Here I am!

So I am alive...
and I am surviving being a teacher...
and a mom...
kinda.
I am super tired...
and I must admit,
it has not been easy...
still it is not easy!

Allikaye has been in preschool
for almost 3 weeks now!
The first 2 were awesome...
for her.
She loves her teacher...
loves singing all the songs...
loves art...
loves eating lunch at school.

Mama on the other hand is the one
crying every morning!
I am pretty fine once I get to school
and get busy...
but I do miss my girl! A lot!

This week is the first week that I
think Allikaye is starting to realize
that mom is working all the time now.
At first I think she saw all of this as an
adventure.

She has asked,
"You're working again?"
and really gets me tearing up when she says
she misses me and wants to just stay home with me!
Wahh! So do I girl!

But we are making it!
We really are!

I am so thankful that
God has blessed me with a job.
A job that touches little lives...
and that allows me to have
summers and breaks with my family!
I need to keep my
perspective on the TRUTH!

So there's the little update...
just to keep myself blogging
and somewhat connected to this
bloggy scrapbook I got going!

Once we get more and more in the swing of the things
I will post more...
pictures,
stories...
they're coming!
Promise!

Until then...
here's a picture that I love!!

Allikaye said she was drawing,
"a lady."

I am totally impressed with her skillz!
When am I not?!Here's a close up of "the Lady's" face...
And this might be my favorite...
She didn't want me to take any more
pictures while she was still working on her...
Look at her little nails!!!

So there ya go!

We are gonna keep on truckin over here!
Gettin used to our new normal...
for now...
until another new normal comes along!

xoxo

Preschooler!

Today was the day...
the very first day of Allikaye's
first days at school!

Preschool started today!

Here is Miss Happy Sunshine
on the Orientation Day!

We got to meet her teacher and visit
before the first full day.
This was VERY good for me...
even though I think it was there to help
Allikaye adjust...
she did fine,
I'm the one that was crying and a mess!
I just couldn't believe my daughter
was old enough to have a teacher...
and be so independent!

Oh - and we gave her a big lollipop
on the day she met Miss Laurel, her teacher!

So now...
here are shots from our morning!
We started with eggs and sausage...
her request!

Then did some front porch pictures!

She ate a.l.l. her lunch!
I couldn't believe it!
She is not a big eater - at all!

I packed her chicken nuggets
(kept them in foil to stay warm)
ranch to dip
grapes
strawberries
and a hard boiled egg
(she's still egg crazy)

Now that seems like a lot of food!
She probably ate all of it
because the other kids were eating too.
Oh, peer pressure.

She loves her princess lunch box...

I love my pretty preschooler...

The backpack was a surprise...
Matt and me gave it to her and she said,
"Oh, thanks, I love you guys!"

It looks huge on her...
but she insists to carry it herself!

Then we were on our way!
She wasn't nervous at all,
just very excited!
She did ask if we could pray on the
way there though...
so sweet!
Almost cried at this...
but stayed strong!

Look at this...

she walked in front of me down the hall
to her classroom!
Stop it!
I was shocked at her
courage!

Finding her cubby...
and hanging up her backpack!

She was so proud to have her very own spot!!

Finally, mama left!
Well actually, I probably would have stayed longer,
but Allikaye said,

"Mom...you can leave now."

Ah! Where did the time go!!??

I stole one more picture as I was leaving!

Her day went great!!!
She loved it and was happy!
I am still trying to pry out
information a little at a time...
but the main consensus is
that Allikaye LOVES preschool!!
Yay!!

Here's her little day...
It says:
"I liked the sandbox
and listening to the book"
"Lunch - nice table manners"
"Disposition - Cheerful, Attentive, Energetic, Talkative"

"She had a great day!"

Yes she did!

Candy at the Parade

Year 3 of the Douglas County Fair Parade!
It is always fun...
for all of us...
but especially candy monster...
aka Allikaye.

I kept thinking of my darling thang
when we first started going to the parade...
here she is at 1!!
Ah!

Here she is now...
I can't believe how she is growing!
Too fast!

Here's Daddy and girl...

Monkey came with...
and Allikaye wanted to show the pretty fair queens...

It was really funny how she kept holding him
up to show the parade peeps and floats...

So fun!

After the parade we had lots of fun
riding the carnival rides...
getting slushies...
petting more animals...
and getting face painted.
I would say she got worn out!

Well...
this picture speaks for itself...