off to kindergarten

Today was the day!  That first step out into the world of Big School.  She was so ready for this next step and all went smoothly and she came home just as happy as she did went she left.

The school bus, eating lunch in the 20 minutes they have, 3 recess breaks (quite the high-light!), music lesson, helping the teacher, writing out the month calender.  She did it all.

More than a few tears came to my eyes throughout the day thinking of her in her classroom.  Learning how it all works in class, listening, raising her hand, walking in line, waiting her turn, not burst into song every now and then (it can often feel like we live in an opera with this singing girl!).

She did great.  And I did great too!  Long may it continue!

arty party

So my little girl is 'almost six'.  Not quite there yet, but good enough!  Her birthday falls on the back to school day and with Labor Day weekend just before, its not the best time for a birthday bash.  So this past Saturday we celebrated her 'Almost 6 Birthday' with 6 of her girl friends.

Arty Party was the theme.  Freestyle canvas painting to start with, then a color-by-numbers canvas painting followed with decorating little note books and bookmarks.  Arty activities were interspersed with bashing the life out of a butterfly piñata (those girls are strong!), cake, photos and gift opening!  A fun (and not too messy!) time was had by all.

It's still beyond me that she is almost 6 and starting Kindergarten in a week's time!

western birthday party

Ruby's 5th birthday celebrations were celebrated around here Western style.

A perfect chance to get a little creative and put to use all those hours spent browsing on Pinterest!

Red and White Checks

Bandanas and Stetsons

Straw and Twine

Pin the Tail on the Donkey

Skittles

Hoop La

Western Tattoos

Cow Piñata

By the time the birthday cake tower of doughnuts came around, the Birthday Cowgirl

had become a Princess

(as did many of the other little friends - dressing up box explosion!).

A surprise visit from Buster the horse added to the excitement.  All the little friends (and not so little big brother Luca) had rides on Buster around the garden in the sunshine.  Yee Haw!

Turning 5 was so much fun.

sea salt nutella fudge

This fudge should come with a HUGE calorie warning!!!  But it's worth the indulgence I can tell you!

I found this recipe via Pinterest and thought it will be a perfect indulgence for the adults coming along to Ruby's 5th birthday party last weekend (many photographs to come on that subject)!.  Actually I did see a couple of little kids running off with a piece in their hands, so quickly put an end to that and placed it well out of reach!

There was a whole plate of delicous little fudge squares, but I only remembered to take a photograph when these 3 little pieces were left (but not for long!).

1 (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup Nutella
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 tbsp unsalted butter
Sea salt
Butter for greasing pan

Grease an 8x8" pan and line with parchment paper.

Put all the ingredients (except the Sea Salt) in a glass bowl, and set over a pan of simmering hot water - the bowl not touching the water. Stir until all incredients are melted, smooth and combined.  Pour into prepared pan, smooth out and place in the refrigerator.   After about 1 hour of chilling, sprinke sea salt over the top of the fudge.  Return to refrigerator until its completely set.

When ready to indulge, turn out the fudge, warm a knife under hot water and dry.  Cut with the warm knife into 3/4 inch squares.

Enjoy!

five

Monday Ruby turned 5.  FIVE!

At 6.29am, she woke me up and asked "Am I five now."

"Yes" I replied, "You're five now."

"Well, I haven't grown any taller."

 Love her spirit.  Love her fun.  Love her zest for life.
Love her beauty.  Love her laughter.

Don't grow up too fast!

Happy 5th Birthday Ruby.

5 and Fabulous!

X X X

one year on ...

Today is the last day of school for my two kiddos.  The end of 4th Grade for Luca and the end of pre-school (next Pre-K) for Ruby.  It seems to me that this year has been the fastest school year ever!

Challenges and achievements, fun and friends, laughter and tears.  Its been a full year and the first full US academic year for them both - we relocated to the US a third of the way into last school year.

And now.... 12 weeks of summer vacation!    I shall delight in the not rushed mornings, pool visits, play dates with friends, travel and sunshine.   And yet I'm painfully aware that 12 weeks with my two will no doubt bring a few more grey hairs and moments when we will all need a 'time out'!

Bring on the summer.... I'm (almost) ready!

At the start of school year 2013

At the end!

(and a change in house colour too this year)

san francisco recap

We arrived home late Monday evening after a whirlwind visit to San Francisco.  Aching feet, full tummies (I really need to do an extra run this week!) and smiling faces after such a lovely trip with my girl.

Ruby kept saying "Isn't this trip great mama."  Love her.

Other great things she said in SF.

"It's so beautiful here."

"They stink." (whilst watching the sealions).

"Oh they are so beautiful." (on seeing all the beautifully dressed mannequins in the Nieman Marcus windows).

"You should make your hot chocolate not so hot." (to the cafe owner where we had breakfast).

"I can't walk anymore."

"I love going on trips and on planes."

"Pleeeaaasseee can I have a soda in a can." (to the air steward - I think this may have been one of the highlights of the trip for Ruby as she almost NEVER gets soda at home, and having it in the can with a straw was a MASSIVE deal to her (although I did pour half out for myself which didn't bother her in the least).

The sun came out both afternoons and we walked and walked.  Jumped on a few street cars.  Visited Miette for macarons and cupcakes.  Drank hot drinking chocolate from Ghirardelli . Watched the noisey sealions.  Ruby went on a beautiful carousel, twice.  I bought her a 'I ❤ S F' t-shirt, of course.

Pretty butterfly windows of Nieman Marcus

Cupcake for one from Miette

The famous sour dough bread makers of SF.

We did a little necessary shopping as I forgot my swimsuit and swimming at the hotel was high on Ruby's list.

After dinner and an early evening swim, we watched movies in bed until we could keep our eyes open no longer!  

Oh yes, we also made a very short visit to the British Consulate to get our passports copied and certified, which was the whole reason for the trip to begin with!

Happy Days with my Ruby.

Hope you had a great weekend and a good start to this week.

a little san francisco girls' trip

This weekend Ruby and I are off to San Francisco!   A (very) short business / pleasure trip.  The need to visit the British Consulate on Monday morning to get passports copied and certified gave us the excuse to jump on an early flight on Sunday morning.  So we'll just get about 24 daylight hours to enjoy a little 'girls' time'.   And the sun is supposed to be shining too!  Yay!

Ruby is beyond excited.  She continually asks when we can next go on a plane and stay at a hotel.

We'll swim at the hotel pool.  Visit the sealions at Fisherman's Wharf/Pier 39.  Go out for dinner.   Pamper ourselves in the hotel room.  Visit the British Consulate.  Have breakfast.  Jump on a tram or two.   Stop for a coffee and hot chocolate.  Wander a little and then catch our flight home.

The last time I visited San Francisco was in 2007.  Luca was 3 years old!  It was a great trip, and I'm so looking forward to seeing this city again - even just for a few hours.

We are staying Downtown, not far from the Financial District.  If you have a tip on (kid friendly) places to eat in that area (I don't want to drag her little legs all over the city), please let me know.

Me and My Girl Time.

Hope you have a fun weekend.

cheese straws from back then

Driving home late morning and Ruby said she wanted to "make something real" (ie not just mixing a load of ingredients and making a sludge!).  Before I'd even taken off my shoes and jacket from this morning's play in the park, she began getting salt, pepper and flour out of the cupboard!

And me, not wanting another tin of too delicous cookies to work my way through, suggested Cheese Straws.  I've no idea why I pulled that retro, school home-economics class idea from (did you also make loads of these in that class?), but that's what she made.

And they turned out just great (and are equally addictive as warm homemade cookies - tut tut!).

Hope you're having a good Monday.

X

hearts and flowers

This is how Ruby dressed for her Valentine's Day school party.

Perfect!

dress up

Ruby loves to dress up.  Princess dresses seem to dominate.  Ballerinas.  Cowgirl.  Supergirl.  A pirate when she's playing with the boys.

I took this iPhone photo a couple of days ago when she had a friend over to play.  She has a Princess  Hippie Chic combo going on, although you can't see the long pink satin dress and Cinderalla dress-up shoes below.  I love this photo of her (even though the quality is pretty terrible!).  She's still just 4, so obviously dress-up actually begins before 5!

Wishing you a very happy weekend.  Hope you get to dress up too!

fun with pocketbooth

I started having some 'retro' style fun with a new App on my iPhone - Pocketbooth.

I remember going into those little photobooths with friends when I was a teenager.  Pulling silly faces.  Laughing.  Wearing funny hats.  Wish I'd still kept them.

Anyhow. I tried out Pocketbooth with the kiddos and Harvey yesterday.  I think we might enjoy this.  And as you can see, making funny faces is still the order of the day!

pom poms

Party decorations that are oh so pretty.  Now hanging in Ruby's bedroom.

s'mores on sticks

Easy peasy birthday party treats.   Luca made these for Ruby's birthday party last weekend.  They were a HUGE hit.

Marshmallows
Melted chocolate
Crushed Graham crackers

Dip the marshmallows (on sticks) into the melted chocolate, and then into the crushed crackers.

Chill.  Serve.  Enjoy!

and then she was 4!

I know, how did that happen? She's 4!!!!!

 It feels like yesterday that she came into our world after such a long wait, and she made our family complete.

Here's a little trip down memory lane.  Oh how she has grown!

early 2009

1st birthday

2010

2011

2012

Today we will celebrate with a Butterfly themed party at our house, with lots of little friends.  Can't wait to get the camera out and show you the photographs next week.

For now, we wish our darling Ruby - the life and soul of every party (even when it's not a party!) - a fabulous 4th birthday.  We love you Ruby. xxx

Previous birthday posts are here, here and here if you'd like to take a peek from the moment she was born through her toddler years!