thousands saved!

Words, that is.  Because each of the following photos had at least vague intention of being a dedicated blog post.  And, as always, I cringe at the quality of the pictures, and resolve that Santa should bring me a groovy new camera this year.

We had a lovely Labor Day treat staying with Kate and her family at their fab cabin in NC:

First day of school. Note the single top tooth, shifted to center. I pleaded to pull it the night before, but to no avail:

Guy-camping at a local campground, a late-summer tradition:

If you closed your eyes after looking at Megan’s outfit on this day, you could still see the color contrast on the inside of your eyelids. She got a LOT of compliments/comments, and so did I:

Sisterly silliness. This Chicco train has logged enough miles for a transcontinental crossing. Definitely one of our best toy investments ever:

Okay, that’s all she wrote took. For today, at least. Hope you enjoyed the “less is more” theme.

family-photo Friday

School starts next week for us, that good old-fashioned Tuesday-after-Labor-Day deal that I think was like federal law or something when I was a kid, cos I don’t remember ANYONE ever going back in mid-August like some of y’all been talking about, and I feel for you, I really do, because that’s just not RIGHT.

But anyhoo, nuff about you.  Back to me.

Summer 2009 brought with it a whole new exploration of leniency in bedtimes, which I suspect means it is going to be an ugly few first weeks as everyone gets readjusted to 6:45a.m. wakeups and in-your-own-bed-now-Missy.   Because the leniency has extended not just to the hour, but to the venue as well.

They get magically transported at some point, so they always wake up on their own mattress, but we’ve allowed virtually any variation on the theme of bed for falling asleep:   a nest (or “pallet” as Megan favors the term) on some floor somewhere, comfy chair, pile of stuffed animals…  hey, knock yourself out, kiddo.  Just fall asleep, huh?  Cos it’s drawing nigh onto MY bedtime AND MOMMY NEEDS HER ALONE TIME.

Usually their attempts at tandem launch veer quickly into a fatal failure mode, but last night was an exception — and they were so dang cute we let them stay all night.

Check out the substantial nest Megs created for herself.  And don’t miss the hands.  On three, in harmony:  awwwwwwwwwwww!

zzzzzzzzzzz.....

family-photo Friday

a newfound skill

We were visiting my bestest CL, whose sons are like cousins to my girls, and adventurous in spades.   We envision instigation of daring enterprises and adventures for years to come.  This maneuver was demonstrated after lunch one day by her 6-year-old… and attempted forthwith by Megs.

puzzle princess

Kira’s been on a puzzle tear for several weeks now.

(I tend to avoid the whole P word, largely though not entirely due to its arrogation by the Disney machine, but what else could I possibly caption this?)

family-photo Friday

Anyone else get completely sideways some weeks about what day it is? Maybe because we did a two-night turnaround to visit my bestest CL and her gang, returning on Tuesday, I’ve just been flummoxed since about last Saturday. So, here’s my family-photo Friday post. On Thursday.

We encourage sporting activities. The attire, however, we don’t dictate.

Megan at the bat

Kira could use a bit of work on her form

Nothing like a trip to the dressup box to really make a girl really shine in the batting box.

rockin’ some preschooler fashion

Kira has hit the phase of choosing her own clothing, prime territory as we all know for some knock-down drag-out battles.

Frankly, however, I can’t keep a straight face long enough to muster up even a weak argument for something more practical, which means that today we really did go to the store, and the library, in this.  Don’t overlook the purple sparkly headband:

haute couture, baby

And here, let me spotlight that spring runway must-have:

just a few necessities

The purse collections are another current fixation, and probably deserving of their own post.  Stay tuned for more fashion-forward looks.

family-photo Friday

Aren’t hats an integral part of May Day at your house?

"I'm a COWGIRL, Mommy."

These are two of the four that came into my hands illegally a few months back. Can’t say as I’ve suffered one iota of remorse over my transgression from the straight and narrow.

May Day Kira

family-photo Friday

We have some wonderful neighbors whose own children are getting to the age where they are gone more often than not. On Thursday I had both a happy-hour date with friends and an hour before Sean arrived home, so I dropped the girls off across the street at their house. They came home with big smiles… and bigger stuffed animals.

Megan with Moxie

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Kira wasn’t interested in having her picture taken with hers, a bear she named “Eeny-Meeny-Miney-Mo” — or maybe “Santa Claws,” depending on when you ask her — but this is how I found her one night last week. She always, but always, has something (often several somethings, often random, and always amusing) with her when she’s falling asleep.

Tigger watching over sweet sleeping Kira

family-photo Friday

A bit tardy, but I’m fond of this new weekly tradition, and I can do what I want, right? My blog, my rules. Bend em if I feel like it, too.

Kira, wearing PJs and PBJ.

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Megs, who already believes they are a girl's best friend

(Not the greatest photo quality — I’m still learning the new camera; in my amusement at capturing her punny neckware, I didn’t notice it was on some funky setting.)