1st week of school....UPDATE

Amelia is sad about going to school in the morning but comes home happy in the afternoon.  She says it's too long to be away from her mommy :(  She didn't eat her lunch, and I mean not one bite, the first or second day but it looks like a little bit was missing on Friday.  She has shed some tears randomly throughout the day and tells me she doesn't want to go so here goes the Kissing Hand.  She seems to like the story so hopefully that will help tomorrow.  Daddy is taking them tomorrow....hope she goes off happily.  

1st Day of school 2013

I can't believe it but we have a 2nd grader and a kindergartener!  Whoa, how did that happen? :)  It went off without a hitch.  Jeremy was a little apprehensive and it was crowded and Ryan was out of town so it was tough for me to stand in two different lines waiting for the teachers to take them but once I kissed J goodbye and took Amelia to the Kindergarten line, he was fine.  Mabel and I waited with Amelia and she turned and asked me if "we could go yet?"  I told her she had to wait for the teacher to go into the classroom.  No tears or nerves that I could tell.

Mabel and I went home, picked up a friend, made Amelia's schultuete and Annie joined and made Jbird a sign to welcome him home.  Porter came over because both Annie and Porter wanted to go to pick up with me.  Amelia came out as line leader, no surprise there, and everyone had a good day.

I'm very proud of you guys and I love you very much! 

Bass Lake 2013

We spent the last weekend of summer vacation camping at Bass Lake, about an hour from Fresno.  We camped at the same site last year but added the Taylor family this year!  

Thank you Paul for the above pictures!  Jbird had a runny nose and he wiped it so much that it was raw and collected dirt.  Hence the black mustache.

 I took some pictures of my own....see below.

It was a great time.  Only a couple days until school starts so we are getting little errands done and some last play dates!!!!!

Cast is off!!!!!!

Mabel had an appt with a pediatric orthopedic today and even though the fracture is still "visible", he thinks she can go without it.  I'm a little nervous about it but I have to trust him because he's the expert right?!!!!!  

She wanted daddy there so Ryan came home early from work to join us.  I was able to sit back and take pics!  

Cast off first.

Then new X-rays...

Driving home with her cast now in her hands and not on her leg!

She doesn't want to walk yet but the dr says that's normal.

She was excited to show J and A her cast and the video of her cast getting cut off.

She is supposed to take it easy for a couple more weeks so no park trips, running, jumping, etc.  SO...we have taken apart her crib and purchased bunk beds so she can be in a big girl bed (on the bottom) so she will not climb out of her crib anymore.

UPDATE: It is now Sunday and she's still not walking.  I am getting a little stressed, worried and annoyed because I do not know why and if this is normal.

Holland Day 30: Headed home....

These pictures of Mabel at the airport in Germany crack me up.  Mabel was miserable.  She was scared of the guy pushing her and she was the youngest "chair" traveler by at least 70 years.  We were literally the first people on the plane + 11.5 hour air time + last people off the plane = LONG day!

No one slept during the flight until the girls fell asleep the last 20 minutes and Jbird dozed off once the wheels touched down in LA.  Funny guy was trying SO hard to stay awake.  They all were so well behaved and they even tried the airplane food :)  Well, except Amelia who now eats like a rabbit. 

Everyone is happy to be home in their own beds, with daddy and happy to have LOTS of ice in their drinks.  Night night.

Holland Day 29:

We spent our last day relaxing, visiting and packing.  Jbird went indoor skiing with Opa but I don't have any pictures.  Thank you Opa!

We went and had dinner at Oom Bert's house and the kids wanted to say hello to the "bunny in the window" one last time.

We fed the horses again

put sunglasses on Tilly

Heading home tomorrow. 

 We've got a long day tomorrow but we're excited to see daddy and get back to life in the States!

Holland Day 29:

Holland Day 28:

Oma and I took Mabel to the hospital to get a letter so she could fly and Sanja and Opa took the kids to Germany.  

Mabel waiting patiently at the hospital!

We met back up about 3pm, said goodbye to Sanja and then went to Irrland with Freek, Alexandra and the kids.

This place had everything.  Tons of space, bbqs to make food (which we did), animals, water slides, a pretend airport, crazy big slides, food and zip lines.  Zip lines are the kids new favorite thing!!!!