Ella's first day of school!

Ella is now a preschooler, and she's loving it! She's going to a great Montessori school 3 days a week. This is her first time in a school like setting so we were a bit nervous about if she'd even get out of the car (the teachers get the kids in and out of the cars from a car line) We've talked school up big time this summer and visited her school whenever possible- even if just to peek in the windows. She was also able to meet her teachers at a school work day the week before school started. Well, all the excitement we'd built up about school payed off and she had no problem jumping out of the car on the first day.

Ella's first day of school lasted a whole hour-they're really easing the kids in- but for me it was a whole hour of coffee with 3 other parents without being a human jungle gym!
After school we went on a picnic with Mimi and Pubah, Greg's parents. They sold their summer home in Arizona and arrived in Bellingham a week after we did. They have been staying with us as they look for a new summer home here. Ella is really excited to have them nearby!
Lake Padden is down the street from Ella's school, it has a playground and a 2.6 mile path around the lake. We went there twice in Ella's 1st week (3 days) of school, once for a playdate with 3 of her classmates.

The path around the lake is through beautiful dense forrest.