The Newest Grizzly Cub

Today was a teacher planning day for Growing Room, and of course Emerson has been out of school this past week, so I took the whole day off (Jeff took off a half-day) to take care of the girls. Just as we planned, we started the day off with Trader Joe’s hash browns for breakfast today. I made mine into “avocado toast” with friend eggs like I’ve seen people do on TikTok, and it was delicious.

Emerson asked if she could have coffee in her giant rainbow coffee mug she got for her birthday, so I made her about 1/5 of that giant mug, that was mostly just coffee-flavored-creamer 😉

Then the girls and I got dressed (while Jeff was working this morning), and went to the library for the first time in a long time. I think this was Addison’s first trip actually, and we signed Emerson up for her very own first library card! Unfortunately, you sign up and it comes in the mail later, so we’ll be excited when that comes in a week or so.

After the library, we ran by Grammy’s office to pick up Emmie’s floaty that we had left at her house. Then we went back home for lunch and a nap for Addison. And then it was time to head to Gilchrist for orientation and to meet Emerson’s teacher. Emmie was super shy and couldn’t even talk to her, but her classroom is cute and she got to see her little desk. Unfortunately, the five other kids coming from Growing Room were all separated into other classes, so none of her old friends will be in her class.

But we dropped off some of her supplies and put her binder and pencil box in her little desk cubby. Then we signed her up for after school care, and also the Good News Club one day a week during after school. She is officially one of the newest Grizzly Cubs!

Even with this parent folder I was given today, and seeing Emerson’s name on her desk, and being just 5 days away from starting kindergarten, it still hasn’t quite hit me yet. I know I’m gonna have a hard time at that drop-off though, and the “Boo Hoo Breakfast” for the parents will be quite appropriate for me…

We ran a few more errands after orientation, like Dollar Tree for snacks & gift bags, then Books-A-Million, to buy Emerson her first big girl Bible to bring to church, now that she’ll start really learning to read this year.

We found this super cute, adorable narwhal one, with pink edges, and large writing, and I think it’ll be a great first Bible for my sweet girl. She was also super excited about it. And wanted to carry it around everywhere with her for the rest of the afternoon, and she left it in her lap driving everywhere in the car.

We also stopped into Lucky Goat really quickly to get gift cards for part of our end-of-the-year teacher gifts for all five of Emmie & Addie’s teachers from this past year. Had to also get some iced coffee while we were in there too, of course…

And then it was time for one more orientation, to go meet Addison’s new teachers, because she’s moving up to the next room at daycare too. (And we gave all our teachers their gifts.)

Please notice her new Bible in the box in her lap.

When we got home, I sat in the car a little longer to let Addie nap longer, since she didn’t nap long earlier in the day. And then got started on dinner when I came inside. Emerson wanted to help me, so we got out my new vegetable chopper, and she helped me with the onion. It was actually pretty difficult to do at first (I just needed a smaller wedge), but she literally cheered when we got it done for the first time.

I kinda made up a little pasta “recipe” tonight based on a different recipe video I found. I sauteed onions & garlic, boiled noodles, added pasta to onions, then added a block of Boursin cheese, frozen peas, bacon bits & parmesan cheese, pus some of the reserved pasta water. And it was so good! I loved it and thought it was delicious, but Emerson took one bite and literally said, “Meh.” Soooo…. oh well.

Playtime after dinner…

And then bedtime, because everyone was exhausted from such a very busy day.

Jeff has a little more work he has to finish on the computer as soon as I publish this post, and I’m going to watch a little bit of “Survivor” to wind down, and then try to get myself to bed early, because we’ve got big plans again for tomorrow!