School Open House

I am so proud of my kids. It's not easy to leave a school and friends you love and start over. Arran's in 2nd grade so it's been a harder transition really. For Bryttain in Kindergarten it was all pretty new anyway. They are working hard and doing really well and I hope things will get easier and more fun as time passes. They were so proud and excited to show us their work.

A busy day

Some days are busier than others. This morning Asia and I went to school to watch Bryttain's class during dance. They were so cute.

 

With all the budget cuts subjects like dance, PE, art, music and the like would be non-existent, but here in Mill Valley an organization called Kiddo raises funds from parents and local businesses to keep them in our schools. We're very fortunate.

Then after lunch Asia had soccer class. Even cuter. I think she did really well and more importantly, she really enjoyed it.

Easter Sunday

The big day arrived and with it one of the highlights of the year - our church easter egg hunt.

Easter Preparations

We love the traditions that we have as a family, that they expect and look forward to. Easter and filling eggs at the Busches (for the church hunt the next day) is one of those fun traditions that we get to share with friends. It used to seem a little overwhelming but the kids are all getting older and so much more capable that this year was a breeze, we seriously finished in record time.

All the kids minus Judah - that's quite the crowd. They were so little when we started (and the group much smaller)

Then we got to do a little trial run egg hunt.

Always fun to hang out with friends and it makes the work much more enjoyable. The kids all did a great job with such great attitudes. 

They're baskets are ready and waiting for them to find in the morning.

Kindies Take The Stage

I know it seems like this whole blog has become about Bryttain, it's just that she's the one who likes to try out new things, which we're all for. She just finished an after school program called 'Kindies Take the Stage' which was just once a week for an hour. They finished up with a little performance which we all got to watch tonight.

It was pretty basic but it was fun to see her on stage, especially as I enjoyed drama so much when I was in school. They did a little show loosely based on nursery rhymes.

 Waiting for the show to start.

My precious little blind mouse.

Sweet girl

Still can't believe she's six.

Starting softball

We signed Bryttain up for softball this year and here are a few photos from the first practice this week.
She was very shy and nervous when we first arrived, she knew one girl from her class at school but all the rest of the girls were new to her and the game was brand new too. I hope it's going to be fun.

I was very glad daddy was able to come for the first practice as it helped her get out there and I had the other two to watch as well as take photos. (They played well together and made paper airplanes)

It's a whole new adventure!

Bryttain turns 6

February 28th was Bryttain's birthday. Six years old! This is one exuberant little girl, she challenges us but also brings us so much joy. What kid does not enjoy opening birthday presents?

As we were thinking about birthdays I realized that she had never had a birthday party of her own. With Arran and Bryttain's birthdays only being two weeks apart, we have done several joint birthday parties but because of that we have kept them pretty generic. Of course we didn't have space to host a party but then it dawned on me that they have rooms at the seminary that we might be able to rent. Turned out we could, and at a great rate, so I set about planning a girly party for my girl.

Turns out planning a party that you have to set up elsewhere in a limited amount of time instead of gradually putting together in your own home, is a lot of work. But it was fun! After going back and forth and back again, rather than making her decide on a single theme, it became a princess/ballerina/fairy party with the girls encouraged to come in costume, with a couple of baskets of alternatives for them to change into or for those who hadn't come in costume.

We had almost 30 little girls between, family, friends and school friends. Throw in some sugar and that was a lot of energy and personality (!) to be contained in one room. We had crafts and dancing games and of course food and a pinata.

The girls got to make ribbon wands.

There was coloring and they got to decorate little tiara crown headbands.

Dancing games.

The pinata was so much fun and then they all pounced.

Our sweet girl. Not sure how soon we'll do a party to that scale again but it was worth it.

It never ends...

Monday may have been a holiday and there may not have been school, but the house still needing tidying and laundry had to be done (it may or may not have been LONG overdue), so I put the minions to work.

What good kids. I really should do that more often. :)

Eight!

Last weekend was his birthday. Eight years old...I seriously do not know how this happened. I think back to all the times he was a baby and I was told to "Enjoy every moment, because they grow up so fast..." and I feel his childhood slipping away. I cannot stop it, it's like trying to stop water running through my fingers.

This boy changed our life, forever. What a gentle introduction to parenthood he was and continues to be; he loves to please, he is a peacemaker and a rule follower, sensitive, kind and thoughtful. Yet my heart breaks for him as I see some of the struggles he has had to face this year, the problems he has encountered and had to deal with on his own. To feel helpless as a parent and not be able to fix the problems, to know that at times he can feel so alone. A new school and trying to make new friends, it has been hard. He is not one to impose himself on others and he plays it safe. He feels so deeply, I know that this will at times be both a huge blessing and sometimes feel like a curse.

My prayer for him this year is that he will grow in boldness. That he will feel safe and loved and find his voice. That he will worry less about what others think and first and foremost be sure of what he believes to be true and right, so that he can be confident and unshaken. There needs to be much prayer and I feel challenged...

We did not have a party this year, but he asked to see a movie with his cousins and have a sleepover, so that is what we did on Friday night. We took them all to see Journey 2: The Mysterious Island and then we went out for pizza. It was a late night with children talking way past their bedtime. I love the relationship he has with his cousin though, I love that they can talk for hours and that they really 'get' each other. He truly is the closest he has ever come to having a brother. I loved hearing their little voices and wondering what on earth they could still be talking about as 10:30pm rolled around. So sweet!

On Sunday we had a couple of other friends over for lunch so that the kids could play together and his birthday would not feel forgotten. Just the two families we are closest to, but our little house here felt very full, the children by far outnumber the adults now. It has been fun to watch all these children growing up together and starting to see the people they will become. We all have adventures ahead of us.

Happy Birthday to my wonderful boy!