School Starts....

Gwendalin starts 1st Grade this year with Mrs. Aterberry. Hunter starts 4th grade and has Mrs. Sebesta. I have heard good and bad things about both teachers. I know my kids are good and hopefully will love their experiences. I worry most about Hunter - 2 years ago he had a horrible experience to the point that he was wanting to stay home every day. (that is very unlike him- he LOVES to go to school- to play). I talked with the teacher and we pushed through it but last year he had a GREAT teacher who loved him and he adored her. She genuinely loved to teach and it was reflected in the student's desire to do well to please her. I just don't want him to have a bad experience. I can't fight all of their battles, but I would like to. Just like I'm sure our Father in Heaven feels. He would probably love to intervene on many occasions, but He lets us work through it and grow. So, here are my cuties - my angels as I call them on the first day....Father's blessings last night promised great experiences...so here's to a GREAT year!

Unchartered Waters...

On Sunday I was sustained as the new Primary chorister. I have to admit I was not the happiest upon hearing the news....but as I've contemplated the many fun things I can do I am super excited to tackle it and hopefully get the kids the learn the songs and have a fun experience while doing it! I have enlisted the help of previous choristers (family, and ward members alike), I have stalked blogs, and I have come up with a few of my own crazy ideas. I am hoping to not only master program songs, but also learn all 13 articles of faith (through song) while I am in the position. I know it seems like a lot, but I have no doubt that it can be done! So, here we go!!!!!

Go out with a bang!

Summer is almost over! ( you can't see me, but I am doing a joyful dance...- we need routine to begin again).... School starts on Tuesday - so we took the opportunity to use our annual zoo passes and went to the zoo today. Travis met us and we did the zoo thing and then got lunch and ate at the park. Dallin loved every animal - and loved riding on Travis' shoulders (which Travis also loved as he is getting ready for "elk season"). We got to see the Komodo (sp?) Dragon eat his ground beef....very cool. The kids also got to feed the goats....super gross - I decided I love how soft all of the wild cats look (leopards, tigers, ocelots, etc.) they look amazingly cuddly. Sadly, the sloth bear was not out - he is my favorite!







The park we hate at had a huge fountain that smelled of river (blech!) but my kids loved to play in it and get as wet as they could. Travis was gone at that point - back to work - so we played in the water for a while and then checked out the bridge and the river. All in all a great way to "go out of summer with a bang!"


I can see that I am going to have my work cut out for me with the modesty issue and Gwendalin...every chance she gets she raises her shirt and ties it up in the back.....

Rooftop swimming...

We went swimming yesterday at the Wheelock's house. Hunter took his friend Carson. The best part of it was jumping off the roof into the pool (which was dug deeper in the middle by our favorite crane operator) - I think they had a pretty fun time....the pictures say it best. Dallin still remembers how to do a backfloat all by himself too! I'm so proud! Tyler wanted nothing to do with swimming so he didn't go and stayed and played with a friend instead.

Chick Magnets!

Over the last few days we have had a few little mishaps that Hunter has recognized as possibly "chick magnets" - aka bruises and scars. Dallin and Tyler were wrestling on Sunday night and Tyler pushed Dallin into the corner of the fireplace....he cracked his head pretty good. We took him down to our resident nurse (Anne Webb) and had her take a peek at it - we usually Aunt Trish for this, but she has moved away....so Anne helps us out. As I cleaned in out I thought it looked pretty wide and might need stitches but we checked for Anne's opinion before we took him in. She agreed, that it was pretty wide and probably could use a few stitches....so I took him to urgent care - along with Tyler ( he was so upset that he hurt his best buddie- he wanted to help him) . They took a quick look and said yep, they could use some staples and get it closed up nicely. So, they put on some topical numbing cream and then 2 staples and we were off. Dallie was a trooper....he chatted with both the nurses and the on call physician (winning them over completely of course with his charm) and when it came time for the staples, he laid down and after the first one he tensed up and said "mom, that hurts...." but he was so brave and he didn't really cry at all. Here he is just sitting in the room waiting for the staples to be put in while the numbing cream took root.

Here - he's just chilling on the medical table, talking with Tyler and I.

Then we walked to the parking lot he got a Spiderman sticker and a sucker! He was pretty stoked. He had trouble sleeping last night, but seems just fine this morning.

Tyler got the sucker and sticker too...for being a good brother.

This is Hunter's eye after soccer practice last week. I told him I had some essential oils that would help the bruising heal faster - but he declined saying the it was a chick magnet and he wanted it to last as long as possible.

Father-Son-Bonding

I rarely capture these pictures....in fact, Travis doesn't know I got this one...but I love it. Dallie has been in a mood lately where he will ask us "Will, you play with me...?" and when we get distracted he says "are you gonna play with me...?" It's pretty cute - he's won over the new nursery leaders in our new ward with that line already.

Boys like snakes....hmmmm

This summer has been one of swimming, playing outside, searching for critters and overall having lots of fun. Hunter and couple of the neighborhood boys went snake hunting in a few of the empty fields several times....ick! I came home to the picture below a few weeks ago. Hunter, his friends Tyler, and Hudson had caught this lovely thing.

The little Doodle turned 3!

Oh Dallie Boy! Holy smokes he turned 3 on August 8! What is happening ?! My kids are getting big way too fast and I have NO brake pedal. Dallin enjoyed a day of fine dining (Carl's Jr.) with the whole family and cupcakes (courtesy of the Big O Tires that is next to Carl's Jr. - they love us- and since we've gotten 8 new tires in the last week - they brought cupcakes over to lunch while we waited for the second set of tires to be put on my car. ), He also enjoyed getting some dollars from Grandpa and Grandma Chesley, and working hexbugs with a track from Grandma and Grandpa Slade. He was in heaven and everything all day was "for my birthday" according to Dallie. He is a handful of a kid- but a great way to meld us all together by being at the tail end of our family. He wanted a "burtday cake with green frosting" and so that's what he got- even though his siblings tried to talk him into other things.

He got stuck in the shoe holder at Carl's and couldn't get out - he didn't want me to take a picture, but I couldn't resist.

Here are our cupcakes that big o people walked over to us during lunch - we shared with the kids that were playing with ours at the play thing.
Here's his presents - flashlight, cell phone that flips/swivels open, and other good stuff!


So - to cap it off - here' a bit about our Dallin:

*He loves his blanket and one corner of it is his "kung kung" - (we have no idea where that came from) he has to have his hand on it when he falls asleep...
*He fights like the best of them (punches and all)
*He rides a scooter like a pro
*He talks and carries on conversations with anyone he's comfortable with and if he's not he buries his head in one of his parent's shoulders.
*He loves to make his bed
*If you ask him to do something he says "will you say please nicely?" and then we have to say please nicely for him to comply - he does this with strangers too...
*He loves to play with the dogs....any chance he gets
*He loves to be tucked in "one more time" every night at least 6 more times....
*He loves to remind us to always bless the food
*Riding on his dad's back is one of his favorite things to do
*His laugh his contagious
*His little personality makes everyone happy (when he's happy at least)
*He LOVES Scooby Doo
*He does lots of artwork on every wall in my house
*He loves to spray any kind of cleaner/bottle he can get his hands on

Oh Dallie! What a pleasure you are to have around! We love you!

Keeping up with the "Jones"....

You would think that knowing what I know about what is really important in this life, I would not get caught up in the "things" that I WANT but don't NEED...I am poor financially but RICH in every other way possible - we have good health at our house, we have beds, we have vehicles, we have food, we have fantastic relationships with each other, and most of all we have the Gospel of Jesus Christ.....

Why then, do I watch the young couple that just moved into my old house (they are expecting child #1 in Oct.) and think- How do they have 3 cars? How could they already afford to put in their central vac unit? Look at their super nice patio table and chairs... How do they have the money to do those backyard upgrades....? Who cares? I really don't, but in the back of my mind I envy them because I want some of those things....I want my grill to work but I have to either buy a new one that has a propane tank or get my house plumbed to work with my old one that needs replaced anyway. I want a patio set...I always have, I want a hammock, I want a basketball standard for the basketball pad, I want a central vac system plumbed in my house ( I already have the unit).....ugh.......why do I let worldly things get in my head.....we are just fine the way we are - it's really hard not to look at others and compare.....

Just thinking outloud....

All for only $19.99!!!

Meet Texas. He loves to watch TV. Especially infomercials and commercials. He can quote them verbatum and leaves us in stitches.....he told me today that I need to go to the "Scooter Store" when I'm old because it will help me get around better.....It's quite hilarious actually! I'm pretty sure he knows every product on tv if it's on screen for more than 2.5 seconds. :) I love you tex!