Miss Independant

Here's my little independant girl getting ready to head out the door for her first day of kindergarten this morning. Excited would be an understatement.















Do you think she was sad or nervous about anything? Hardly. While I waited with her before school started, she told me to leave about ten times and that she was fine there by herself. As I was turning to go, I glanced back to see two other little girls come and sit down by Kendle at her table and start talking to her. I stood outside the door for a moment and she looked up and caught my eye; I could see a twinkle there. Then she waved, and I was forgotten as she resumed her conversation. As I walked to the car I wasn't sad, but comforted knowing I did my job preparing her for this day. She has grown up so fast. All I want to hear when she comes home, is that she had a great day. And maybe, just maybe, that she missed me a tiny bit.

It's about that time!!!

They're almost here. They're getting close. They get your adrenaline pumping. For some they have already started. Do you know what I'm talking about? Fall sports of course!


Do any of you love volleyball? I know Nancie does. It's one of my favorite sports to watch and play, boy do I miss those days. But I get to re-live my glory days vicariously through my little sister who will be playing her last year of volleyball this year. There's nothing like watching a perfect pass, to a perfect set, to a monster kill. Where will I get my fix next year after she's graduated? I'm hoping to make it to almost everyone of her games this year.



Kendle starts soccer soon as well, this will be her first year of team play. My husband Riley will be coaching their little group and it should be interesting to say the least. Soccer is not my favorite, but after watching Riley's high school team play in the spring I have to say it's growing on me. Kendle is looking forward to meeting her teammates and scoring some goals. I'll probably be seeing a lot of you other soccer moms down at the field.



And let's not forget football. High school and college, not particularly professional football. There is something so exciting about being at a game and smelling the smells, hearing the cheers, and feeling the excitement all around you. I love to watch college football, particularly Oregon State, and I'm slowly morphing into a WSU fan as well. I know Kristen and her family will be traveling to Corvallis to watch the Beavers play this week, as well as my brother and sister-in-law (check out Debbie's post about the upcoming season) and I have to say I am more than a wee bit jealous. I come from a family of serious football fans, you better really love it where I come from.

I'm thinking about doing a little sports update post once a week, since that's what will be consuming my life for the next three months or so. Hey ladies, you never know. You could surprise your hubby with a wealth of sporting knowledge,....or not. Happy game-going/watching.

Year 4

This last year was a year of firsts for Kendle.

First year of pre-school and pre-school graduation-



















First year of dance and first dance recital-




















(That's Kim M.'s Ally next to Kendle)

First crush-(Sorry Dylan, you're just too cute)



















First year of swimming lessons where she could really swim-



















First real hair cut-
First pedicure with mom-

First time becoming a big sister-













First time riding a big girl bike-
First funeral- (My great-grandmother, as they wheeled the casket out and the family started to follow, Kendle was giving everyone the thumbs up sign. Why, I have no idea.)

First camping trip-(Kendle and Sydnee)














First puppy-(And probably the last)




















First princessy (is that a word?) Halloween costume-

Happy 5th Birthday Kendle. I can't wait to see what this year brings. I love you tons, don't ever change!

Year 3

When Kendle was three, she fell in love....with ....SpongeBob. He could be heard all through out the house, and she loved to say "SpongBob-isms" like when she'd drop something she'd say "oh barnacles", or "oh tarter sauce". She also started to get really attached to her stuffed animals, especially her bears. I made her a bear cake for her birthday.

We moved into our new house a couple of weeks after her third birthday and this is what she loved to do day in and day out until we put grass in.












She would get her farm boots on (rain boots) and spend all the live long day getting dirty and digging to her hearts content.
Then she helped with the sod.





















Kendle couldn't wait to go to school. Every day the bus would come and pick up the other kids on our street and she would stare longingly out the window asking when it would be her turn. We did "school" at home together and she kept me on my toes with her ambition of learning new things. She was already counting down the days until she could go to pre-school the following year. I was too.





She loved to play with her cousins and looked forward to their visits. She loved to go stay with her grandma and grandpa who loved to spoil her and give her lots of treats. My mom started making her "crabby patties", which were just peanut butter and jam sandwiches cut out with a big round cookie cutter.

















When she got to be a Sunbeam at church it was like she had won the lottery. She had amazing teachers who had such fun lessons prepared and she looked forward to her class every week. She thought she was pretty big stuff going in the big primary room. Her part in the primary program was to say "I can pay my tithing", but she has a hard time with the th sound and says a v sound instead. I worked with her and worked with her but she still said ti-ving, with an emphasis on the ving, in the program and it was so cute.

There were definitely some hard times in the 3's. Tantrums, yelling, slammed doors, time-outs. Kendle is just one stubborn little girl (I don't know where she gets that from) and we started to really butt heads, I would find myself arguing with a 3 year-old. But in my defense she usually could carry on a pretty good arguement. I finally had to resign to the fact that she is just one of those individuals who has to make their own way in this world and that's that. But at the same time I admired her iron will and hoped it would be an assett for her in the future.



(The many faces of Kendle)




We started a bed-time ritual of a story, prayers, tuck-in, she kisses my cheek, I kiss her cheek, and then as I'm walking out the door I'd blow her a kiss and she'd catch it and put it under her pillow so she would have good dreams. I'd look at her little face on her pillow and wonder how I of all people was sent such a wildflower of a little girl.
















Check back tomorrow for year 4