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First day of school

Monday marked the start of a new school year - Violet in 2nd grade and Riley in preschool!


This boy makes me giggle :)

I can't wait to see how Violet's looks change over the year with her new teeth growing in... :)

My favorite part about the first day is that Rick always takes the morning off so he can be there when the kids start school. I love that about him. :)

Oh yeah - and my apron came in! I love love love love love it :)

As of Monday...

...I will be prancing around my house in this happy little apron. I adore it!

...both kids will be starting school. Violet in 2nd grade in my friend Joelle's class (yay!) and Riley at Violet's school in their Early Childhood Ed program. Riley is going to be what's called a "typical peer" in a special ed classroom. He will get the chance to learn about kids who are different (and how they are not so different after all), to model appropriate classroom behaviors, and to go to school 4 mornings a week with his sister. I am really excited about this for Riley. He is thrilled too... because the other two typical peers (in this class of 8 total students!) are his friends. Nothing like stacking the deck in your favor!! Joelle's son and Erin's daughter will be in there with Riley. It will be fantastic. :)

...I will be attempting to stick to a "work" schedule that coincides with Riley's school schedule. So from 9-11:45 every morning I will be doing stuff for my photo business. Hopefully this will start eliminating my late-night editing that always seems to happen. Of course I will be wearing my apron, which I am sure will motivate me even more!! LOL

Well, that's it for now. I have to get back to some late-night photo editing. My day shift doesn't start for a couple more days ;)

On the beach

These two had so much fun! Riley and Violet played all day. Violet spent about 90% of the time boogie boarding (by the end she was catching waves, then getting up on her knees with no hands!). Riley spent his time digging in the sand, making sand castles, and smashing them with his Uncle Luke. Good times :)

I didn't get to surf this time but I did boogie board with Violet a lot - we caught a ton of "family waves," which were awesome! Violet and Riley wore life jackets the whole time they were in the water and it was a great idea for us - I had the peace of mind knowing that if Violet was accidentally caught in a rip she would still be okay, and Violet had the confidence knowing that she could be out with the bigger people and catching the superfun waves. I don't know if she will need the jacket next summer... she was already doing really well. Riley definitely will, though. He was still pretty timid about the waves in general (though he did do a little boogie boarding one day... it was hysterical!).

Rick got to surf, and found himself his very own longboard for quite a steal at the local surf shop. He needs to practice some more, of course, so I have a feeling we will be spending a lot of summers in the years to come at the beach so he can "hone his skills." ;)

The TV stayed off the entire week. I LOVED that. When we weren't at the beach, we were reading, playing cards, or napping. The perfect way to spend a vacation. And of course the house we stayed at was phenomenal! The woman who owned it was definitely an interior designer - all the furnishings, paint, fixtures, hardware, even appliances - were completely fabulous. The house looked like it was taken straight out of Cottage Living Magazine or the Pottery Barn catalog. It was a little nerve-wracking staying there with all the white furniture (the couches and chairs were all white slipcovered, and the beds in the room we stayed in were pure white - from the sheets to the pillows to the comforters), but it sure looked classy! And we didn't even manage to spill any wine!

Of course a trip to California isn't complete without a stop at IKEA, and I finally got to use my $100 gift card that I have had since Christmas! Rick and I got some cool barstools to use as seating around our pool table-pingpong-top-slash-dining-area, under-cabinet lighting for the kitchen, wall shelves for Rick's office, more shelves for our stairway "art gallery," a desk lamp for my office and a couple more lamps for our living room, a cute little table for next to our couch, and some fun hanging organizer things for the kids' rooms. Of course that totalled a bit more than $100, but it was still a great deal! :)

I ended up coming back with an ear infection, which kind of stunk, but otherwise the vacation was relaxing and beautiful and wonderful.

We spent the week after getting back preparing for Grandma's memorial service, which was lovely. We had no doubt she was loved by many, but it was wonderful seeing all the people whose lives she touched over the years join us in saying goodbye to her. Melinda played her flute (and did an incredible job, especially considering that she was crying while playing), Liane and Dad spoke, and I did a reading from Psalm 139. Heather did a New Testament reading, and my aunt Tish spoke too. Afterward there was a lovely luncheon reception at the church, followed by a family gathering at my parents' house. I had created a guestbook/scrapbook that was signed by all the guests and it was great looking through all the old photos and thinking of Grandma as a younger woman. I am so glad she is no longer hurting and is with God right now, no doubt looking as beautiful as her photos from so long ago.

Now we come to the task known as "Clean and Purge"... when Rick and I bring large black trash bags into our children's rooms and GET RID OF STUFF. It is a happy time for me, because my children accumulate far too much stuff. Especially Violet. Her room is an ever-expanding swampland of paper scraps, Polly Pockets, and Beanie Babies. No more. Tonight she will sleep in a clean room, with hopefully 2/3 less STUFF than is in her room. Of course I am procrastinating by writing my blog... but now I will go and work in her room. Hopefully I will come out in one piece!

In the Tube

An image from our California vacation... Uncle Luke, Riley's idol :)

more later...

Remembering Grandma

you can click on the image to see it bigger...

My Grandma Jane passed away on Friday while we were still in California. We knew she wasn't doing well but we thought she could hopefully hang on until we returned on Saturday. Alas, she had other plans - as an independent woman she always has had her own agenda - and she decided Friday would be a good day to go home to be with the Lord. She was with my aunt Tish when she died, so she was not alone. And because it's still summer, Melinda will be able to be a part of her memorial service. Anyone in town is welcome to attend - we will be saying goodbye to her on Saturday, August 11, at noon at Christ Church Episcopal.