Logan's Candy Cane Tour

Thursday night last week we met up with Hannah's Brownie troop and their families, along with several other troops, to tour Logan's Candies.

The tour started outside ...

 And through the window they all watched the owner as he began to mold what would turn into hundreds of candy canes on that surface right in front of the window.  We watched the candy through the window as it cooked and boiled in a hot pot.  Then he laid it out on the surface and began to shape it.  He broke the candy mold into two pieces and then colored one of the pieces red.  

 We got to watch it begin to take shape as they added stripes to the candy.

 Then inside on the counter he started to work smaller pieces of the candy off and he passed them down the line to his wife and other employees.  Each of them had a job that helped the candy canes take their shape.

 They made little peppermints and we all got to taste them while they were still warm.  

Then each of the kids got to take a candy cane and shape it into anything they wanted while it was warm.

 It was a neat tour and the kids loved it!
A fun outing to kick off the holiday season.  

The next morning  before school...

 We were all so proud of Claire who received the Kids With Character Award at the morning assembly!

She's been watching Hannah receive awards at these assemblies for a couple years now, and she was so thrilled to be getting her own.  

Way to go Clairey!!!

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.

Schooool's Out For Summer!!!!!!!!

These cute girlies finished up TK and First grade last week!

 There were a few tears from both on the way home from school the last day.  Claire was so sad to learn that a few of her bff's will be changing schools next year.  And Hannah was a little teary at the thought of leaving her wonderful teacher.  She really wanted to just stay in her class again.  I think she'd have been happy with for every year from here on out!  We really lucked out with great teachers.  Hoping next year will be the same way!

Silly me thought that as soon as school got out I'd have all this time to blog about every little change we've been making to our new house.
Ha ha ha.
More like I'm making snacks every fifteen minutes.
In between snacks I'm playing lifegaurd by the pool (which I don't mind all that much) ;)

 The girls have turned into little fish.
Both love the pool so much.  
While Hannah enjoys jumping and splashing and diving and cannon balling, Claire is just as happy in the shallow end playing with her new Pearl Princess Barbie doll. 

Although Claire is getting very brave under water this year too. She's really swimming and holding her breath longer and longer underwater.  Which scares me and every time the girls are under I'm about ready to dive in and grab them, and then they come up for air smiling and giggling.

 When I'm not making snacks or meals, or by the pool, I've been trying to cross things off my never ending list.

One of my favorite Before and Afters we've completed so far has been the fireplace and barbeque area.
You might have seen this on facebook or instagram, but this is the Before...

 And the After...

The paint is the Behr Marquee exterior paint in Smoldering Copper.
We bought the outdoor trash can at Sam's Club.
The green lantern and Welcome sign with the sea turtle were both from Home Goods.
And the red umbrella came from Kohl's.
We are still searching for a couple of outdoor barstools and then this area will be complete.

For now I gotta go.
My girls are begging to go outside and swim.
But I've got high hopes to post some more Before & Afters of the following areas very soon:
-front door and shutters 
-messy tree removal by pool
-family room
-guest bathroom

I'm also hoping to come up with a plan for a Mud Room Wall very soon.
I'm searching for an awesome brick wallpaper for that space.
Anybody have any suggestions on where to find that? 

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!!!!!

Dance Details

Friday night the girls came home from the dance on cloud nine.
They had SO much fun.
Here are some of the highlights that I got...

-Right when they got there after taking pictures with Mr. H, the song "What Does The Fox Say" came on, and they ran out to the dance floor screaming and giggling and immediately joined their friends to dance.

-It was fun to dance to Gangham Style

-They liked throwing balloons

- They enjoyed the conga line

- Claire said "Dinner was delicious!" It was a food truck with quesadillas, beans and rice.  Mr. H said he was hoping for a larger portion of everything, but was able to finish off the girls meals and that satisfied him.  ;)

-They ate dinner with Zoey and her Dad

-Cupcakes were good

- Hannah enjoyed one slow dance with Mr. H, and also had fun dancing with her friend Tori who will be joining her Daisy Troop once they become Brownies this summer

-The dance was on the local high school campus and they had fun getting to see the school grounds a little bit and were amazed at how big the school is

-Mr. H had a great time.  He said he was smiling ear to ear the whole time.  And that he loved to see how social both girls were.  They both had their own groups of friends, and Claire was even socializing with older kids she knows from Hannah.  He said he had a hard time keeping an eye on them both because they were buzzing about both in different directions, socializing and dancing the entire time.  :)

Harvest Festival at School

Last Friday was the Harvest Festival after school that the girls have anxiously been awaiting.
We didn't go to it last year, and I'm glad we did this year.
The girls had SO much fuN!

 It was from 3:30-6:30 and by the time we got there at about 4:30 there was NO parking.  So, Mr. H dropped us girls off and parked in a neighborhood nearby.  Note to self, next year we will walk!

 I wanted the girls to pose for me before we walked in and I got this somber looking face shot.
So I told them to jump up with their hands in the air and act like they are about to have a great time!

 That's more like it. ;)

 Since Claire's class was doing the cupcake booth, of course we HAD to go there first.
Then Hannah ran around spending lots of her tickets on things, until we ended up in line for face painting.

 Would you believe that these girls of mine have never had their faces painted?  Yup, it's true.  So we changed that at the festival.

 Hannah seemed a bit nervous and picked a small flower and heart for hers.
And Claire picked the most elaborate one they had and was all excited.  I don't think I've ever seen her sit more still.

 Claire's face took a while longer than Hannah's, so we popped into one of the classrooms to play bingo.

 That was her first time playing bingo too.  She said she still doesn't get it.  :)

 The girls used their tickets on the cupcake walk until they both won a cupcake.
Then we made our way over to the photo booth and hopped inside.

 Lots of the girls friends were there and some of ours too.
We all had a fun time, and after leaving it was dark and we were starving.  We planned to eat from the food trucks at the school but they were closed, so we wound up at In N Out.  Not a bad place to end up.

I'll leave ya today with this little funny.

I saw this on instagram and just died laughing.

So so funny.

I'm off to go eat some more salad right now.  ;)