First Day of School!

This week has been one of a great milestone. Mikiya started kindergarten! We are moving in a couple weeks, and they start school a week and a half earlier than this district does, so we decided to take her out rather than having her miss the first couple weeks. She was pretty excited! I found out only a couple days before it started that they are moving to all day kindergarten this year. Mikiya goes Tues, Thurs and every other Mon. So today is her second day of school. We got her all registered last week, and the secretary told us she couldn't start the same day she registered because she wouldn't be in the system. Poor Mikiya was broken hearted and just started crying. Luckily for us, we had gone to "meet the teacher" earlier in the week and she and the principal were expecting us, so the principal let her stay. That was great for her. I thought I'd be ok until we got into the car, but as we walked down the K-1 hall, I started crying. Mikiya told me I didn't need to, and I REALLY tried not to. I kissed her goodbye, took her into class and watched her get settled at her table. She so big! I'm so excited for her, but it was a difficult day for me. I bawled off and on all day. I have known she was going to school, but somehow I still wasn't prepared, especially for the all day stuff. I decided that overprotective, emotional moms should not be pregnant when they take their oldest child to school for the first time. Quaid had a difficult time leaving her as well and asked to go get her all day.

When we went to get her she was exhausted and didn't want to talk about anything. I was worried all day was to much and she didn't like it, but after she rested and cooled down, she jabbered about everything, and has been playing school with Quaid ever since. We went to IHOP for dinner to celebrate. She was so excited! However, all day school took all her energy. She took lunch to school, had a cheese sandwich when she got home, ate all her dinner, and then ate my leftover pancakes when we got home because she was still starving. Hope she doesn't starve today!

Walton Reunion

I'm a couple weeks late in posting, but we did have a blast at the reunion! This year we stayed at Mom and Dad's rather than going to the cabin, allowing us a little more room. Mikiya was so ansy to go, she thought we'd never get there. She just wanted her Grandma! All along the trip she kept asking if we were to the big trees by Grandma's yet. Of course, she finally fell asleep the last twenty mins. of the drive and had to wake her up so she wouldn't miss the trees. Boy was she glad to get out of the car! Quaid kept busy by taking his turn "working" on Mike's laptop.



Quaid was excited from the beginning as he got to open more birthday presents. One was a little golf set that with with 3 clubs and 3 balls kept the older kids entertained until Rafe started absconding with the flags to pick his teeth. Then it was out to the pools. The kids loved sliding in and out of the alligator pool, then run over to splash in the other pool.

Millie was excited to have Grandma help her on the slide, but was startled every time she splahed in the pool.

The new game of the summer was Lasso Golf (manufacture's name, I hear it has other names as well). At any rate, as you can see it was enjoyed by every age and none of the kids wound up hog tied by the bolos.



Another favorite activity, and reunion staple, was four-wheeler rides around the yard. For Mikiya and Kaelie, the faster the better. The boys weren't as concerned with speed so much as being able to help drive. Millie didn't care about speed or control, but being able to say "Hi" to everbody as she went by; especially "her" Grandma, dog, and dad (unless he was the one giving the ride, of course).

Day two involved a trip to the zoo, a picnic in the park, and amusement rides at Funland. The camera got left in the car, so you all have to trust us that it happened. Quaid's favorite animals were the tiger and the lion. And his favorite ride was the Ferris wheel. Mikiya's favorite ride was the carousel. I don't know what Rafe's favorite animal was, but his favorite snack was the goat food.

The grandkids finally all got their soccer jerseys from Uncle Layton that were waiting for them at Grandma's. As you can see, we had a classic attempt to photograph them together. Considering this was on the last day of the festivities late in the evening after church, they actually did pretty good. Although, judging by the kids' points of focus, we may have had too many parents coaching; also typical. :)

Long post short, we thought it was a great reunion. I forgot to mention the S'mores, meals on the deck, Grandpa's outdoor movie theatre, and playing/feeding Millie's dog, Mya. We look forward to next year and the new faces and returning faces that will join us.