Kayla's "almost 6" updates

Kayla is always on the go.  All the girls love going to different parks in the area regularly.  We love the fresh air, and the girls love climbing, sliding, and burning tons of energy.  I like the great naps that result afterwards.  Kayla is a whiz at any climbing apparatus and loves the monkey bars as well. 

Our little ballerina, shown here after one of her recital practices.  I promise I will get a blog post up soon about her VERY FIRST ballet recital!!

She loves her teacher, loves dancing, and still walks on her toes.  She started that pretty much as soon as she learned to walk. 

Friendly and helpful, Kayla is always seeking out others to play with her.  Usually it's the bigger kids (or kids around her own age), but she has a soft spot for the littler ones as well.  Here she is with our friends' son, Gregory.  And of course, she continues to be enamored with her baby sister, Sophie, though she loses patience quite quickly when Sophie is out of sorts.  

See?  She's just enamored.  And she adores reading.  Anything she can get her hands on really in the way of picture books.  Fancy Nancy is a huge favorite right now especially.  

Kayla is a big goofball and has the sweetest smile and laugh.  It's a tinkly little giggle really.  We love it.  She's is full of imagination and spunk.  She is also full of attitude and drama at times.  She's a bossy oldest child, but also a sweet, helpful big sister.  She likes to be in charge, but loves a good surprise as well.  

 

Our last trip to Disneyland before our summer blackout, was in early June.  Kayla's birthday always falls during the period when we can't visit Disneyland, so we chose the day in early to June to be her "Disneyland birthday".  We were on our way back from our big roadtrip to Spokane, WA, so I dropped Kayla and Chris off at Disneyland on our way home.  I took the youngest 3 to get naps and Kayla got a little birthday Disney date with her daddy.  

They checked out some of the new stuff for Disneyland's 60th like the Matterhorn ride updates.  They also went on Kayla's favorite ride- The Tower of Terror.  And shared a Ghirardelli ice cream sundae.  The picture above and on the right is Kayla getting all ready to paddle one of the canoes.  They are rarely open when we visit, plus it's hard to swing with the family, so this was a special treat.  She was obviously pretty excited about all of it. 

 

They met up with the Genie from Aladdin who we have never met at the park either.  She had a Disneyland birthday filled with fun new experiences and some of the tried and true as well.  

 

The rest of us joined up with Kayla and Chris for the evening and we visited some of our favorite princesses and got our first viewings of the Disneyland 60th Anniversary electrical parade and fireworks.  

With only a week or so until Kayla's 6th birthday, we are all fired up and excited (and emotional for the mommy.  The little girl who first made me a mommy is almost 6! What??!!)

 

And for her her last day of Kindergarten homeschool, she wanted a Jake and the Neverland Pirates treasure hunt.  So I drew a treasure map, hid some fruit snacks and let them have a blast.  The oufits were courtesy of Kayla's creativity.  She is Izzy, Ava is Cubby, and Elise is Jake.   The girl is full of imagination!  We are so proud of you, Kayla, and all your many accomplishments in Kindergarten this year!  Thanks for taking this first step in the homeschooling journey with me.  I sure loved being your teacher this year.  

XOXO