PTO Project #1

 

The principal decided that she would like to have elephant paw prints on the walkway up to the school. This is the drop-off/pick-up area and the point was for the kiddos to follow the paws and stay away from the road.  The first attempt was with vinyl stickers made for concrete...hmmm.. let's see those didn't even make it through open house night before they started to peel up. SO my friend Jennifer and I decided that we would just paint them on.  We had it in our heads that we could just use a stencil and a small roller.....and the entire project should only take 4 hours-ish.  And it did only take 4 hours-ish times 3!!! We worked for about 5 hours on a Sat morning and then it got too hot ( this was back in August people!) and then took the afternoon off and headed back up to the school around 6pm and finished around mid-night! Once it started to get dark, it was hard to see our lines, even with the headlights from our vehicles facing the sidewalk.  The next day I went over to the school with fingers crossed that our paws didn't look wonky....and to my relief...they looked AWESOME!!!! Jennifer and I joke that we did this for everyone else's kids, since all our kids are bus riders!!!!Crazy as it was, it was a lot of fun and I was happy to do it!!

 



First day on the school bus...plus just randomness!!

 

 

I found out that our good friend Shawn drives the school bus through our subdivision, so I decided to let Natalyn ride the bus this year. Of course, we were late the very first day, but Shawn stopped for Natalyn.  I love this picture!!!!

 

 

 Nat was bored with school lunch by week 2 ( even though she only eats a tray 2 days per week). SO  me and Elia surprised her one day with McDonald's. That made Natalyn HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY!

 While Nat & Mia are at school, the little sisters party!!!

 Have I mentioned I am teaching 1st grade SS?  Oh yes, this group is anything but boring.  The hour class flies by!!!

 Nat trying to save Elia who is trying to save Minnie?...hmmmm

 Enjoying the nice weather with one of Nat's bbf's, Bailyn.

 One night, the girls and I headed to Gentry to watch cousin Kenzie Kay play volleyball. Yes, Rainbow Leopard was really excited to be there!!

FIRST GRADE!!!!!

 

 

First grade, here she (Natalyn) comes!!

Natalyn had such a great kindergarten experience that she was excited to go back to Willowbrook again!

 

Here is her teacher's goodie basket for Open House. The school's mascot is an elephant.

 On our way to open house...I wonder who Nat's teacher will be.......

 Mrs. Cheek!!!

 Nat's class graduating from the nursery to the grade school dept. at church.  Each kiddo got a new Bible.

 FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!

Poor Elerz, she thought she was going to 1st grade too!!!

Here's to a great year!!!!

 

SUMMER 2013!!

 

Summer 2013!!!

Full of fun, sun...sun & fun!......and Pop-ice, I think we went through a bag of Pop-ice every week!

 

This pic cracks me up...you have to understand, Elia Rose NEVER takes naps!! NOT EVER!!!

This just shows how tired she was!!!

 The girls just enjoying their pool.

 Fun dip!

 Nat always has to pose!

 My posing gals in the window at Eddie Bauer!!

 My girls love the splash park in Rogers!!

 We stopped on day at the Native American Museum.  My girls are registered Indians, don't they look it!

 Painting Party with Aunt K-K.. Mia got to come over for the fun too!

 We even have fun on rainy days in the summer!

 The "end" to a great summer!!

Breckenridge Vacation- June 2013

The first week of June we took a vacation and headed to CO.  It was weird to see snow still on the mountain tops.  The girls had a great time just collecting rocks, leaves, dirt and playing at the local parks..All the things they really liked doing, we could have basically done in AR for way cheaper! ha

 

Nat loves her some Paris!! She plans to live there one day and design fashions (aka dresses) and salon hair..(I am just quoting her, that how she speaks...)

This bridge totally freaked Nat out, but Elia pretty much hung half her body out the window loving every minute of it!!

Taking a time out for a snack and a downward hook'em horns!!!BOO TX!!!

 My girls love to paint, they enjoyed a rainy afternoon crafting!

 

Easter 2013!!!

 

OK.. This entire post has nothing but bad pics.  No one seems to want to look at the camera, or smile..blah..blah.. oh well....

Nothing gets one into the Easter mood like playing with play dough...I can't remember..maybe Nat had Good Friday off from school and this was a time filler? hmmmmm.....

 Scott's parent's came by and brought some Easter Goodies....I have no idea why Elia Rose has no pants on.....

 Easter morning!! Look at those bright eyes!!! Elia and all her "treasures" she  needs to sleep with.. Seriously....there is like NO ROOM for her in her bed!!

 Our main focus of Easter, is that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and resurrected on the 3rd day.  It is important to Scott and myself that is the actual reason we celebrate Easter, that this is the only reason Easter exists....With that being said, we do the Easter Bunny stuff too, we just don't make too big of a deal about it. 

 I searched two cameras and my phone and the following are the only two good (I use the term loosely) pics of the girls in their Easter dresses. The first one is before heading to church the second one is after lunch.  Elia really loved that magna-doodle, it's in every pic!!

I love these dresses, I scored them for $12.00 each at Dillard's. Apparently, they are actually Christmas dresses, but they are sleeveless and made basically of tulle.  I hope they still fit for Christmas though...they would look really cute with black sweaters and leopard tights....

Natalyn's 6th Birthday!!

 

OK. Natalyn's bday was in Feb. Here are the party high-lights.......

Her theme was "Somewhere over the Rainbow", not Wizard of Oz-ish, but simply because "rainbow" is her favorite color.

 

I made a rainbow double layer cake.  I was a little scared dumping all different colors of batter in the cake pan. It did not look appetizing at all. But once it cooked, it looked like this....so much better...

 I decorated the cake with skittles ( so you can taste the rainbow! ha ha) and twizzlers.  I will note that after I decorated the cake, I put it in the refrigerator, not the best idea.  The twizzlers hardened in the cool temperature and never fully recovered.  I had to pull them off the cake before cutting it....

 Natalyn invited all the girls in her class, plus her BFF Mia.  On the invitations, it was suggested to wear your favorite color to the party.  Mia's favorite color is Disney Princess Belle. Hey! If Natalyn's favorite color is rainbow then Mia's favorite color can be a Disney character!!

 I set up a little table for Elia and her BFF Libby. They were able to be part of the party, but not really be part of the party...ya know what I mean?!

 I made the paper pom poms.... love them! They are super easy and totally cheap if you make them yourself!

 Read Mouse Paint, then......

 we did an experiment turning primary colors into secondary colors, thus making all the colors of the rainbow......hey! parties can be educational too!!

 The birthday girl blowing out her candles!!!

 

I Love you......my Miss Natalyn Joy!!!