Friends (and who is this girl who likes dresses?)

My darling best girl in the whole world.

Block Party 2014

After a rainout a month ago - tonight's Block Party went off without a hitch.

Of course we were down a bounce house, catering and tables and chairs from the original plan ... but it was still a great event.

I love this neighborhood.

And so do Dom and the kids.

St Louis at its best. :)

Hair Clips if you please

Someone is tired of bangs....one who only adored bangs a few weeks ago and refused to brush ones hair....

Might you know whom I am speaking of?

Working hard

Rhys is hard at work learning how to read.  Every day we work in his workbook and he is getting there...and will be getting some extra tutoring at school.

I just love how hard he tries!

Best Mom in the Whole World...

...maybe some days when I make pancakes with chocolate chips and a little helper.

Cardinals

First time for Claudia and me!

I'm not sure who is more excited...well, actually, I think it's Claudia looking for FredBird and begging for Cotten Candy.

Rhys, well he has been twice before so this is old news for him. Dom, it was his first Cardinals game without ordering a beer. Well, there is a first for everything!

Overall - a fun Labor Day outing on school group ticket sales ($14 a ticket/nose bleed style). And we even got to take the MetraLink to the stadium. Bonus fun for the kids.

Next time, however, I would like a box seat please. And hold the nacho cheese.

First Days!

First grade and Pre-K are old hat by now since I am writing this two weeks late.

Rhys is off to first with a brand new teacher (she was a Math TA last year) in the converted Spanish classroom. It seems there was an explosion of 6 and 7 year olds in the school district this summer and his year has 5 classrooms.

The good news is that there are only 17 kids in his class and his teacher does have experience in a different part of the state and according to reports - "She is strict but nice."

Rhys loved his Kindergarten teacher - and I'm hoping he really likes Mrs. M too while having a great year.

In any event, enjoy this happy photo of him on his first day.

On a more trivial note, here is Claudia in a dress. She decided that she wears dresses now - so I went shopping and found a few more to fill her bare hangers...and after two weeks, she is back in sports shorts. We will see what she chooses tomorrow.

I love that girl.