wordless wednesday-footprints

the alligator versus the artist

Chris decided to build a sandcastle one day while we were hanging out on the beach.



The Sand Alligator versus....the Artist.



The tide won.

:)

fourth grade

The day before school started,

Karsen had meet-the-teacher and picture day.

We also stopped by the White Oak tree they planted in her honor in May.

Her plaque is up too!

Karsen designed the cover for her school's annual Earth day calendar.

She was also the first 3rd grader to ever win!

She is so proud of her tree.

And I am glad she has a couple more years

left in Elementary school there

so we can watch it grow.

Speaking of growing....

She is so excited about fourth grade.

All of a sudden she is 9 and on her way...

So independent and grown up in so many ways.

She is a leader and thinks outside of the box!

She is proactive in every, single thing she does.

She is very "Type A" and prepared the night before

to do what she needs to do the next day.

Her outfit is picked out with matching headband and everything.

She is way more confident than I have ever been.

(I think she gets that from her Daddy) ;)

We have been "practicing" fractions for weeks because

she struggled with them at the end of 3rd grade

and she is bound and determined to figure them out!

She keeps asking

"What's fourth grade like?"

"Is it hard?"

"I hope I do well"

We are sure you will, Karsen!

Happy first day of fourth grade, Karsen Grace!

7th grade-welcome to middle school

All of a sudden you are in middle school.

7th grade

 April of this year you weighed 80 lbs.
Four months later you weigh 105lbs.

When did that happen?

Looking at your schedule.
Spanish
Pre-Algebra
Robotics
Changing classes.
Locker combinations, dressing out in gym class.

You eat 24/7.

Pizza and cheeseburgers are your favorite.

You eat pringles by the can. If we let you.

You are your own person.
Highly analytical, imaginative and extremely sarcastic.
You love XBOX, piano, your new MP3 and watching movies.
You are the only 11 year old movie buff I know.
You can quote movies that you saw years ago.

It's tough for me to see you grow up so fast.
You ask me to "please stop being dramatic"
and run back in the house before your friends see me
taking your 1st day of school pics.
Plus you have to get to the bus stop on time.
Lucky for you,
the bus stop is right in front of our house.
You will be glad about that when it starts snowing.
You see your friend, Angelo,

already waiting there so you are ready to go.
On your way
to your first day of
middle school.
You're ready, even if we're not.
Happy first day of 7th grade to Dylan!

farewelll summer 2011

Last week of Summer vacation

Harbor Island, SC

August 2011

 20 dolphins that lived just offshore

greeted us several times a day

with their perfect flips.

we took in perfect sunsets

everynight

Days of nothing except

sun, seashells, sunscreen,

and walking aimlessly

along the shore.

Summer of 2011

You really flew by

but you sure were

one of our best yet.

wordless wednesday-joy

an original song



Harbor Island, SC August 2011



Fly, Fly Away

By Karsen Grace, age 9

You live in the wild now.

You used to be sweet

you used to be mine

and you left our home.

We cheristed* you.

So so much,

we loved you...

We cared for you

and you are always in my mind...

So, fly, fly away.

Sweet bird.

Fly, fly away....

We loved you......

We loved you.....

Fly, fly awayyyyyyyyy.

(*cherished) Karsen wrote this about a bird, and then sang it to us.  

We are in Harbor Island, SC this week on va-cay!

and have been lucky enough to see sunsets like the one above every, single night.

whirlwind in the windy city

Alternately titled: One indecisive chic

Chris had been working in Chicago for two weeks. I had been missing him like crazy! His birthday just so happened to land right smack-dab in the middle of his trip there. We had resigned to celebrating his birthday a week later when he got home.

But, I changed my mind. Yes, I can be slightly indecisive.

I decided to surprise in the Windy City on his 34th birthday. The expression on his face was priceless. Just.plain.happy. He said the expression on my face was priceless too....I had the look of complete terror. I had never driven in such traffic. My hands were numb from gripping the steering wheel.

I picked him up curbside at the hotel and we continued down the street one block and then I almost turned onto a street that was barricaded. Whoops. Because the GPS chic told me to. Stupid technology.

Come to find out, it was the movie set of Superman. Cool!

We had a great night exploring the city. Ate at a wonderfully remote and romantic Indian restaraunt and then walked all along "the heart of Chicago's Magnificent Mile"

(Did anyone else just hear Oprah's voice?) I secretly had my eyes peeled for her the whole time. No such luck. LOL. Michigan Ave was a hodge-podge of so many different people, cultures, languages, and just an awesome place to people watch. I am a people-watcher.

A random man took this pic of us.  Thanks so much, Mr. Brown Stranger.

I thought for a second that he might run off with Chris' Blackberry, like that scene from National Lampoon's European Vacation. Ha! But, he didn't. Plus, we don't have any naughty pics on his Blackberry. At least, I don't think so. Haha.

We went to the Navy Pier and walked along Lake Michigan. We walked about 8 miles Saturday night and Sunday morning. It was just beautiful. Perfect birthday surprise weekend.

To quote Chris, "34 is awesome." Happy Birthday, Bay.

I hope it was memorable.