October Beach trip with the Paradiso's!

Much to say about this upload...but it's after 2am...so I will be back to edit later;) enjoy for now if you're awake!

Bella's 6th Birthday

All the girl wanted was a "Butterfly Party". What the heck does that mean?!?! (A sane mother might ask herself. before responding to her child...but this mothers said..."of course, dearheart" without batting an eyelash. So, dear friends...I give you, a butterfly party.

Each year the kids commission a cake...that is, they say what they want, and I enjoy trying to make something that is a reasonable representation. My mom always made the best cakes...whatever we could dream up...so I continue to give it the old college try....I suspect as they get older and more discerning of eye my bluff will be up. But for now....a sugar laden butterfly!

Bella really wanted to make the decorations herself, so we had her butterflies strung all over...with an angry chrysyllis or two contributed by Enzo.

Good friend Riley and Delia making antennae and sparkly wings.

Enzo with the strangest creative expression I have seen in some time...suspciously, his butterfly wings turned into "butterfly-eating Dragon wings"...hmmmm....

14 busy bees...err...butterflies.

The happy birthday girl. It was the most beautiful October weekend..sunny and warm...delightful.

D thinking outloud about the impending cake eating.

Boots and momma showing off the giant butterfly.

Making a wish

A favortie gift...a fairy dog, from her sweet friend Tessa.

Bella's gift from momma and daddy was a hula hoop. She is the most insane hula hooper I have ever seen...I wish this camera took video...we would have a YouTube chart topper ;)

Boots and Auntie Steph in between hulas.

Tired out momma with my snuggle kids.

THE BEST hula hooping face ever...the hoop is down around her knees about now...but check out that expression ;) Grace in motion! ;)

Daddy-o, the stealth hula hooper, not to be caught on camera...much like a Yeti...

When over sugared kids attack...poor Uncle Josh.

Sweet D...needs a smaller hoop.

Who knew...auntie steph wins the persistant hula hooping award!

First Day of School

After what seemed like years of anticipation...Bella's day had come. She finally got to walk out the door with Enzo and go to school! This year both Enzo and Bella got to go to new schools...so the morning was full of excitement and nerves. Poor D didn't know what to do with the house all to herself! She has actually grown fond of what she calls her "lonely time". Here is Boots and Zos waiting patiently for momma to take pictures and fill the coffee cup so we can get out the door already!

This is Enzo with his good buddy, our neighbor Corwin getting ready to walk the 1/2 mile to school. We have a true posse of ragamuffin hoodlums that we walk to school with...drivers beware!

This is about 1/3 of our morning school crowd...but look at that sass.

Bring it! First day of school FIERCE!

Enzo's new school is Thomas Jefferson Elementary...so of course we got a guest apperance from the big head Thomas Jefferson that runs the bases at the Nationals games...yes, for all of you from the midwest...we have presidents that run our bases...much like the fabled sausages that run at Miller Park. Ours are obviously not nearly as cool as a running Bratwurst, don't rub it in ;)

Here is Delia getting one last photo op and snuggle before leaving big brother off at second grade to fend for himself.

Boots checkin the mirror before she commits to walking out the door.

Bella sending daddy off with a big squeeze. First day of kindergarten was definatley harder on me that it was on Bella.

Boots showing off her new kindergarten cubby.

Getting started on something kindergarten-y.