BACK to school for one little BACKsmeyer ....and with a new BACKpack :)

We are so excited for Hudsen to start at her new PreSchool today!

We met with her sweet teacher last week, and then this past Monday had so much fun at the Back To School Party. We left Henley with Carmie so it was really nice to just get some one on one time with the big gal.

Hudsen surprised us by tackling the big slide!

So many steps!

However, the 2nd time she went up, she did not come down. It was quite the spectacle...she wasn't too scared but just wanted to bounce and jump around at the top...it would have been super cute if she wasn't holding up the line of 20kids screaming for their turn.

Just hanging out...

So I am at the bottom of the slide bribing Hudsen with everything that I can find in my purse and begging her to please come down....10minutes later she finally she comes down! She decided to take the stairs though...which took longer than most kids cared to wait - and her skinny little legs were shaking the whole time....but when she got to the bottom everyone cheered, and she thought she had done such a great job. It was pretty funny.


Then she enjoyed a snow cone and posed for a few pictures with us.

Yesterday, Hudsen got some last minute summer reading done out on the deck...she's cramming as she knows tomorrow is her 1st day of School!

Yay!!!! Today is the big day! Hudsen was so happy and insisted on eating her breakfast while wearing her new backpack :)



















A quick pic of the new Nike backpack that is sure to hold and protect all of her 2year old masterpieces.














Outside strutting her stuff...and holding her gift for her new teacher

Practicing her Pledge of Allegiance...

Proud Dad

Happy Mom

The Girls :)

After the ridiculously early photo shoot, we were off to school! I wasn't worried about the drop off, since she had been to the school a couple of times over the last week, and was familiar with the classroom...and I certainly wasn't worried about myself getting emotional - as she went to preschool last year...but WHOOPS! I was such a mess when I got her settled into the class. So embarrassing! Hudsen hugged her teacher and gave her the gift when she saw her, and then came back and gave me a hug, and I just lost it - and it was the kind of cry that sneaks up on you, and suddenly you go from being fine and carrying on a conversation to instantly not being able to breathe or talk, so when her teacher saw me basically hysterical mid-drop off, she told me not to worry, and that all parents cry....just hope that's true! :)

So Henley and I left the big girl and the two of us were ready for a fun filled morning! First we went to the gym...then, to Starbucks...hmmmm.....and then it was only 9:45.....so needed to kill some more time before pick up at 11:30.

So we headed to the bookstore, and stocked up on some new reading material!

Henley was really enjoying the 1 on 1 time, as instead of holding her hostage in the stroller while I would normally have to chase after Hudsen...she was out and about, checking out the baby books.

We also picked out a new book for Hudsen to surprise her after school. She is kind of obsessed with the Berenstain Bear Collection right now, so choosing one we don't already have should be a big hit.

Pick up at school went great! Her teacher said she was very sweet and already has a new friend, Layla, who she played with on a sea-saw.

Hudsen loved her new book and enjoyed her Starbucks ice water in the car on the way home.














Happy First Day of School Hudsen! Your Dad and I are so proud and we know this is going to be a GREAT year for you!

Happily Homeless....for now Written by: Justin

whoops - sorry Justin - forgot to post this when you wrote it a month or so ago :)

So far, this summer has been pretty great! We finally sold our house
which brought about mix emotions. On one hand, we have been trying to
sell it for quite some time so we were excited that the prospect of
another house was just around the corner, but on the other hand, we realized how
attached we had grown to it given that so many milestones took place there.

But here I am,
living with the in laws. I suppose I should make the 'raise the eye
brow, and exhale look' as I mention that but things have gone extremely
well. Why does everyone make the expression when talking
about their in- laws? It's like when you're watching House Hunters on
HGTV(that right! I said House Hunters) and the husband ALWAYS has to
makes that comment about the closet space in the master bedroom. 'Hey
nice size, should be enough room for my wife's stuff.' Haha! We get
the joke now move on. Fortunately, Brittani and I have a
good relationship with both families and have plenty of closet space,
which we are extremely grateful for.

The girls are doing great! Hudsen surprises me every day with her
vocabulary and overall politeness. She says thank you, please, excuse
me, I'm so sorry, and so many other little things that it always catches me off-gaurd.
I sneezed the other day which was of course was followed up with a
'bless you daddy' which was then followed up by eating her yogurt and
responded...'this was delicious!' Everyone is so damn polite in our
house you would think were British, but slightly better.

Henley is growing like a weed! She, unlike Hudsen has not met a food
she does not like. Hudsen required a whole song and dance to get her
fed at this age, while Henley cries if you don't feed her fast enough. It's pretty
funny! She truly has been incredible. We are so blessed. She sleeps 12
hours, she eats well and all the girl does is smile and giggle. I don't
know if she is just teasing us and then will end up being a holy terror,
but if she remains the same Brittani and I will 'Count Our Blessings'
Underlined phrase was a little play on words as it is one of Hudsen's
favorite books from the Berenstein Bears collection....a pretty legit series of books
and television show!!

All in all we are taking things in stride...Raising my eyebrows every chance I get, looking for a home with plenty of closet space, a tea set that would make Kate Middleton jealous of Hudsen, and some sort of market research infant eating survey Henley can participate in. Who says 100 degree weather can’t be fun?!