Red Day

Today was "red day" at Kate's school.  She was supposed to wear red, learn about red things, and eat a red snack.  When she came home, I thought she was too cute not to snap a picture.

I hope you all had a good red day!

On your first day of school, it is important to remember to...

eat a healthy breakfast...

have proper hygiene...

do your summer reading...

wait patiently while we sit in the parking lot waiting for the rain to let up...

have a good attitude while you're waiting for mom to come pick you up...

and always display your work proudly!

Kate's first day at preschool was a huge success!  She loves it, and I adore the teachers and other families.  I was fine when I dropped her off, although there were a lot of wet eyes (mostly from the other mom's).  She went right into her class room and knew just what to do with her bag!  Her teacher gave every parent a mini case of tissues and a poem about dropping your child off at school.  I was smart and didn't read the poem until after I picked Kate up because I saw the poem triggering a lot of tears!  Kate didn't ask for me at all, which is pretty bittersweet to hear as a mom, but I really like that she settled in well.  She told me that she's going to stop sucking her fingers, but only while she's at school, she was sure to let me know that she's still going to do it at home (although in the second-to-last picture, it appears as though she forgot)!  She's already asked when we're going to go back, so I'll take that as a very good sign.

A Fun Birthday Party (long overdue)

Last weekend we headed to New Braunfels to celebrate Kate's friend, E's, birthday!  Mickey Mouse paid a visit, which Kate LOVED, plus there were Mickey themed games and cartoons.  I have so much to learn when it comes to birthday party planning, I'm such an amateur.  My birthday falls so close to Christmas that I never had parties when I was little because we were usually visiting family out of state, and all of my friends were busy with holiday stuff.  Therefore I have very little party-planning experience, but I'm learning little by little.

We all had fun at E's party, but unfortunately my camera ran out of battery power.  I did capture a few pictures before my camera died.

Getting ready to have fun in her party attire!

She really really wanted to give this ball to Mickey, but she got a little nervous and never worked up the nerve to walk over and do it.

Balloon animals are always a big hit!

Velcro the nose on Mickey, a very safe alternative to "pinning" the nose, and when you're at a party with toddlers, safe alternatives are always good.

She loved this game!

I think we know what Santa might be bringing for Christmas!

This is what happens....

when a 2-year-old puts on her own underwear....

A Little Taste of Summer

I've been horrible about posting this summer, so I thought I'd post a few pictures of some of the things we've been up to.....

First we went to Iowa, where we ate twice the legal limit of ice cream....

Then to Minnesota, where we played in so many parks and lakes that I stopped counting...

Then onto Nebraska, the last leg of our vacation, where Kate got to see Christmas trees in July (or so she thought)...

Then back at home, we made a visit to the San Antonio Zoo (we plan to go back when it's under 100 degrees)...

Then, of course, there were those lazy days of summer where we did pretty much nothing...

(except lock our daughter in the dog pen!)

Hey, it was her idea!  We had a terrific summer, and now I'm ready to welcome the fall weather.  Kate will be starting a mother's morning out program this September.  It will be 3 hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  I'm excited to see how she does with a teacher and other students, but I'm also dreading taking her because, um, isn't she too young to be able to survive without me?  Just kidding, I know she'll do great, and I'm sure I'll have lots to post about as she starts her new school.  I hope everyone else is having a great summer!

~Molly

A Quick Game of Tag (since you all know I love to run)!

My friend Jessica tagged me in her most recent blog post.  She answered 8 questions, and posted 8 new ones for me to answer (thanks for the homework, Jessica).  

1. What is your greatest achievement?
This would have to be getting my mater's degree.  I am the first in my family to get anything beyond a bachelor's degree, and I am still so proud to have it.  Even though I don't technically "use" it everyday, I know I gained so many valuable experiences and made great connections in grad school.

2.  What is your worst habit?
I'm way too scheduled.  I wish I had a little bit more spontaneity.  I hardly ever do anything last-minute.  This was the biggest adjustment with having a baby, they come with absolutely no schedule (and I was so naive that I didn't know that...).

3.  What did you want to be when you "grew up"?
This is a funny question because I always knew that I wanted to stay home when I had a baby, which is exactly what I'm doing!  My mom stayed home with me until I was 4, and I feel like we have a really close relationship, so I'm trying to do that with Kate.  However, ever since I started touring colleges sometime around my sophomore or junior year in high school, I have wanted to work on a college campus.  I'd like to be a professor or work in administration.  I loved loved loved my job in admissions at TLU, and would go back in a heartbeat if it didn't require so much travel.  Someday I'd like to work in a different facet of higher ed.

4.  What is your favorite childhood memory?
Going to Minnesota with my family every year.  My dad is from Minnesota, and every summer we would pack up the car and head north for a 24 hour drive.  People always thought we were crazy for not flying, but I wouldn't have changed a thing.  This was before the days of dvd players in cars and electronic toys, so it was just me and my sister, bonding in the back seat (sometimes the bonding got a little loud and irritating, but it was bonding none-the-less).  The best years were when we'd take a side-trip on the way home and go to places like St. Louis, Yellowstone, and the Black Hills.

5.  How did you decide on the name for your blog?
I just wanted something that described my life, and my life is pretty much centered on my baby (who's really not a baby anymore) and my 3 dogs!

6.  What is your favorite place to go out and eat?
I love Mexican food.  Who doesn't?  I love everything from the chips, to the margaritas, to the cheese on top of everything.  It's not what I usually choose because I like to at least attempt to eat healthy, but I definitely divulge on lots of occasions.  My favorite mexican food place is probably El Ranchito in Seguin (original, right?).  Most people who I take there (obviously not from Seguin) can't stand it.  It's not very authentic, but if you're from Seguin, it's pretty much a requirement that you like it.  However, if you're looking for a bit more of a stretch, I like Mi Tierra in San Antonio.

7.  What is the last book you read?
I actually just finished reading The Brothers Karamazov.  I really like Russian literature, my favorites include Tolstoy and Sigrid Unset (actually I think she's Scandinavian).  So I had this professor in grad school who also liked Russian novels, and he was always trying to convince me to read The Brother's K,  since the only thing I'd ever read by Dostoyevsky was Notes From Underground (he said I hadn't given Dostoyevsky a fair chance).  I must say that I wasn't as fond of it, and he remains the outcast in my list of favorite Russians.

8.  What is your favorite family tradition (new or old)?
I love this question.  Before Kate was born, Brandon and I always used to go to midnight mass on Christmas eve, then stop and eat at IHOP on the way home.  It was so much fun and we were crazy tired, but we absolutely loved it.  Since we had a baby, we don't go to midnight mass anymore, we go on Christmas morning, and at first we were sad to say goodbye to our 4-year IHOP tradition.  However, without meaning to, we came up with a new tradition (I think the best traditions are formed without intent).  We stay up really late on Christmas eve in our pajamas putting together all the stuff we bought for Kate.  We usually have a couple arguments, and tear a few instruction manuals into a million pieces, but we still stay up late and have wine and lots of fun (accompanied by a midnight snack, or two, or three...).

Here are my 8 questions:

1.  What's your favorite movie of all time?

2.  What would you do if you had a million dollars?

3.  What's your favorite song to sing at Karaoke?

4.  What are 3 things you cannot live without?

5.  What is the best vacation you've ever taken?

6.  If you could meet any celebrity in the world, who would it be?

7.  What is your favorite meal?

8.  What trait do you love most and least about yourself (sorry, this was similar to one of the questions Jessica gave to me, but I'd really like to know)?

I tag...

Lauren

Jenna

Rachel

Nellie

Chelsea

Wordless Wednesday - A cupcake face to end swimming lessons!