Grand Cayman Island: Starfish Point

One of our favorite trips during our Grand Cayman's trip was this little visited "Starfish Point". Off the beaten path, we picnicked, swam, swung from a tree, and most of all, touched sea urchins and starfish!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Until next time starfish!

 

 

Parenting Fail: Premature Vacation Buildup

We leave in a couple weeks for a family vacation in the Grand Cayman's (aka "Pops' Island" as the boys have coined it, ha!). I'm getting really excited so we started watching some YouTube videos about the locale and picked up a snorkel set.

Um... Apparently a little too soon! Ethan won't take the gear off and they are ready to get on the plane...NOW!

Ethan practiced snorkeling in a dish in the living room!

Then...Gavin realized we aren't going...TODAY!

Well that took a minute.

Luckily he moved on to putting on his police uniform and "going to work" by the time we had milk and an evening show. Ethan on the other hand is a committed snorkeler.

Now I know why parents spring the Disney vacation on kids the morning of!

Oops.

 

Halloween 2014

The older the boys are getting, the more fun the holidays are getting!

This year they each picked their own costumes.

Gavin picked, of course, Superman. He's been practicing this role for the last few months wearing his cape daily!

Ethan threw me for a loop more. "Electricity" was his choice!! I asked him to narrow that down and he picked lightening. Yeah, they don't mass produce lightening costumes.

Off to the craft store for some felt, cotton stuffing, and online shopping for a battery operated LED string light.

A few stitches later and ZAP! Here's Ethan!

Chris and mini-me Gavin were a dynamic duo.

Just as in real life, my little bolt of lightening zapped me!

Chris wasn't going to let some strangers give his boys their first sweets of the night!

The day before was the school party!

They had the cutest school parade.

The kids worked on a spooky craft I had prepped for the class.

"Woah, Mommy really loves holidays with us kids!"

"Guilty as charged!"

 

Ethan's First Day of Kimdergarten!

It's here. Kindergarten. Feels like the real beginning of the long goodbye that is parenthood. As I tearfully told Chris, the next big goodbye is college?! Get it together, lady. Let's cheer up by looking at how cute he is in these pics!

I hope Mrs. B is ready for the many faces that are Ethan!

 

Enough pics Mommy!

Let's jump right into this school thing!!

 

We headed off to our ONE block walk to school (with Gavin uncharacteristically crying most of the way there).

Ethan's lunch was a little heavy with yumminess.

Upon arrival, Ethan gave his teacher a little token of his appreciation.

Someone's printer ran out of red ink ;)

The kids lined up, all 20 of them.

They waited and waited.

Suddenly Ethan remembered something! "Mommy!!! I need a picture if you to keep with me! Can you draw one, QUICK!!!"

I happily scribbled a portrait on a receipt from my purse (he still cares!!!!).

He had new swagger and was ready for the day!

Off they went, Ethan didn't look back once. Chris ran behind him in line and snuck a quick kiss!

With great luck, the only other kindergartener he knew, is in his class. Check out our blonde neighbor Thane's happy dance at the end of the line.

It's real. He's in full day school. My all day everyday partner in crime for the last four years.

Okay, getting it together! Let me show you where he is as I blog. Here are some pics of his room from last weeks orientation.

He has his own locker!

Think he'll notice of I let Gavin really sneak in his locker? He's missing him more than I do!

Snap out of it Gavin! KINDERGARTEN!!

You are welcome to remind me of this post when I'm griping about too many snow days!