Fair Time (x2)

Somehow we have started this tradition of going to the fair in our town and THEN going to the fair in Harrison with Mom and Dad.  I'm not sure why I've kept this spoiling up, other than it is so fun to go twice, hehe. We started out the fair festivities on a Thursday evening and the weather was perfectly overcast.  The girls were beyond pumped to get started.

 They rode a few rides together but then Amelia the daredevil couldn't wait to break off and spend a few of her tickets on some "big kid" rides with her Daddy.

 Elise was content to watch Amelia on the bigger rides, but did try this one with us.  She was NOT happy, lol.  I think she will be a low thrill seeker like me. 

 

The next weekend the fair was in Boone County, and we dusted off our boots for round two.  Of course, this fair is a little cooler to the girls because Gam and Gamp were there.  They make everything cooler.

 Thankfully Mom and I were exempt from the spinny rides!

 Elise looked so adorable in this little getup.  She always tucks her arms right in her armpits when she poses for a picture.

 This should be the poster for spoiling your grandkids at the fair.  The girls were elated to play like three games each and win all these prizes.  Haha, I wouldn't change a bit of it.

Big Girls

Poor long-legged Amelia was at the very end of her toddler bed.  So, I finally bit the bullet and got some twin beds for the girls.  It took a ton of research to find a way to fit these in the world's smallest bedroom, but they fit and the girls LOVE them.  They both have been sleeping in them so well. 

When G came to help us out the first week of school, they couldn't wait to show her.

Elise started a more serious ballet class and is loving it.  (We switched studios, but that is another post for another time).

First Week in the Books

 Amelia and Elise had wonderful first weeks and to celebrate everyone making it through with smiles in tact, we went to celebrate with go-karts, arcade games, and ice cream.  A simple night that had me grinning from ear to ear.  LOVE nights like this.

Amelia's First Day of Kindergarten

This day was nothing like I expected.  We all got up and were happy as larks.  Even thought it was WAY earlier than we had woken up all summer, we did it.  Amelia was THRILLED and surprisingly, I was too.  All of my previous sadness seemed to have dissipated and I was in full on crazy about school mode.

A huge part of me being so calm was that I got to walk Amelia into the school and watch her go into the gym.  My heart broke for all the parents that were having to just drop their kids off in the car line and trust me, my heart was leaping for joy ALL day at that privilege.  I volunteered making copies the whole morning until lunch and was so excited waiting for the lunch bell. 

 

It was so fun getting to see the kids come into the lunchroom for the first time and get their trays.  Obviously, I was the most excited to check in on one super sweet girl.

 

All of my sweet family and friends were calling and texting throughout the day and it made the entire event that much more special.   The final bell rang and I could have just squeezed Mil Bug into pieces.  I was so tickled to get my arms around her and get her home.  Successful first day of K!

Open House for Kindergarten

 Amelia was SO ready for her Open House.  I am the co-Building Coordinator for the school (I help head up the parent volunteers) and so I had to sit at our sign in table the rest of the night.  Mom and Dad came up to take the girls home afterwards and so they got to go on the tour of the school with us!  Poor Rossco missed out.

 Amelia was not nearly as shy as normal.  She answered her teacher when she asked her a question and really seemed happy and excited.  This made my heart feel so much joy.  It has taken me a while to accept that Amelia is not me.  I know that is silly, but it is true.  She acts so much like me at times that I forget she has a totally different personality.  Amelia is timid in groups and quite shy at first when she meets people.  That is hard for me to fathom and I used to be bad about calling attention to it or making her feel silly for being HER.  I'm no where near perfect, but working on this. 

 She was so pumped to find her class table in the lunchroom.  Isn't she just the cutest?

This was a fabulous night to get me prepared for K the next week.  When I saw how ready she was and how the excitement was building, I couldn't help but get so excited too.  Yahooo for school!

Elise Mae Starts Pre-K

 Elise almost missed her first day of school.  OOPS.  I had in my head (and swear I had seen it on paper) that she started the same day as Amelia (WEDNESDAY).  That makes sense, right??  Sunday night after the girls are in bed, I get a text from Elise's teacher saying that she is excited for the first day tomorrow. WHAAAAAAAATTTTTTTT????  I immediately burst into tears for somehow getting confused.  Let it be known that I just do not get confused.  I plan and plan to the hilt.  So I called Mom bawling and she calmed me down.  Convinced me it was better for Elise to have a day of her own.  Ran this all by Steph and she agreed.  So I got it together and headed to the store to buy some special things for her.  When she woke up, I told her she started school and she jumped out of bed and never missed a beat!

She did awesome without her sister.  I am so proud of her and how far she has come with leaving me.  This was a huge feat because all summer she had talked about being sad to be at preschool without Amelia and that it wouldn't be the same.  Go Leesey!!!  Proud of you.

Fair Queens

Amelia has been asking to be in a pageant since she was two.  We finally said that when she was five, she would be old enough.  She reminded us of this the MOMENT she turned five.  I reluctantly agreed to let her and Elise (second kid gets to do everything sooner, it seems) be in our Fair Pageant. 

Disclaimer:  I love WATCHING pageants.  Always have.  I loved our ATU pageants in college. We even went to the Miss Arkansas pageant a few times- so fun.  And all growing up my family watched Miss America and kept score on sheets of paper.  However, I never liked being in them that much.  Truth be told, I just hate to lose.  But let me tell you, it is another ballgame completely when it is your baby.  Goodness sakes, they should all get a crown.  They are just as precious as can be!!  It was a good lesson for me; whew.

We went out and saw Gammy and Gampy before the shindig started.  Calmed me right down.  They always make everything better.  So glad they were there helping me out!

Elise was up first and she was SO excited. She wanted to walk across the stage by herself but they made the moms stand behind the kids on stage.  Elise told me to stand at the VERY back of the stage.  I just knew her personality would come out full force and it did.  She was shaking her dress beads and twirling and smiling and waving.  I could have just bawled right then and there at how much fun she was having.  Then she got called back out for Top 6 and she thought that meant she won.  I was so proud of her and she was my winner for sure!

I think her favorite part was blowing kisses to Gampy and Daddy and telling me that she could hear Gammy yelling for her. 

 

  

It was Amelia's turn next and the pageant director made me leave back stage and just let her do her thing.  AHHHHH.  She was simply stunning.  So proud of her.  Much more reserved than Mae Mae and walked across that stage with an understated beauty that was radiant.  We were all so thrilled when she won!!  I couldn't believe it.  Some of the girls that she was against have done tons and tons of pageants.  Wooohoooo Buzzy.

 We finished the night with go karts and arcade games and greasy food and ice cream.  TOTAL winning combo.