First days & Last days

Today was the BIG day. The 1st Day of 1st Grade.

To be exact, it was the first day of a new three-year cycle at Josephine's montessori school. A new classroom for the first time in three years. A new teacher for the first time in new years. A whole new floor of the building.  Lots of first that we all couldn't be more excited about.

So, here's Josie with her big kid backpack and shoes that she easily ties herself now and outfit she picked out on her own right down to the accessories and her turkey, gouda and lettuce sandwich with a giant whole carrot on the side. And a little reminder that even in the ongoing sprint to the land of grown-ups, she's still our sweet, silly, happy little Josie-Posie.

And, you won't believe this. I never posted the annual first day/last day pic from last year's kindergarten. Drum roll please.

Hard to believe this time last year we still lived in East Walnut Hills and her first day of school last year was in front of our "Peace Tree."

Here are a couple extra photos from her last day of kindergarten and last day of her three-year pre-primary three year montessori cycle. Totally fun that she was even able to wear the same dress (but most definitely not the same shoes)!

And, just for fun, take a glimpse back into the transformation during her first year of school and the transformation during her second year.

Home (from the PNW).

We're back. At least physically. Mentally - almost.  Our 10 day trip to the Pacific Northwest was absolute perfection. There are hundreds of photos to tell the tale, but those won't make it on the blog just yet.  Oddly, last week's red-eye home is still taking it's toll. In fact, our girls are both asleep before 9pm for the first time since we've been home. We're almost back on EST.  We're on the other side of piles of salty laundry. There are still several new beach treasures finding permanent homes in the heart of the Midwest.

Maybe you were following along on Instagram, but with super-spotty coverage, I promise you there's even more goodness populating the "FULL DRIVE" on my camera.  In the meantime, here's a little video sneak peak of all that good PNW beach goodness.





And, in case you haven't stumbled upon the joys of flipagram yet, here's my iphone camera roll from the trip reduced to < 1 minute.

And now she is 6.

(All the birthday deets to follow over the next week or so. We're kinda spreading this birthday out.)

away.

The return of summer sunshine

We are finally (I hope) on the other side of what was the rainiest start to summer since I started caring about things like rainy summer starts.

So, cue "Here comes the sun (do, do, do, do)" because "it's alright..."

Early to bed, Early to rise

Long days make for short nights

New friends and the promise of a magical school year

Wildflowers at the Nature Center

New discoveries at Grandma Fifi & Grandpa Bop's House

Get your buns to the Nature Center's Natural Playscape

The pool is even more fun with friends.

We've perfected the art of water ballet.

Surrounded by loveliness this time of year.

Oh these little darlings in the summer sunshine.

Sun, Sun, Sun - Here it Comes. 

(Let's hope it stays.)