Random August Pictures

 Donovan's block castle

 

 Elliott reading with Roswell

 

 Elliott reading to Avery  (our kids LOVE to read!)

 

 Elliott lost a top tooth!

 

 Evelyn's garden out front in bloom!

 

 ANOTHER groundhog!!  Just when we pulled all our garden weeds and things started growing, this stinker showed up!  Well we bought a trap (actually 2) and caught him!  Bye Bye!  Don't come back!

 

 The kids climbed this fun rock wall while Dono was at Cub Scouts.

 

 what monkeys!

 

 I thought Avery was using her noggin, mostly.  She couldn't get on this swing without help because it was too high.  So she took the ladder for the trampoline and used it to get on!  So smart!  Except it was in her way if she tried to swing.  But it was a good try for problem solving on her own!  :)

Conrad's Baptism

Conrad decided to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! 

We were so happy for him.  He invited our family to go, but with the kids in school and work, Dan and I decided to use their generous gift of buddy passes for Southwest Airlines and go on our own.  The Smith's lovingly watched our kids for the brief time we were gone.  And brief it was!  We flew in Monday evening and had to leave again early Wednesday morning.  We really didn't have time to see anyone except the family.

 

 It was a wonderful baptism!  Such love and support was shown by their ward, even though they really didn't know Conrad or Vanessa very well, if at all.

 

 Vanessa is amazing too!  She looks so happy, but she is in lots of pain.  Monday morning she went into the hospital and had to have emergency surgery to remove her very inflamed and stoned gall bladder!  She was released to go home only a few hours before the baptism.  What love she has for Conrad!  We love him too and were very blessed to be able to share this day with him!

 

I had to put this picture in because you will rarely if ever see something like it again!  Dan HATES dogs!  He has been scared of them ever since he was bitten as a child.  But yet here he is holding my mom's dog Butters.  Hmmm.  Strange.

What a wonderful whirlwind trip to AZ!  So happy we could do it and be there for Conrad.  Next time, we'll plan to stay longer...

Happy 9th Birthday Donovan!

 Donovan wanted a simple birthday this year and didn't want many people there.  We decided to have a party on a Saturday since his birthday was on a Friday.

 

 He got to have cupcakes for his real birthday.

 

And his Star Wars cake for his party, since that is the theme he chose.

 

 We played the paper bag candy game.  (Very hard if you have really tall friends, like Dono does...)

 

 We played the always fun candy bar game.

 

 Pin the clown nose on the Wookie.

 

We also made our own pizza lunch and jumped on the trampoline.

 

 And we ended with cake and ice cream.

 

On Dono's actual birthday I sent this happy cupcake with him for his 'healthy' snack.  :) oops.  We thought it was funny that it naturally cracked that way.

Happy birthday Donovan!

Lunch with a Loved One

This year the school started a new tradition, to have lunch with a loved one.  They know me because I volunteer regularly, so they asked if I could help with the set up and getting things prepared.  Nama and Papa Earl lovingly said they would watch Avery, so I was able to help.  And of course I got to eat lunch with these 3 cuties!

 

 Donovan

 

I had lunch with Elliott first, and then as Ross got his lunch he joined me.  Kindergarten usually eat in their classrooms, so once Elliott had to leave, Ross and I went back to his room.

This was a fun day!  I really enjoyed being there with my boys.

Run and Play

Every year now we go to the 5K 'Run and Play for Ariana Mae' to support SUDC (Sudden Unexplained Death in Children).  It's a great cause for families that have lost children to help support research and to understand possible causes.  SUDC isn't really for unexplained fetal death like in our situation, but it is the closest there is available.

It is run at Fitzgerald Park every year so far.  There is even a new toddler playground that was built with some of the proceeds from last year's race - we knew that ahead of time, most years all of the proceeds go to SUDC.

We run/walk in honor of our Evelyn.

 

 They did away with the 1-mile walk that I was prepared to do, so I got to play with the kids while Dan ran.

 

 Start of the race.

 

 The kids ran to finish the race with Daddy.

 

Avery had a bad fall in the gravel, and all the ladies oooh'd and ahhh'd over Dan because he stopped and carried Avery to the finish line.  What a sweet daddy!

A New School Year

Even though summer was short this year, the kids have been so excited to start school in a new class.

 

 Donovan starts 4th grade with Mr. VanNorman as his teacher.  It'll be different this year because he will not be in an all boys class anymore.  GIRLS!

 

 Elliott starts 2nd grade with Mr. Vacha.  He is excited to have the same teacher Dono did.

 

 Roswell starts full day Kindergarten with Mrs. Back.  She has been our Kindergarten teacher with all 3 so far and we love her!  Roswell has been looking forward to this day for a LONG time!

 

My big school boys!

 

Now you may ask, how is it with just this sweet cowhand at home?  Fabulous!  We do girly things, have quiet nap times, and can go on outings without stress!

When I told Avery on the first day that we were leaving to go pick up her brothers from school, she said, "no, I don't want them!"  She still is my busiest, most mischievous child, but it's fun to spend one on one time with her and help her to practice being a big sister.



The Official Robertson Family!

It's official!!

Today Conrad was able to adopt Grant and Zoe to be his kids!  We are grateful that their birth dad Stephan had released his parental rights right from the start of the divorce to allow this wonderful occasion!

 

Vanessa and Conrad have been married for over a year now and this has been something that they have wanted and worked towards for a while.

 Grant A. Robertson and Zoe J. Robertson with the nice judge.  They even missed their first day of school to go to court.

They were so excited to be able to start school with their new names.  :)

 

What a great family!

We're sooooo happy for you!