Drew's First Day of Kindergarten!



It's hard to believe, but the day is finally here.  Drew started Kindergarten this morning!  We've been talking about it for the past few weeks and even practiced walking to school at the right time a few times last week.  This morning went off without a hitch and he walked right into his classroom like it was the most natural thing in the world!  We've prayed long and hard for this school year and are excited to see what great things are in store for all of us.  Here's a few pictures from the first day!

 



 

 

We're looking forward to a great year with Ms. Hilliard and Broadway Elementary!!

Drew's 5th Birthday

Can it really be that my little boy is 5???  What a wonderful 5 years it has been!  Drew, I am blessed beyond measure to be your mommy and I look forward to watching you grow.  We started off the day with our traditional birthday pancakes, complete with candles.  I even managed to make one in the shape of the #5 (although it took 3 tries to get it right and even then it was more the thought that counts than the actual product...).  Then our day was spent relaxing and getting ready for the Lego party that afternoon!  The best surprise of the day came about an hour before the party when Daddy was able to surprise us all and come home from being offshore!!!  (We thought he was going to miss and have to still be gone for several more days, but the project reached a point where he could come home and we were so excited to see him!)  It was a great day, filled with fun, food, friends, and family.  Happy Birthday DREW!!!

Birthday pancakes

The Lego cake (made by Mommy)

 The party decorations

 Favor bags for our friends

 Party time!

 On the front door

 Legos, legos, everywhere...

 Time for presents

 A LeapPad from Mommy, Daddy, and Josh

 Calley (from Chuggington) from Gramps and Aunt Becca.  (He was so excited to get this train, he'd been talking about it for weeks and hoping that he might get it!)

 His new "spider" from Papaw Dave

 Legos and Ping Pong stuff from Gigi and Grandpa

 Automoblox from Grandma Joyce and Grandpa Jack

 Family picture before cake

 Blow out the candle

 Happy Birthday, Silly Boy!!

First day of Preschool 2011

Last Tuesday was the first day of preschool for both of the boys this year!  Drew went last year and this year Josh joined him.  Drew was super excited to be going back and was also excited to share his school with Josh.  All summer when we'd talk about going to school Josh would light up and he'd proudly say "me" (as in "I get to go too!").  We're excited about the year ahead!

Drew and Josh

Mommy with her boys

Daddy and the boys (Daddy took the day off!)

Drew helping Josh figure out how to put his backpack on by himself

Drew (Pre-K)

Josh (2 years)

Ready for school!



Josh's Big Boy Bed

We're starting to make the transition from crib to toddler bed for Josh.  (I say "starting" because it's a work in progress, he is really enjoying his newfound freedom and taking full advantage of it.)  He's super excited!

Drew and Josh as the bed was being set up

 Josh showing off his new sheets with tire tracks (he calls them choo-choo tracks)

 Happy boy

The completed look

 Josh standing next to his new bed

Such a big boy!!



Our California Adventure

At the end of March we took a trip to Los Angeles to visit Auntie Randi and the Fisher family in Malibu!  We had a great time!  We flew in on Thursday night and after picking up Auntie Randi we drove down to San Diego.  Yes, it's a couple of hours away, but when you're already that close it's totally worth the drive.  The zoo is wonderful and they have pandas!!  We had a nice time, even though it rained on us for most of the morning.

The koalas

Daddy with Drew and Josh

This is the way the boys spent most of the morning, huddled under the canopys of the stroller, peering out at the animals.

Giraffes

PANDA BEAR!!  This one was actually really active when we were walking through the exhibit.  Here he's licking some food paste off of the end of the log.

Amber with a sleeping panda

Randi

Mommy, Josh, Drew, Auntie Randi and a panda

Checking out the snow leopard

Daddy and Drew with camels

Auntie Randi and Josh with elephants

Josh/Auntie Randi and Drew/Daddy

More elephants

Auntie Randi LOVES elephants

Can you guess which one is the seal?

Drew "flying" a helicopter in the arctic exhibit

(The sun came out!!!)  Drew and Auntie Randi with the pandas

On the playground

Drew and Josh with their new safari hats (Thanks, Auntie Randi!)

Silly faces...

On Saturday we drove out to Malibu to spend some time with Kim, Brian, Evelyn and Marianne.  We had such a wonderful time with them and the kids got along beautifully!  They took us to a nearby beach at low tide and we were able to go "tidepooling."  Not something you'd really get to do anywhere around here.  We saw lots of starfish and sea anemones.  We had lots of fun exploring and just enjoying ourselves.

Family picture

The Fisher family

Drew found a stick and practiced writing his name in the sand. 

The view outside of Kim and Brian's condo - God is good! 

A rare picture of just Russell & Amber!

On Sunday night we went out to the Santa Monica pier on our way back to Randi's apartment.  It was pretty windy and the boys weren't in the best of moods, but we got a few pictures anyway.