First Day of School

Today Taylor started Kindergarten. She was very apprehensive. She told me her favorite bear, Lily who goes everywhere with her was so worried that she cried last night. I told Taylor I was sorry. Taylor told me she was worried too but that she didn't cry (big girl). This morning I took her to her classroom and left her and then I cried LOL. She will be fine, she is much stronger than I am, and her teacher seems wonderful. I wanted to take her picture for her first day of school and she said that her uniform was so ugly I couldn't take any pictures. So I tricked her by asking Taylor if I could take a picture of her jumping rope, a pastime she takes very seriously. So here is the official first day of school picture under the guise of jumping rope :)

ps. this is the smallest uniform shirt they make so it's the best we could do!

Taylor and I are at Sara's for a few days while Tom's fishing and camping and such with Chuck. Sara keeps the cutest little boy and we took Taylor and Spencer to a park to walk around and look at some animals they have there. Spencer is absolutely smitten with Taylor and giggles at her every move. He wanted to hold her hand when they were both buckled into their car seats during the ride and if she has to correct him (like when he gets something that belongs to her) he hangs his head in embarressment - he cannot stand when Taylor has to "call him down". They had the best day. Tomorrow we take them shopping, Taylor wants some pretty shoes - we'll see how he takes being dragged around the mall by three women all day :)

Fresh Paint

Emilee has wanted to paint her room for awhile - she had so many posters and pictures on her wall that I said it would take weeks just to take down her stuff. She proved me wrong so I agreed to paint. And Taylor has wanted her room to be red (?) for some time and I told her I was not painting her bedroom red but I'd do something with red in it. So Emilee chose an electric green that this picture doesn't do justice to and found a cool comforter to replace her Redskins blanket (she still loves the Redskins, but decided it was time to update her look to an older girl's room). And I talked Taylor into a light aqua that matched her new comforter and painted all the woodwork red to tie into the red butterflies in her quilt. I also stenciled red butterflies all around the room - that was way more work than I anticipated lol. She got a red lamp and clock to finish it off. Emilee has kept her wall pretty clean (as of now) but her beloved Johnny Depp posters had to go back up as well as her Charles Billingsly pictures - some things are just too important to give up :)

Picnic at the Lake

We've been working really hard and so we decided we were going to go on a picnic at a nearby state park for some fun. We invited Chuck and Sara and Chuck brought their boat. He took Sara and Emilee and Taylor for a ride and Taylor got to play in the play area of the lake for a few minutes and then a thunderstorm rolled in and messed up our fun. At least we got to eat first :)

Swim Lessons

Our little Polliwog is now officially a Guppy. Taylor took lessons at the YMCA and passed the first level. The certificate has a picture of a polliwog on the front. She asked why. Emilee told her that when she started she was classified as a baby frog and now she'd graduated to baby fish - guppy. Ewwwww, I NOT a FROG! Taylor is happy to be a baby fish and says that maybe she will be a dolphin someday!

Last Day of Vacation - 4th of July

It's our last day here - We love 4th of July at Sandbridge. All our friends come in and we get to catch up on what everyone's been doing all year. It's like a giant block party. Taylor goes to the pool 3 or 4 times each day, the association brought in a giant water slide for the kids and there was a golf cart parade - Emilee and Slinky are waiting for it to start - everyone throws lots of candy! Tonight we all get to go to a fried chicken picnic thrown by the resort. I've whined so much about being sick but I still loved being here and the good news is we get to come back in September - Tom has work at a church down here and we get to return during the best part of the year on the coast. We couldn't stand that Sara and Chuck weren't with us so we've already made sure they can be with us when we return in the fall. I'll be counting the days :)

Sandbridge - summer vacation

Vacation time - Ive been sicker than I've been for years. But its a blessing in disguise. Emilee and Tom have had the chance to play and bond with Taylor that I get to experience every day. Emilee and Taylor have colored and painted and they are trading jokes and fun like true sisters. Last night they had a fun fight at dinner pouring their bottled water over top each other and sticking each other with their forks. Taylor has learned how to swim - I'm not sure why I'm paying for lessons in July lol - but she's going underwater and calling herself a dolphin. She and Tom have spent hours on the beach and at the pool. She would not have excelled at water play if I'd been along - she becomes bolder with Tom and he's had the time of his life playing with her. The picture of Emilee and Taylor was taken right outside our campre door, that's the Back Bay right in our backyard and we love this place. The bay at our door and the Atlantic ocean a block's walk away - it doesn't get any better than this. A day here, even when sick, is paradise. And, don't forget to check out Taylor's tattoo. When Emilee decided to get a butterfly henna tattoo on her ankle, Taylor just started sobbing and I was upset, and asked her what was wrong. She answered, Emilee will be like Sara (who has a real tattoo) and they will match and I won't. So, of course, Taylor got a butterfly tattoo so she could "match" her sisters. Her actions are speaking louder than words, she is starting to realize what we've known all along. She is a true part of the family, our baby girl and Sara and Emilee's little sister. And finally, Chuck, Taylor played golf with Tom - watch out - she will give you a run for your money (or at least keep you entertained LOL). We'll have to demonstrate her golfing skills when you guys come in next time.