Happy 4th Birthday Eva!

For the very first time, Eva had a real birthday party with her friends! A Pink Princess Birthday Party. Her favorite things are the color pink and princesses, hence the party theme. Eva's 1st birthday fell the day before Thanksgiving, her 2nd on Thanksgiving, her 3rd the day after Thanksgiving...you get the idea. Until now, she hasn't really grasped the idea of her birthday and since we have been traveling and spending Thanksgiving with family, her parties have gotten combined with all the other festivities. Not anymore... She is now officially aware of her birthday and wants her party!

With Eva being in preschool, she has made some new pals of her very own that she wanted to celebrate with. She also invited one boy. A seven year old boy... To be fair, he has been one of her best friends for several years and he is quite the gentleman. I mean, he must be to agree to come to a Pink Princess Party.

Eva was specific in her party requests. She wanted princess carriages and crowns. And everything pink. Thanks to Magan, this was a success. They girls made crowns and rings and magic mirrors and colored cardboard carriages. There was pink lemonade, strawberries and watermelon, pink pretzels, and a pink princess cookie "cake". Like any good party, there was an official dance off as well. Pink Princess Party success!

Happy Birthday Baby! I know you keep reminding me that you are no longer a baby...and I keep reminding you that you will always be my baby.

Hasta...

Partied Out - The 2015 Edition

Feel free to refer to the "Partied Out" 2013 and 2014 editions to see that we have clearly become predictable with our annual Thanksgiving celebration. Some might call a "tradition", which sounds much nicer.

Wednesday:

Once again, loaded up the whole "fam damily" for the trip over the mountains to Denver. The good news this year... As the girls have gotten older and more accustomed to this drive, the commute tends to be uneventful. Thank you, dear children, for being able to control your bladders and vomiting for an extended period of time.

This year's commute also included a (scheduled) visit to Magan's Doctor. Thank you, corporate scouting person, for building a Cabela's in the same parking lot as the doctor's office so the girls and I had something to do besides look at old magazines in the waiting room. Turns out Maia and Eva are Cabela's fans and this was an unexpected highlight of the trip!

Thursday:

Happy Thanksgiving! Happy Birthday to my sister Christa! This was the 3rd year in a row we were able to get my entire family together for a giant family photo.

Friday:

No trip to Denver is complete without a trip to Casa Bonita (or so Maia thinks). Our friends, The Blocks, were nice enough to join us on this adventure and then have us over to their house for "real" dinner (for those of you who know what I'm talking about!).

P.S. Happy Birthday to Magan's sister Stacy!

Saturday:

Happy Birthday Eva! Taking in some "theatre" while in the big city has become a standard post-Thanksgiving Saturday event. Eva chose "The Peanuts Movie" for her birthday celebration.

Magan gave Eva exactly what she wanted her for her birthday Saturday night, which was cookies and ice cream and cartoons on the couch, while I went out downtown with my sister for her birthday celebration. Apparently spending time at some downtown clubs has also become a Thanksgiving tradition of mine...thanks Christa!

Sunday:

Loaded up the ole family truckster and headed for home. With Maia in official school now, we have a schedule to keep, so no more adding extra vacation days to our leisurely trips. Times, they are changing.

We continue to be thankful for so many friends and so much family to celebrate these new "traditions" with.

Hasta...

GOOAAAALLL!

Maia had only ever participated in individual sports until this fall when she decided to join her kindergarten soccer team. And when I say she decided I mean that I signed her up, told her how much fun soccer would be (I should mention that I have never played soccer a day in my life), and informed her that she would be starting the following week. Maia has participated in several sports (swimming, bike riding, gymnastics, ice skating, dancing, skiing), but never on a team and I wanted to see how she would do. 

She took to soccer like a fish to water. More importantly, she was an awesome team member! She insisted on keeping score even though official score was not kept, not because of winning but because she was so excited every time anybody on her team scored a goal. She was super involved in the games and always cheering on her friends. And I should also note (because I am a proud Daddy) that Maia is pretty good at soccer herself! 

At the end of the season the whole team was rewarded with trophies and this has become Maia's prized possession. She takes it everywhere and will tell anybody who will listen about her games. Just as I hoped, being part of a team has really encouraged some good friendships outside of soccer. Maia is already driving us crazy asking when the next season starts...so I guess I better brush up on my soccer skills. 

Hasta...

Halloween 2015

Here it is... The annual installment of the the Garcia Family Halloween blog post (about a week late). Almost identical to last year's, this year also included a trip to the fall festival at Sutherland Farms, reverse trick-or-treating with Eva's class at school, and having fun with friends on Halloween night. 

We were invited to trick-or-treat this year with friends on what can only be described as a street right out of a made for TV movie. The street is blocked off at each end to traffic and the kids are free to run from house to house collecting candy while the adults stop to warm themselves by fire pits and collect adult beverages. It was awesome! And we continue to be thankful for such cool friends! 

In case it's not obvious, I was a bearded lady and Magan was my strong man. Maia wanted to be a witch. And Eva wanted to be a "princess fairy butterfly". Nailed it! 

Hasta...

Eva Starts Pre-School!

Another first day in the books for the Garcia's - Eva started Pre-School! After watching Maia go to the same school for the past 2 years (The Methodist Christain School) that Eva now attends, Eva was beyond ready for this next step in her own life. She was so excited to pick out her own backpack and school supplies and get this party started! Lucky for Eva, she is in a classroom and with a teacher that Maia never had so this journey feels different and all her own. 

This "first" also feels very different for me and Magan. Although we are back to rookie status with elementary school, we've got this pre-school business in the bag! This "first" was significantly less stressful in terms of getting prepared and knowing what to expect. But...Eva is our baby and so this "first" is also our "last" and as much as, Magan especially, hates to admit it, we are feeling a little sappy about our baby growing up. Luckily, Eva will only go to school 2 full days a week so we still have plenty of time to keep her all to ourselves. And secretly I'm not ready to give up the park and ice cream dates and middle of the day movies quite yet. So slow down the growing kid...I still need my playtime partner in crime! 

I think they missed eachother.

Hasta...

Maia Starts Kindergarten!

Big day at the Garcia household! We officially have a kid in elementary school! Check out these pics...she's 5 going on 15 it seems. 

She might as well have been going to a meeting instead of kindergarten in her "power suit" blazer. She picked it out herself and loves it! All business this one. 

There were no tears. There was no drama. I barely got a hug and a "Bye" before she was off on her own. She had an awesome first day. She has some old friends I her class and already made a couple of new ones. She loves her teacher. She informed me that she will buying "hot lunch" tomorrow and she knows how to do it. So I guess kindergarten is in the books! 

At least I still have Eva at home to keep me company...until next week anyway...when she starts pre-school. I guess I better find another hobby in the near future because showing up at library for toddler story time without a kid might be frowned upon! 

Hasta...