Beck & Ellery: Life Is Good

We were going around the dinner table talking about the highs and lows of our day when Ellery says to us "the best part of my day was going to school!" Come again? So let me backtrack a little - a month or so ago she was still clinging to me at drop off and one morning had a full blown anxiety attack (I guess that's what it was) an hour before school. I was told that once the anxiety starts interfering with school, it's time to seek professional help. Well there it was, loud and clear. It was breaking my heart. As much as I wanted to keep her home that day, I took her and when I came to pick her up I found this note waiting for me...

She always wants Beck dropped off first and her picked up first. THEN, the following Monday - no tears. Tuesday, same thing and told me "I don't even need to bring Anna because I'm not going to cry." (her doll she snuggles when she's sad) Wednesday, we were on a roll. And it's continued. Yep, life is good. I think of this whole experience like a volcano. Inactive, hot, hotter, simmering, boiling, eruption, calm again. We're just so happy our little girl is back.

Speaking of volcanos, she loves this Step Into Reading book about Pompeii. We read it to her often and I just found this...

Kinda creepy huh? I think we'll stuff this book to the back of the shelf for a while. On a happier note, her best friend, Rian...

Ellery had been asking to see the sunrise for a month or so and I told her the next time her and her brother were up before the sun, we'd go to the top of Mt Helix and watch it rise. Two days later, they were!...

Keeping the birds happy...

Birch Aquarium with Amy and Rome...

Cute little jewelry box from my mom...

My mom and I took the girls to a dance recital in Balboa Park. Loved it!...

Papa Dance spent his birthday at the doctor's office. Happy birthday dad!...

And all of us at the Science Center...

My dad and Mary playing on the world's largest playable electrical guitar...

Another beautiful day at the zoo...

Meet Speedy. He's 150 years old. No joke...

Supporting the Helen Woodward Animal Center, Puppy Love 5k...

Poor Dots...

Supporting Jordan during her swim meet...

Supporting Jilly during her soccer game (and her birthday!)...

Elle's whale and dolphin art...

Beck's whale drawing on the driveway. Not bad for a 2 year old!...

Lucky me, I get a performance form my girl at least once a day...

Leave it to your little brother to wake you up with a stick in the eye...

He looks so grown up in this one...

Zach's Aunt Alice and Uncle Don were in town so we went and checked out the Quail Botanical Gardens. I hadn't been in years and wow, the new children's area rocked! Three story treehouse, a creek to explore, music center, art center and more. Might be trekking up there more often...