Madd Max Vaca Kender Style

Lucky Charms for breakfast (the one place Jess was allowed to have them).

Beach time in the morning.

With Uncle Ant as the sole water immerser.

What would be the only attempt at boogie boarding by Max, after watching Aiden go under on the next ride.

Boy cousin power - here they are taunting the waves.

An Aunt Tara and Sonia cuddle.

Later in the afternoon - the beach again.

Girl cousin power!

Aunt Tara and Jess saw that the girls had matching outfits on their blogs - and yes - this was planned.

Pizza by the Bay.

Yummy pizza.

And a ride home for Aunt Tara.

Madd Max Head To Fire Island

Plane project!

Ferry!

Wagon of Cousins!

Dozey power!

Welcome!

Madd Max Judges Top Chef

 Remember this?

 Well, it was for this.

 A Yo Gabba Gabba Heaven for the kids.  A Top Chef Masters Heaven for the adults.

The food was not so yummy in her tummy, but it was in Jess'.

Slappy Has Back To School Night

 Her parent's first - where they got to see her desk.

 Or rather, sit at her desk.

 Mrs. Wood had left post-its on every desk for the parents to write a note for their child.  She said they usually kept them in their desks all year long.

Madd Max Get A Trampoline

From the Panama crew, and it was a huge hit.

Madd Max Hikes

 In San Rafael, after a followup hearing test (she is back to pre-surgery levels).

Throwing stones.

 Skipping stones.

 Dropping stones from the bridge.

BBQ in the backyard with fresh grapes from the Vaziri-Higgins vine.  What!?!

Slappy Makes Mom Proud

This came home in her backpack.

The huge amount of pride Jess felt from this note was inversely related to it's teeny size.

Slappy Waits In Line

Every morning, before the teachers come out to gather the students.

Slappy Loses That Tooth

 Pushed out with her tongue.

 She kept it for a few days to show her friends.

Then came an excited evening of waiting for the tooth fairy who gave her 4 quarters, and who, she was pretty convinced, patted her on the back.

Slappy Has A Locker

In her Around The Bell classroom, which she attends after Kindergarten.

After the first day, she cried that she did not want to be one of "those kids."  Those kids being the kids who had to go to another school instead of leaving with their parents.  Day 2, she ran up to Jess and told her, "I like my other school now!"

Slappy Goes To Kindergaten

She headed off very excited, very serious and a little bit nervous.

Although Jess was probably more nervous than she was.

Max was distraught that he could not join his sis in K, which was not helped by the fact that his parents insisted on taking pictures of his pain.

He did perk up when his teacher mentioned that after the first day of school, she would take her kids to get ice cream and it was agreed this was a good idea.

C'mon, Mom.

The promised fro-yo.

Slappy Hangs Cali Style

 Ice skating lessons.

 Mina's 2nd Birthday Party.

 A younger set of attendees.

And Maddie's first swim in the Leonhardt pool without an adult in the water.

The Scrapper Is Pensive

 What a big rock.

A 4,662 lb boulder.

I shall ponder it some more on this train ride.

The Scrapper Swings and Sulks

A sulk in the field after finding out he would have to wear a life preserver in the canoe.

A swing on the tree to lift mind and body.

Slappy Has A Momentous Day

#1. Jess and Maddie flew home early so that Maddie could get a sneak peak of her kindergarten classroom.

Her new teacher - Mrs. Wood.

#2. Then she headed to her preschool for a cupcake celebration on her last day.

Her empty cubby, next to Max's who is now in the Little Folks as well.

Farewells.

#3. During dinner, Maddie asked, "Mom, what's attached to my tooth?" and then proceeded to wiggle it the rest of the night.