First Day of School

First Day of Junior High...

First Day of High School...



Rachel and Becca started school today...they were both pretty nervous and excited this morning. They're both starting in new schools this year...Becca's a freshman so it's her first day at high school. Rachel's in 7th grade, so it's her first day in junior high. It's a big day for both of them. I thought they both looked so darn cute today. They have their own styles...their personalities shine through in the way that they dress. Becca's our sporty girl and Rachel's our little rocker chic. I love that they are true to themselves and they are who they are. They're both wonderful girls. They're responsible, they work hard, and they are extremely sweet to their siblings. We sure love them a lot! They've made being a stepmom pretty darn easy! :0)

My Little Man...

This has been a big week for our little Andrew. He got his first little suit and I think he looks so darn cute in it I just had to post a picture! I normally would not buy a suit for a two year old, but I found it on clearance for $20.00 and couldn't resist. I think he looks like a little man in it. He hated putting it on at first, but now I think it makes him feel kinda cool when he wears it. He also got a big boy haircut, as Hannah calls it. It's a little shorter than I wanted, but once I made that first buzz, I was commited to the length. It makes him look older...he's not a baby anymore! And last, but certainly not least, Andrew is potty trained! Hooray! He has done amazingly well. He still has the occasional accident, but goes all day in underwear! He even wore underwear to nursery on Sunday. I am so excited. I can't believe how big he is getting and how quickly time flies.

Breaking Dawn

I'm just coming down off of my Breaking Dawn high. Amy and I went to Wal-Mart for the midnight release Friday night. We stayed up reading about 100 pages, then Amy spent the night because she was too tired to go home. I finished reading the book Sunday afternoon. It was all I wanted it to be and more! I won't give any specifics for those who might still be reading or haven't started yet (Meggan!) I will say that I want more, I don't want the series to be over! :0( It was so bittersweet reading this fabulous book. I couldn't stop reading, but I didn't ever want the story to be over. What will I have to look forward to now (well, except for the movies)? Yes, I know that the books were written for teenagers, I know that vampires are not real (much to my chagrin), and I know that the object of my affection (and undying love ;0) ) is just slightly over half my age. Knowing all of this however, after reading Breaking Dawn, I can't help but feel a sense of despondency. It's over, no more Edward, no more Bella, The End.

(For anyone who might feel worried about my sanity...I will be seeking counseling shortly.)

Busy Summer...

We've had a busy couple of weeks, so I haven't posted anything for awhile. It seems like we never quit going in the summer. Here are a few highlights...

Hannah and Andrew just finished swimming lessons. They did really well. I was surprised what they are able to teach a 4 and 2 year old. They had a lot of fun doing it. Andrew did a mommy or daddy and me class. Dave and I took turns with him and Shane and Bonny were in the class with us. We had really weird weather...it was a little chilly on a couple of days and we had a lot of wind, so the kids were usually freezing by the time they were done. One would think that the end of July would be a safe time to do outdoor swimming lessons, but you never know in Idaho.

We had some friends move away about a year ago and they were in town this week to visit. We went over to hang out at a park with them. Hannah and Annabelle were great little friends before they moved away. It was fun for them to see each other again. Our neighbor has a little train that they pull behind their four wheeler. They came over and gave the kids a ride. We had fun visiting with them and catching up...I'm so happy that we were able to see them again!

We took Rachel, Hannah, and Andrew to the zoo last weekend. (Jacob and Becca were off doing other teenage things). They had a lot of fun. It was Andrew's first trip to the zoo that he can remember, so he was pretty fascinated by the animals. He loved watching the monkeys the most. I think we spent about 30 minutes in that section. They all loved feeding the animals in the petting zoo. Hannah could have done that all day! Andrew was sooo hilarious! He kept saying, "it eat New New (Andrew)," about several of the animals that we saw, especially the lions and tigers. Finally, when he said it about the snow leopard, I told him that he wasn't going to get eaten. He replied, "It eat New New's shoes?" What a character!

Mathew and Michael came over a few days ago. The kids are such good little friends. They always have a a great time together. They played in our backyard on our gym set. We are going to put bark down under it, but haven't had the time to do it yet. So...the kids were filthy by the time they were finished playing. It also doesn't help that they like pouring dirt all over themselves and each other. And, I'm not really sure what Andrew's problem is in the swing picture...he acts like a two year old quite often. :0)

We gave them all a bath when they were done. I couldn't resist taking a picture of the tub after they got out...eeeww! gross!