ABC's of summer

Looking back over the summer, Jake and I realized that there were a lot of things our kids could say they had done, seen or been introduced to this summer (most of which will be a memory vs. documented with pictures-unfortunately).  Overall, we did pretty darn good at not being "boring" without breaking the bank or needing to be gone all summer long.  Without further ado, here's our ABC's of summer...
Adorable
<> <>

She dressed herself and just looked so darn cute...I couldn't resist

B aseball

Bryant and Sarah both wanted to do baseball/Tball this summer...which is really only the month of June...unfortunately June was quite a cold month.  There were a few warm days, but for the most part we played in long sleeves and even jackets and gloves and sometimes hats...ha!  They enjoyed every minute of their adventure!

Clown 

Emily thinks it is so hilarious to cover her face and just hold still and not make a peep...we were driving home and instead of washing her face, she thought it would be funny to play her own version of peek-a-boo...LOVE this girl!!

 Dress-Up

She did great walking through the kitchen with these enormous heels on her feet!  She only slipped once, but she was able to recover and walked the entire length of the kitchen...she loves to be like her sister Lydia!

 Exhausted

I laughed sooooo hard, I couldn't resist a picture.  He came home from work and as I was talking to him I look over and this is what I was greeted with-a snoring and obviously exhausted husband!

 Flower Hair

the creativity these girls display daily amazes me!  They had so much fun decorating their hair!!

 Guns...

For Sarah's birthday we went target shooting...it was a wish and dream of Sarah's...everyone got a turn, even Emily!  It was a fun afternoon together.  We invited my brother, his girlfriend and my sister to come...although I only got a picture of my brother...darn it.

 Hippie

this girl makes us laugh.  On this day she was dressed in her rainbow shirt, with her clashing rainbow pants and then she put this around her head and it was h.i.l.a.r.i.o.u.s.  (she looks even funnier with the way she has her eyes, but she was giggling so hard she couldn't relax enough to get a decent picture!)

Idaho Falls Pagaent

We went and saw the Miss Idaho Falls Pageant and the girls just had to dress up and look all cute ;)  They LOVED it!  We enjoyed watching two young women from our ward participate...it made it that much more magical for the girls...now when they see the girls at church they say that they saw the pretty princesses from that night.

Just Kids

My little cuties

 Kindergarten

She was soooo excited!  and she had a blast!

 Lydia Birthday

We had a great day with Lydia.  She anticipated turning three since the day she turned two!  It was a magical day for her simply because she was FINALLY three!!  She enjoyed her cake and gifts and singing and all the fun that is involved with a super, fantastic birthday!

 Meet the Teachers

Mrs. Shuster-Kindergarten 

Mrs. Durfee-1st grade 

Mrs. Willis-3rd grade

 Noooooo!

what?! they are already sunbathing??  such youngin's...I have no idea where they got this idea, I surely don't do this (I'm too white-ha!)  Seriously!  the creativity they come up with...

 Outrageous

this is a super common face for her...I finally got it on film

 Piano

I finally got my piano tuned and it sounds heavenly...now to reteach myself how to play relatively well.  I can do hymns and primary songs...I need to branch out and get some other music and teach myself...hopefully I don't pick something too difficult...

 Quiet

Jake promised the kids a sandbox this summer...it is finally done!  but oh, how I dislike the trail that ends up in the house...so much to learn when it comes to playing clean-ha!

 Riot Zone

trying to reach the top... 

water fun 

she loved the bounce house(s) 

water fun (the only thing she didn't cry doing...so sad) 

Sarah Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR SARAH!!!  she turned FIVE and it's a whole new adventure in life for her... 

 Teenagers???

they were watching a movie and I walked in to this...for once the quiet didn't involve mischief-it was great!

 Unique

they all wanted their hair curled, but I was most proud of these two littles holding still long enough to get curlers on their entire head!  (for Emily, it didn't last long though...she had them all pulled out before she even tried going to sleep-darn it)

 Volumtuous...maybe

taken at 33 weeks (measuring 40 weeks...yikes!)

 Wicked

being wild and crazy can get you a black eye sometimes...she was showing off for Grandma Anna and toppled straight onto my rocking chair.  Oh boy did she feel it!  Going to church was quite the adventure AND the doctor...haha!  She bonked it two more times after it was "healed" and it flaired right back up...she is most certainly going to be the one to visit the ER or break a bone first - just my prediction-ha!

 Xtra fun!

they LOVED getting wet in the sprinklers this summer!  there was endless fun in the sun and back yard!

Yippeeeee!

for Lydia's birthday we took her to a neighborhood yard sale and let her pick out her own big gift...ta-da!  this is what she found and fell in love with!  she's a pretty good driver too, hasn't crashed yet...

Zealous

Three is the best birthday ever!  Just look at that face-silly and all!!!

We had a super summer!  The kids enjoyed pretty much every minute.  We did manage to go to Boise once or twice and enjoyed the summer sun and heat there as well (of course I forgot my camera...) There were so many little adventures we did throughout that I would call it the most successful summer thusfar.  The kids slept in the tent a few times, we visited the sand dunes, they played and picnic-ed at Grandmothers a few times, we rode our bikes and took a walk almost nightly, and most of all we enjoyed each others company (the majority of the time)!! 

Farewell summer, welcome fall!

First Day of school

I think the whole house was consumed with excitement on Monday.  We all awoke early, had a hot and delicious breakfast and made it to the bus stop with such giddyness I couldn't shed a tear...it was too contagious.

I was so happy that the kids were so happy to be going back to school.  I was so happy I would be able to start a new routine that would benefit everyone and that I can get it "established" before baby arrives.

It was fun to see the same smiling faces that left the house, enter the house in the afternoon.  Even with homework in tow.

We had back to school night the Thursday before school started and I was the nerdy mom and took pictures with the kids and their teachers...

Monday was a great day!  Happy and productive.  While the kids were enjoying themselves at school I decided to make it a June Cleaver day and donned my apron while baking the day away...4 loaves of zuchinni bread, 4 loaves of semi-wheat bread, a batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and since the house was hot and I was still in the mood, I made my "special" lasagna...it felt sooooo good to have that kind of energy (for a day).

At the end of the day, though...my toes couldn't even touch the ground...

We are so happy to welcome the 2011-2012 school year!  Bring on the books, math,  homework, events, carnivals, holidays and all else associated with school-we welcome it all!

PRINCESSES

We attended the Miss Idaho Falls Pageant on Wednesday. I had gotten a few tickets from one of the contestants in our ward. The girls were so eager to go see the "princesses" (and then I remembered half way there that I forgot my camera, so I used my poor quality picture phone...)

They had a blast watching the girls dance on stage, twirl in their gowns and watch the intermittent shows from the current Miss Idaho Falls...luckily there were only 11 contestants-the girls got a little bored at certain points, but there was a lengthy intermission before the new Miss Idaho Falls and Miss Southeastern Idaho was crowned. We headed for ice cream in our pretty dresses immediately afterward! It was a great girls night!!!

My happy Princesses!!

RIOT ZONE

Jake had his company picnic a few weekends ago and we were able to enjoy an entire day at the local fun park. There was so much to do...I think we got most of it in. It was a hot, humid and muggy day, so I tried to find reprieve in the "shade", but mostly just walked around taking pictures of the kids enjoying themselves. Bryant finished his lunch early and decided to be on his own for most of the day, therefore, I do not have many pictures of him, BUT he claims he had a blast! so I believe him...I'm pretty sure he was able to do EVERYTHING at least once cause he was on his own-he enjoyed that freedom ;)

I took so many pictures, I just have to share...enjoy seeing the fun on their faces...

I thought she was enjoying it...until she turned the curve and lost her confidence and crashed into the tires...she broke down in terrible sobs, poor girl was so scared. I felt badly for her, but I was still laughing-she truly thought she was going to be severely injured.

proud of this girl...she was super intent, all the while having fun

he just had a blast

he wanted a chance to test his skills...we need a little more practice, but he had fun!

she had so much fun bouncing by herself in the bounce house!

she climbed and climbed and climbed. she was determined to make it to the top and ring the bell...unfortunately there was the same section each time that gave her troubles, she just couldn't hold on long enough to reach the next "rock"...we figured out after this turn to take her shoes off...she climbed even higher, but still got stuck...she wants to go back just to climb and get
to the top

these two had fun on the rocket ship...it was a very slow moving rocket, but they thought it was about the best invention ever-ha!

and then there's sarah...she was screaming the whole time! it was soooo stinking funny. there was nothing wrong with this ride, but she did NOT like it! (I'm thinking she was still tramatized by the go-cart)

jake was oversized for these double carts, but the kids really wanted to ride fast and he was about the only one to take them (until my brother showed up)...as you can tell it was worth being squished! even Emily liked going, but I never got a picture of her in the car :(

they loved feeling the wind in their hair (this is my brother driving)

for a girl who doesn't like to get wet, the most fun she had was on the bumper boats...I think it helped she was with her daddy-he makes everything more fun!

he was smiling and then the camera took the picture...go figure.

she was soooo tired by this point and incredibly hot! we took a walk around the park and she was able to get in a 30 min nap...it helped ease the irritability

I love that they had some kid toys that could be done solo...fun, fun

fun, fun

poor lydia was having a hard time trying to figure out how to get her boat to move...and then her sister came to the rescue and they had a lot of fun following each other in the small pond...

We had a fun day! Thanks to daddy for working so hard and earning a fun day off...until next year!

Sprinklers

The girls just love their swimming suits! If I would let them, they would wear them all day, every day...I'm so glad they pretty much understand the concept of modesty...
A few weeks ago, they were begging to get wet-so we lathered on the sunscreen, slipped on the suits and out we went. I didn't, for the life of me, think Emily would enjoy the water or even really join in the fun. boy! was I wrong! she didn't even hesitate! and she had a B.L.A.S.T!!!

can you tell??

she can't stand all that fun

running right through all that delicious water!

she wanted a taste test! ha!

they all wanted to lay on their towels and dry...it worked for all of 1 minute-pretty funny.

**Sarah is not seen in any of the water pictures because she is very much NOT a fan of water, but she loves to pretend and of all of them, wear her swimming suit! **

Having fun

I was spoiled Monday. I turned the "big" 3-0 and Jake was so good the whole day just pampering me-it was kind of weird to have all the time to myself because that's how he'd planned it...anyway. At the end of the day he surprised me with a new laptop! brand new! yipppeee! Now I can download all the pictures on my camera memory card...all the way from 2009, yikes! there were 1600 photos to download (the other computers we own are waaay to old to hold any sort of memory...)

So the very first thing I did was download my pictures and empty my card! It felt soooo good! Jake was pretty happy with his purchase :)

So I've been taking some pictures...go figure...and I just have to share.

he's getting so stinkin big, I can't get over it!

they had so much fun getting ALL their hair bows/flowers and putting them in each others hair-they thought it was stinking hilarious-they were giggling soo much in this photo, I was lucky it came out nonblurry (is that a word?)

this is how full they got their hair...so funny

and little miss kept trying to put these on by herself. she finally let me help her and then she wanted to see...what better way than to take a photo and show her :D

We are having fun enjoying these days of summer before we have to really start concentrating on a school schedule again...they are loving the freedom of the summer (see previous post).

I love the creativity of my children!

boring

summer is here.
no agenda, no major worries, just time together.

does that mean we're boring?
depending on the day, you might get a yes from the kids.
but thusfar, I think we have done alright in keeping the boring out of summer.

as cold as June was, it wasn't as bad as last summer and Bryant and Sarah were able to enjoy a month of tball/baseball. Every Tuesday and Wednesday morning we attended two games and had fun with that schedule.

Now that July is here, there isn't a schedule and I'm okay with it.
The kids and I enjoyed attending the 4th of July parade in Rexburg-Jake was working, but my sister was able to join us for that. The kids absolutely loved it! I enjoyed it because my sister was able to be more active with them than I would have...I think they got more candy from this parade than they did from Halloween (although this candy was much cheaper).
As soon as Jake got home, we drove a few miles down the road and watched the Melaleuca fireworks. Which, I must say, were pretty darn amazing! (it's the first time in the 12 years I've lived here that I've ever seen them...)

Jake has been tuning up a go-cart for a friend and so we've been having fun driving it around the neighborhood and making sure it's up to par to return {wink, wink} Bryant and Kayelynn were able to learn how to drive it and thought they were just awesome-possum! Emily could have ridden in it all day long, she would squeal anytime Jake would rev the engine and just go! Lydia and Sarah were always content with the rides they got-my kids love to go fast. We all said goodbye to that fun tonight...I think Emily will be the only one to wonder where in the world she went.

We have been able to spend quite a bit of family time this month, thusfar and bedtime has even gotten pushed back quite a bit, but it's been great to be able to spend all this time being together and carefree in our own space and making it just that, ours. We planted a garden and it's been fun to see the kids calculate all the new growth and expectant times when things should be ready to harvest-they can't wait! (I just hope we can actually harvest and preserve it all before the baby, otherwise, we may have some new teaching in the kitchen...)

Now that it's the middle of the month we get to celebrate Lydia's THIRD birthday on Saturday. And boy is this a big number...she has been counting down since the day she turned TWO. It's hilarious. This girl is certainly two going on five or maybe it's twelve...wow! She is a precious little girl!

After that we've got a family reunion and then I get to celebrate the big 3-0 (not so sure how I feel about that, especially being seven and a half months pregnant...) And then it will be August and the schedules will return. We are already getting ourselves prepared for going back to school. The sales have hit on supplies and we've been stocking up and having fun putting everything in backpacks and making lists of what we need for clothing. For some reason, I just love the back to school season. I think it's cause of the newness and wonder that is generated...it makes me giddy.

In the meantime, I've got to make sure we keep things from getting boring, I think we might actually succeed in a fabulously un-boring summer...it's amazing what a little bit of grass and sprinklers can do to make a day that much better!

Update on the pregnancy.
I am measuring 6 weeks ahead of schedule (and feeling every bit of it). I was tested for gestational diabetes-failed the first test, passed the 3-hour fast, so the doctor informed me to keep the carbs to a minimum anyway and we will "shoot for a 10 pounder instead of an 11 pounder". Believe me, I felt so much better after she said those words {insert sarcasm here}.
However, I am glad that the pain has diminished to practically nothing compared to the first half of the pregnancy. Now I just deal with a very round and heavy belly and contractions that make me stop in my tracks. I fear now that this baby might have it's own agenda and make his arrival sooner than expected...I've got some clothes washed...the rest is a list sitting on my nightstand...I'm grateful for the friends and family that have prayed for us throughout this pregnancy and for those that have stepped in to help, offer kinds words of concern and overall just the love we have felt through this. I pray that we will be able to give back all that we've been given when the time is right.

Now I can laugh...

If you want to be remembered in church, I have the solution.
1-Sit in the front of the chapel, behind the bishops family-it makes it that much better.
2-Have a whiney child throw up all over you, the bench, the floor AND the bishops sons head/neck after the musical number.
3-Have that same child be the one that introduced your family when you first moved into the ward by starting her testimony "ladies and gentlemen..."

Oh boy.

I had no idea she threw up on me until my sister told me to look-yeah, I was a little out of it apparantly. I passed off Emily (Jake was working) grabbed the blanket that was already half covered and set it against her mouth as we practically ran out the front of the chapel. We made it to the nearest garbage can and then finally onto the bathroom. All the while I was worried sick as to how I could go back in and clean up the incredible mess that was left in the hot, muggy chapel-I could only envision many, many people racing to the parking lot to do their own version of throwing up just from the smell...
I took her outside and had her stand there while I went in to get my bag (luckily sacrament meeting had just let out). Surprisingly it was all cleaned up and the smell wasn't too horrible. Come to find out we were sitting by quite a few nurses who could keep calm, cool and collected enough to think. The bishop's wife offered to get her steam cleaner and get it all cleaned during Sunday School, so I brought Emily and Sarah home. Put Emily to bed. Bathed Sarah, put her to bed with a bowl next to her and hoped it was just lunch that bothered her...I laughed, I cried, I have felt humiliated, and incredibly sorry for Sarah-she is absolutely devastated that this happened-she does NOT like getting/being sick, but she handles it well and I'm proud of her.

Looooong day...she ended up being so sick she was throwing up every 30-45 min the rest of the day/night. Finally today she is acting normal. She still won't eat, but is drinking lots and looking and acting more like herself. She has her last day of preschool tomorrow and I hope she is able to make it...

Looking back, it's all pretty funny, cause it can be. But I still have a somewhat humiliated feeling, not sure how I'm going to show up next week and be okay...but it is okay and I just have to remember that.

Coupons...

I just LOVE couponing. I know that there may be a stigma out there on the idea of couponing, but I really don't care. It's a thrill to know that you buying what you need and even what you want with out breaking your bank-even diapers!!
At first, Jake was a little, maybe even a lot hesitant, and didn't see the potential awesome-ness until our stockpile (aka. food storage) was being built faster than the shelves in our storage room. He got those up very, very quickly and soon realized that I was spending way less on way more than usual. He started bragging at work and now there are ladies that will ask him when I can teach them how to save as much. And still serve their families delicious meals.
So, after contemplating the idea. I don't consider myself an extreme couponer and therefore, I wouldn't deem myself as an "expert", but I still know the basics and know how to rock some pretty awesome deals! I decided that I would hold my first ever "coupon basics" class and share the beginnings of what I know to be tried and true for anyone! I'm kinda excited, but incredibly nervous-I can make a fool of myself easily and sometimes I don't even know it until it's too late-haha!
If any of you are interested, it will be next Wednesday, May 11th at 7pm at my house (I hope we all fit). Let me know if you want to come. It will be super laid back and full of information! I just can't help but share the LOVE of couponing with everyone I know-I tend to sound like a dork a lot of times, but I don't care! It's just so awesome!!

Results...

First things, first. The mass that was found 4 weeks ago has gone down considerably. So the question now is, what in the world is this pain from? While doing the ultrasound today we discovered the baby is very low, at least the head and sitting right where the pain is. In my mind, that's what it is and as the baby grows the pain should reside a little. There was mention of a possible hernia, but that could be a timing thing as well. So really I get to just handle it and we'll be a-ok.
The due date is officially September 16th.
We are having a...

BOY!!!!

I am so giddy. It's been years since I've done baby boys, but I can't wait. It will be so fun. I LOVE that we started with a boy and we will be ending with a boy. So, so, FUN!!!

We had the most in depth ultrasound we've ever had. It was really fun to see all the different parts they record. The brain, heart chambers, etc. I am thinking we are in for a big boy-his feet are already quite big, but to be expected with daddy's size 18!

We have much peace of mind and are truly excited to finish this journey knowing we are being watched over. It will be a fun adventure!

the big day...

...sorta

First thing tomorrow morning we will be headed to the doctor to...
-discover the gender of #6 (Surprise!!! Some of you may not even know this information...it's not been something we have been announcing this time around...long story, for another day, maybe)
-hopefully get an answer for whatever else is crowding its way inside my body...it's so not fun to be pregnant and feel like a beached whale at 5 months (especially when there is still a hot summer to endure)...if this seems like a strange comment, this too is a long story to be saved for another day.

5-second recap:
pregnant
mass growing inside uterus
causing constant pain and occasional contractions
doctors are clueless, at this point
hoping for answers now that a little time has passed

Considering the options of how this could go, there may or may not be an update on anything immediately. I may have to just soak in the information I am handed and I may just have to soak in the fact that they cannot and will not be able to figure anything out until after the baby is born...although I think I'd rather have a little time to familiarize myself to whatever it is I need to...keep watch, there will be an update, sometime.

At this point, all I ask is for prayers-LOTS of prayers.
And (okay, one more thing) to keep all cynicism confidential...no cheeky remarks, I don't think Jake nor I could handle it at this point. And please don't feel like you need to call to ask for details. It will be on here when we are ready to tell the long story, it's too much to tell individually...we have managed to get it down to a 5 second recap and that would be all you got if you called.

Thank you for understanding, and for the prayers. We are grateful for the family and friends we have.

Fun In the...

8'o clock this morning...kids come asking if they can play outside.
Of course!!

Twenty minutes later, I look out.
This is what I see...



complete with leash for the puppy...

And my converted Russian-I got a good laugh...

The other good laugh?
There was fun in the snow...Who knew??

(yes, it would have been a better idea to look outside before they went, boots were in storage. And most of them didn't find snow pants-what an awesome mom I am! But they had fun!!!)

locked

The tooth fairy didn't make it :(
Mom forgot to unlock the window. Even after I wrote it down.
And now Bryant is trying to convince Kayelynn that the tooth fairy isn't real. That it's me...darn kid. I've never seen the tooth fairy, so I'm pretty sure it isn't me! He won't believe me.

Ideal?

Since the first of the year Kayelynn has had a loose tooth. The darn thing would wiggle and wiggle and then a few hours it would just be stiff. I just figured it was the way her teeth would fall out...with a mind of their own.
Saturday between Conference sessions. Wasn't this last weekend just amazing? It always is, but I am always in awe afterward. I LOVE to hear the music, the speakers, feel the Spirit and watch the kids as they listen to the stories and understand more and more each time what is being taught. LOVE IT!
I digressed. I apologize.
Saturday afternoon Kayelynn came to me with trepidation. I had to prod out of her what could be wrong. She opened her mouth and showed me that her new tooth was already in. Behind her baby tooth. She was distraught. The tooth was supposed to be loose. It wasn't. The tooth was supposed to come out on it's own BEFORE the new tooth. It didn't.
I called the dentist first thing Monday and set an appointment for first thing Tuesday to get it checked out. We discussed the very likely possibility that the dentist would take out the tooth and how it would happen. She's had enough cavities :( to know that she doesn't like the feeling of her mouth when the numbing medicine begins to wear off-for her it takes twice the time to get feeling back in her mouth. I digress again.
The dentist did in deed decide to take it out. And predicts that we will be back for the next tooth in about three weeks...it's already trying to make it's appearance.
That reminds me...I better go unlock the window for the tooth fairy!