Arch.

This weekend we took a little family "staycation" to the St. Louis Arch. As in national park, not to be confused with the golden arches we normally frequent. =)
The kids hadn't ever been to the top, but it is obviously one of those landmarks every time we cross the river which they are so curiously interested.

The princess views the east side from the top and checks out the Muddy Mississippi.
On a side note, she wore this getup nearly all weekend.
On the plus side, I wasn't too worried about losing her...follow the trail of pink feathers.

And the west, downtown view.
Newish Busch Stadium to the left.

Lessons in Beauty

Julia (who has about half a tube of lipgloss/stick on): Mom, aren't I beautiful?

Me: Weeeelll, you are beautiful even without lipstick!

Julia: No, mom, I am not.

Me: Yes, you are. Look at me, I don't have any lipstick on..am I beautiful?

Julia: No.

Kindergarten, Day 1

Despite the earlier confusion, Ry made it on the right bus.

And to the school where he excitedly jumped off!

And he managed to find his locker and fantastic teacher.

And the three buddies made the bus ride home. Ry jumped off and said, "That was a great bumpy ride! Let's do it again!!"

Prelude to Kindergarten

1:30ish am - Irresponsibly, Jeff and I head to bed.

3:22 am - Ryan enters our room and tells me his eyes won't shut because he is SOOO excited to get to go to kindergarten. I walk him back to his own bed.

4:36 am - Ryan comes back to our room again and tells me he has been trying VERY hard but his eyes just will NOT shut because he is too excited. I go lay in his room with him.

5:19 am - Ryan asks me to rub his back to help him sleep. I am a very desperate woman at this point.

5:45 am - Julia screams "Mommy" from her room. I quietly exit my (sleeping!!?!) boys room and go snatch her out of her crib and deposit her in our bed by daddy...who has somehow (!!?!!!) managed to sleep through all the chaos.

5:50 am - I very deliriously take up camp downstairs on the couch. I say deliriously, because I really wasn't thinking straight at this point. I am not kidding - when I looked at the clock it actually crossed my mind that maybe I should just head to the Y at this point because at least I could snag a workout.

6something am - Julia and Jeff come downstairs. I pretend to be asleep. He immediately puts on the Cinderella DVD for her. I open my eyes, and he gives me a desperate "WHY is she up at this hour?!" look. I shrug, and head up to our now empty bed.

7:15 am - My alarm clock goes off. I hit snooze several times.

7:45 am - I jump in the shower.

8:20 am - Struggle to wake up our deeply sleeping kindergartener. I dress him while he is still in an unconscious state. Jeff jumps in shower.

8:30 am - The excited grandma's arrive to watch our little guy board the school bus. They get Ry breakfast and get Julia dressed.

8:40 - We walk outside to wait for the bus.

Can you tell no one really slept last night!?!

For the record, this is NOT his bus.  It did come at nearly the same time his is scheduled to arrive.  And thank goodness lack of sleep didn't affect him as it did his momma, because I nearly put him on here.  He was saying "Mom, these kids look really old! They don't look like my friends!"  Whoops..a quick check with the bus driver revealed I was sending him to the junior high. I mean, I know he's very smart and all...hehe.

More on day #1 tomorrow... really really too tired to keep going on this post! =)

Look Who's Riding...

...with NO training wheels!

CB Talk

Julia just heard the f-bomb over her toy radio!! "Mom, what did that guy say??!" EEK!

Kid Chatter

Ry: Julia. You know what?
Jul: No. Tell me.

Ry: When I get older, my name is going to be Daddy.

Ry: Mom, when you get to be lots of numbers old you will die?

Me: Yup. But don't worry...that will hopefully be a very long time from now.

Ry: Yeah. You will sell the house and move to heaven.

Jul: Mom!!! I will miss you when you are dead!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Lucas!

The kids were super excited to celebrate cousin Lucas' 2nd birthday!

Jake, Luke and Julia step away from their cake long enough for me to snap a pic.

Daddy and Julia get some sweet snuggles in the hammock chair.

Baby Cole (8 mos) is happy with his tummy full of watermelon!

It's A Zoo!

Our little monkeys: Ryan, Maddie, Julia and Mason enjoy our zoo picnic playdate!

He Passed!

Our proud little guy GRADUATED pre-k tonight!

Ryan left the house in his Santa hat.

When we arrived at school, I pulled it off his head and threw it back in the car.

Ry protested and said, "But Mom! Ms. Cathy told me we had to wear hats tonight!"

Guess they didn't practice their ceremony with the motarboards. =)

The grads entertained us with a fun little program...

Julia just wanted to run, run, run...all night long!

We're all so proud of you, Ry-guy!

Ry tells me he is NOT going to kindergarten next year.

Here are some of his reasons:

- He has heard they do lots of hard projects.

- He just wants to stay a kid and keep picking his nose.

- He just wants to stay home with mommy and play.

McD's

We'd gotten in the habit of hitting up our local McD's after gymnastics class on Mondays...because how can you say "no" to these faces?!

Can you just imagine this same group when they are 80 and meeting here for coffee?

China?

Ry (looking closely at a ball): Daddy, what does this say?

Jeff: Made in China.

Ry: Oh..China! Is that like where God lives?

Jeff: No, God lives in heaven.

Ry: But he lives where there are a lot of tall buildings.

I am not sure where he got this idea, but I'm wondering if it's because one of his favorite songs is "Big House" and he's taking it quite literally..?

Chorus:

Come and go with me to my father's house.

Come and go with me to my father's house.

It's a big, big house with lots and lots of rooms.

A big big table with lots and lots of food.

A big, big yard where we can play football.

A big, big house it's my father's house.

The Trade

Ry: Mom, let's trade her for two boys.

Me: What? You want to trade Julia?

Ry: Yeah, let's trade her for Andrew and his brother. Because his mommy has two boys. And then I could play with Andrew all the days.

Me: We can't trade your sister for the neighbor boys!!

Ry: Why not? Sure we can!

More chatter...

Julia (playing make believe. the princess is speaking this to the prince): If you don't marry me, I will shoot you dead and throw you in hot lava!

Humm....think her big brother has been influencing her?

Kid Chatter

Ry: Daddy, is that coffeechino you are drinking?

Julia: Ry, my picture is more better than yours.

Ryan: Julia, we don't say things like that.

Julia: Uhhuh, my picture is more better than yours, Ry!

Ryan: Julia, no we don't say things like that.

Julia: Look, mine is more better than yours.

Ryan: Julia, I'm not inviting you to my birthday party!

(his birthday is not until December!)

Julia: Mommy, I want this lipstickie.

Me: Julia, we have plenty of lipstick at home, put that back on the shelf, please.

Julia sticks it in her pocket.

Me: Julia, take that lipstick out of your pocket and back on the shelf. You can't just take that without buying it...or else...

Ry: Or else God will strike you down and you will die?

Me: Um...not exactly.