Terrible News for The Hendricksons

When we made the decision to pack up and move our family out to the burbs, we did so for many reasons.  One of which was to have neighbors like us with kids and we imagined bbq's and beers in the driveway while the kids played, kids in the neighborhood Ava would go to school with and grow up with etc..  Well as soon as we moved in we found out our neighbors across the street had a 2 year old daughter just a few months older than Ava, Christy the wife was in HR and worked a flex schedule like I did and Steve and Erik instantly hit it off and shoot skeet together every week.  We very soon were spending many weekends, 4th of july, new years, labor day etc at each others houses, we even have matching Christmas decorations.  Christy and I went to the nutcracker market each year, registered our kids for school together,Christmas shopped together, had our kids in ballet and soccer together, we went trick or treating as a group every year and we joined a MOPS group together.  Emma is Ava's very best friend and Brynn loves the Hiemstras.  Ava lives for play time with Emma and every Monday Christy picks Ava up from school and brings her home until I get home.  Two days a week I take Emma to school and pick her up on Fridays.  In other words, we are each others village.

Well Friday night they broke the news to us that Erik has been transferred to Oklahoma and they are moving.  I am heartbroken for many reasons, I'm losing a good friend, we are losing wonderful neighbors who we've created traditions with and most of all Ava is losing her very best friend.  She is about to suffer her first heartache.  She won't have Emma to play with anymore, to go to school with anymore, to play with at recess or to trick or treat with, and no more birthday parties with Emma.  It's going to be so hard on Ava.  I just know she's going to be devastated.  I'm personally having a hard time coming to grips with the end of an era.  It could not have been a better situation for all of us and now it's changing.  We are so sad this weekend.  I can deal with change and usually embrace it, but this is not the kind of change I like.  Christy is going to try and stay until the end of the school year, so I have some time before I need to tell Ava.

We are going to miss our friends so much!

50's day at School

Last Wednesday was Ava's 50th day at school so the theme was 50's day.  Christy and her mom made these precious poodle skirts for the girls to wear.  Ava said people took pictures of them all day.  

Brynn's first dentist appointment

Ava's first report card

Well my doodlebug got her first report card yesterday.  We are so proud of her because it was glowing!  She also got a certificate for perfect attendance!  

She has come home lately saying school was great and excited to do her homework.  Since the teacher moved her to the front she is learning a ton and her teacher says her writing has really improved.

Here is some schoolwork she brought home.  Great listener!!

To my girls

Happy Halloween from OZ

Ava absolutely loves the Wizard of Oz so she decided a year ago that she was going to be Glinda the good witch and Brynn was going to be a munchkin.  This is technically a gnome costume but it's just how the munchkins dressed!  

We have a tradition now with our neighbors and we all trick or treat together.  This year our friend Courtney hosted and we all ended up at her house afterwards.  We love our neighbors!!

Ava's 5th Birthday Interview- Better Late than Never

1. Who is your favorite Person in the whole world?
• Emma & Brynn
2. What is your favorite color?
• Blue
3. What is your favorite TV Show?
• Scooby Doo
4. What's your favorite outfit?
• My yellow striped one (a yellow and white striped tank top)
5. What sport do you like best?
• Gymnastics
6. What song do you love?
• Goodbye Horses
7. What's your favorite Cereal?
• Rainbow Cheerios (organic fruit loops)
8. Who is your best friend?
• Emma Hiemstra
9. What do you want to be when you grow up?
• An Artist
10. What is your favorite book?
• Fox and the Hound
11. What are you really good at?
•   Doing somersaults
12. Where do you wish you could go on vacation?
• The beach
13. What is your best memory?
• Disneyland- seeing Minnie Mouse's house
14. What would you buy if you had $1,000?
• I would buy a giraffe
15. What vegetable do you hate the most?
• Broccoli
16. If you could have a wish what would it be?
• Cheese Pizza
17. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
• Banilla
18. Who is your biggest hero?
• Daddy
19. What do you like to do best with your friends?
• build forts
20. What do you hope you'll get to do before your next birthday?
• Go on the merry go round