I can't believe this little baby is 15 years old today! One of the most amazing days of my life was becoming his mother. And he has kept me on my toes ever since. {grin}
Happiest of days to my firstborn!
Can't wait to celebrate YOU.
Sunday, June 30, 2024
Thursday, June 27, 2024
Peace Out 2023-24 School Year!
It took me awhile to be able to write the end of school year post because I was waiting on everyone's report cards! Such a foreign concept in this family, ha!
As a reminder, Trent and Drew started the school year at a new school. When Trent 'graduated' from our local Montessori school, Drew decided she wanted to change schools too, so we applied for all 3 of them to go to a different charter school. Trent got in a week before school started, and Drew got in the Friday before. So when we started, we were doing 2 drop-offs and pick-ups but found our rhythm. Then Paige got in right before Thanksgiving, so we ended 2023 with the kids at one school again, yay!
First week down!
Everyone seemed to settle into the new school really well! Paige transitioned last but within a couple of days was rocking it. When she got into her new class, she had a girl from her Girl Scout troop in her class, so she had easy transition. She loved her teacher, loved her class, loved PE/recess/music, just overall loved it all! Her report card was excellent - she got EE {Exceeds Expectations} on everything and is very excited for 2nd grade.
Drew struggled with anxiety for a little while but quickly found her stride. Her best friend since Kinder also moved to this school, so she was very happy to have a friend. She made new friends, adjusted to having homework and studying for tests, and basically rocked the year. She made the all A honor roll which was very exciting!
And of course can't forget my firstborn! He also had a great year - settled in really nicely into having homework, taking tests, studying. His entire friend group moved to this school, which also helped him settle in, but he also made new friends too. He didn't make all As for every grading period, but he ended the year with all of his yearend averages being As, so we were very proud of him as well!
We survived!
And now we've been enjoying a month of summer with another 7 weeks off of school!
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
Stockholders Dinner 2024
We had another great weekend in Houston with our LJA family for the annual Stockholders Dinner. We have developed a fun routine that we follow to a T every year and make the most out of our 48 hours away!
We left Friday around lunchtime, and we girls {me, Susannah, and Desiree} went straight to Blo Bar to get our hair fixed. Afterwards it was time to get ready for dinner and meet the guys at 6:00.
Another Lilly Pulitzer dress for the win!
I didn't think I could like a dress more than last year's Barbie dress,
but I LOVED this one!
With my handsome date!
My LJA wives!
Caught with 2 phones! Brent loves to catch me on my phone,
so we had a good laugh when I was texting on my phone AND his {to Drew}.
I always travel with my fan, and the hotel has them as well.
So I had TWO fans - seriously best hotel EVER.
Friday we went to our favorite brunch spot in Houston before spending the afternoon at the pool.
Good laugh at the GIANT reading glasses we found in the Uber.
Doesn't get better than this!
After a great afternoon at the pool, we went out for an amazing Mexican food dinner.
Ready for dinner...continuing the floral theme for the weekend!
Brent waiting to get sorted into his Hogwarts House. Ha!
Friday, June 14, 2024
Bridging to Cadettes
We had a big milestone with Drew's Girl Scout troop! All of the girls are staying as we transition to the next level from Juniors to Cadettes. The older girls get, the harder it is to keep them in a troop, so it was really exciting they all want to stay. We had a ceremony in a local park to commemorate followed by a sleepover at our house.
One mom made hangers for each girl, so sweet!
Saying goodbye to her Juniors vest!
Walking across the bridge
In her new Cadette vest
The whole troop - such a great group of girls!
I never thought I would enjoy Girl Scouts so much, ha!
The 3 troop leaders
As Cadettes, we can travel out of state, and the girls are already thinking of where we want to go! Very excited to see where the next year takes us!
Monday, June 10, 2024
Broadway Across America: Frozen
I took the girls to see the last musical of the season, Frozen. Both girls are out of their Frozen era, but I was hoping they would be excited to go, and they so were!
We went with my mom, 2 book club friends, and another mom/daughter duo from Drew's GS troop - was a great group!
I loved that the girls dressed up a little!
So many little girls in their Elsa and Anna outfits, so cute!
Plot: Fearless optimist Anna teams up with rugged mountain man Kristoff and his loyal reindeer Sven in an epic journey to find Anna's sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter.
Review: I liked this but didn't love it like I thought I would. The basic plot stayed true to the movie, but there were so many new songs and so many little differences - some worked and some didn't. The acting and singing was phenomenal and the set and special effects were SO cool! I think this is worth going to, but it won't top my favorites list.
Monday, June 3, 2024
May 2024 Book Review
Another month gone in 2024! This was a slow month of reading for me - largely due to the addition of Gus and my fun dip into anxiety.
Squirm by Carl Hiaasen - The latest young reader book by Carl Hiaasen that Drew and I read together. These {in my opinion} have largely been very silly and ridiculous, and while this one was too, I enjoyed it the most of these. Drew really enjoys them, so they are definitely hitting their target audience correctly!
The Women by Kristin Hannah - If you have read any of Kristin Hannah's books, you know you are in for a heavy read. But Kristin's writing style is super special and usually makes me happy to have read the book. Except The Four Winds - that was a beating from beginning to end. With that said, I was hesitant going into The Women as the subject matter was the story of a combat nurse in Vietnam - not known for being a happy time or place. Well, the book was certainly heavy and hard with lots of sadness. BUT it was also excellent! The book spends about half following the main character, Frankie, in Vietnam and then half following her experience with PTSD after returning to the US. Absolutely loved this book, but it has trigger warnings for days, so please be careful with this one. I finished it BEFORE the anxiety spiral, very glad about that!
The Kiss Countdown by Etta Easton - This was just about the perfect rom-com. Absolutely adored it. Amerie is a struggling event planner who literally bumps into an astronaut in a coffee shop and a fake dating trope is born. I found this delightful and am excited for more by this author!
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling - Paige and I finished book 3 and she is OBSESSED. I am LOVING sharing the world of Harry Potter with her!!
How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang - Another tropey romance novel? Let's do it! Although this spends a lot of time discussing grief, so I wanted to share that as it could be tough for some. Helen and Grant went to high school together but didn't interact much, and then Helen's sister commits suicide by jumping in front of Grant's car. Years later, Grant is a screenwriter turning Helen's hit YA book series into a TV show. Helen hates Grant...or does she? I really enjoyed how real this felt and loved the evolution of these characters! Highly recommend...just be aware that grief is a big part of the story.
The Girl in the Photograph by Byron L. Dorgan - I bought this book in a local bookstore on our trip in 2022 to Hilton Head {I told y'all I'm terrible about reading physical books!}. Small hiccup that the book I thought I was getting {about a missing girl} wasn't quite right - the 'missing' girl was more that the author {as a US Senator} read a terrible story about the abuse of a First American girl in foster care in his district and years later met with her again. So she wasn't truly missing, but her story highlighted a lot of the problems First Americans face after hundreds of years of systemic racism and mistreatment by the American government. I enjoyed the way the author organized the book - each chapter was focused on a problem indigenous Americans face, how the problem arose, etc. It was very upsetting at times to read story after story of mistreatment, but I loved how the author spent several chapters focusing on leaders and future leaders {young people doing amazing things} and different wants the tide was starting to turn. This is an important book that I think everyone should read!
My average for the month was 4.1 - pretty solid month if a little on the slower side.
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