Boys' first day of school (sorta); a wedding, a hangover and other tidbits

Today the boys had their orientation /first day at their new school!

We met their new teacher, toured their beautiful classrooms, watched as they selected cubbies, played with toys, did some spin art, and met new friends. They also saw their friend Marcus, and fell right in together, like old times.

This is the multi-purpose room. We were waiting to go up and tour their classrooms.

Their new teacher, Mr. Valle.

The Three Amigos. That's Marcus - in the stylin' hat.

Making spin art.

Their masterpieces! (And my toes.)

Guys - it is such a nice building, with all the things you think of when you imagine what a pre-school should look like. I got all teary thinking about how blessed we are to be able to provide this kind of place for our kids - and about how this is the kind of school ALL kids deserve. I don't know how the years will go -- or even this year -- but I can tell you that I really felt good when I left there today.


This week is another crazy week, with weird schedules and introducing the new aftercare sitter to the routine, so I'm not completely out of the "I need a Xanax" woods just yet. But I'm getting there.

Speaking of the new aftercare person, Friday was officially Michelle's last day with us, after four years of being a total member of our family. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH! :-(
 

We'll miss you, Mi-Mi!

I am so sad about it. She was a Godsend, truly. I don't know what we're going to do without her. We made a special dinner for her, and gave her flowers and a balloon, and we had chocolate cake to celebrate our time with her. We were all really sad (but cake helps!) and we're determined that Michelle will not be gone for long. We'll still have her come hang out with the kids for some date nights, etc. And she wants us to Skype with her from time to time, too. I love it that she loves my kids so much, especially because they ADORE her. So, for us, it's just see you later, Michelle, and not good-bye. You can't get rid of us that fast!

This weekend, as a matter of fact, we would have used her to go to my friend Andrea's wedding, but we decided to let them stay with my parents overnight so that we could enjoy the wedding and not have to get up at the crack of dawn the next day.

Andrea's wedding was fabulous! She looked beautiful, but she's asked us not to share photos of her, so I won't. Just trust me when I say her dress was gorgeous! And it was great to get together with her and so many friends and drink and eat and cut-up and dance the night away. We had so much fun!!

"Ussie" with my girls Kelly and Shreya

Me and my sweetpea. Check him out in his new tux -- and 35 lbs. lighter! I hate him.

Why am I so short? I blame my parents.

The fellas, stylin'!

By the end of the night, women were bringing out bottles upon bottles of spirits, with fireworks coming out the top. Yes, it was that kind of night.

I might have done a little too much cutting up (ahem) because the next morning, Lester and I both needed this -- in copious amounts.

But it was great to get to go out to brunch with my sweetie and ease into the day. Many thanks to my Mom and Dad for watching the Davis crazies for us! We love you!

Fun, friends and facepainting on Memorial Day

This Memorial Day was busy, busy, but a lot of fun.

We went to Spirit's 5th birthday, which was like a mini-festival, complete with a moon bounce, a magician, a popcorn machine, and a facepainter. (People are determined to put my eat-your-Duncan Hines-cupcakes-and-go-play-with-your-cousins parties to shame!)

It's a flower, even though she kept calling it a butterfly.

The facepainter kept exclaiming about how still Clair was, and how relaxed her face was. Dean, not so much.

My little monsters.

Technically, I think Cary is an avatar, but whatever. He still roared at people.

The magician was a huge hit. I have not seen my boys both crack up so much at the same things before. But they thought his antics and his magic were heeelarious.

I was always just a hair too slow to catch Dean in his full-on belly laugh.

Cary giggled through the whole thing. P.S. I think it is so funny that both my boys like to chew on straws (these are from juiceboxes), just like my uncles and cousins on my Mom's side.

 

Clair, petting the magician's bunny.

The boys' friend Marcus was at the party too. We'll be seeing a lot of Marcus, because they're going to be in the same class at Friends next year!

 And we got to hang out with two former Sun people who we don't get to see nearly enough. Uncle Dusty (Rashod) and Athima!

Me and Rashod go way back to the Sun's features desk! He very much disliked me at first, because he said I was too cheerful. But I won him over -- with my cheerfulness! Today, I can always count on him for friendship, honesty, loyalty and salty language. (Not to mention, good music suggestions.)

Clair let Uncle Dusty help her with her bubbles. This is monumental. She usually throws him so much shade.

Colby, Brent, Kevin and Lester AKA (the fellas).

Jen and her two girls, Athima (yay!), Andrea and Lester.

Keegan and Molly (Jen and Kevin's girls) and Clair were quite adventurous. Keegan and Clair are just two months apart. Molly will be 5 in November. It was fun to see all our kids playing together.

Dean followed Andrea around like a lovesick puppy, holding her hand and asking her to play, chase him, and take him to the bathroom. I told Andrea she better tell her fiance, Zac, that he has some monstrous competition.

Love this photo of my sweetie. She wore her sandals proudly, saying, "I wear my sandals. And I not cry!" That's my girl!

We also went to swim class, Lester took the kids to the park and the grocery store, we both went separately to DC to do various things at Lester's house (which should soon be on the market, yay!) and I cooked for almost seven straight hours yesterday. So there was nothing relaxing about this 3-day weekend.

But I don't imagine those kinds of long weekends will come again for quite some time.
Not with these three around.

Cary looks annoyed. Dean looks like a big boy. Clair looks adorable and devilish. In other words, the uje.