If you live in or near Lodi, you know that our school calendar begins in the middle of summer. It usually starts in the last few days of July, but this year we actually made it into August by a tiny bit. In my opinion, its just nice to know it starts in August instead of July, even if its a difference of just three or four days!
Its a big year (isn't every year a big deal though?!) for Caleb, starting KINDERGARTEN! We have entered a whole new world, and it is awesome, exciting, and so cool to watch as the parents. Caleb was looking forward to starting school and going to Vinewood Elementary, and we were excited for his teacher, Mr. Drouin, whom we had heard great things about.
Landon started preschool the following day, at Vinewood Preschool - the same school he attended last year just one day a week. We were surprised for this to be the response we got from him on the first day of drop-off...
Each day got slightly easier, with slightly less clinginess, and always a happy boy at pickup, but after two years of dropping Caleb off each day, and one year of him attending and knowing all the staff already, the last thing I expected was a child needing to be pried out of my arms at the beginning of school! It took about two weeks, and he is as happy as a clam and looks forward to school every week. The picture below was taken a few days into Preschool, still with apprehension as I dropped him off after snapping the picture.
The first day of school signs are always very fun for the boys, and they usually hang around for about a week as the boys want to play with them. Landon is definitely in a phase of constantly wanting his picture taken, and every now and then Caleb does too. The signs excited both of them to want their pictures together holding them.
Take my picture mom...
Team effort completion of a challenging puzzle that I brought the boys back from Spain. It is the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela in the North of Spain. They loved the challenge and the time together as a family working on the puzzle. I love that they love puzzles so much!
Our handsome Kindergartener!
(the bangs up were a compromise when he wanted a full mohawk like his friend has!)
Buddies (with matching shoes!).
Sidenote: Caleb is such a hand holder. He does this with Landon at home
a lot, too. :)
This month was the second annual company picnic for Jimmy's work at 'the Funny Farm' in Napa.
This picture just kind of makes me laugh... We stopped at a champagne cellar that is around the corner from the place we went for Jimmy's company picnic. They had a non-alcoholic carbonated grape juice, which Caleb the juice-lover inhaled like he hadn't drank anything in a week. Landon, who isn't a juice man, is drinking water from a wine glass with the look of a wine snob on his face. He is our 'nose', smelling everything, kind of like a wine-o would do. Picture fits their personalities.
We all had a great time last year, and this year was a ton of fun, too. Amazing food, beautiful surroundings, and a hired entertainer to play with our kids!
This is Caleb's little buddy, Evan. It is only the second time they have hung out, but Caleb remembered very clearly playing with him at last year's picnic, and looked forward to it again leading up to this year's picnic. In this picture they are playing a game with sour Warhead candies in their mouth trying to see who can go the longest without making a sour face. Caleb's strategy was smiling really big. It worked!
More fun with friends...
Learning new, fun stuff in the kitchen with Candace...
For me, this summer was filled with many hours of Jazzercise instructor training - It was a lot of work, but also very fun, and the hard work paid off! Ten routines (songs) to learn in 8 weeks, and two of those would be randomly chosen for each trainee to 'teach' at our audition in Pleasanton on August 14. In addition to learning how to teach the routines, including practicing cueing with a microphone on, we had to also be capable of 'flipping' to do the movements as a student facing the stage. Its a lot, but it all comes together toward the end of the training window.
Five out of the six in my audition group passed and were deemed ready to be instructors. There were two audition groups, and here are all of the girls that passed. The girls were from all over Northern California.
Me, Angie, and Leslie - Sherry's three trainees from Lodi who all passed workshop together!
It's official!
Here is the response from our boys when I shared the news with Jimmy... :)
After passing audition they want you to jump in and teach ASAP to get over your initial apprehension. Friday night I passed, and the following Monday August 17th was my first class! It was great to be on stage teaching, although there were of course nerves in the beginning, but it gets just a little bit easier each time I do it! I'm loving all the music and am learning new routines as quickly as I can!
Lunch with a Loved One at Caleb's school :)
