How Is it Possible? B's Kindergarten Graduation

This was in late August, 2012.




This was 31 May 2013. Kindergarten Graduation Day.




Now, I know some people think Kindergarten graduation is crazy. But, personally, I love it. I remember going to my nephew and nieces' graduations, and they sang songs and were so cute. Now it was B's time to be cute, and I loved every minute. Except the minutes I was a little teary.

B was so excited when she woke up.





She had a half day of school, then just the kindergarteners ate lunch at school. Kind of a last lunch.






LIttle sister didn't (and still doesn't) understand that the fuss was not about her.




Arriving at school.





Last morning at her cubby.




Here is the peanut gallery. My sister came too, but you know, she is like me and doesn't like to be immortalized on the internet.




I made B's dress, and there may or may not have been a strap malfunction right before the "ceremony" started. Mike, B's valet, made a last minute save with a stapler. There she is coming out of the door.






They kids not only received a diploma, but an autograph book with photos of their school mates along with little notes from them. The directress put together a great collage frame of pictures of the kids, and their teachers. There was also an all about me book with self portraits, drawings, questionnaires.






The kids recited a poem and sang a song.





Afterwards we at cake (well, I didn't, wah wah wah) and had an ice cream sundae bar. How awesome is this cake?







My girls loved the ice cream and time with their cousins.





Not a drop on the dress. 'Cause I am not sure it would make it through the wash.




B changed back into her play clothes and ran around with her friends. Some she will see again, so she won't. Her one friend moved away the same day. She will miss him, I know she gave him a giant squeeze! I can't believe she is going to first grade in another school. She was at Montessori for five years. I know she will miss her teachers. Will they miss her? Probably. B is a unique kid. She is very forth coming and will ask a lot of questions and say funny things (sometimes unknowingly). B is also a challenge. She isn't the best listener - and when I say this, I mean she hears you, you will just get a debate if she doesn't agree with you. Which, may be a good quality when she is older, but kind of sucks now. Strong willed to the end, that kid is. Anyway. Here are some not so lovely family portraits. Lucky Mike, he always looks good.











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Spring Holiday 2013

I would like to say we branched out this year and went somewhere new, but the lure of a nonstop flight, almost guaranteed weather, and chips, guacamole and margaritas won out.  So, Mexico is where we went.  This year we tried the town of Punta de Mita.  North of Puerto Vallera, this town has calm, warmer waters (unlike San Pancho, where the water was rough and cold) and a nice town in walking distance of the condo we rented.   Our plan was to go for 13 days, but when we arrived at the airport, we learned that B's passport was EXPIRED!   By about 10 days.  (OK we are glad it expired before we left, because we would have been stuck in Mexico if the passport expired while we were there.)  So, home we went.  Hired an expediter who told us exactly what to do.  Post office, drive to Chicago (thank God we live close to a passport agency) and drop into some guys hands.  That was Thursday, Friday afternoon we had the passpport and Saturday morning, we were on our way.  The problem with a Saturday flight?  Customs was crazy!  Huge, hot line with hungry, thirsty girls.  They were about ready to lose it (after standing in line for a half hour and a loooong way to go) when some nice airport guy motioned for us to come with him to a line that only had a few people.  So, we went from 150 people to 4.  I teared up.  I have to say, people in Mexico love kids, and everywhere we went, the girls got a lot of nice attention, whether it was a little dessert or a straw purse or some strawberries WITH SUGAR when we sat down.

The condo was fairly nice.  It was on the first floor so the view was as good as the floors above, but we could walk in and out to the pool and beach with no problems.  Great for getting food, the bathroom, the time or the 1000 costume changes Charley did every day.  The beach was great, not too busy, but people walking by.  Last year, no one walked by.  And the condo had other guests with kids.  Great for the girls.  And the ocean was steps away.  Really, I didn't want to come home.  We had the condo manager shop for us and we also brought a cooler of food, that we checked.  You all know I am weird about my food, so we brought chicken, gluten free waffles I made at home and froze.  Lunch foods for the girls (like the GF crispy chicken they like, and the tempura shrimp Chatch eats).  I can't remember what else, oh, I know, 24 double dark chocolates - for me.

We had fun, it was great, I am counting down for next year.  And why wouldn't I be?  It appears that summer will never arrive.  Hot today, cold tomorrow.

OK, enough belly aching.  Here are the pictures.

Car from PVR to the condo.

I love that the pancake mix we brought is as flat as a pancake.

This is from the afternoon we arrived.  I was hungry for food, but the girls were hungry for the beach.

You better believe the girls were up bright and early the next morning.  It was all we could do to get some breakfast in the before they were in the pool.

 

  

There were a lot of restaurants.  And they were all OK.  You know when you go to a place called Rosa Mexicana, you expect really good Mexican food.  And it was just OK.  You could swim in the margarita, and they had an awesome salsa they put together at the table and they were so sweet to the girls, and we sat looking at the ocean (all the restaurants are on the water, and outside) but the actual food.  OK.  Almost dumbed down.  

You will notice Charley is in the same dress.  I think she wore at least one other time as well.  She was a tired little girl and was a force with which to be reckoned.

Not once did my hair get dried. But at least you get a photo of me.

At this band came wondering over, asked if we wanted a song, we said yes, they said it would be 10$.

Catch of the day.  I didn't partake.  Who wants to meet your food before you eat it?

B drew a tattoo on Charley.

  


Here are a couple of silly Chatch pictures.

The beach was fabulous.  The girls loved the waves.  Both tried boogie boarding.  B did it twice (she fell off the second time) and Cha Cha tried it once.  Me?  I just walked around in a bathing suit trying to work off the chip and margarita bloat.  We also (though I don't have any pictures) saw crabs, and a dead puffer fish, whales, and tons of birds.  The birds were amazing, swooping in the air currents.  Pelicans diving for fish.  Wonderful.

 

Turns out Charley likes the shade.  Unless she is swimming, she is protecting her not so white skin.

The kid did wear a head scarf (like her mother and Grandmother before her) every day.  Can't burn the melon you know.

We met a great family from Minnesota.  Their boys kept B and Charley company.

I have to say, Mike is the best Dad.  He swam with the girls, did the beach with them, and carried Charley back from dinner while she ate ice cream that dripped down his arm.

Poor dead butterfly.  At least B got to see why you don't touch a butterflies wings.  The wings actually have scales that will rub off, making the wings more fragile.

This restaurant had a rocking horse and swings.  The kids loved it.

This one is killing me with the sunglasses on her head.

Here is one more of me.  You all are really getting a treat. But now that I look at this picture again, I look like a giant! I am all face. 

The night ended with a dance party at the restaurant.  My girls picked up some college age girls and got dancing.  I may or may not have joined in the fun.

This guy was the highlight of the trip for Charley.  Every day he road his motorcycle with a freezer sidecar down the beach selling ice cream scooped onto blue cones.  Every morning around 10 Chatch would start asking if the ice cream guy was coming.  He always did, but not until 3ish.  Yeah, made for a long day.

This last photo may be my favorite.  Charley was having a rough time, she went into the condo, and cried a bit.  When I went to check on her, she was sound asleep.  Belly full of ice cream.

 

Our last night, we all are a bit tired.  Lots of sun.  This was our favorite restaurant.  Serendipity was the name.

Wow, I need a haircut.

Despite the passport screw up (everyone's expiration date is now on my Mac calendar) this was a fantastic holiday.  We are fortunate my girls are close.  I am not saying they never fight or needle each other, but try and separate them.  B does a good job of taking care of her sister and Charley is devastated if B gets in trouble. Ahhh.... my girls.  I hope they remember all the fun they have together and with us.  Because this year, even though there is no photographic evidence, I did go in the pool.  More than once and I got my hair wet.  Write that down......