Claire is 7, Winterball is Done & I Blogged Again!

Here I am blogging again!

Can you believe it?!!

Me neither!!

So, Claire's birthday fell on a Tuesday this year.  She wanted to open her gifts before school so here she is at 6am...

 She found my hiding spot and peeked at the majority of her gifts this year.  She randomly mentioned one night at dinner how she'd like some Frozen Legos.  I got her some Frozen Legos, but she hadn't mentioned she wanted any so I thought that would be a great surprise.  It was weird that she mentioned this, so we asked her if she had looked at her presents.  She promised she hadn't, but I knew she had.  Earlier in the week she was counting up some of the birthday money she has received and she pulled a crumpled up five dollar bill from her backpack.  I asked where she got that and she said, "Oh, Peyton gave it to me."  A friend from her class.  I told her that it was very nice but that she cannot accept that and to return it to Peyton the next day.  The next day I asked if she returned it and she said she had. But... a couple days later she was once again counting her money and I saw that same crumpled up five dollar bill!  So I asked her if that was the same bill she was supposed to return to Peyton?  The same bill that she said she did return to Peyton?  And she very shamefully lowered her head and muttered  a "Yessss".  I was so disappointed in her.  She went to her room and Mr. Hass and I both had a very serious talk with her about the importance of honesty and telling the truth.  It was the second time this week she was caught in a lie, and after talking to her I think we made her feel pretty bad and I don't think she will want to lie again anytime soon.  And if she does, Lord help me!  

Mr. H and I got Claire a set of Clementine books for her birthday and last night Mr. H was reading to her and there was a part in the story about how Clementine's friend was telling her how there is usually one easy child and one hard to handle child in each family and Claire said, "Yeah, like us huh Dad because that is Hannah, she's the hard one for you guys."    Ohhhhh Claire.  Insert all the laughing face emojiis right here.

 After presents and cinnamon rolls for breakfast I dropped the girls off at school and headed to work for a couple hours.  I finished work in time to swing home a few minutes before I had to pick them up and shove some lunch in my face.  Just as I sat down to eat, the girl's school was calling my phone.  The school nurse said that Claire had gotten hit in the nose and it was bleeding and there was blood in her hair and on her clothes and that she needed me to come down there.  I felt so bad and the first thing I said to the nurse was "Oh noooo, but it's her birthday!!!" I grabbed my keys and rushed down to school.  Good thing it's only 3 minutes away by car.  When I got there she was in the nurse's bathroom by herself, trying to stop crying, and with shaky hands attempting to wipe the blood off of her nose and face.  My poor baby.  I gave her a big hug and told her she was okay, and then I helped her wipe off the rest of the blood.  Poor girl had it in her hair and on her new shoes and all over her shirt.  When we got home she finally said that she was just walking fast on the playground and bonked into another boy's head.  He cried too but didn't have to go the the nurse.  She wanted ice when we got home but there was no bruising or swelling and she was fine, thank goodness.  

This happened right before the bell rang so the girls got to come home about ten minutes early.  Then it was homework, snacks, and time to change and bundle up for their first tournament game down at the softball fields.

Their last game was on Hannah's birthday and she has really started to connect the dots with her batting and she wanted to hit a homerun on her birthday so bad.  She never had a chance to in that game, and before this game she said,"I'm gonna hit a homerun today!"  And sure enough, her first at bat, the very first pitch,and she hit her very first homerun!!!!  It went straight to left center, and we were jumping and cheering so loud for her!!! The look on her face as she rounded those bases was absolutely priceless!!!  I'll never forget it.  

 She was the star of the game.  She had two more awesome hits after that homerun, and a total of 5 RBI's!  Way to go Hannah!!!

It was a fun game because, well, because we won, because Hannah hit a homerun, and because the girls had friends on the other team too.  Payton is the same age as Claire and they met last season when their big sisters were on the same team.  These two discovered they share a birthday so they call each other their twin.  Payton's parents brought doughnuts since it was her birthday for their team and Claire and Hannah were lucky enough to get one too.  The twins on their birthday...

 And Hannah had fun getting to play against her old teammate Jayden, Payton's older sister, just days apart from Hannah too.

 I just love the friendships and the memories that we are getting to watch these girls make on the softball field!

 After the big game Grandma and Geeps and Noah and Aunt E came over for In N Out and I made PW's chocolate sheet cake for dessert.

Another night that week the girls received a very special delivery package... on ice!!!...

 chocolate covered strawberries and brownie cake pop bites from Don & Kaylen!!!

 They made their night!!!! Thanks Don & Kaylen!  You guys are the best!

 On Friday Hannah received the Academic Excellence award for reading, so proud!

I've joked with Mr. H that at least our girls are playing softball because the softball fields seem to be the only place in town where it gets cold enough for me to wear some of my Fall layers.  The girls played Tuesday and Thursday night this week and it was chilly.

 They had an 8am game on Saturday for the end of the season tournament and they won, so they played again at 3pm for the Semi Finals and lost.  They had so much fun this year and had such wonderful coaches.  They wanted to stick around and watch some of the older girls Championship games so we didn't get home from the softball fields until 7pm that night!  It was a long day and a long week. 

We were supposed to have family pictures yesterday and Hannah came down with a fever.  I knew she had been fighting a cold and I'm sure after the busy week and three late nights on the softball field it just finally got to her.  So we laid around all day and rested.  And I got to watch like 8 episodes of Gilmore Girls which made me very happy.  ;) 

 Today Hannah's fever was gone and I was antsy to get out of the house so I took the girls to lunch at Panera.  This picture of Claire just cracks me up because it is so Claire. I posted it on instagram and wrote 
'Maybe it was the sunshine.  Maybe it was her new mermaid tulle dress.  Maybe it was the cookie... but I think it's safe to say her first day of Thanksgiving Break was pretty damn good.' 
I love how relaxed this kid always is.  And I love how she doesn't care what other people think in the slightest.  I hope she always hangs on to that.

After lunch in Target waiting for Hannah to try on some stuff.  I took them to spend some of their birthday money and they had a blast.  Looking at this photo it's crazy to see my dark hair and those two blondies next to me.  

After all our shopping I needed wine.  We came home and watched Rookie of the Year.  I had a few laughs remembering some lines from that one.

Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving this week!  

I'm off to sneak in a little spa time.

Alright and maybe some more wine.  ;)

Shopping with those two wore me out!!!

 PS- Thanks so much to everyone for still reading this ole blog!  I was so excited to read your comments and to know that people really do still want to read my blog! Makes me want to try and keep up with it even more! :)

Hannah is 8!

Last Friday November 7th was Hannah's 8th birthday.
Can't believe it.
She was so excited and on the countdown all week for her big day.
After she went to bed Mr. Hass helped me out with a little decor outside her bedroom door to surprise her when she woke up.

 She got up at 5:30, which wasn't really surprising, and she was opening her presents before 6am!  

 I was glad she seemed excited about the softball mitt and balls and bat, she's all signed up to start softball for the first time in the Spring.  I played softball from 8 or 9 years old through high school and I am really excited to teach her a little bit and to play catch at the park and practice hitting off a tee.  Should be fun.  

 She was very excited about the jewelry holder to hang on her wall and inside the striped bag was a hand stamped necklace that I ordered from a blog friend and Hannah absolutely loved it.  Kristy's etsy shop is called Sosobellatoo and she creates the cutest pieces!

 We had cinnamon rolls for breakfast and she got to make her first wish of the day before school.

Claire was in a mood and wouldn't pose with Hannah for a picture.  Probably because it's so hard to see your sister opening gifts and getting special treatment, and especially hard knowing your own birthday is just ten days away.  ;)
Mr. H had the day off from work because originally we thought we would take the girls to Disneyland on this day.  Plans changed, but it sure was nice to have him around all day.  
While we walked to school we were saying to Hannah that we couldn't believe she is eight. 
Mr. H asked Hannah "How old do you think I look?" 
and she said, "Hmmmmm, 54...?"
(Laughing Laughing Laughing)
Then he asks her "Well how old do you think Mom looks...?" 
and she said, "28"!
LOL.  
Thanks Hannah, I appreciate that.  ;)

 When we picked Hannah up from school Claire was holding a bouquet of balloons to give her.

After school Hannah had a visit from Grandma GG, and Grandma and Noah too.  She got to open more gifts and play with her new sidewalk chalk while we visited.

 Then it was time for Round 2.
We met up with my sister and Noah later for dinner at Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour.
We had not been before but heard that they make a big tadoo about birthdays and thought Hannah would enjoy that.

 The kids loved watching all there is to see while we ate dinner.
And after dinner they came out with Hannah's birthday dessert.
But she didn't get that for free!  She had to stand up with her sister and cousin and dance to a song and pretend that they were Oompa Loompas.  It was pretty funny.

 Then she made another wish!

 Claire was in a mood.  ;)
But really the poor girl wasn't feeling all that well.
I suspected she might be coming down with somthing and that night she was up coughing quite a bit.
Luckily it's just a cold, and I'm hoping she kicks it before her big day rolls around!

The girls REALLY wanted these ridiculous and overpriced hats.

Who can say no to the birthday girls??? 

I think she had a great day.

And we can't believe we've been at this parenting gig for eight years now!!!

Your Mom Looks Like A Witch...

HI.

It's me Genn.
The author of this blog.
You might have forgotten me.

Life is so crazy these days.
I miss documenting the happenings of our weeks.
But the weeks are so busy.
And they are flying by so fast.
And by the time the girls are in bed I am too tired to move.


But right now I have about 10 minutes before I have to feed the family dinner and then head off to soccer practice, and I have a funny story that I wanted to remember.  Claire is currently upstairs throwing a crying screaming fit for some reason, and Hannah is mad that I won't let her play outside for longer.  So I'm gonna try to make this quick. ;)

Today I walked into Hannah's classroom to help her teacher out.
The teacher was explaining a few things she wanted me to do for her, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Hannah cross her arms and throw her head down on top of her desk.

When the teacher was finished talking to me, the kids were getting ready to head outside for their lunch recess, and Hannah still had her head down on her desk.  I called her and she wasn't asnwering me.  Then her teacher said "Hannah, your Mom is calling you", and she ran over to me with tears in her eyes.

I pulled her in for a hug and asked what was wrong.
Her bottom lip started to quiver as she stuttered out that Trevor and Ryan said to her "Your Mom looks like a witch" when I walked into the classroom.

A witch?
LOL.
Really?
I was a little taken aback for a second and then I just laughed.
Last week was Anti Bully week and they learned different ways to "Turn a put down around".  So I reminded her of that, and said "Who cares!  Just turn it around and make a joke.  Say, "So what if she is!" 
She wiped her tears and gave me a half smile and hopped in line to file out the door with her peers for lunch.

I was alone in the classroom working, and then five minutes later Hannah's teacher came back in and says to me,
"Okay, so I found out what happened and first I have to apologize!!"
She said she talked to Hannah and Trevor and Ryan and got the story straight.
Hannah thought that they said you look like a "witch",
but Ryan said "NO NO NO, I said that her Mom looks rich!"

*****LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL*****

I was dying.
But truthfully, also happy to know that those boys did not really think I looked like a WITCH.
Truth be told, I was looking down at the camo pants I had on today and wondering if those second grade boys thought that maybe camo was something only witches wear.  
Nope.  
But maybe they thought my fringe scarf and camo pants made me look "rich".  Or perhaps it was the dangly earrings? 
Anywho, second grade misunderstanding crisis averted... Hannah's Mom just looks rich, not like a witch.
;)


And just because a post is more fun with pictures...
Fall finally feels like it is approaching.

 Hannah achieved the Academic Excellence Award at her assembly last Friday...

 I tried bulletproof coffee and I must say, not a fan.  It tasted like butter, which made me think it tasted like popcorn.

 Claire was the cutest little farmer for Pumpkin Patch day in Kindergarten...

And the girls had a blast at Gma GG's neighborhood Carnival and Trick or Treat party last weekend.  Rapunzel & a Witch...  Maybe it runs in the family?  Get it? a witch?  HAHAHAHA.  

That's all for now.
We've made some fun house progress which I hope to blog one of these days.
Gotta go.
Spaghetti and an IPA are calling my name.  ;)

First Day of School... Already

I can't believe it's time for school again.

This is the first year that I think I wasn't quite ready to get back to it.

Don't get me wrong, I mean, all Summer long I long for those short few hours I get to myself in the mornings when both the girls are in school.  But I hate the very early start time we have.  And as much as I love structure and routine, sometimes I hate it too.

And this Summer having our very own pool in our new house has been an absolute blast for us all.  We have enjoyed the pool/spa every single day.  And it's still HOT HOT HOT outside, and I think we'd all have loved it if Summer lasted just a little bit longer.

But alas, that is not the way it works.

So today Hannah started SECOND grade!!!

And Clairey is now in Kindergarten!!!

 Hannah has had a little bit of anxiety about returning back to school.  She's my type A kid who has some ocd tendencies and likes to always be prepared for what's coming her way.  She doesn't like the unknown and there are a lot of unknowns when it comes to starting a new school year.  But this morning after Mr. H and I walked her to her new classroom and found her desk, she was all smiles and totally ready to say goodbye to us.

 And sweet Claire Bear.  Bless her heart, she's just not a morning person.  I can't say I blame her one bit.  I'm not much of a morning person either until I've had at least one and a half cups of coffee runnin' through my veins.  But poor Claire isn't drinking the java yet, and 6am is darn early to be woken from her slumber.

 She just was not in the smiling mood by 7:30am either.

 That's ok.  I wasn't worried about her today one bit.  After loving TK, and already knowing who her teacher is (same one that Hannah had in Kindergarten), and having a handful of friends in her class from TK, she was more than ready to become a Kindergartner.  

 We drove this morning because I had to stay for a half hour in Claire's class and then had some errands to run, but from now on I think we'll be walking in the mornings.  The parking lot is always so crazy in the beginning of the year.

 Hannah had a handful of friends from her class last year in her class.  And a couple nights ago on a walk after dinner she met a little girl two houses up from us that is in her class too.  She was excited to see her and it was her first day at this school so Hannah said she ate lunch with her and she showed her where the restrooms were.  

 After we said goodbye to Hannah I took Claire to her classroom where the parents stayed and did a couple of projects with their kids.  Claire was squeezing my hand pretty hard until we got to her room, and then she saw some old friends, relaxed a bit during the projects we did, and when I left her she was sitting on the carpet chatting animatedly with a little girl from her TK class last year.  I left smiling.  I am happy and excited for this year for my girls.  I'm also very anxious for next year to get them both on the same school schedule.  Right now I drop them off at 7:45am, come back to pick up Claire at 11:30, and then back again to get Hannah at 1:57.  It's a lot of back and forth and that time in the morning alone goes So.  Darn.  Quick.  This morning I had time to run to Target and Trader Joe's and back to unload the car, and then it was time to go get Claire.  

Wanna see these cute new shoes I got at Target???

Swoon.
They're leopard.  
And they're so so so comfy.
They're gonna match everythinggggg. :)

I'm off to shower and plop on the couch with Mr. H.
We started a new show on Netflix.
Orange is the New Black.
We're diggin' it.
Peace Out.

Awards Assembly

This morning Mr. H and I attended the last school assembly for the year to see Hannah receive an award.
The first awards assembly is for TK-2nd Grade, so we saw Claire's class walk in.  She spotted us and waved, and then was so proud to show us her 100 Mile Club Award that she got.

 The first award Hannah received was for Academic Excellence for the Year!

She is so studious and she works so very hard.  She really strives in school and we are so proud of her.

 Later her teacher called the names of students in her class who achieved the AR (Advanced Reading) Award for reaching each of their AR goals every month of the whole school year.

 She got a medal that said 'Readers Are Leaders', and a coupon to Legoland.

 Claire was so cute cheering her big sister on from the audience.
After the assembly Mr. H left for work, and I signed in at the office to help in both girls classes for the last time this year.

 Claire and Hannah's classes are right nextdoor to each other.  I thought it was so cute that when I got down the hall to get to Hannah's class, I saw Claire's class walking right past Hannah's and my girls were talking across the way to each other about the assembly.  Warmed my heart to see.  Sometimes I'll admit that I am a bit reluctant to give up my time while the girls are in school to help.  But then I get to see things like that and I'm always so very glad that I am able to be in their rooms and to get to see them amongst their peers.

 This week a lot of fun stuff has been going on in both classes for the girls.  Homework is done, and it's time for fun.  Today Hannah got to bring in a stuffed animal so she chose her new fox that she earned from her Daisy Cookie Sales.  She also got a nice backpack from cookie sales this year that she was very excited about.  She's been switching her backpack every other day between her pink one, and her girl scout one.  

 When it was time for recess Hannah was SO excited to grab her yearbook and a pen and ask her friends to sign it.
So so cute.
They all just signed their names.
I wonder when they start writing messages.  You know, the ones where you can't wait to see what people wrote to you, or what certain boys might have written in your book.  Oh boy.  Wonder how long before that happens.  

Once she went to recess, I left her class and went nextdoor to Claire's.

 Claire is always sooooo happy to see me when I walk in.
Today she gave me multiple hugs.

She has grown so much since starting Transitional Kindergarten!
She's so excited for Kinder next year.

And we are ALL SO excited for SUMMMMMEEERRRRR!!!!!