First Day of School

Ha ha fooled you all!  You probably thought that I was writing about Kate's first day of preschool, right?  Since this is the happenings of the Howard's I have to write about Chris' first day as an Assistant Principal!  Well from what I heard from my husband, it went very well.  Look how happy he looks coming back from parking lot duty dressed up in 115 degree weather.  Why not wear a short sleeve button down shirt with a tie you ask?  Because it looks lame and not stylish...remember who Chris is married to?  Plus we don't want him looking like Sipowicz from NYPD Blue.  

In other news...Chris was the AP at McGraw for 3 days.  He is now the AP at Gila Vista Junior High.  What it comes down to is that McGraw did not have the enrollment amount expected to support a position for an AP.  The AP at Gila Vista got a job at the District Office so they moved Chris over.  He is nervous about this, but I read a quote that fits this situation perfectly:  "If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try" - Seth Godin

Good luck Chris, I know you will kick ass and be a great Assistant Principal!  

California

Grandma Linda and Grandpa Mike have a time share in Escondido, CA (Welk Resort) and we go and visit them each year around this time.  I told Kate that were going to visit grandma and grandpa in California.  I told her we could run and play outside without burning up and go swimming.  She was SO excited!  On the day of the trip Chris and I had to work so I had to explain to Kate that she was going to Lori's house first (our babysitter) and then after work we were traveling to California.  Well, we all know that having a child wait for anything is pretty difficult for them to understand.  We avoided a tantrum, mostly by having Chris deal with this situation - yes, I am the parent who passes of the tasks and situations to Chris when I don't feel like dealing with it.  Anyhow, we picked up Kate after work and she continued to ask if we were going to California.  On the freeway she asked when we were going to be in California.  We told her very soon...even in San Diego she didn't believe we were in California because grandma and grandpa were nowhere in sight.  Kate thought California was the house that grandma and grandpa were staying in.  It was really funny.  The next day we went out shopping and on our way back when we pulled up to the time-share Kate yelled, "Look, it's California!"  On another side note, Kate calls "Mexico" "Mixer".  So the time-share is California and Ma's house is "Mixer".

This is California!

Kate and our lovely view

Kate and Papa at "California"

We had a really nice trip despite Chris having to take off early.  He received some good/bad news on Thursday afternoon.  The good news, he was appointed the Assistant Principal at Gila Vista Junior High.  In my eyes, this is good news because his goal is to work in the Middle School and he is going to be working with an incredible principal, Rusty Tyndall, who has over 15-years experience as the principal at Gila Vista.  Chris is going to learn SO much from this opportunity.  The bad news, Chris has to leave McGraw Elementary and say good-bye to another incredible mentor, Adar Garcia, who gave Chris this opportunity.  He has to leave a staff who he has worked for over 2-years.  So this is a bittersweet moment in his life.  We all believe in Chris and know he is going to do a fabulous job in this new role.

So while Chris took-off, the girls took-off too to go shopping!  Kate got a ton of clothes of course.  We all go crazy and I LOVE having my little girl look fashionable and trendy.  She is into dresses and skirts right now.  She is the perfect mixture of girly girl and rough and tumble, active girl.  Valley girl too.  My mom said, I don't know if I want Kate sounding like you.  And I was like what - haha - get it?  Kate will say things like, "Oh my god that is crazy funny" or "Oh my gosh that is so funny" or the best one "Oh my gosh, HOLY CRAP it's hot!"  Mom of the year over hear - hold the applause please.  After shopping, we hit the swimming pool.  Kate made a friend at the pool.  This little girl came up to Kate and started showing her that she could reach the ground and do this that and the other.  Kate very awkwardly responded after a bit, "That's my mom, that's Annette".  To which grandma Linda asked, "what did she say?  my mom's a nut?"

She hates the camera

Kate in her new tutu

The next day, we all said good-bye to the cooler weather (as compared to hot ass Yuma).  We made a pit stop at Viejas where we did more shopping.  Kate was running around the Gap and found a pink tutu that she wanted.  So of course, since Nana Delia was footing the bill I said sure.  I told Kate to follow me to the dressing room so I could try on my clothes.  Kate replied, "I need to try on my skirt too."  The funny part, as she was walking to the dressing room she started taking of her skirt in the middle of the store.  I think some poor guy saw her under-roos and butt crack.  My mom said Kate started getting into all of the women's jewelry so she told Kate to go look at the kid's jewelry.  Kate grabbed a necklace and ripped it out of the package and put it on.  So, we added another item to the pile of clothes we got.  Thanks Nana!

My sweet girl sleeping...little did I know what was to come!

We had a peaceful ride home.  Kate watched her iPad the entire trip.  She of course waited to fall asleep when we got off the 16th street exit.  When we pulled up to grandpa and grandma's house (we had to do switching of cars and such at their house) and told Kate she needed to get out of the car (to get into mine) and she threw this MASSIVE fit.  Yelling "NO" at the top of her lungs, tears running down her face, sweat dripping off her forehead, running around all of the cars as I am chasing her in 115 degree weather.  When I picked her up to throw her in the car she started clawing at my arms and pulling my hair.  I actually started laughing as I thought anyone looking at us would have to find this funny.  A cute girl in a pink tutu and pigtails pulling her mom's hair and pretty much kicking my ass.  I had no chance.  Kate wins.  Mommy loses.

End of Summer 2012

Well, the time has come to say goodbye to Summer.  Technically Summer is not over I know, but we are done with our Summer fun as we go back to the real world.  The first day of school is August 8th, which is my first day back.  Chris started on July 23rd with his new gig as Assistant Principal.  I can't recall anything too exciting we did, but it was relaxing and stress free not worrying about getting to work on time that is for sure.  I was especially stress free as Kate spent most of her days at the sitter's house.  Yay for Lori!  We attempted a couple of classes for Kate; swimming and "tumbling".  She dropped out of both classes.  She went to tumbling three times but was SO clingy to me it was more annoying than fun to take her.  She lasted 30-minutes at swim class but figured after slapping the lifeguard and screaming bloody murder for me that this was not going to work.  Yes, I let my child quit.  She is 3, no biggie.  Let's hope ballet classes she starts in a week will work out better.  Maybe we will have better luck if Chris takes her.  Daddy don't play as he says.

Tumbling school drop out

A happy moment                                                       

Before she started assaulting the lifeguard

Kate is growing and talking nonstop.  I always mention this, the talking bit, because (1) she talks NONSTOP...and (2) she has this incredibly funny muppet voice.  I am finding that this age is very challenging.  Kate is bossy.  I feel like I hear constantly "mom, don't say that", "don't say it like that", "mom, want to play...do it like this".  If she says or does something funny we often get, "it's not funny, don't laugh!".  If she wants to play she dictates every single little move that you have to make.  So it is not much fun playing with her because she is the puppet master.  But, of course there are the good moments...let me get back to you on that.

Chris has been super busy.  I have been trying to get his office ready before the first day of school.  When I get a chance I will post of picture of his office.  He seems really happy and loves working with the staff and parents.  He is really excited for the first day of school.

I am looking forward to getting back to work, but not in this heat!  It is no fun getting all dressed up in this heat.  I bought some mini hairsprays to keep my hair poofy all day long.

Kate eating her free breakfast at daddy's school

Kate is very brave in the pool!  She loves her "water wings" and jumping in the pool now!

Kate loves her cousin Maria too.  See, there is she ordering Maria around.  "Push me in my stroller!"

Our excitement this Summer, trying to outrun the haboob in Phoenix