First Day of First Grade and PreK 3

Jocelyn started First Grade at a new school this year.  Since we moved, Jocelyn had to change from Massey Ranch to Rustic Oak Elementary.  I was a little worried it was going to be a tough transition but she is so resilient and she didn't miss a beat.  She had made lots of friends by the end of the first day and was already on the teacher's radar for being an super star student!  Seriously, the note the teacher sent home after the first week was glowing with praise of how kind and generous she is - helping all the other kids in class feel included.  I think it's going to be a great year!


Liam and Lizzie started Pre K 3 at Eagle Heights.  Last year they only went Tues/Thurs but this year its all day, every day! They seem to be doing very well and are really enjoying their classes and teachers (they are in separate classes).  Liam is impressing his teacher with his reading skills, although he's also making an impression with some non-listening to direction skills.  Lizzie is a delight for her teacher and tells us everyday how much she loves her school and how happy she is. What awesome kids!

Artesian Lakes Weekend

This past weekend, we ventured off for a two-night stay at Artesian Lakes with the cousins...and their parents.  The whole crew consisted of John, Jocelyn, Liam, Lizzie, myself, Jennifer, Kenny, Thaden and Owen.  We have visited Artesian Lakes once before and had so much fun that we knew we had to go back when it was warmer and we could enjoy the pool and lake. 


We stayed in the Hall House and it was perfect for our family.  Lots of beds, a full kitchen and living area complete with 2 1/2 baths and a HUGE deck area!  Of course we were visited by the local alligators within the first few moments of arrival.  No worries - they cannot/do not come up the stairs of the dock and up the stairs to the upper deck where we were.  We viewed them from afar and named them obvious, alligator-esque names like Chomp. I voted for Chocolate Cookie and Crunch but that was probably my stomach talking.


We loved the pool area and the lake with the giant slide.  Jocelyn and Lizzie enjoyed the slide; Liam tried it once (well, was forced to go down once with John) and that was good enough for him.  We can't wait to return some other time!  It is really nice to get away from home for a few nights and not take forever to get there - Artesian Lakes is only 1 1/2 hours away!  Perfect!

Our first trip to Artesian Lakes was back in March with our good friends Kelly, Jeremy and Will.  The kids had a blast - they played on the playground, we hiked, we went on a hayride, Jocelyn canoed and they swam in their cloths in the pool!