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.