Happy Fall!

Nora's first school field trip

Look for more posts soon! 

Tooth Fairy Alert! Tooth Fairy Alert!

Did you think we were gone?  We've taken a brief summer hiatus, but now that major milestones are happening, we are getting back to it.  This post is a current this-is-happening-right-now-post.  We'll have to do some catching up with this-is-what-happened-over-the-summer posts, but not now -- we've got news:

Tess lost her first tooth!

Here she is in bed with her tooth fairy pillow that she's been dying to use...

And here she is dreaming of tooth fairy treasures.

 (Yes, were are also practicing with the pink foam curlers to see if they are first day of first grade worthy!)

Happy Father's Day and Go Tigers

Happy belated Father's Day to the best dad in the whole world.  We love you, Daddy!

Last night, we went to a Tiger game.  Great night for a game!

Look who agreed to get within 35 feet of Paws! (with a buffer, of course)

Cotton candy bliss

 The quality of this pic isn't the greatest, but you can still see Ms. Goofy in the back...

Dance recital!

Sunday was Tess' dance recital.  Grandma Muriel and Papa Art came to town special for the event.  We were lucky enough to score front row seats to the show.  In attendance were Meena, Papa, Grandma, Papa Art, Michael, Stacey, Dad, Nora and me.

Miss. Hip Hop and her little sister (also in make-up, of course)

Perhaps one of my favorite pictures of her.  Ever.

Let's just say that it's a good thing everyone was there for the recital.  At the very end when all the dancers were on stage for the finale, the owner of the studio passed out one award to the 2013 Student of the Year.  And we all about fell out of our chairs when she announced that the winner was Tess Tillman.  Um, WHAT?  Unreal.  Tess was selected out of over 200 dancers (many of whom are in more than one class).  Needless to say, we are still completely baffled as is the 6 year old who was honored with said award. On that note, does anyone know of any good agents for 6 year old stars?

When she won, I tried to grab the camera quick.  Wasn't quite prepared.

 

Tess and Ms. Rhona

Tess and Ms. Marli, her teacher

With Michael and Stacey

With Meena and Papa

With Papa Art and Grandma

Tess & Eliana

The Hardware 

The note she put next to the hardware the second it came through the door...

The best Daddy Daughter dance team alive!

Last day of Kindergarten!

How can this be?  Our big girl is now a first grader... no more kindergarten!

First day of kindergarten

Last day!

Lining up before school for the last time 

Nora was really happy for Tess

Mrs. Bernacki

Tess and Abby

Tess, Emma & Abby

Going in a kindergartener for the last time, coming out a first grader

 

The day after school got out, there was a Kindergarten Celebration at the park

Mrs. Bernacki passed out their end of the year packets

They also put on a little performance:

Room 107 hug

With Meena & Papa

Our favorite First Grader

Miss. Goofball

On Memorial Day, Tess and Nora helped me to plant our flower boxes.  I told Tess to get dressed and come outside...

 There are no words.

And then later, I found this on my phone...

Storybook Gardens!

This weekend we went to Storybook Gardens in London, Ontario - a place that my grandparents took Michael and me several times when we were little.  In some ways, it was just how I remembered it, and in other ways, it has changed a lot!  The girls loved it.  Somehow we were lucky enough to be one of the only ones there on Saturday and had the place to ourselves.

One the way to London, we stopped in Sarnia, Ontario at the Wharf (another place my grandparents loved to go) and had some fish and chips!  (ok, two of us had fish and chips while the other two had chicken tenders and chips)

Humpty Dumpty, Tess and Nora sat on a wall...

 

Face painting

I think she liked it

  

Um, Nora wasn't so sure about this the first time down.  She got over it and went down about 10 more times.

Can you believe it?

And last but not least, we ate at the famous Delta Armouries Brunch on Sunday morning.  This was the last of the four dessert tables... ice cream toppings!

Guess who loved it?