Brooke's Orientation

Today was the orientation for Brooke's preschool class.  She is going 3 days a week again this year.  She had a good time going in to meet her new teachers and the new kids in her class. She went right in and started playing.  I know she is going to love it again this year!!

 making new friends!

Madeline had a good time too :)

 ummmm... I think that is for baby dolls Madeline!

School starts for Brooke on Wednesday!!

Big Day! part 2

 Today is also Madeline's 2nd birthday!! So hard to believe that she is 2!

Good morning birthday girl!

How old is Madeline?? 

Then we had present opening time...

 

Then we went to CiCis for dinner :)

Then time for singing and cupcakes :)

Happy 2nd Birthday Sweet Girl!

Big Day! part 1

Today is the first day of school for Hana!! She is a big first grader!! It is so hard to believe :) Time flies!

First day of school breakfast...

First day of school teeth brushing...

Yay!! She loves school :)

Have a great day sweetheart!!! :)

See... Im doing better!

A quick update of some new happenings!
Hana had her open house on Monday night, we got to see her first grade room.   I liked her teacher, but there were no names that I recognized in her class! Now, I didn't study the list so it is possible that I missed one, but still, a whole new class!  I guess it remains to be seen if that is good or bad :)

At her desk :)

Brooke had another visit to the allergist.  This time it was re-check one of the earlier tests.  She had a generic "fish" test that was positive the first time.  So this time we found out she is allergic to... codfish (pretty severely), flounder, mackerel,  and tuna.  Poor Brooke!
I have had a lot of sessions for my photography blog... I just haven't updated it.  But there will be some new ones coming soon!!
And for those of you who don't know... I got a tattoo on my foot.  I got it in Charleston, and it is a Jesus fish that goes in color from purple to blue to green (the girls' birthstone colors)

Tomorrow is a big day around here... :)

I'm sure I will have a new post very soon!!

Charleston!!! 10 years in the making!!

Let me start with some brief updates, then on to Charleston!  Yes, I realize that I have not done many blogs this summer.  We really do a lot.  I just don't have all that much time to blog due to the fact that summer takes away my nap free time... because Hana is home.  She goes back to school Thursday.  So I will at least have SOME time to myself!
Since my last blog post, we have... been to the lake, I got strep for the 3rd (and hopefully final) time, been to the movies, the beach many times, the pool lots and lots,  friends houses... etc etc!!! It has been a fun, quick, and busy summer!!  Now... on to Charleston!!

For Jack and my 10th anniversary we went to Charleston for 4 glorious days!
We went down Thursday.  We started with a movie... The Change up.  It was cute, but a little crude.  Then we went to dinner at a place I had a coupon for.  Wonderful food, night 1!!

Then Friday we spent the day in downtown Charleston (we stayed about 10 miles away).  We started with a carriage tour, which was one of our favorite events of the weekend!  Here is the horse as they came to pick us up.

This was a great way to see the city! We saw LOTS and didn't have to walk!

A church and the battery

This is the old theater and one of the many gas lamps that burn... 

and the city doesn't know how!!

We then went to eat at a wonderful Italian restaurant Bocci's. We then went through the market and walked around to many of the beautiful places that we had seen on the carriage ride.  But my favorite was when we walked out on a pier on the river... it had big porch swings!! Awesome... this is us right after our peaceful swing!

On the river front...

 

Then we had dinner at a wonderful restaurant... Pooghan's Porch. Wonderful dinner number 2!  Here we are after dinner...

Saturday we spent most of the day by the pool.  Then on to some sushi and wonderful dinner number 3!  Sadly we had to come home today.  It was so nice to be away from the kids and get to spend time with my wonderful husband! We had a great great time!!!  Hopefully we won't have to wait 10 years to have another great trip!!

Updates... 2

After doing my post yesterday, a couple of new things happened that I wanted to add :)

• Madeline actually played in the water at the pool! Since she has fallen in twice this year, and I mean the scary, silent fall in with eyes wide open in fear, she has not wanted to get in the water.  Yesterday this changed! She came in the water with me and walked around! It was great :) She was so excited to be in the water!
• I made another dress!! This one for Brooke, so I just had to share! This was much harder than the other one I made.  I used one of Brooke's other dresses for a "pattern".  Which means I looked at it and just kind of figured out how to make it (there were some things that I did wrong... but I will do better next time!)

And yes, we are still taping Brooke's fingers to get her to stop sucking them!

What's new?

I have been kind of busy lately and haven't done a real update blog in a while... so here goes!

• The girls have had a busy summer so far.  They have been to 2 different church camps.  We have spent a large amount of time at the gym & it's pool.  We have been to the beach a few times.  And we are only 1/2 way through the summer!

• I made my first dress!  It is a pillowcase dress (just the style... some are made from pillowcases).  I made this one for fall, but it was cute so Hana wore it on Sunday.  I have more material and plan to make another one.  I also have some Christmas material for 3 Christmas dresses (I didn't know how long it would take me to make the dresses, so I wanted to be sure they would have a chance to wear them!)
• Jack and I had our TEN year anniversary!! I can't believe we have been married for 10 years! In some ways it has gone by really fast, in other ways it seems like forever.  We went out to dinner with some friends.  And we have a trip planned for a couple of days in Charleston in August. 
• I have had strep throat twice in 3 weeks.  Hana and Brooke had it, and we have found out that they may be carriers, since they didn't really have any symptoms.  Fun fun :(
• I have not heard anything about teaching at the preschool for the fall.  Sad.  But I guess it just isn't the right time.  I am trying to work more on my photography businesses.  (I have some deals running now! Check out the blog if you are interested!!).  I LOVE doing it, I just haven't had much time to focus on it lately. 
• I am still leading a Moms group on Tuesdays. It is going well! I really enjoy doing it.  
• Madeline is a tiny, crazy, adorable almost 2 year old.  She talks up a storm! (in fact at church they suggested that we move her up to the 2 year old room because she was so far ahead of the other one year olds.  We did, she did fine, she is just so tiny!!)  But she can say anything.  And she puts about 4-5 words in sentences regularly.
• We are working on Brooke's allergies.  We got her a new mattress and a mattress cover.  I am trying to wash her sheets regularly.  I will also be steam cleaning the carpets.  She says that she isn't as itchy now.  Which is great! We got some stronger cream for her spots and she looks SO much better!
• Hana will be in first grade soon! So hard to believe! She keeps telling me that she misses school and her friends.  I am not quite sure she understands that when she goes back she will have a different class and teacher.  I am praying she has another great year and a great teacher!

Ok that is it!! :)