My little Toddler

Today was my littlest princess' first day of preschool! She went right in like a champ and I know she is going to LOVE it there this year!

Unfortunately, Ryan had to go into work early this morning so the photos did not turn out so hot this a.m. Here are our attempts at getting some pictures of my little toddler on her first day of 2 day preschool!!

Whenever I say "get together", Ali goes in for the choke hold on Rhodes to keep her from running! :)

Ali tried to play photographer so we had to lean in a little to try to get in the Mommy/daughter first day shot!
About to go in for Rhodes' first day and Ali's second! (Ali told me she wants to go to school EVERY day - she is not going to be happy to find out tomorrow will be a day off!) :)
Went right in and started playing with a stroller with friends! I am loving this stage and want to eat my Rhodesy up - so glad she loves school so much but I sure did miss her! :)

I picked her up and she was having a ball in there - playing with new friends and old buddies, Webb and Lee! It is going to be a great year! She was smiling from ear to ear and skipped all the way out (and it was 1:30!! and yet to nap!! You'd think she'd be tired!) - makes a Mama feel good to see both of my little babies loving school so much! Love my little smiley pants!

Off to 3K!

My Ali B is starting 3K today! She will go three days this year (Rhodes is starting tomorrow and going 2 days) and I am so excited for her but also very sentimental every year as my little girl moves up! What am I going to be like when she goes to college? We had a fun day yesterday - after church when Rhodes was napping and Ryan was cutting the grass - Ali and I went out for a girls day. We were going to get our nails down but opted out and went to the mall to get some cookies and go to the Disney Store to get excited about our upcoming trip to Disney. Then, we went to see Toy Story 3 (Ali's 3rd time seeing it - but our first time ever getting to go to a movie together - just the two of us!) - it was such a treat! We came home and did our nails (Rhodes got her nails done too!) and finished the night off with Vaquero's. I love my little girls so much and am so excited for them and their new school year!

Woke up singing "It's the First Day of School Todaaay!" - and got to eat munchkins for breakfast! Ali was sooo excited!!

I had to put this action shot in - the girls were so happy and dancing this morning!

3K - here we come!


Me and my girls! (Trying to get them both to look at the camera and smile at the same time - near impossible!)

Me and my favorite 3 year old!
Our big girl with daddy!
Daddy and his girls!
Ali went right in to Ms. Garrett's class and didn't look back - we feel so blessed to get to have her again this year (she moved up from 2s to 3s this year!) and a whole new class full of new friends (and a few old ones too!). I think it is going to be a great year - so proud of this girl!

More pictures to come tomorrow of Rhodesy's first day in the Toddler class! :)

Gearing up for Fall!

I got up early this morning and went for a long, relaxing walk with Baxter....it was darker out because of clouds and slightly cooler than this hot weather we have been enduring and it got me feeling nostalgic and excited about Fall (my favorite season)! September is sneaking quickly up on us and I am so excited about all of the fun things it brings.....

Like this....

(a new school year for the girls!)

And this...

(Go Dawgs!!)

And a fun trip here....

And here....

It is going to be a fun family month and I can't wait! :)

Bye bye sweet baby curls - Rhodesy's first haircut!!

Today was one of those motherhood days that I loved - getting organized, doing some shopping and just spending the day with my girls with no place I had to be! My cleaning lady came over at 9 so we set out to pick up Mimi - next stop, shoe shopping!After at least an hour in the shoe store - we headed out for a girls lunch...then, took the girls out for haircuts - Rhodesy's FIRST! I was so nervous and trying not to tear up watching them cut my precious baby's first curls....but those curls had gotten so long and Rhodes needed a new 'do! I feel like she got a mini-makeover today - from crocs (she wouldn't take them off and insisted on wearing them with every smocked outfit she owns! ;)) and somewhat straggly hair - to her new favorite shoes, Keds (with socks - hooray!) and a new bob! She looks like such a big girl now and it was so fun/bittersweet/sad watching her sit there and get her first hair cut!

The 'do before:
Getting sprayed down and ready for the scissors...


Rhodes loved swirling around in her airplane - she did great during the hair cut - only a little bit antsy towards the end...


Back to business with my new hair! :)
Love this sweet profile
Tired eyes with her new look...sweet, sweet Rhodeso
Ali's turn! She had just gotten a hair "cut" (trim) about 2 weeks ago - same place - but she was ready to go for a little more once she saw Rhodes up there!

My pretty big girl....ready for 3K!

Cutie patootie! :)
Seems like just yesterday this was her:
http://jrapatrick.blogspot.com/2008/10/its-about-time-alis-first-haircut.html

I went back and looked at this blog and noticed the girls were in the same chair for their first haircut...how different they are and how hard it is for me to believe how fast time flies! They are my heart!

We go tomorrow for Open House at the girl's pre-school and get to "meet" their teachers! Luckily we already have met both of them - Ali even got lucky enough to get Ms. Garrett again! (she moved up to 3s this year!) We can't wait to meet all of their new friends/classmates this school year....looking forward to meeting their parents tomorrow! Ahhh...I can feel Fall coming in the air (although not in the temps quite yet) and I can't wait!

Just my girls!

Just a few pictures so I can have a blog update! I am looking at these wondering how Ali is not still Rhodesy's age and how Rhodesy is no longer a baby! I can't believe how big they look and how fast they are growing up! Summer days are flying by and they both start preschool at the end of this month - I can not wait to have some organization in my life but also going to miss these crazy summer days with my angels!

You can't really tell but Rhodes has been sporting a pony tail lately - makes her look soo big!
Running with friends outside of Vaquero's! (our new favorite restaurant!)


We are slow to wake up most mornings - two little sweet peas on the couch. Looking forward to school in a few weeks but dreading having to be there dressed and pretty by 9 a.m.!
My adventurous and hilarious Rhodesy! Loves the swing!


These were in the midst of her singing her favorite part of her favorite song - If you're happy and you know it should Hooray!

Rhodesy's new favorite place to put on song/dance performances!

Ali coming out to join the fun & photo shoot!
Full of accessories and braids - but looks so grown up!


Heading up to her performance spot (both of my girls LOVE to sing/dance/and perform for us!)