A Million Bucks

Today my friends and family made me feel like a million bucks.  I could tell you about the emails, texts, voicemails and phone calls.  I could go on and list the gifts and take pictures of the (hilarious) cards.  I could tell you that not once, but twice when I arrived home there were gifts and balloons at my door.  I could tell you how my students didn't miss any opportunity to tell me Happy Birthday.

What I do want to say is, I am so lucky to have these people surrounding me every day of my life. 

Mark, the kids and I spent the whole night at MOA.  For the family who has the earliest bedtime of any family we know, we were out so late (8:45pm) the kids fell asleep in the car.  It was special.  From the Log Chute to dinner and dessert.  It was special.

It was a great day. 

That's not to mention my party on Thursday night with My Girls.

Man, I'm going to sleep feeling like a million bucks tonight.

Me & 33

For the last week, in 2nd grade, we've been writing about things we're thankful for. 

For my birthday I have listed my top 33 things I am thankful for.

(Late night - by myself) Shopping
Facials
People who love my children
Memoirs
Road trips to Colorado
Magazines
The color red
My supportive family
Summers off
Days at the beach with my kids
NKOTB

Family dinners

Thoughtful friends
US Weekly

My coworkers - who I'm lucky enough to call friends

Shrimp

My minivan

Champagne

Reality TV

Sandals

Hallmark

My career

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Photographs

Making iMovies

Fingernail polish

Books

My children's grandparents

My supportive husband

The way my class is coming together

Christian's enthusiasm for school and learning

Victoria reading

My healthy, happy family of four.

Fall 2011 - Captured in Time

These pictures were taken on October 8, 2011.

The date was selected two months prior.

I anticipated cool fall weather.

It was in the 90's.

While orange sweaters continued to hang in the closets,

I suddenly had to come up with autumnish summer outifits. 

I had no idea how they'd look together.

Turns out fantastic

(if I do say so myself).

Love this picture.

All time favorite. . .contender.

Do you think that's a real background?

Yep, we were sitting on real pine needles -

totally worth it!

Oh, this sweet angel melts my heart.

This little man has me wrapped around his finger.

What a little cutie pie.

She posed like this on her own.

Dreading those teenage years.

All time favorite. . . contender.

Think that background is real?

Really LOVE this picture!!!

It's going to be very BIG somewhere in my house.

Victoria had her photo taken professionally, more than, every single month of the first year of her life.

Christian had his taken professionally about 10 times his first year of life.

Now that they're a little bit older I've decided that

a once a year, quality shoot is so much better than many cheap shots.

That picture is like art to me. 

It looks like the leaves have been sprinkled on the sidewalk.

That shot is breathtaking.

So original, so fun, so beautiful.

Just as good as the one above!

But even better!

So fun and so touching.

Mark would say,

"Favorite for sure!"

In a few years I won't be able to pick her up anymore
and that little hand on my shoulder will be much bigger.

I bet I'll wish that day back.

I'm so glad we have this time in our lives captured in time.

I'll treasure these pictures forever.

Best Buds

Yesterday on the way to Kris' Victoria was practicing a ring of sight words and was pointing out letters for Christian to identify.  Then she said to him, "Christian, that morning you woke up with a black eye I worried about you all day at school.  Try to be safe today, ok, Buddy."  He replied, "Ok Toria, I will try."

It warms my heart that they are best friends.

What Weekend?

I'm so tired. 

Because it was Girls' Weekend

Right after school on Friday we headed to Mora and had

a lot of fun.

But the next afternoon I headed home because we had big plans on Saturday night.

Paulson's annual Halloween party that didn't fail to impress once again this year.

Details to follow. . .when/if I ever get caught up on sleep.

Go to Sleep Already

My extremely over tired  5.5 yr old cried to me, "You used to be so nice to me, now that I'm all grown up you're mean."  I guess we should have skipped those last few houses when she kept telling me how 'exhausted' she was.  I'm so happy she's sleeping!

More details to follow. . .

Doing Our Homework

Kindergarten has begun implementing homework. 

I love it.  I love to see what it is.  I love to watch her do it.  I love to see her taking pride in her work.

I love it!

Somebody else loves homework too. 

He prefers to stand and do it on the chair.

I love to watch him too.

I wonder how many more years homework will be a pleasurable thing in our house.

Right now, we're lovin' it!