Sunday, February 19, 2012

Off to a GREAT Start!!!

The New Year in Arizona brought some new changes to our routine at home.  The biggest, and most exciting change was starting preschool!!!

My first day was full of anticipation, and after I was dressed I could hardly wait to jump in the car and get going!


 In the parking lot I started to get a little nervous, and as we made the long walk towards the Apple Room (my new classroom) Mom had to reassure me that I would do just fine...


I peeked in the door before going in to see what was going on...


It looked like all the friends were having a good time, so I opened the door and said hello to my new classmates.  Mom watched as I hopped my frog onto the "here" side of the board signifying that I had arrived.


Mom and Macie watched as I found some friends at a craft table and very quietly found their way out.  I guess Mom was teary eyed as she walked to the car; sad to leave me, but proud to see me fit into my new environment so well.

At the end of the day Mom and Macie picked me up and I showed Macie around my new school.  We walked through the garden path, crossed the bridge, and sat down for a photo op on the bench.





My first day at school was a success, and I couldn't wait to go back and play again the next day!!!

The start of my second day at school went just as smoothly as the first.  Mom dressed me in something that would "school appropriate",


and felt inspired to dress Macie in something similar.

I have to admit, she looked pretty stinkin' cute...


Mom had made the dress and matching leg warmers, but the popped collar on her Burberry coat was the icing on the cake!!!


After school that day Macie and I stopped and sat at our bench for another photo.


That night after music Mom had to run a bunch of errands, so we got to eat a gourmet dinner at Costco!  Macie and I both chose to get hot dogs, and Macie couldn't wait to get to the car before she dug right in...


Day three of my first week of school was special because that evening I had a princess haircut scheduled!  I wasn't sure I could make it through my school day with all the anticipation I had built up for the hour of pampering I would receive at the salon.



Macie was hoping to get a princess cut, but Mom said she had to wait till she had a little more hair...


At school Macie and I meandered through the parking lot, laughing and playing as we made our way to my classroom.



After a long day, my appointment had finally arrived!!!


I jumped right onto the chair and got comfortable.


  

Lexi took me back to the bowl and started my princess wash and massage.


I LOVED my session at the bowl, and had a HUGE smile on my face as she rolled my hair into a towel and took me back to the chair.

 

I was most nervous about the "cutting" part of my princess haircut, but Lexi listened to my concerns (which were voiced over and over), and nicely cut off only a half inch of hair.


When she was done, my hair felt soft and healthy!!!


The next day closed out my first week of school, and to celebrate, Mom let me wear the new dress and headband she made me- I was SO excited to model the dress!!!


While I was at school that morning, Mom and Macie were home working on some sewing projects.  I guess Mom was a little less attentive than normal and Macie rebelled...



I guess it took Mom quite a while to clean Macie up, but despite the set back, they still made it to open gym on time with no signs of the morning's struggles...


That weekend Grandma Joanie arrived in Arizona, and Macie and I made SURE to capitolize all of her time!!!

We played lots of games- including Candyland and Cooties!!!


The second day Grandma was here, we made BIG plans to see Beauty and the Beast in 3D at the movie theater!!!  It was a big day for all of us, especially Macie who had never been to the theater before!  Mom dressed us in a princess dress of our choice, and we were on our way...


 Inside the theater Mom set us up with food and drinks, and it was AWESOME!!!

 

 When the movie was over, Macie and I left the theater singing Belle's songs between bites of popcorn.


Before we got into the car Mom made us take some pictures in our dresses.







Later on in the week we went to the Wild Life Zoo and Aquarium with Grandma Joanie and Aunt Nancy!





 We spent the day playing at the Zoo, riding rides, and having fun!

The boat ride was a ton of fun, 
 


 and the chair lift was super cool, 

 

but the log ride was the HIGHLIGHT of my day!!!


Here is the video Mom took of the three of us going down the drop:


We all had an AWESOME time with Grandma and were so glad that she had come out to Arizona to spend time with us!


After Grandma went home Macie and I were lonely and looking for something fun to occupy our time...Thank Goodness for Aunt Hayley and her brilliant ideas, because she suggested all of us girls take a road trip out to California for some fun in the sun!!!

Our first day in California was spent at Sea World with Linda and her Grandkids!!!



Macie and I had fun posing for some pictures for Dad.



After lots of posing and character greetings we toured the aquariums and played every chance we could.  Here we are on the "party boat":



Mom was a little nervous when I started insisting that she takes pictures of me as I posed on the back of the boat...






After short naps in the stroller, Macie and I woke up and went to see the polar bear caves. Though I had been looking forward to this for a LONG time, I hesitated as I walked though the caves, nervous for the polar bear roar that greets you at the exit...


Macie was quite the trooper, and held her snow leopard tight as she bravely roared back at the polar bear!


As we exited the caves, Mom watched in amazement as Macie and I strolled through the store on our own, looking as though we were both teenagers...


We walked to the old Clydesdale Stables and viewed the new critters that took the horses place when Anheuser-Busch sold the park a few years back.  Mom was dissapointed that the horses had been replace by over sized rodents, but I didn't mind since Macie and I were given informative playing cards to take home.  I took the opportunity to pose for pictures...



On our way to Elmo's World Mom insisted we stop and take some pictures to send home to Dad.


She sure couldn't believe how big and mature we are both getting...


In Elmo's World the three of us rode rides, climbed on the play structures and met some characters-
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We closed down the park and were some of the last people to exit the parking lot!  Back at Grandma's house Macie and I passed out, tired from our full day of fun!  The next day we woke bright and early.  After dressing in baseball attire we took off for a fun day at the ball park with Pa!!! 



We watched Pa's ball game and then played at the ball park and spent time with Pa.



The night before our planned trip to Disneyland Hollywood had a medical scare and had to go to the emergency room.  Everything turned out to be OK, but poor Hayley had been so nervous that she slept in bed with Hollywood holding her snug and tight till morning.


Mom woke everyone up at the crack of dawn and loaded us in the car for our long drive to Disneyland (Macie and I have become spoiled staying at Jeff and Susan's and taking a short 10 minute drive).

We arrived at the park right as it opened, and went straight to the rides! Aunt Hayley and I started the day off on the right foot by riding Space Mountain...that's right, I said SPACE MOUNTAIN!!!  I was super brave, and had a BLAST riding my very first roller coaster in the dark!!!

 Next we rode Finding Nemo and Autopia so that Macie and Mom could join in the fun! 




Macie drove with Mom, but the wheel was jerky and she got tossed around the car.





We spent the rest of the morning riding ALL the rides in Storybook Land- Peter Pan, Snow White, Pinocchio, etc.  Before nap time we made sure to fit in a train ride for Macie.


Macie and I PASSED OUT in the stroller for over an hour and Mom pushed us around the park while Aunt Hayley rode some rides.


We were woken up by Mom in Toon Town and persuaded to get up and visit with Mickey.  With tired eyes we pulled ourselves out of the stroller and mustered up enough strength.  After seeing Mickey, we took some photos and rode the Toon Town Coaster.


I waited in line patiently while Aunt Hayley and Macie took the first ride...



Mom couldn't believe it as she stood behind me in line... I guess she can never seem to get over how much I have grown.



Shortly after our time in Toon Town, Wendy and Matt joined us at the park!!!!



Right away I insisted we take a ride on the tea cups, and Mom was SO glad Wendy was there!!! We had so much fun with everyone and rode ALL the ride in the park before closing!!!

On our way out we got lucky and had the chance to pose with Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto all at once!

  
As we walked to the car we couldn't stop laughing at Aunt Hayley who was SO cold she covered herself in a sheet to stay warm- she may have been warm, but she looked like the Hunchback of Notre Dame...





The next morning, after a full night's rest, we met Linda and her grand kids at the Zoo for some more animal FUN!!!  Macie and I were more interested in the playgrounds and statues than the actual animals....


Pa and Hayley joined us in the middle of the day and because it coincided with nap time, we were allowed to stay up and play!  Macie and I tore around for a a couple extra hours, but lost it as we arrived at the safari animals.  


Pa tried to be silly with us, but all he got was a bunch of tears and screams.


Apparently all the week's fun was slowing us down- so that night Macie and I went to bed early and rested up!  We spent the next day at the beach playing in the sand and relaxing.



Since Aunt Hayley had plans for breakfast we took SnobbyWood to the beach with us.  Of course, she had to have he dog bed so that she didn't have to lay in the cold grass or grainy sand...


After naps that day Macie and I rode our scooters around the boardwalk!


After a fun dinner at Linda's house, we fell asleep at Granmda Judy's, excited that she was returning home from Hawaii to play with us the next morning!!!

When we woke up Grandma was home and ready for some fun. After eating some eggs on toast we helped each other get ready for the day.  I helped Macie put on some lipstick and think I did a pretty good job!!!



She sure looked pretty when she made her kissy face!




Out in Grandma's patio we played on our scooters and met one of Grandma's new neighbors.  She was really nice, and told me all about how she plays the Cello.  I told her how much I loved classical music, and she asked if I wanted to sit down with her and play the Cello.  I was so excited I could hardly wait.  Here I am playing my very first Cello...




At the beach that day Macie and I played in the sand and jumped in the Ocean!

It was nice to be back at the beach with Grandma.  She even buried me in the sand this time!


After a LONG day in the sun at the beach we had to pack up our car and head back to Arizona.  The car ride home was long, but Macie, Hayley, and I all passed out shortly after we drove out of California.  Macie and I woke up at home early the next morning and were glad to be back with Dad.  We all got a kick out of Macie Hagar (relation to the OG, Sammy Hagar) and her morning "look".



Before naptime Macie and I dressed in some bike ridin' attire and hit the town for a quick ride...


We were rockin' out and posin' all the way to the door...



Riding around the block was awesome, and just what we needed after our long trip away from home!






As January comes to an end, I have to admit that this year got off to an AWESOME start!!!  I can only imagine what fun the rest of the year will have in store.  Mom says that we need to lay low and get back into a "routine", but if the past is any indication, we won't stay down for long...