Sunday, September 30, 2012

The Big K! (First day 2012)

ON TO AUTUMN...

The school year is well under way now of course. And Josie is officially a kindergartener! And even though she didn't take the big yellow bus, or walk into new unfamiliar classroom territory, it was a big day. School. All day. Every day.  It's official. We're officially the parents of a school-aged child.

Here are some photos from her first day of kindergarten. You'll notice that her first day was actually from our old house. Interestingly, her first day of kindergarten was actually our last day in East Walnut Hills before moving.  (How's that for an insane amount of transition at once. EEK!)

So, here's Josie, for the last time, posing on the first day of school in front of what used to be Our "Peace Tree."  (Uh-oh, feeling a little nostalgic for the old house, but more on that in another post.)




Seriously Mom? Another pic? 




And, she's off!




Just for fun, Take a look back at her first year in pre-school and second year in pre-school.

I should mention, there are some special things about Josie's Kindergarten experience. For one, she's with the same two teachers and in the same classroom that she's been in for the past two years. She's finishing her three year montessori cycle in the "Pre-Primary" classroom, where she is now a part of the important eldest group of the classroom community.  In the morning she's with the whole 3-6 classroom and in the afternoons, it's just Josie and her teachers and the Kindergarten students. Here is her class (her whole class) making a cake entirely out of fruit the first week (courtesy of her teacher).


That's right. There are only sixth of them! 

Here's the work she brought home from the first day of school!

And the big hug from one of her favorite adults on the planet - the extended day teacher Donna!

We are unbelievably grateful for Josie's Kindergarten experience, and the two years leading up to it. A lot of the kind, loving person that she is can be attributed to the classroom values and montessori philosophy. Already she is exhibiting such a boom in independence, and while it's hard to let go of some of the things she's always need us for, it's absolutely amazing to watch her blossom.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

The Nests

This is just too "something" (amazing? coincidental? cosmic? unbelievable? crazy?) not to share.

On our first day in our house in East Walnut Hills, we found this nest.  We took it to be a good omen, a symbol of "our new nest," and we photographed it and hung it in our home as a reminder of all that it symbolized. Much later, when Bea was born, the nest took on more significance.



On our last day in our new house, Josie found this nest.  How cool is that?  We still haven't unwrapped the meaning in this moment, but I think it was definitely just a nice way for us to close our last moments in that house.


See more on bird symbolism for us here and here.





Friday, September 28, 2012

Sayonara Summer (For Real This Time)

So I'm officially caught up on the Summer blog posts. And to officially send Summer on its way, we had a little photoshoot in the yard last Sunny Sunday.  Enjoy!






































Oh yea, we moved

So this is the Moving Post.  While there's been no shortage of instagram posts and facebook updates on the matter, there's yet to be an official blog. So here it is.

The entire month of August was pretty much dedicated to packing and moving. Looking back, it was a pretty sucky way to spend a big chunk of our summer. But, it was also really nice to close out summer there and start anew here at The New Home.  

Already, our just-over-two years in East Walnut Hills feels like such a brief moment in time.  Lots and lots of really important things happened in that house. (Most notably the miracle that is Baby Bea!)   So, while I'll spare everyone the details of why we had to move, then didn't have to move, then decided not to move, then decided maybe we should, then went through some crazy negotiations, then decided to abandon the whole thing and stay put, then found "The One" - the "game changer" - well, suffice it to say it was some dramatic stuff. But, all's well that ends well and we are blissfully, insanely happy with our new home.  I'll do a post eventually about all that makes this house so special, but really it's just "Us" in meaningful ways.

But, this is the moving post. So, in the ongoing pursuit to document the lives of The Four Schneiders for us to return to and reflect upon over the years...here it is!

We own it!


And celebrate!


Time to pack!

And pack!


And pack!

And pack!

And deliver!

And unpack!

And unearth!

And organize, according to the priorities. First up- playroom!




And celebrate the SPACE!

And pull into the driveway of a new home!

And make progress!


And face some unloved spaces.



And deny the stuff you don't want to tackle. In this case, my office.



And then realize all the craziness of the move was totally worth it! When this happens: