orange groves, fairy wings & a lollipop

My friend Wendy (a photographer and mother of three boys) needed a little girl to model some fairy wings that a client of hers gave her. So when she asked if she could borrow my daughter (add wings) for a free photo shoot, I said, "uh, yes please!"

And I'm kinda in love with these innocent, sweet pics of my girl!







Enter the massive lollipop prop that Wendy brought. Leda's never seen one so big!



And I most especially love these three and her funny & lovely facial expressions. They make me smile!







I'm so grateful to have these. I'm calling them her 6-year old photo shoot. As a fairy. In an Orange grove. With a lollipop. With no shoes because we forgot them.

What an awesome little memory to have documented!

Weekend

It was our last weekend here in CA together as a family.

Bittersweet.

Things have been busy and while we didn't have time to do a whole lot (Aaron was getting over a cold), we did manage to hit up the disc golf course in Irvine on Saturday. Aaron is all about folfing these days. He's already scoped out courses in UT (online) and is hard at work training his kiddos to love it as much as he does ;)







then we took the kids to the $2 movies at Woodbridge (saw African Cats) and treated the kids to Ruby's one last time.





I love my family.

Sydney

All this saying goodbye is for the birds.

I've been watching Sydney on and off since she was two-years old. I first met the Upchurch family when I was working at Cottage pre-school and I was Sydney's older brother Nolan's pre-school teacher in 2003 right around the time I had Spencer. Talk about a history!

So saying goodbye (for a time) to the Upchurch family and my sweet Syd was SO difficult. But we had one awesome last playdate. These kids have grown up together.



In fact, the first time I watched Sydney was on Chase's first birthday. 9-19-07. Now she's a big time 2nd grader.

Oh how I LOVE this girl. Really, I do. Don't mind my eyes, I'd just bawled my eyes out after Sydney asked in her sweet raspy voice, "Do you want to move, Miss Marcy?"

UGH.


And I have to post this one, too. Same picture (basically) but look at sneaky little Spencer in the background.


Boy did Syd ever get used to that around here being in our home. I will miss her so much, my heart hurts.

Last day of school 2011

The last day of 2nd grade began like this...

waking up a sleepy boy


Jack following us to school one last time




picking up our good friends Jordan & Jose on the corner



greeting friends


and our dear Mrs. Hepner


2nd grade field games




Sweet neighbor Gloria & daughter Brenda

Picnic lunch



My Kindergartner all ready for the last day!




Mrs. Brown

Malia & Michaela

Shri

One last shot of the K class


Kona Ice treat after the last bell rang


Walking home for the last time. I've SO enjoyed living here and being so close to school to have made memories like this one.


Then Leda was invited to a Kinder girl pool party


What a nice way for her to say goodbye to good friends


Whew, what a day!

Hey, Utah!

You ready for five more?

It's been kinda crazy around here. And many of you know our news...but for those of you who don't (who still reads this blog?)---we're moving to Utah!

Aaron has an opportunity to take the same job/position he's had (and loved) for nearly 9-years and move it to Salt Lake City.

And now that my family lives around there, and his family lives near-er to there...it's a win/win for us.

Of course it's bittersweet, too. Leaving California and this beautiful place we've called home for 11 years--- filled with lots of good friends, our children's friends (insert pain in heart) and all those sweet, sweet memories is hard. Very hard. But with this move comes hope for our little family's future, accompanied with the happiness to be able to grow up with cousins.

"make new friends, but keep the old"...was a line from a song Leda sang at the K concert this week,
and boy does that ring true for me right now.

My heart is full of so much gratitude for those that I love and those of you who I will miss dearly. You know who you are. Thank you for your support and for loving me and my family! xo

Here's to the McLendons next chapter---I think we're ready!

Leda's birthday

This year was her "friend" year birthday party, but in lieu of a party at home with lots of friends, she opted to invite two friends to Chuck E. Cheese. Simple for me!


A few years back, I began making my kids their birthday cakes. It's been a lot of fun for me and them. And my thing is this: I ask them about a month before the big day, "What kind of cake do you want for your birthday this year?" and the FIRST thing they say, is what I do. No changing it up, no changing their mind! It's been fun because sometimes it's soo random (one year Spencer wanted General Grievous---the ugliest Star Wars guy ever) and then other times (like this year) it's simple. Leda wanted Hello Kitty. DONE!

My friend Heidi offered to help me make a cake with fondant. It was so much fun learning how to do it, and I was SO appreciative of her help! It turned out sooo stinkin' cute, I kinda didn't want to cut into it!

The Birthday Girl


Me and my girl


Leda & Daddy


The party spread


The cute friends


Leda & Laila



Leda & Sasha


The Brothers


The gifts



The family



I'd say turning 6 was a success!