Here's what Bailey's Grandpa made for us with his free 8x10 collage from Walgreens coupon. Hopefully it will allow you to click on it so you can view it larger. This made me all verklempt. =-(

Would you just look at that red dress picture with the cute little girl bob haircut....that's Kindergarten...and it was also her 5th birthday that very day. And yes, I DID follow the school bus to school, bawling the whole way. No one will let me live that one down - but I had the birthday treats with me - I HAD to drive behind the bus!

And the one to the left of it...in a yellow shirt...NO FRONT TEETH! Oh, Lord...it just all goes too fast. Help me to remember and appreciate these teen years too - cuz I want to enjoy them NOW...not just look back on them fondly.

Lauren's First Day of Preschool!

(First she said she wanted to be a butterfly, but then changed her mind and said Doctor).

Lauren was sooo excited for her first day of Preschool! She's been imagining what school would be like for days - weeks...and judging from the yawns this morning, I'd say her excitement kept her up a lot last night. So finally, today was the day. It was orientation day for kids only....which to me means the 1st day of Preschool. It was a half-hour shorter than her regular days will be - but it was the first time she wore her backpack with her name written in permanent marker on the top.

It was the first time the minivan got in line behind all the other Moms to drop-off. It was the first time I've been alone with Grant for more than a couple hours - ever.
I really should have worn makeup and - I don't know...SHOWERED? before this milestone photo was taken. oh well...keepin' it real.

I checked the calendar and previous mailings to make sure I had everything packed in her backpack. I double checked the drop-off and pick-up times. I checked it all again. When Mrs. Sue opened the van door to retrieve Lauren for her first day, she said..."Did you remember your name tag?" SCHEIST! I forgot the name tag! The blue rectangle with her name on it - the one that should be around her neck so all of the teachers know which group is hers. AAAGH! Well, I thought it would take longer than a DAY for the teachers to learn that I am unorganized, but within 30 seconds the truth is revealed.

Grant & I made a Costco run during preschool and then it was pick-up time. Lauren had an awesome time! She learned about owls, worked on at least two owl crafts,

made some new friends, ("Hailey is my new friend - and she is beautiful" and enjoyed her new-found independence. She also brought home a book order form! BOOK ORDERS! Now doesn't THAT bring back a big warm fuzzy memory! I LOVE BOOK ORDERS!

I'm not really ready for her to go off without me...but the time has come. I know it is only a few hours a few days a week...but that's how it starts. Next she'll be going off to all-day school and then she'll be driving and then moving out! I know - settle down...but honestly - it DOES go that fast.

I shared an awesome FREEBIE with Grandpa the other day and he decided to take advantage of it. To create his free 8x10 collage from Walgreens, he needed 1st day of school pictures for Bailey for 2007 and 2008. And you know what? I have RUINED it! And I've RUINED a future scrapbook page hilighting her 1st day of 8th grade last year. You know why? Apparently I didn't take one!!! What kind of Mom forgets to take a 1st day of school picture?! We WERE selling a house and picking out flooring, countertops, etc. for our new house this time last year, but STILL!

To make myself feel a LITTLE bit better, here's this year's 1st day of school picture. Bailey's first day of high school. HIGH SCHOOL! Mid-life crisis...here I come.

On June 27, 2009, Bailey & I attended the Taylor Swift/Keith Urban concert at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. This was an AWESOME Valentine's Day gift from Mark. We were in the 20-something row on the floor and at times had up-close and personal views of Keith Urban.

He shot this video at the concert (cool!). When the camera pans around behind him...that was our view of the video segment of the concert. (Not a bad view when we're talking about Keith Urban - ha). Enjoy!