!
Then Tim's parents were nice enough to come over last minute to babysit with Aunt Pat.
My Uncle Peter and his new wife, Sally and her son were on their way to U of A in Tuscon and stopped here for the night.
Tim and I went to Gordon Biersch Brewery to meet them all there.
We arrived a half an hour early so we enjoyed brews and garlic fries COATED in chunks of garlic. (Still smellin' it today):)
Then my parents and the relatives arrived. Most of us were drinking and the conversation got wild and we had quite the enjoyable night with lots and lots of laughter.
We took Kayla to school two hours late today because we went to my parent's house for breakfast to say goodbye to the relatives. Doughnuts, coffee and fruit.
MMMMMmmmmm heaven!
Collin and I had a spiderman lunch today.
We watched Spiderman the movie while eating spiderman shaped mac n' cheese.
Then we went to the library together and got our NEW Gilbert, AZ library card!
We are now waiting to pick up Kayla from school and go swimming and have a movie night.
TGIF!!!!!

Proud of my babies

Well guess who is swimming independently now?
Collin made the leap to swimming all by himself.
He started doing it yesterday in the pool with Tim.
He felt so empowered, that when he got to swim class
this morning, he told his teacher she didn't need to hold
on to him any more.
And he wasn't kidding. He would swim to her, swim back, and dive
underwater to the bottom without her going under with him.
Miss Stacy says he can hold his breath for an oddly long time.
He thinks it's "a blast" so I am just ecstatic for him.

Another happy moment- Kayla's teacher approached me today about letting Kayla skip first grade reading altogether and just going to second grade for reading groups.
I was so relieved that she wouldn't spend her year reviewing and so proud of her at the same time. I hope they'll get her reading at the correct level soon, but at least this is something. Their social studies and writing curriculum sounds just GREAT in first grade so I am really excited about that too.
I was so hoping it would work out for her to stay at this school for at least this year. I love her teacher and I'm soooo enjoying leaving my house at 3:28 to pick her up at 3:30!!! :)

Kayla has some good buddies in class and is so fortunate to have a "silly boy" at her desk group. She always bonds with the boys who act silly and get rowdy.
Good thing she got Collin for her sibling!

All is well here in our little corner of the world.
And best of all I live by Costa Vida and enjoy sweet pork enchiladas weekly.
I'm sure that soon, my ass will reflect this!!!

Settled in

Well, it's official. We are here.
Lots of things happened today that made it feel official.
First, I got the kids a new pediatrician.
Then I went to downtown Phoenix to meet with Jen at O'Grace Photography.
There I got my work schedule and my first set of pictures to begin editing for her.
I signed up for a local bookclub that Kelsey, Chris's girlfriend joined.
I got Kayla signed up for the Valley Youth Theater of Phoenix.
We found a piano teacher. Collin is already signed up for preschool and swim,
but he was also babysat here in AZ for the first time. Grandma Elephant, Papa Tom and Aunt Pat took care of him while I had my appt downtown.
He cried when we left. Then my parents stopped by to say hello this evening.
He cried when they left!
It's offically official- we are AZ residents and loving it!

The new swimmer in the family

The girls

Here are the girls after their grooming appt today.
They shaved Abby shockingly short,and left Lucy long.
Oh well... :)

cool website

I was super excited to see one of my favorite photographer's (and teacher)
new website up.
It is one of the cooler photography sites I've seen, and I am also excited because a pic of Kayla made the cut for her new site!
Check it out at www.donnamartinezphotography.com
Once in the site just click "galleries" and then "children".
So fun!

Recent pictures

I finally have my computer and internet set up so I'm catching up on emails, Facebook, blogging, etc...
And yay- pictures. :)
Here are some pictures from the past two weeks.
1. Kayla and Coll in front of K's school
2. Kayla with her first grade teacher
3. Kayla on the first day of school
4. our pool

Next week I hope to get pix of Collin at his preschool and at his swim class, and some pix of the neighborhood and area.

Collin the fish

I remember feeling this way when I first saw Kayla in her acting class.
That feeling of, "Oh, this is like- your THING"
You're GOOD at this!
Today Collin had his first swimming lesson which he insisted that he NOT go to.
I encouraged him to try it though because he needs to be able to swim here in AZ.
It's not just fun, it's a necessity.
Well as soon as he got in the water with his teacher I was practically standing up cheering the entire time.
I had NO IDEA that he was that comfortable and natural in the water.
The teacher had him diving to the bottom of the pool to get toys, floating on his back by himself and swimming with his face in the water to her (with some assistance)
within 20 minutes.
The best part was that he really really enjoyed it. He wanted to do everything again and again and was laughing and smiling the whole time.
Watch out Michael Phelps! :)

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Palm Trees

After a long week, Tim finally arrived yesterday with our moving truck.
What a fantastic day! Everyone worked so hard (and in a 106 degree heat no less)
and our "rental house" turned in to a home.
Some across-the-street neighbors came by to welcome us and it happened to be a kindergarten teacher from Kayla's school and her 4 kids.
One of the girls is a 6 year old who lo and behold, happens to be in Kayla's class!
Kayla and Collin got to go and play with the kids at their house for a while yesterday and Kayla had a new buddy upon arriving at school today.
Since Tim was home this morning and Collin was tired and wanted to lay down, Kayla and I walked to school by ourselves.
After I dropped her off with a cup of coffee in my hand (people here think I'm weird that I still like to drink hot coffee, and not iced coffee... LOL)
I walked home alone.
Wow- you notice so much more around you when you don't have chatty or whiny kids with you. I felt a sudden sense of luck and amazement that I was walking from Kayla's school to my house under palm trees.
Palm Trees!!!! All around me... palm trees and loud tropical-sounding birds.
Whenever I am missing Colorado, or irritated about the heat here, I am just going to look up at the palm trees

Arizona living

Well we are here in Arizona and the weather is great.
No, really it is! If you happen to be out doing errands around 3 in the afternoon it is
pure torture getting in and out of the hot car, but the AM and PM are so beautiful.
It's worth it.
We're enjoying all the family time with Chris and my parents (and Tom and Joann when they return).

Collin and I happened to check out a preschool on a whim and we both fell in love with it.
He wanted to stay that very day. We've enrolled him and he has already gone one full morning.
He'll be there Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:30 to 11:00.
It is quite a different concept for a preschool, but one that is right out of Collin's dreams!!! :)
It is one HUGE open room with a spinning outdoor merry-go-round type thing (not the best description) right in the middle of the room. There is a tall loft in the corner that looks like a tree house with a pretend family room with leather couches (kid size) underneath. Then there is a big playhouse on one wall.
The other half of the room is more academic with an arts and crafts area, writing tables, rice and sand table, etc.
And they have a curriculum which I love. But most of the morning is broken up by lots and lots of free play.
It looks like a blast! Yet somehow they are managing to teach them sight words and writing and songs, etc.

Kayla started school on Wed at our neighborhood school. We toured the school and happened to randomly meet a first grade teacher and we LOVED her. So I requested her for Kayla and we got her.
Mrs. Lindon is pretty special.
Unfortunately we're getting pretty mixed reviews of everything else in the school from Kayla.
Some of the kids have not been very nice (most of them actually)
The school work is boring and the only thing she seems to really be loving is going through the hot lunch line.
I met with her teacher before school began and discussed my concerns and she promised me she would get Kayla some different things to read and work on within 2 weeks. She asked me to trust her and bear with her and that she'd get there.
There is some other enriching that Kayla might get as well twice a week.
So I am trying to hold on and be patient and give this a good two weeks.
Kayla wants to go back to school and says she loves it, which I can't quite figure out but I'm going with it. :)
I hope to decide by end of next week or the following if we will keep her there or pull her out and wait for a seat in another program. We shall see.

Right now I am just really proud of both kids for taking this move on with such zest and enthusiasm.
Collin is excited about everything which is so nice to see.
And even when a little boy told Kayla he didn't like her yesterday, she told me it didn't make her sad because she still likes
him and that makes her happy enough.
I have punched the boy in the head in my mind, but outwardly, I'm just smiling.
Kayla just likes experiencing school, regardless of the not-so-great stuff, so we're going with it.

Our house is little but wonderful and we're totally enjoying the pool.
Although Collin took a flying leap to Uncle Chris today and came down, mouth to shoulder blade.
Mouth wounds always look bad but add pool water to it.... and basically Collin was dripping blood all over me and the pool as I carried him out. Poor buddy.
Chris's shoulder is pretty sore too.
We painted Kayla's room light green as she requested and Collin's room is blue and he likes it as is.
Nothing else needs to be done to the house so that is nice. We can just focus on living and enjoying.
We are missing Colorado and I even started crying like a lunatic on the phone today wishing Nicky happy 5th birthday.

But for some reason this move still feels totally right. And hopefully that will keep my mind and heart at ease.

Goodbye Colorado!

Well it is with heavy hearts that we pack up the last of our belongings this morning and get in the car to head to Arizona. Kayla cried until her poor eyes were swollen last night and woke up still feeling a little sad.
Collin goes back and forth between sadness (especially about cousin Nick) to excitement about being by his grandparents and swimming all the time.
I know that when we get in the car the sadness will be replaced by excitement.
We will begin a new chapter in our lives in about 2 hours.
It feels strange to move to a city where the kids are already in school and people's lives are moving along, as ours sort of floats around, unsettled.

But it is also exciting to know that there is a flooded market of houses for us to consider purchasing and schools already in session for us to observe and choose from.
It's almost as if we are getting ready to hand design our life.
There are so many things that are out of our control, but there are so many things that we have choices about. That is exciting!
I pray that we make the right decisions and that we can make them quickly.
I'd like for Kayla to have some friends right away and for Collin to feel some stability.
Well... we're on our way!

Whirlwind week

We have had a whirlwind week of playdates, dinners and goodbyes.
I find myself exhausted today, but feeling very very loved and very
very fortunate. I am in awe of how wonderful our friends and family are.
Each get together we've had has brought an incredible amount of tears or
laughter or both.

I always ask my kids, "How did I get so lucky to end up with the best little
girl in the whole world, or the best little boy in the whole world?"
And they always say, "Well God decided that Mommy!"
I guess he decided that we should have the best friends in the world too!
Some of the highlights of our week include: fun playdates with the VanHorns, Eikangers and Caspers. Dinners with Jackie and Devyn, Christian and the Browns.
And one of my favorite evenings was having Jack and Nicky over for a sleepover.
The kids were perfectly behaved. Jack and Kayla slept in one room and Nicky and Collin in the other. They had lots to talk about and laugh about.
We made sundaes, watched a movie and told stories before bedtime.
The night was finished off with doughnuts in the morning.
We will miss those boys terribly!

Today is my free day to tie up loose ends, pack a few boxes and run some errands.
Look for a new address and contact info post soon.