🌾✨ The Kindergarten Field Trip Kingdom ✨🌾

Once upon a sunny morning, a bus full of tiny adventurers set out for a magical kingdom known as the local farmland. 

Among the travelers were a brave 6-year-old princess and her loyal best-friend-in-all-things. With backpacks full of snacks and hearts full of giggles, they marched into the wide green fields where the animals awaited.

First came the chickens, who strutted about like royal guards, clucking secrets only chickens understand. Then the goats, who nibbled on shoelaces as if they were golden ropes. But the greatest treasure of the kingdom was found in an open field behind a sturdy wooden fence: the baby calves.

With their velvet noses and big brown eyes, the calves looked like storybook characters themselves. The princess and her best friend squealed with delight, stretching out small hands to gently pet them. One calf gave a curious lick that made them both shriek with laughter, while another tried to nibble on a jacket zipper as if it were the most tasty snack.

But the adventure didn’t end there. Beyond the field lay a pumpkin patch, a field sprinkled with round orange gems just waiting to be chosen. The princess and her best friend ran between the rows, lifting pumpkins that were far too big and declaring, “This one is the royal pumpkin of the patch!” Finally, with a little teamwork and a lot of giggles, they each found the perfect pumpkin—small enough to carry but big enough to feel like treasure.

They marched back proudly, pumpkins in their arms, pretending they were magical carriages that could whisk them away to castles in the clouds. And for the rest of the day, even as they saw pigs rolling in mud and horses swishing their tails like kings on parade, it was the baby calves and the pumpkin patch adventure that filled their hearts with magic.

And so, the kindergarten princess and her trusty best friend left the farmland kingdom with muddy shoes, glowing smiles, pumpkins in tow, and a brand-new story to tell—one filled with laughter, licks, and a little bit of pumpkin spice magic.

The End. 🎃🐄💖

Little Circles, Big Writers

 

Little Circles, Big Writers

Today my kindergarten niece came home beaming, paper in hand, eager to show us her masterpiece. Not a rainbow, not a flower—this time it was people. But not just stick people. She proudly explained how her teacher is teaching them to draw people using shapes: circles for heads, rectangles for bodies, triangles for dresses, and ovals for arms and legs.

It’s more than just art—it’s the foundation for writing. By breaking down the world into shapes, she’s strengthening her grip, training her eyes, and preparing her brain for letters and words. Each shape she adds is one step closer to building the confidence she’ll need when sentences become stories.

Watching her, I realized: sometimes the building blocks of learning aren’t ABCs or 123s, but simple circles and squares that turn into characters ready to walk off the page.

👑 All Hail the Queen of Kindergarten 👑

This week, the Squish traded in crayons for a crown when she was voted Kindergarten Queen by both her teacher and classmates. Yes—an actual crown, sparkly and all!

Her royal duties? Smiling proudly, leading the line with extra flair, and ruling the snack table with unmatched charm. She took it very seriously too, reminding everyone (including the teacher) that “queens don’t forget their friends.”

Watching her beam with pride, I couldn’t help but think—if this is just the beginning of her reign, the world better get ready. Long live the Kindergarten Queen! 💕

✨ 🎁 6 Years Old and Chuck-E-Cheese! 🎂 🥳

📖 Page 1: The Birthday Princess

Once upon a time, in a little town filled with laughter and love, a very special girl named Nia Renae (a.k.a. The Squish/Squishy) turned six years old! That’s two whole hands with one pinky left to wiggle. She woke up beaming, ready for a day of fun and adventure, games, and especially pizza.

📖 Page 2: Off to Chuck E. Cheese

The party was at Chuck E. Cheese, where colorful lights blinked, games buzzed, and the smell of melted cheese floated in the air like a yummy cloud. Squishy bulldozed through the doors (and if you know The Squish...well, IYKYK), her heart bouncing with excitement, her giggles and screams bellowing from that little baby gut, all gas and no brakes!

She was READY!!

📖 Page 3: Friends and Family

Her very best friend Destinee was there, and the two continued their unbroken streak of dressing like twins yet again. 

Cousin Levi came too, zooming in with his appetite for fun and a grin from ear to ear, except on the simulated roller coaster ride - it was a safety first, of course. 😏 

Her big sister MiMi crowned Nia the “Birthday Princess,” while MiMi’s best friend Hazel Wazel joined in the fun—though everyone knows Hazel is really her best friend, not MiMi’s! 😂🙊

📖 Page 4: Pizza, Games & Giggles

They raced from game to game, tickets spilling out of machines like magic confetti. Pizza disappeared as fast as it hit the table (no, seriously), and fizzy drinks made everyone giggle with burps and laughter.

📖 Page 5: Presents Galore!

“Oh my goodness you guys!” Squishy squealed as she opened gift after gift: lots of fabulous new clothes, new dolls, an Etch-a-Sketch, and a robot kitty she hugged tightly. “I made out like a bandit!” she declared, making everyone laugh.

A baby doll that cries real tears 

Maribel from Disney's Encanto

Bluey and Friends character plushies

She really did make out like a bandit!

A robot kitty from her bestie Destinee and her mom

Bluey!!!

Oldies but goodies from Granny (these will likely outlast everything else...they just don't make things like they used to, sigh)

An American Girl doll from Cai Cai and TT Hannah and Levi

A whole bunch of Bluey stuff from big sis MiMi

📖 Page 6: A Little Bit of Sadness

Even though there was laughter and celebration, every heart in the room felt a little heavy. We all missed someone very, very special—Ana. It's been a year since she went to heaven, but her love filled the room like warm sunlight.

When we look at Nia, we see Ana's smile, her spark, her beauty. Squish is her mama’s twin, and that brought comfort to every heart.

Ana's Kindergarten picture and Nia on her 6th birthday 💖

📖 Page 7: A Legacy of Love

This wasn’t just a birthday party—it was a celebration of life, love, and the legacy of a beautiful woman who lives on through her daughters. That Saturday night, as Squishy hugged her new baby doll and waved goodbye to her TeTe, she whispered softly, “Thank you for my birthday. I wish Mama could come play too. I love you, Mama."

Somewhere beyond the stars, her Mama smiled and whispered back, “I love you too, buddy.”

📖 Page 8: Happily Ever After (For Now)

And so, Squishy's sixth birthday was filled with laughter, pizza, gifts, and love that stretched all the way to heaven. The party was over, but the love and memories will last forever.

Granny reliving her glory days 🏍🏍🏍

Happy Birthday, Squishinator! We love you soooo much! 

Lemonade Wars 🍋

Doing all the big kid stuff. 😏 

Lemonade Wars!! 

Preschool Graduation Part Deux

Video of the Squishinator with the Group

We love and are so proud of you, Squishy! 😍 🫂 😊 😁 🎉 🥳 

Tiny Tassels and Big Laughs: Nia Renae's Preschool Graduation

Nia Renae and her teacher, Ms. Dawn.

Today, a star graduated from preschool—and no, I’m not talking about a future Harvard alum. I’m talking about The Squish, the sparkly-sneakered, giggle-powered tornado of joy who proudly walked across the cafeteria stage like it was a Broadway stage. That’s right: Preschool Graduation Day—a.k.a. the cutest cap-and-gown event you’ve ever seen! 🎓

Of course, this wasn’t just any graduate. Squishy Renae has already made a name for herself among her peers and teachers as the Class Clown and Miss Congeniality. The crown fits perfectly—right over her multi-colored beads in her hair (which she wore rainbow on purpose, I’m sure since it is her favorite color). 

While the other little chickies were going on and on about their gifts and friendship, she added her own remix—complete with jazz hands, silly faces, and one always-present stretching tongue sticking out that I think made even her own self giggle. 🤪😜

She accepted her “diploma” with all the seriousness of a stand-up comic receiving an Emmy. She held it up proudly for all to see. She grinned from ear to ear before a thumbs up to her PaPa. The crowd (a.k.a. doting grandparents and two extremely proud aunties) went wild. 🗣️🫶🏿👏🏿

We couldn’t be prouder. Her joy is contagious, her comedic timing impeccable, and if they gave out superlatives in preschool, she’d win Most Likely to Have Her Own Netflix Special by Kindergarten. Seriously.

Today reminded me that life is better when we don’t take it too seriously—and sometimes, the best way to mark a milestone is with laughter and a few funny picture faces with some of our favorite people on earth.

Nia Renae and her best friend, Destinee - two comedic geniuses developing their crafts.

Congratulations, little grad. You’ve already mastered the ABCs—and the art of keeping us all smiling.

Cue the confetti and juice boxes!