Pirates and Princess day and dance....

Today was "Pirates and Princesses" day at school. Right about this time every year, CEE has a themed day and evening dance. Last year was a western theme. Tonight is pirates and princesses. Only "problem" is , parents have to go this year:). I think that last year I just "dropped her off". I'm betting that most of the other parents dropped their kids off too, so now parents are required to go. Princess dress this morning. Apparently, the princess dress was "too scratchy", so we're wearing something else tonight:) Ready for the party! Lots of fun...going from room to room making princess crowns, necklaces, coloring pirates, At the pirate tatoo station... Getting nails done with Elsa:) Then off to a long "treasure hunt" that ended up in a huge overly crowded "bouncy house" in which we did not partake!

SUPER Star Singer....

Every week, one of the instructors picks 3 kids in the choir who seem to be paying attention, arrived on time, focused, etc. to become Star Singer for the week. So, Jasmine was chosen a couple of weeks earlier in September. Those three names are put into a "hat" every week. At the end of every month, they draw one name out of the hat of those Star Singers, and that person is SUPER Star Singer. Jazzy's name was pulled out of the hat. I don't think I've ever seen her so excited:)) She JUMPED out of her seat and hopped up to the front, squealing all the way!!! She won a little bag of jacks:)) I am hoping that she will be half as excited at Christmas this year with the small amount of things she is going to get! It was hilarious, and she was SO proud.:)

Camping this weekend....

Labor Day- 3 day weekend. I really didn't want to go camping, but even the "cheap" hotels were 300.00/night...so...camping we went. Zero chance of rain the day prior to leaving. Then, on the day we left, it was only supposed to rain one day. I checked about 12 hours later and it said- two days of rain. Then a few hours later, 3 days of rain:(( Plus, being a holiday weekend, or just a weekend in general, the entire European and Japanese population was in Sedona. We went into Sedona- a short 20 minute drive from where we were camping at Dead Horse Ranch in Cottonwood- early on Sunday morning. At around 8 AM, the streets were already so crowded that there was no place to park and there was literally a 10 mile line of cars coming into town. So, it wasn't our greatest vacation ever, but it was still fun. First day in Sedona. Camping in the rain! Sunday morning was actually clear for a couple of hours:) We took a walk around Dead Horse Ranch Lake around 7 AM. We figured we'd better get some sightseeing in before it rained again. After walking around the lake, we went into Sedona for "shopping". Jasmine wanted to get a souvenir with her own money. I said, "Hate to tell you Jazzy, but there is nothing in Sedona that you can buy with what you have in your piggy bank". It's a super expensive touristy place. She loved the Pink Princess Sedona Ranger vest:) Playing an instrument on the sidewalk in Sedona:) We went home and we (meaning *I*) had a big mess to clean up!

School photo day!

I figured I had better get a couple of photos on "school photo day" prior to Jasmine going to school. For the school photos, they typically line the kids up and take 30 seconds per photo with no attention to hair or clothes. They always turn out badly, then the parents are expected to buy them. I usually buy them, but my photos- as bad as they are- turn out better than their "professional" ones.

Chandler Children's Choir Camp

CCC had a one day workshop for the kids to learn some of their new songs and get to know each other. Every time I tried to take a photo, Jasmine would purposely turn her head the other way:(

Coloring Contest Winner!

Ice Den Chandler had a coloring contest. The winner- Jazzy- was announced today:) They framed the picture she colored, announced her name over the loud speaker in class, and gave her a prize bag consisting of a new lanyard, autographed postcards of Jason Brown, Gracie Gold, Charlie White and Meryl Davis, an ice skate "pull" for her jacket, and a little note pad. Making the usual goofy photo face! Colored Ice Skater... Prizes:)

First day of 4th grade!

Back to school! 111 degrees, 50% humidity. New book bag, lunch bag and books:) Desk next to Leila- from 3rd grade- the one who gives Jasmine candy and makeup every day! Great:( New teacher is Mrs. Swane- much more organized than last year. She even plays nice calming music in the background:) I think this year will go much more smoothly. Mrs. Swane is even open to using essential oils in the classroom. I brought her essential oil cleaning items and an oil combination to spray all over the room for "focus". Only problem is that the other parents brought the carcinogenic chlorox junk:(