Daddy-Daughter Day at Disneyland

Monday. What to do when your 4-year-old going on 16-year-old just happens to say "No, I don't want to go to school today." Since she is clearly in charge here, as she has shown us by saying, doing, dressing, and acting however she wants, I didn't put up a fight. As it happens, I was off on this Monday as well. So, impromptu Disneyland is what our little Diva wanted to do. 

 First, it was pigtails and checkered shirts. "Two BIG pony tails, on the side."

"OK Audrey."

"And my boots."

 "No pictures please."

 "Oh, I'll just line up here on the end, even though they didn't pick me. I've been here before."

We did go on the roller coaster at California Adventure park. Yes it goes upside down and pretty darn fast.

She is 48 inches with her new boots on, so they let us on. I told her she could have popcorn and a Frozen toy if she went with me. My plan was almost foiled when some boy getting off the roller coaster came through balling his eyes out, just happened to be the boy in the seat Audrey was going to be in.

For the record. She was fine and fit snug in the seat. She was silent the whole time but at the end she said "That was crazy. That was fun. But I don't want to do it again."

 Popcorn. As promised.

 There was lots of driving that day for some reason.

 Costume change for teacups.

What a day. I did buy her some Frozen makeup at the Bipidy Bopidy (sp) Boutique. Somehow she picked out the least expensive thing in the store.

love, john

Pumpkin Patch + Parties + Halloween

Once again, I've lost the time to keep up on this family history... 

So, let's just catch up quickly on all the fun we had this fall... 
including Halloween!!

The Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch in Irvine is pretty spectacular. 

They do an amazing job growing beautiful pumpkins, vegetables, and offer every fall festival activity you can imagine from wagon rides, corn mazes, petting zoos, and face painting. They even shoot pumpkins across the farm every few minutes from a cannon, which is awesome. 

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There was more fall festival fun at Audrey's school!! 

She really runs that place.

Then, there was a Halloween party to celebrate our neighbor's (Jax 4th & Willa's 2nd) birthdays! 

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Let's just say, we won the family costume contest (and $50)! 

It was a great party, for some kids we really love! 

Of course, we carved pumpkins....

From left to right: Mommy, Daddy and Audrey.

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Then, there was the REAL Halloween!! 

Audrey and her friends did some serious trick-or-treating!! 

She's such a spooky witch, don't you think? 

Thanksgiving, Christmas Decorating, Dance Recital and more updates to come {soon-ish}!!!

This Just In!

It recently occurred to me that time is going way, WAY too fast. 

Before I know it, Audrey's going to be in school... 

Like REAL. SCHOOL. 

The kind your in for 16+ years. 

This babe starts Kindergarten next fall. 

And, she's really ready. 

She can't wait to grow up, in fact. Always asking me,

When am I going to go to kindergarten, Mama?

When am I going to be TEN?

When am I going to be taller than Daddy?

When can I have your shirt/jacket/purse/necklace/jewelry box?

Trust me, she's ready.

But, am I??? 

Just thinking about it the past few weeks has been giving me anxiety. 

Time is literally flying by, and I'm not going to have this little baby girl and precious pre-school time forever.  

So, I made an executive decision. 

A perk of being the boss, I suppose. 

I'm taking Fridays off for Audrey Fun from now until Kindergarten!!!

I'm so, SO, so ridiculously lucky to be in my position, with an amazing crew to really allow me this opportunity for extra special time with Audrey. 

And, I'll keep her enrolled at preschool full-time, because an occasional conflict could come up. 

But, mentally I've cut back my schedule, 

cleared my calendar on Fridays through September 2015,

and it FEELS. REALLY. GREAT!!!!

Even if it's just for a few hours in the afternoon, Fridays are now for one-on-one, uninterrupted, SUPER DUPER, amazing fun with my girl. 

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We kicked off the new tradition two weeks ago with a SURPRISE day at Disneyland. 

Our favorite. 

It worked well for John too, since the hospital is so close to Disneyland. 

He was able to meet us after work.

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So happy about this new development, and planning on taking full advantage of these last few months before kindergarten!

Already plotting for tomorrow's surprise...