Natalie started Kindergarten and other ventures!

Mom gave Natalie this outfit for starting school. check the shoes! I had to get the necklace and hair thing to match. Isn't she swank! This is actually what she wore to meet her teacher at a pre-Kindergarten assessment thing. Based on previous posts about the alphabet game involving European nations, I think that Emily will slam-dunk this assessment thing.

                                        

Note: She has to have a bag, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer and a bear, and several books. You must admire her taste in books: Cowardly Clyde and Diary of a Worm (very graciously given by Lucy, who had an extra copy. Thanks!)

This is Natalie the morning of her first day of school. Shea took this before she went to her babysitter's house. Unfortunately I had to work the whole day and didn't get to see her until that night. She loves it, though. She kept telling me, "When Ms. Shmits rings the bell, you've got to put your hands on your head!" We also repeatedly need to play school, a game in which she is the teacher and I am the student.

Here we are at Costco - still working on our family picture skills. 

Jack's going for cool and hip in this one. . . 

and brutally delusional in this one.

Natalie's got skills though. 

I went to get a drink and Natalie had placed this on the refrigerator. Some NRA weenie must have sent it to Shea. Don't worry - he hasn't joined - but he still repeatedly fakes me out that he has. It irritates me every time - and pretty much works.

Natalie's bed on a regular basis. Notice the small rubber chicken (who lays an egg if you squeeze her) lying on the doll bed with a blanket of stickers. Natalie's doted toys continue to be quite random and change daily.

She remains very magnanimous with the comfortable doll bed though. Sweet dreams Woody!

Jack is in Heaven right now - hucking dirt all over himself with a Barbie helmet on. Word to those with new little boys - if you let them - they will be content to throw dirt on themselves or kick it at inanimate objects  for hours at a time. It's a double-edged sword really - it keeps them happy and occupied, but daily baths are royally lame.

So fashionable - umbrella chairs in the rain.

Dad's working and Jack is perusing  the Veggie-Tales Bible - another favorite library find. I can't tell which man is more concerned about his salvation. . . and stuff.

Natalie recently rediscovered this bear. It had been hypernating in a toybox for about a year and a half. Mom gave it to her as a baby and I love how she has been totally obsessed with it like it was her lost treasure. I don't know the bear's name, but all Natalie's play things - no matter how masculine they appear, are girls and most are named Adra. She still loves the bear Mom!