Pearls & Peridots

Hello Friends & Family Members.

It’s September already though I think we should just rename this month “Birthday” lol. Anyway – like normal, we will be having one combined party for all three kids this year. If I haven’t sent you details for their Sept 13 party – let me know;)

For those who want to buy gifts (not required) here is the requested wish lists:

First- none of the kids need clothes. We had some very successful Value Village shopping trips in the last few weeks and their wardrobes are stocked as are all of their drawers lol.

Ariel really likes crafty stuff – especially card making, scrapbooking and jewelry making. Her favorite color is still blue and she loves anything to do with horses and cats. She also wants the board games Apples to Apples and Bonhanza.

Kahlan likes superheros – Spiderman, Iron Man, Transformers, etc. He has also really gotten interested in building things lately (lego, mechano, etc).  He also loves Bakugan.

Rayelle is still a little into the little girly stuff – tiaras, jewelry, dress up stuff, etc. She also would love some new Webkinz, crafty stuff of her own, etc. Her favorite color is pink.

ALL THREE – if you are planning to get one gift for all three smart options would be board games (Apples to Apples or Bonhanza) or Wii games.

Today is Rayelle’s fifth birthday – and her first day of Kindergarten! Since she is in the afternoon class, Dave and I picked her up from daycare after lunch and brought her to school. As the birthday girl, she got a special crown to wear for the day and a special coloring book to take home. She was thrilled. She did a fabulous job for her first day, she wasn’t the least bit shy and she was talking a mile a minute when we picked her up!

I did fairly well to, considering that my last baby is off to school! I only got choked up once – after school when I went in to pick her up and then walked down the hall way with all three of my kids in front talking to each other about what they had done that day. I got a little choked up then, lol. They aren’t my babies anymore, they are little people with entire lives that are no longer centered on my. As selfish as it sounds, I kind of liked being the center of their universe, lol.

Anyway – after school we had chore time like always and then Rayelle got to open her presents. She got a My Little Pony set, a Dora activity book with markers, a new pair of running shoes and a Barbie movie. She then got to go shopping with Daddy to pick out what she wanted for supper which ended up being waffles with strawberries, peaches and cool whip, followed by a fabulous angel food birthday cake.  Girl after my own heart, lol.

Can you tell I am LOVING this new Gallery tool I found on my blog? Here are pics from her meet the teacher meeting last week (#1-5), her first day today (#6-9) and her birthday.

I promise, this will be my last vacation post:) I looked – and this makes it one less post then last year and we were only gone 2 nights last year – so not bad eh?   Overall, we had a fabulous week with wonderful weather. We did find it to be a bit of a long time to be away from everything and we have booked the cabin next year (yes ALREADY lol) for 3 nights in the beginning of July and 3 nights at the end of August. That will break it up nicer for us, and stretch our stay over the summer.

So – here are a few other random pics that didn’t fit the previous posts. Enjoy:)

The Look (given to Dave because he wouldn’t stop taking pictures while I was trying to enjoy a freezie)

Ariel – posing with my glasses and working on her vacation journal (I will put it on her blog shortly)

Sisters I love watching them together, it makes me feel bad for Kahlan for not having a brother though, lol.

And – relaxing:)

So, as promised – a photo comparison showing the water levels at the falls. All three pictures taken at the same spot and I added a red arrow pointing to the same rock to give a point of reference:)

2006 -  water level low, barely any rapids at this point.

2007 – Water levels somewhat high, much more rapids then last year.

2008 – Rapids are much bigger, the water level is so high it’s nearly reached the rock I used as the point of reference.