Oktober Fest...the tame version...

Yeah...

not the same as the Munich Oktober Fest...
just good 'ol Castle Rock downtown fun.
Didn't see any of this...Or this...
But Matt and I were there back in '03!
The real one. It was crazy. crrraaaazzzyyyy!

But we would take this over the real thing anytime!

A few pony rides with our happy girl is what it's all about!

Oh yeah...uh huh...

And some penny rides...

This is the life...

So the only pictures we have are of Allikaye...
what's new?
But we also had some yummy beer...
brats...
and some classic German tunes.
We also might have seen some lederhosen.

Love fall.
Love it so.

So smart!

Here is my Little Miss...

taken today before preschool.

I told her to give me the sweetest face she could...

Allikaye is loving school...
she comes home and remembers every word from the songs she sings.
Her memory is amazing.

I come home and tell her some of the
"Words of the Day" words
that I do with my 3rd graders.
It is so funny to have her use them correctly all the time!
So smart!
The other day she asked me if I was
feeling melancholy.
And she said her couscous on her plate was vast.
She is amazing and smart...
have I said that yet?!

Update...

Allikaye and daddy do some workin out... Allikaye loves these 2 games!
First is Junior Boggle...
she spells the word -
matches the letters to the letters on the card.
Then she sounds out each of the letters!
SOOO SMART!
You can see her making the 'a' sound in this pic: The other game she loves is
Old McDonald's Farm.
She loves searching for the baby animals...

A few Happy Pictures!

We got a scooter at a garage sale...
and it was a great purchase!!
Allikaye loves it!

She especially loves riding along side dad...
and his longboard!

She is all smiles!
It makes us laugh because
so far she just scoots along...
not putting both feet up.
But she loves it that way!

We are trying to teach her how to push and then hop on...
but whatever way she wants to do it...
is the way she will do it!

I was also able to

bring Tre to her preschool for pet week!
I am thankful that I was able to be there...
and realize that even if I am back working -
I need to keep priorities and memories as our top importance!
To some,
it may seem like trivial things...
like taking Tre to her school.
But it is important to Allikaye -
so it is important to me!
And I will keep it that way! :)

I didn't bring the camera in -
so I got a pic of her and her ice cream...
after I got to pick her up!!
And then we took some pics with
Tre dog after we got home.

He got a chewie for being a good boy
for Allikaye's classmates...
oh and he even put on a cute bandanna
for his debut!

She was so proud to have her dog in her class!
She told them that he sleeps under mom and dad's bed...
and that he loves his frisbee...
and that she feeds him dog food...
and that he got a fish hook in his side when we went camping.

Then she got to pick each of her classmates
to come pet Tre.
She held the leash and kept saying,
"Tre, sit, be good!"
He was actually just laying there -
but she wanted everyone to see she was in charge of her dog!
It was funny!

Pretty Preschooler!
I am so glad I was able to be a part of her preschool
memories!
I am a mom first!!

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...