Ive Got Sunshine On a Cloudy Day

A mini photoshoot of My Girl from the beach! and I swear, swear SWEAR she is soooooo shy. I promise!! Its hysterical how she is such a little Diva, but is so shy to people. Lol!!

funny face!

Florida Beach Pics

We went to Panama City Beach in July. I know, I know - I think the same thing. I haven't been here since circa college days when I partied Club LaVela (holla!)

Lol - anyway, it was a last minute trip, and we needed to be close to an airport - so PCB it was! My mom decided she wanted to go somewhere with the kiddos, and it was my sisters birthday as well - (we went to Napa last year - HOW was that a year ago??!??) And it actually was quite awesome! Very fun - family friendly and everyone had a blast - score!

Here are a few little photoshooty pics we took on a sand dune :)

Oh, how sometimes you just get the perfect one. 

The Night we Found out out Kindergarten Teachers

I am incredibly behind on a plethora of posts. Like, a PLETHORA. And the amount of pictures on my camera to upload is just ridiculous. However, tonight we learned our kindergarten teachers :) 

That's right folks, my BABIES start kindergarten on Thursday. THURSDAY!!!!! 

My kiddos will be attending Scales. We are very excited about this school. We looked for houses for two years and finally moved into the district to attend here. 

We got a personal "automated"phone call from the teachers, to inform my kids they will be in their class. It was going to be at 5:30pm.

When I say I've been a nervous wreck all day - I HAVE!!!! It's been like awaiting Christmas morning. There are six teachers. I've been obsessed. 

I decided to separate them. It's for the best. Jules is incredibly shy, and I know it's best for her to branch out on her own without Josh. It will be great for them, but incredibly hard for me: two sets of friends, two sets of homework, etc.

 Once we found out teachers, thus began a phone, text, email, and Facebook chain to collect all information about which kids would be in which classes. It was hysterical. Jake thought I was crazy. An even funnier aside was I went for a good hour without knowing which twin was in each class. Lol!! 

I can't explain how pleased I am with the teacher each child got. They were matched so so well. I'm so excited!!!!!!!!***

***Im actually not excited in the least. 

And Away You Go!

Tomorrow morning is almost here. A day I've dreaded basically since you were born. But, I can hold off Father Time no longer. Tomorrow you will be officially kindergartners.

Babies no more.



Dear Josh and Jules, 

Here it is guys!! The day we have been planning, training, and praying for. I've tried as hard as I can to prepare you as much as I can, but now it's time for you guys to go. And you both embark on this journey, I wanted to give you a list of things I hope for you. I love you both so very much and I am so proud of you!

 - As hard as this is for me to send you tomorrow, I truly hope it will not be hard for you.

- I hope you will go tomorrow and be brave. It will be scary I know, but I also know how excited you both are.

- I hope you will not get lost in school. You guys are still teeny baby people and it's a big school.

- I hope you will feel like you belong.

- I hope you get along with your teachers, and always be on your best behavior and use your manners (Josh I'm looking at you)

- I hope your teacher loves you, and will listen to you, and be excited to see you every morning.

- And I hope you will come home with exciting things to tell me that your teacher said or did.

- I hope you will stay "you". That you both continue to laugh, giggle, create, and find little things magical.

- Jules, I hope my decision to separate you will make you grow and blossom. You are so very shy my little peanut, and my hope is that you will speak up in class and make some great friends.

- I hope you both will talk to me about your day - your happy times, your sad times, and remember the times you thought throughout the day "I need to ask Mommy about this later"

- I hope that not only you make good friends on this journey, but that you are a good friend as well. I hope you are compassionate boys and girls with big hearts that I know you have.

- Dear Lord, I hope no one is mean to my kids and hurts their feelings, even though I know it will happen.

- And I also hope that your skin gets though, so if it does happen, it won't hurt so bad.

- I hope you both eat your lunches. It's going to be different now not having a preschool teacher right beside you, making sure you eat something remotely healthy.

- I hope you both make happy memories that will last a lifetime.

- I hope you both learn something new this year or explore an interest that you've never seen or done before, and I hope you develop a love for it.

- And I hope you will be very proud of that.

- I hope I don't cry tomorrow.

- I hope nothing makes you struggle, and I hope if it does, you will ask for help.

- I hope your teachers see how smart you both are are so eager to learn. I hope you are able to sit in class and listen and take it all in (I know, this is the hard part)

- I hope you both will feel safe. I never want you to feel scared, but if you do- I hope will tell your teacher or me.

- I hope that you both cherish each other and count on each other and will talk to each other about your days. I hope you will see each other in recess or PE, etc, and I hope that puts a huge smile on your faces.

- I hope school is all your hoped and dreamed it would be.

- I hope you know that Mommy's heart is breaking and bursting at the same time. Breaking because you guys are so grown up in the blink of an eye, and bursting with pride. It kills me that I won't be there every step of the way and right there asking if you're ok.

- But, I hope (and know) that you will be. You both are so important in this world, and I hope school allows you to see that.

"You have brains in your head, You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own, and you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go."

"You're off to Great Places! 

Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting, 

So...get on your way!"

Aunt Essie and Josh