Brownie Girl Scout Nyla Savoy

NYLA IS NOW OFFICIALLY A GIRL SCOUT BROWNIE! I have had the honor of being her troop leader since 2009 when she started as a Daisy Girl Scout... now with 2nd grade comes the honor of Bridging up to Brownies. The ceremony was in our backyard and I commissioned the building of this bridge for the ceremony. My 17 girls decorated it and engraved nameplates of each of their names adorn the columns. It was just a fantastic day!

Karate Girl Nyla

Well our little princess has fallen in love with the art of karate. She is now a yellow belt and has earned her first set of stripes which she is very pleased about.

Nyla has also gotten past the fact that she is still the only girl in her class, when she does seem to hold back I call out to her from the parent corner "come on baby girl, use your GIRL POWER" and then she starts punching hard, kicking hard and flipping boys on their backs! Love her!!!

Girl Scout Camp 2011 Just Nyla & Mommy

Well, we are back home - we made it out of the mountains/woods alive! Nyla and I went to Camp Menzies aka Girl Scout Camp and spent 4 days and 3 nights truly in the outdoors. It was the first time we have been camping. I am all about creating funand new experiences for our children, and particularly great MOM & DAUGHTER memories. Yesss we slept in a tent outdoors, no cabin for the Baker Ladies (Nyla's choice). Canoeing, hiking, horsebackriding, sing alongs and campfires were activities that we enjoyed, some for the very first time.

It was truly a busy, dirty, exhausting but also fun, inspiring and a greatly appreciated time with my baby girl!

Sassing around with my FFE

Today my FFE (aka Friend ForEver) Jenn and I went to the mall to find her an outfit to wear to her brother's wedding in a few weeks. Of course as nutty as we are, had to let ourselves get sidetracked by the display of all MANGO ORANGE accessories in the store... hair accessories got us and so on they went and out came the camera.

I just love hanging with Jenn... we have so much more in common that just having MS and always have a great time together, look out for and encourage one another... she is such a blessing in my life.. I am grateful for MS just because it gave us our friendship!

Bike To School

Well finally we are .. the last week of school. the end of 1st grade for Nyla and 4th grade for Azul. Azul did however correct me this morning and said "there is not one more week of school, only 4 day", he is sooooo literal! Hahahaha

As promised I am letting the kids ride their bikes to school. Now we live wayyyyy to far away for them to actually ride all the way to school, so I removed a car seat in the van and put their bikes into the back. Drove 3/4 of the way then let them ride the 1/4 but not after parking, getting them safely to a crosswalk and going over for the 100th time all the rules of the road and cyclists. I drove behind them off to the side of the road at some points and since they were doing well with safety rules, drove a little ahead of them and watched as they caught up. Made it safe and sound and with BIG SMILES on their faces. They loved using their new bike locks (found cool ones at Target that use a word code vs numerals). I showed them how to set it once and so of course they have each changed their passwords multiple times and are planning to change them again today! Nutty!!!

Mill thought I was crazy, but I am a stickler for keeping my word to my children at all costs -never want them to feel they cannot depend on me to do what I say now or in the future so despite any circumstances (time, money, illness, etc) if I tell them something I am going to see it through. Besides I LOVE BEING THEIR MOM and SEEING THEM SMILE!

Backyard Bliss

Sometimes it is just nice to sit and enjoy the family with no schedule, no rushing, awww wish there were more days like this. Really do. My babies are growing up too fast and I am not ready to let them go at all, want to enjoying being MOM and MOMMY as much as possible. Something as simple as making Smore's just made us all feel so happy this night.

Meeting the Horses

Yesterday was the end of the at home pioneer experience I created for Azul in lieu of the trip his class took to the mountains. He was shocked at the experience I chose... meeting horses for the first time. His 2 favorites were a male horse named Pippin who is dubbed "Escape Artist" by his caretakers that kept trying to eat Azul's ate and a sweetie named "Morgan" who was quite taken with Azul and kept following him from place to place.

It was a great learning about the horses for both of us. Did you know that horses only sleep 4 to 5 hours a day and DO NOT sleep standing up rather only nap standing but sleep laying down in beds of hay. Also horses have such varied personalities from playful, to curious, to snotty, to hyper too! LOL They feel so smooth and love being rubbed and tickled. Az left smiling big. To make the day even more memorable guess what???? I locked my keys in the car and we had to wait for AAA to help us out. Neither of us were upset - we just played around and enjoyed the Mom and Son time together! Love my Zulie Bear.