McGuire Filled Weekend

I went to my Mom's house for Friday/Saturday. It was a lot of fun to be with the family. My sister Nat is supposed to have a baby tomorrow, and we still drug her through a bazillion stores. Those who know me well know I am obsessive about Emma's Halloween costumes. Last year was the first year I let her choose her own costume, a witch, but I still got to design and make the costume the way I wanted. This year she wants to be Hannah Montana. I am at a bit of a loss. I got a wig, a microphone, and a shirt that I think I am going to use...but it just hasn't come together in my head yet. So, while I was with my sisters we went looking for some boots, but finding go go boots for a 5 year old is harder than it sounds. We went to a lot of stores, to no avail. I did end up getting some gold fabric to make a pair of leggings, but I am still not sold on what the costume will look like.
We also went to see the movie Kung Foo Panda, which Jake always calls, "Kung Foo Panda, with Jack Black, he is hilarious." Apparently since Nacho Libre, Jake is a big Jack Black fan. Kung Foo Panda was a hit! My kids loved it and, no surprise here, I laughed through the entire movie. All my laughing made Pete really excited and he laughed and yelled at the screen through most of the movie too. All in all, a good day, but then.....I go out to my car.
So, my car was parked across from the Kaysville Theater, yes we went to the Kaysville Theater. As Erica and I stood next to my car and talked a police car, with its lights on pulls up behind my car. I couldn't imagine what this officer would possibly be pulling over for, maybe we were loitering. Oh no, something even worse. He came over to us and said, "Is this your car." I answered, "Yes." Then he says I am parked in a "UTA bus loading zone" and he really could give me a $100 citation. Erica and I were both quite confused at this whole thing. Erica, being more outspoken than I am asked the officer how I was supposed to know that I was in a "UTA bus loading zone" because there were no signs, granted there was a bus stop. Then the officer got a little defensive. This is when we realized he wasn't a police officer, but a UTA enforcement officer. I couldn't believe this. I am sure that sometime in driver's ed I was supposed to be paying attention and learning this "UTA bus loading zone" business, but I truly don't recall ever knowing this. I couldn't believe that I could possibly get a $100 citation from this guy when there was no sign and I was on a public road. It was just annoying. So, if you ever get caught parked too close to a bus stop, you too might just get caught by a UTA enforcement officer and you might get a $100 citation.


Here is a picture of the kids with my beautiful brand-new niece. She is adorable, and so tiny!
Here is a good look at the little one.
And a picture of Pete, just for good measure. For a boy who likes his food so much he should be packing on the pounds, but instead we are having to feed him tons of extra calories.

SCHOOL'S IN!!!

So, school started like 3 weeks ago, and I am finally blogging about it. I have been enjoying the quiet afternoons.
Well, Jake is doing AWESOME in 1st grade! I have worried and worried about how he would do, and he is doing great. His confidence in his ability to handle the work is so much better than last year. Confidence makes such a difference in his whole attitude about everything.
Emma started Kindergarten. I cried. Not when she could see, and frankly I didn't expect to. I am sure that everyone who knows me will be laughing at that, yeah right, Kris not cry, that will be the day, but really I had it together when we set off to school. Then the Kindergarten teacher did this whole thing where we had to do a couple of "centers" with our Kindergartener and then he read "The Kissing Hand". What kind of crazy torturer is this Kindergarten teacher? I still was keeping it together, then we were getting ready to leave and the kids were all sitting on the mat and they turned to wave goodbye... and Emma was looking and couldn't find me because, well, because I am short...and then I started crying. She was looking kind of frantically for me then found me, as I suppressed tears I waved and basically ran out of the room. I just kept thinking about how I wouldn't be the main influence in her life any more, and I am not ready to turn my little girl over to the world yet. She is so sweet, thoughtful, beautiful, and I just don't want to let the outside world have influence over her. I realize I am saying this as she watches "Hannah Montana" but at least I am here and we can talk about "Hannah Montana".


This is Emma on her first day of Kindergarten. She wore her new school shirt, and being the awesome Mom that I am, I made her a bow to match her new shirt.