Happy Weekend!!

Well, last week just flew by.  The kids are into a routine with school and tomorrow

is Gigi's first day at school for a full day.

I expect a tired little girl come 3:30.

The older two kids have been big helpers to her.

They hold her hand as she enters the school and help her find a seat in the gym.

She didn't even want me walking her to the door on her first day.  :-(

I guess she is in good hands.

On Thursday I treated our kindergartner to a special lunch out.

Me and the girls went out to lunch and we got to hear all about how the first day went.

I am going to miss these lunches.

Have I told you that the weather has been perfect?

It has.

And we are enjoying it.

The kids are making up for staying inside most of the summer when the weather was above 100*

and now don't want to come inside.

I don't mind.

We warmed up the firepit on Friday night.

It was a perfect night for a campfire and smores.

Saturday morning we finished a project I started.

I started tearing out shrubs in our backyard.

Some were half dead, some were just ugly.

Now it is a blank canvas. 

Nothing to put in it this year, but next spring I have a few ideas.

Goodbye Dead Shrub!!

Daddy treated us after a hard day's work!

He took us out to Osaka's Steakhouse.

The kids were mesmerized by the Hibachi Chef cooking at the table.

Lil Miss did not like it so much. 

She scurried out of the high chair as soon as the chef put flames on the grill.

She buried her face in my shoulder and stayed like that pretty much until he left.

She LOVED the fried noodles though.

The kids all had chicken hibachi, but they tried onion soup, mommy's calamari, and

shrimp.

It was a real treat.

We had all gotten dressed up for the occasion. 

Our own personal chef 

This would be about the time Lil Miss freaked out!!!

It was an onion volcano. 

They all tried their hand at chop sticks. 

Rosie preferred the fork and asked why anyone eats with "those".

Gigi had the chopsticks mastered.

She ate her entire meal with "those".  She even ate the fried rice like a super star. 

I am not that bad at it, but with Lil Miss on my shoulder it was a bit difficult so I retreated to the easy fork option.

Mommy was only one of two at our table to catch the egg that the chef threw into our mouths. 

Yes, I got skills!!

Rosie can't wait to go back for her birthday so she can wear the BIG hat.

Today we chill out at home.

Daddy headed to go draft for his fantasy football team league morning.

I explained it to the kids like this....

you know how you guys play "house"

(daddy objected to this line of explaining but I continued)

Well, daddy likes to pretend he is the coach of a imaginary football team. 

He is going to meet with some of his friends and pick football players for his imaginary team.

Then during the football season he will root for his imaginary team.

Just like you guys pretend to be mommy and daddy when you play "house" or play doctor

or play superheros.  Daddy is pretending.   

I think this is a pretty good analogy.

Daddy doesn't think so --- it's not imaginary, it's a real team! 

If you say so Coach Schulte.