Fall festival

 Khloe's shining moment of glory, finally riding a pony. She was so excited to do this; it was the very first thing we had to do when we arrived.

Kayla and Lexie are with her in the background

After we got home, Khloe said "Ohhhhh Mom! You forgot to ride a pony!" That's okay honey, I just wanted to watch. 

Today was our township's annual fall festival at a nearby park. Luckily this year it wasn't cold and rainy like last year's event. We enjoyed bouncies, concessions, carnival games, candy, pony rides, and playing at the park. It's a fun -- yet simple event -- that we appreciate our township sponsoring each year. After that ended we kept the momentum going to take advantage of the nice weather and visited McCallum's Orchard for Kids Day - more concessions, face painting, bouncies, carnival games and of course warm sugary donuts!

Just hanging around

 Kayla and Lexie making up dance routines

 Look mom, I'm as long as the couch! Take a picture and I want to text it to Kristi!

Who wants to sit on comfortable cushions in front of the pillows? No thanks. That's so last year. We prefer to sit in the hard corners behind the pillows.

Sunday affair

KidCheck, our once-a-month volunteer responsiblity at church, is a family affair for all four of us. Through teamwork we get dozens of family's children checked-in and headed to where they need to be. It's a special day for Kayla because on our KidCheck weekends, she asks to come into Venue with us and sit through service. It's a treat for her and she loves it.

I had one objective in mind in taking the girl's photo this day while at church... capturing Khloe wearing her dress-up Little Mermaid high heels to church. She loves to wear her "high heels" just like Kayla. Kayla asked somewhat in disbelief, "You're going to let her wear those???" I said "Sure!" Khloe couldn't have been happier.

Hey, at least they're dressy. You've got to pick your battles, and this wasn't one of them.

You can get away with this sort of stuff when you're three... and you're only three once.

First day of preschool!

It's Khloe's turn to have the spotlight because today is HER first day of preschool! She's experienced at the whole morning routine since she's been doing it for so long - wake up, get dressed, make bed, go downstairs and eat breakfast, brush teeth, get coat, shoes and backpack on and out the door! Today was no exception, except after dropping Kayla off at school, instead of coming back home or going to gymnastics, she was off to HER school!

I can't BELIEVE she's in preschool.

Our beautiful pre-schooler! 

Khloe went shopping with Grandma a few weeks back and she got to pick out HER OWN school outfit all by herself. 

And there you have it. 

She assembled her outfit head-to-toe this morning all by herself.

 

 Kayla wanted to be in Khloe's photos too :)

 Khloe was such a big girl today! She just walked right in, dropped her backpack off in her cubby, said goodbye and went off to play! She's a pro on her first day!

 Before today's "official first day", there was a parent-child day last week that Grandma went to with Khloe; kind of a orientation day. It was still like a "first day" though, so here's the "pre-first day of school" photos.

Such a little peanut! I remember these preschool days so well with Kayla! Did I already mention, I can't believe Khloe's in preschool? This takes me back to when Kayla was attending the 3-year old preschool here!!! She reminds me EXACTLY of Kayla!

You had a great first day! You couldn't stop telling people you were "three years old and a big girl now". Yes you are!

This will be a GREAT year of preschool for you, Khloe! We're so happy for you and know you'll do great! We can't wait to see how much you learn and grow this year!!!!

First day of 2nd grade!

It was a great morning! We're so happy and proud of our girls!

 

 Our beautiful second grader!

Kayla has wanted a locket necklace for awhile and found this one while shopping this past weekend. She was so excited to purchase it with her own money. She wanted a picture in it and the first person she thought of was Granny. So Aaron shrunk the picture Kayla has of Granny and fit it in her locket so it was ready for school this morning. Granny is close to her heart on her first day of school!

Khloe wanted to be in all the photos. She will have her official "first day of preschool" photos next week!

 

The girls couldn't stop posing! 

Khloe: "Mom! Take MY picture here like this!"

So excited for her big sister's first day of school

 

All in the front row... together!?? This could be dangerous! Mrs. Schweihofer might be moving them before the week is over!!

 It's official! The first day of school was a success!
(Again, Khloe didn't want to be left out of a photo opp!)

Our girls

Khloe tried out roller skates for the first time! This took me RIGHT BACK to Kayla being three years old. She even kind of looks like Kayla here --- and looks so much taller in those roller skates too!

My girls somehow have become obsessed with willow trees. I remember talking to Kayla about them a long time ago and telling her how they are my favorite tree, but then out of the blue this summer, they picked up on it again and we can't drive anywhere, long or short, without hearing them yell out every single willow tree they see. I love it!

Ever since our camping adventure in Atlanta, MI over Memorial weekend, Khloe has been obsessed with campers. She's not biased towards fifth wheels, campers, RV's, baby campers, it doesn't matter, she calls them all out. Between yelling about every single willow tree and every camper, it can be quite an entertaining drive! So now I'm teaching them to identify birch trees, and maples will be easy in another few weeks, and turkey vultures.

This discovery the other day just about blew Khloe's mind:

Khloe: There's a camper with a truck!!! I NEVER KNEW THERE WAS A CAMPER WITH A TRUCK BEFORE!!!!
Mind blown. This caused us to laugh for a good 10 minutes!

Bedtime battle

Khloe has always been the "better sleeper" of our girls. Although Kayla started sleeping 12 hours through the night at 12 weeks old, around 1 year she became difficult to get to sleep (picture: crawling out of the room on hands and knees in the dark) and then between 3 - 4 years old things became difficult again. Man, those are the nights you want to bang your head against a wall --- because that would be more fun than dealing with an irrational three year old at 2:00 a.m. when you most just. want. to. sleep.

Khloe, on the other hand, who didn't sleep through the night until she was 7 months old (that was a rough time period) has been a breeze at nighttime. I felt that it was our redemption for the hard time Kayla gave us as a toddler. Khloe was easy to put down and once she was down, there was no waking up until morning.

That is, until she turned 3 years and 3 months old. Now she's developed this aversion (aka stubbornness) to staying in her bed [some nights] at bedtime. There is no secret formula of discipline, bribery, convincing, or manipulation that works. We're in the middle of those Terrible Three's right now. (When will people stop saying "terrible two's??) She will sit on the floor at the edge of her room quietly organizing photos, she will stand in the hall screaming, she will sit on the stairs singing playing with the baby gate, or sit on the landing smirking at her outright boldness. We've just got to dig our feet in and hang on tight for the wild ride this bedtime battle may be for our strong independent three year old!

So, after two hours of getting out of bed and being put back in bed, this is where we left her to [eventually] fall asleep.

 How is this more comfortable than your warm bed? It doesn't matter to you; its just that its not your bed where your supposed to be so your happy. Girl, you should be cold and tired! This was two hours after your bedtime!