School Begins...(or began a while ago)

The summer flew by, just like everything seems to fly by nowadays.  For the first time EVER I was actually a little excited for school this year.  Typically I love the kids being home, no schedule, being lazy, swimming...but this summer was hard with the new baby.  Being outside was just difficult.  And to be honest, I just couldn't keep up with the kids messes.  And anyone who knows me knows that me and a messy house just don't get a long very well.  Anyway, that was the reason I was glad school was starting, I felt like I could finally keep my house in order(oh I was wrong, but thats for another post).

Seems like school starts earlier and earlier every year, we started August 16th this year, seems way too early.  The first day of school Mason was sick so he had to stay home.  I think it was part nerves, but he had a real fever so I couldn't send him.  

Abby went all by herself, man has this girl changed since last year....she use to cry and be sooo shy, I mean crazy shy and always anxious and nervous and crying ALL THE TIME...but something changed and she is little miss outgoing now....its the craziest thing, but I'm glad she can handle change a little better now.

Abby on the first day of school, second grade

Mason on his first day of school, 4th grade

Had to get a shot of them together

Taylor started preschool this year.  We debated whether or not to put her in since it's an expense, and not a cheap one either.  But we figure since we kinda live out in the middle of nowhere that this would be the best thing for her socially...not that she isn't social or anything, but we figured she would make some friends and not be so bored at home with mom. 

Taylor on her first day of school, I love the side shot with the huge backpack

All three of my kids in school...thank goodness I had another baby, what would I have done!!!

Abby's 8th Birthday

Abby turned 8 just a few days after school started.  She decided since the Olympics had just ended that she would have an Olympic themed birthday party.  I searched the internet and Pinterest and found a few cute ideas and we had a great party.  All the girls came dressed in their favorite Olympic sport(I think most of them were gymnasts)  We kept it simple and just did a bunch of games outside, a few treats and then some cake and we were done.  You don't realize how long 2 hours is until you have 10 little girls running around.

 Food and decorations.  I found cute ideas for food..healthy and the girls loved it. 

 The girls all got numbers to be pinned to their backs and they went home with a water bottle filled with candy

Olympic ring cupcakes, so easy...I like that

 We played a bunch of games, everyone had fun!

The gang!

Summer- Part 2

Its not news to anyone that I am horrible at keeping this blog up, but alas....

The rest of the summer was pretty low key, family came all at once which was tons of fun, but it was so sad to not have anyone around. In the past the kids and I have always gone to visit family over the summer, but with the baby we just decided to stick around home.

Mason's highlight of the summer was to take a trip to California.  Sam and his brothers do this annual fishing trip out in the ocean and Sam wanted to bring Mason along this year.  We figured if we were going to spend the money to fly him out there that he might as well stay and visit for a while.  The only problem was Sam could only go for a weekend due to work.
Sam convinced me that sending Mason out ahead of him would be a great idea.  He could visit with his cousins that he hardly sees and spend time with his grandparents.  I was terrified to have him fly alone...I mean really, I was so nervous.  I was trying to be strong for him and act like it wasn't a big deal, but inside my stomach was sick, I just didn't want him to be scared.
The airlines actually do a fantastic job taking care of minors, they didn't let him out of their site.  And just for my peace of mind, I bought him a cell phone so I could talk to him in between flights (yes, he had a layover, no direct flights from Iowa)  Sam walked him to the gate, they only allowed one parent. Mason did well until he had to say goodbye, then he broke down.  But he was so brave, he knew that even though he was scared he wasn't going to miss out on this opportunity.  Once he boarded I spent the next few hours just waiting for him to land so I could talk to him.  Once he got over the fear of the initial flight he was fine, he was so excited when I talked to him and couldn't wait for his adventure.

He had a great trip.  His cousin is only 6 months older than him and ever since we left California they had only seen each other once.  They get along great and spent time at Grandmas and from what I hear spent an entire day playing Monopoly over and over again.  Once Sam flew out the group got together for the fishing trip and camping on the beach.  Mason got sick on the boat, but recovered.  Then at the beach, even though it was super cold, he had a blast playing in the waves...the last time he went to the beach he was a toddler.
It was the highlight of his summer, even though we missed him a ton. It made me realize that he is growing up, and that just makes me sad....Its so weird this parent thing.  You have kids and wonder when you will ever sleep again, have a moment to use the bathroom alone, or have some peace and quiet...and then as soon as those times come around you realize your babies have grown up... I know he is only 9 but I feel like I don't have enough time left already...

While the boys were in California, my friend Jamie came to visit from St. Louis.  I have such amazing friends from there and I was so excited she FINALLY came to see me.  She is one of the nicest, kindest people I know...and truly a genuine friend, she would do anything for me.  And I love that I can totally be myself around her, we could lounge around all day and do nothing and be totally content.  It was nice to have someone around, especially when Sam was gone.

Jamie with my little Jackson, he has already changed so much.

Abby, Sarah and Taylor..all I said was "pose" and this was the shot I got, so funny!  

FIRSTS

Jackson in the exersaucer and high chair for the first time.

 I couldn't believe that with all of our visitors over the summer that we waited until the very end of the summer to go visit a nearby lake that I always knew was there but always thought..eww, its probably gross.  One day, driving home I decided to just swing by and check it out, and this is what I saw:

It is super pretty and clean, like really clean...I could have kicked myself for all the visitors that we had and the way hot summer that we had and all of the $$$ we spent at the pool and for some reason we never checked out the lake.  Next year.

The kids LOVED it.  We only went one time after Sam got off work so there was nobody else there and the sun wasn't as harsh.  Jackson spent the evening chillin' in his stroller.  But its beautiful and FREE, we like that!

ADVENTURELAND

One last little hoorah before the summer ended, we took the kids to a nearby amusement park.  It was fun, but I'm getting old, I was exhausted and frankly I preferred the kiddie rides.

Sam and the older 2 getting ready to go on this super scary ride, it takes you up really high and then drops you down really fast a few times.  Abby couldn't wait, she loves rides, our little thrill seaker. Mason on the other hand, I think he only went on becuase he didn't want his little sister to show him up.  This picture cracks me up, Abby is smiling, Sam is doing his nervous scratch on his cheek( I don't think he even realizes he does that) and Mason has his eyes shut, and he kept them shut the entire time, I think he was praying or something.  

4 months

5 months

And I can't get enough of this chubbiness!!!

We spent the last day of our summer at the pool..goodbye lazy days and no schedule.

Summer fun...Part 1

Even though we have been out of school for almost a month and a half(yeah, we get out early here) I better re-cap things before it gets any later.
Seems like everything has been sneaking up on me lately, including the end of the school year.  With the baby here everything seems to just move in fast forward.  The kids finished up the school year with perfect grades(they really are great students), end of the year parties, picnics and field days.  It sure kept us busy.

The kids at their field day, they both got a few ribbons and had a ton of fun, although it was almost impossible for me to watch them both at two different ends of the field with 2 kids in tow.

On the last day of school we sat down and made a list of summer to do's, here is just a few....
Swimming
monopoly
park
visit cousins
bowling
rollar skating
zoo
drive-ins
baseball game
stay in a hotel
camp in the backyard
go to a rodeo

There are a lot more on the "list", we'll see what we can actually get to this year.

Here's the little man, I think this is him at about 2 months, such a fun little guy!

Mason finished out the soccer season, he had a ton of fun and has improved a lot.  The girls also finished up their tumbling year..and why don't I have any pictures of them is beyond me, ugh!

Hard to see him here, but at least I have a picture.

I forgot my friend, Linsey, sent me this picture of Taylor in her tumbling recital outfit, she loved being on stage, it was so cute.

Remember when Jackson was born and he weighed 10.7 and was 22 inches long...yeah, huge baby right?!  Well, at his 2 month check up he weighed almost 14 pounds and was already 24 inches, seriously, where did this giant baby come from?

Here he is with my friends baby, she was born almost 3 weeks later but look how tiny she is next to him, hilarious!

Mason started taking piano when he was in second grade and they have 2 recitals a year.  We love his teacher and she does such a great job with him.

The end of the year recital.

After school got out we sat around and didn't do much for a couple weeks.  Then swim lessons came and company rolled in.  My sister and her family came to visit, they wanted to come when I first had the baby but it didn't work out.  I'm so glad they came to visit. Catherine and I are super close, we talk like 5 times a day, no joke...I was so glad to have her here and visit for an entire week, it was great!

I think she took all the pictures because I couldn't find any, but then again I am really bad lately at pictures.  Catherine is way fun, I was talking to her when she was here and I was telling her that she is such a fun mom.  I feel like she is so good at playing with the kids and just enjoying them...I on the other-hand, I'm sooo boring.  When she comes to visit, she always makes my kids giggle, she loves playing the wii with them and board games...the last time she came we jumped on the trampoline for hours....I love when she visits!

We were able to get a sitter and go out on a double date, it was so much fun

I love Wes in this picture.

Catherine and her hubby.

The day Catherine and her family left we had just enough time to wash some clothes, and grab some groceries just in time for my brother and his family to come visit for a few days. Catherine left in the morning and Shad and his family arrived that evening.   They were on their way to a reunion and took a little detour to visit us.  I was so excited, in the almost 12 years that we have been married I think this was the first time that my brother has been to one of our homes and could see how we live.

We pulled the fire-pit out and enjoyed s'mores that evening, it was a perfect night.

Abby and her cousin Bethany were attached at the hip, and I don't know how many times they changed their clothes

That evening was our towns Rose Festival and we are lucky enough to have a perfect view from our front yard

We took a little trip to our mall, if you can even call it that, I think there are maybe 5 stores inside..its funny.  We did try and see how many of us could fit in a photo booth, we got 8, it was fun!

The first day my brother was here he was going on and on about the weather, how its nice that it isn't so dry like Utah and how he kinda misses the humidity...well, 2 days later, we couldn't take the heat any longer, so we headed to a nearby pool.  

Jackson spent his time in the shade but I had to snap a picture of him in his little swim shorts(which, once I put them on, I realized they were too small) Such a chunk!

It was so nice to have family come visit, I do wish we could have spread it out a little though, just to give us something to look forward to.  But any visitors is better than none at all and even if it means they come all at once, I'll take it.  

Thanks guys for coming!

We tried to get our company to come with us to the drive-ins but it didn't work out.  So once they all left we headed out and took the kids to see Brave and Avengers.  It was so much fun, I love the drive-ins.  The kids enjoyed Brave and then they slept while Sam and I watched the Avengers.

This was the best shot I could get, I didn't want the flash to go off while the movie was on, I should have taken a picture before it started.

Thats all for now...