A BitE?!?!?!?!

It was just another day in Webster paradise. I was picking up the kiddos and the 3 that were not still in class were running around.  Eliza was up near some bushes and started hollering.  She was reacting like a she had been stung by a bee.  So I went to her.  Instead of a stinger or one little prick, I found this on her ankle and on her hand.  What happened?  We may just never know.  I took her to Urgent Care (because she was not having any symptoms that made me or the nurse think that we needed to go to the ER) and that confirmed that it was some type of snake bite but most likely non-poisonous.  They said it could have been a poisonous snake that did not spit out venom but honestly Eliza saw nothing, we saw nothing and so...

The World May Never Know.

I am just grateful that it was not more serious!

Helpimg GG

Our beloved GG (Great Grandma) is moving. She will be seriously missed.  We've been trying to help her out by going through boxes and things and we found her wedding veil.  Eliza tried it on--carefully--and it was just too super cute. :)

We're going to Disneyland!

Despite my original plan NOT to tell these cuties of our impending trip to that Happiest Place on Earth to far in advance, after some great advice we decided to tell them 2 weeks before we were to leave.  I poured over ideas but in the end, we went pretty simple.  First: they each made their own pizza!!

 Once the pizzas finished we spruced them up. 

 The kids couldn't figure out why we put black paper on their pizzas to make them into Mickey Mouse

After several questions and some coaxing--

And every one was SO HAPPY!

the BIG 2!!

I have never had a little one so young be SO excited for their birthday! Holy cow lil' Miss Abby was STOKED.  If she could have, she'd have planned a party for herself.  (Maybe it is because none of my kids have ever been SO verbal  at this age...man this girl can talk!)

Breakfast: Smoothies & Donuts! 

 Abby is officially a Webster I guess--she's got her own apron. handmade by me! 

 Yes I know how to sew--1 thing! (Pull your jaw off the floor)  Put your orders in.  Hahahaha

 My cuties in their aprons.  The older ones have been asking for an update, the nerve!

 For dinner, all of Abby's favorite people came: Papa, Nana, Grumpy & GG!  Uncle Jake had to work :(

 Nana helped decorate the cake:

 The Minnie Mouse cake didn't quite turn out as I would have liked but it was cute, and Abby was happy.  And at least this year, I didn't slice part of my thumb and have to get stitches! :)

Happy Birthday Big Girl!

Some interesting fun things about Abby-

-Abby LOVES life and enjoys every minute of it-dancing, singing, playing, reading, climbing, etc.  She is an active child
--Abby mostly loves food and when she really likes it, she eats a lot!
--Loves to color
--Does not currently like dogs. She likes the idea of animals but she doesn't like the living, breathing dogs
--Still loves Elmo but Minnie Mouse is a new favorite

Abby came well before we were ready for her but we love her and are grateful for her sweet cuddles and smiles.  She is definitely our most active and crazy child but with 3 older siblings, I can't blame her.  She has chipped her two front teeth, had LOTS of bruises and falls daily but she's adorable and we can't imagine life without her!

Violet

Some how when I wasn't looking this little one went from a toddler to a kid.  It's been crazy. She is so independent.  She insists on painting her own nails, dressing herself and basically doing everything EXCEPT going potty by herself.  (She has to have me help her with that whole ordeal).  And somewhere along the way she taught herself letters and numbers and how to spell her name and it's crazy awesome! My favorite is Ben taught her that i-s spells IS and so she gets SO excited any time she sees IS.  :)  I love that they LOVE to learn!

First Day of School!

The kids were all too excited to start school!  Seriously, they were begging!
Xander started 2nd Grade with Ms. Barajas

 Eliza started Kindergarten with Mrs. Hardy

 

The first day is always so much fun!  The kids were ecstatic to be with their friends (Mommy fail: I'm terrible at initiating or doing play dates so they really haven't seen most of their friends since the end of school last year). Xander got super lucky and has 3 of his 4 best buddies in his class.  Eliza met a couple kids at the gym this summer that are now in her class--so she is also stoked.

We started a new tradition this year with the kids and are giving them a word of the year.  Xanders word is COURAGE.  This is going to be an important year where Xander learns to be a leader, not a follower.  And we want him to remember that it is ok to stand for something, even when he is standing alone.

Eliza's new word is CONFIDENCE.  Eliza is an amazing person-smart, capable and funny but she is scared of everything.  So we are trying to encourage her not to hide her talents.

While it is exciting to have 1/2 of my kids in school for part of the day, I sure am starting to feel like a taxi! (I have drop off at the Elementary school at 910 & 1030 and pick up at 230.  Violet will start school this week and that will add a 3rd drop off and 2nd pick up Yahoo!)

Neighborhood Ice Cream Social 2013

I love tradition and I LOVE our neighborhood!

Zoo Trip

I had a Groupon, the weather was cool, school was out still...so we raced over to the ZOO! We actually got to see all the animals too, except for the tigers--they were sleeping.  But overall, it was a very great trip to the zoo!

We went with our friends, the Larsens.  Love them so much!  Sometimes I get really bummed that we don't have a big fancy zoo around and then I get to our little zoo and the kids can walk without a stroller and are right up against the cages which really has perks...so I'm grateful for our little zoo.  I was so grateful for the super cool weather last week!  It was FABULOUS!!

Read to Suceed: 6 Flags 2013

 Xander & Matthew (Jenni & I) ventured off with only our oldest to 6 Flags with the tickets they earned.  It was a great day at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom!

 Elephant petting, and later tug-of-warring!

 Holding a ball python

 I'm not leaving until a butterfly lands on me!

 Phew!

 Xander v the nurse shark

 Getting picked for the sea lion show (2 years running!)

Our little super-men!

Summer Reading Chart

While our kids birthdays are not ON Christmas, they are right around the season and so it feels to them that they only get things once a year.  Not a bad thing but its hard during these ages & stages that are so short lived in their young lives not to try things out when it is the right "timing."  So Ben and I try to help them earn things that they really want.  Xander REALLY wanted a skateboard.  We made a deal...read 5000 pages this summer and you can have your skateboard.  Some met his goal...I could not get this kid to STOP reading some days.  He read lots of fun books: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Mrs Piggle Wiggle, How to Train Your Dragon 3 & 4, several Choose Your Own Adventures, and much, much more.  We've only had one wipe out so far and he still seems to be happy!

Eliza wanted to earn something for reading too.  Her reading has taken off over the last 6 months and so her goal was to read one book a day.  It was too cute--she thought we meant chapter books at first.  We told her we wouldn't expect one chapter book a day until after she finished kindergarten this year.  But she did read a book once a day and has blossomed into quite a reader.  She earned a toy she picked out--a pretend kitchen mixer that really mixes and she's having a blast with it! (picture to come!)