School is Starting!

I can't believe it.

In two weeks, our little girl will be off to her first day of school.

She won't actually be taking the bus. We live so close to Piedmont Elementary that the bus isn't an option. I've been driving to daycare at exactly the time the buses drop the kids off, so we will drop her off on our way to daycare.

We visited the school at kindergarten round-up last spring. The principal was friendly, cheery, introducing herself to every family that went through. The school had a very positive vibe, and every student received a hand knit hat and mittens:

Someone hand knitting for all the incoming students? How welcoming is that!

And since it was "round-up," there were cowboy and farm decorations everywhere, including a photo booth.

Victoria is ready and excited for this adventure. Starting in the middle of July, she would announce out of the blue, "Guess what? Fall is almost here! That means I get to go to school soon!" At the beginning of the month, we found the school supply lists at Target and stocked up. A week later, Grandma offered to take her shopping to buy "one outfit" -- and came back with a whole wardrobe. We took them last week to buy shoes, and found that BOTH kids have grown TWO shoe sizes this summer.

Alex too will face some changes this fall, enrolling in Wandering Roots Nature School. Our longtime child care is converting to a nature preschool. He will spend hours outside in all seasons. Amber, the daughter of our childcare provider, will be his teacher for this year. It will be a huge change for him, but the timing is perfect, with his "Didi" going off to kindergarten.

I mentioned their shoe sizes. Both kids have shot up 2" in the last six months as well. Shorts that hung to Alex's knees at the beginning of summer now leave his legs looking long and lean. For the past year I've been preparing for Vic to go to kindergarten, but I was not preparing for Alex to grow up so much this year. Every day he acts more and more like a big kid (except for the potty training part), using bigger words and helping with more around the house. The other day I glanced at his handsome little face, with new haircut, and it hit me: in just a few months, he will be 4. My chest constricted at this thought. This mama is having a harder time with Alex turning 4 than with my oldest going to kindergarten.

But of course, we are still excited to celebrate these upcoming milestones with them. Stay tuned for all those "first day of school" pictures!

Ice Show

Last year, Victoria bravely embarked on a new adventure: ice skating classes.

Check out those pink skates! Her pride and joy.

I was intrigued by how they would teach a bunch of newbies how to ice skate ... without people or props to hold onto.

The first thing they taught them?

How to fall down. 

And then ... how to get back up again. They practiced off the ice first.

What a great idea to have them get over the fear of falling by just accepting it as part of their learning.

She took classes from September through March. And then, at the last minute, we decided to do the ice show. This was a big deal, involving extra practices, a costume, a routine to learn, and a dress rehearsal.

Matt and I weren't sure she would be able to do it. She's shy and gets overtired easily. Would she get bored? Not want to perform? Have meltdowns?

She proved all those doubts wrong. Instead, the ice show brought out the absolute best in her.

The dress rehearsal was on a Friday night (going even past bedtime).

The next day, there were two shows -- afternoon and evening.

Check out the excitement on her face!

For all the kids in her group, the excitement in the locker room was contagious. Here is V with her teacher!

This was probably the first time in my life I've melted over a bunch of girls in pink and purple dresses:

I just felt so privileged to be the mom in the locker room with V.

She was among the slower skaters. She is hesitant, unsure, afraid of falling. But she loved it. She went on the ice with a huge smile on her face, even waving to the audience at the end.

After the show, they all lined up for a picture.

She was one happy and proud girl!

We presented her with flowers after the show.

She had a ton of supporters in the audience ... us, Grandma and Grandpa, Adam and Megan, Brian and Suzanne. And afterwards, some of us went to Bridgeman's for supper!

But that was only half of the fun. The night show was still to come! It started just before her regular bedtime. She was tired and wanted to go home ... but was such a trooper and stuck it out through her performance.

Check out the entire performance at

Reed Family Photos

In honor of my parents' 40th wedding anniversary this year, we all got together to do a family photo session.

And I'm so in love with them I'm just going to post every single one of them here.

If I wrote all about how I love these smiles, the blue eyes, the togetherness of this family ... I would be here all night. So instead, just enjoy the photos, sans comments ...