1st and 5th grades

Monday, July 23rd. Elliott started 1st grade and Spencer started 5th grade.

These kids are really going to have to stop this growing up stuff.  It's all happening so fast.

We took Elliott's first day of school pictures first.  I bought the shirt for him months ago.

He picked this backpack and was so excited about it. 

Spencer was up next.

Then pictures with parents before we left for school. 

Michael and I took the kids to school, took pictures by their classes, and then LEFT THEM THERE. 

Then we went to breakfast where no less than 8,500 moms were dining with their mom groups to celebrate the first day of school.  Ugh. Mom groups. 

We came home and watched a movie and then I completed my room project on the first day of school.  

Look.  No clothes!

No clothes!

No clothes!

I even finished with enough time to take down all of the 4th of July decor (although it took me a week to actually pack it all up and put it in the garage). 

One last picture of the countdown before I erased it.  

That afternoon, after school, I took Elliott in for allergy shots and then we went to Michael's Arts and Crafts.  Look at how the mugs were arranged!  I swear I did not move them.  Spencer, Michael, Natalie and Elliott.  I should have bought them.  But I didn't. 

And finally, it's become a tradition to go out to dinner on the first day of school.  This year we went to Zinburger. 

And with that, the school year is a go. 

The last day of summer

The very last day of summer vacation for the kids was Sunday the 22nd. 

I took a picture of my latest mani. 

And this one to show it was the last day of summer. 

About an hour after I took those pictures my freaking middle nail broke. Jerk. 

I had kicked my heels off when I got home the night before so I went to put them away in the closet.  That's when I noticed this terrible separation.  I'm mortified to think they looked like this the whole night. 

It wasn't worth it to me to try to repair them, so in the trash they went.  Damn shame. 

There was a pretty sunset that night. 

And I took these as the "before" for my "the kids are back in school, you need to clean up your own room, Natalie" project. 

I don't know why I took this one, but it came out creepy because I don't know what that light is. 

Party party

Saturday the 21st was the end of the year swim team party for Spencer.  It started at 6:30 pm.  We were also invited to a birthday dinner for my friend Jeremy and his mom.  It started at 6:30 pm. Since we cannot split ourselves in half and we didn't like the idea of a sitter taking the kids to the swim party, we decided that Michael would take the kids to the swim party and I would go to the birthday party.

That morning I baked cookies for the birthday boy (I gave him a cookie jar full of cookies as a gift.).

Peanut butter chocolate chip

And prepared the dessert for the swim team party. 

Oyster and pearl cookies

Jeremy is a friend from Boys State.  I met him, his mom, and Levi (another Boys State staff member) at Levi's apartment and drove to downtown Phoenix with them.

Levi is 22 years old.  I can't figure out if he looks like my son or my much younger little brother here.  

Jeremy photo bombing. 

We had dinner at Compass Grill, which is a rotating restaurant at the top of the Hyatt in downtown Phoenix. 

This was the whole crew, later in the night.  I'm over in the far right corner, barely visible. 

We got there when it was still quite bright and sunny. 

So we got to slowly watch the sun set. 

I got a trip of creme brulee for dessert.  The little balls on the one tasted exactly like cocoa puffs. 

Jeremy and his mom, both celebrating birthdays. 

Shenanigans in the lobby before taking the elevators down. 

And then some of us went out for a drink at Seamus McAffreys after dinner.  These were the Boys State people that went out after.  There were two more at dinner that went home after dinner.