Summer Finale

The last couple of weeks for us have been busy, busy, busy! Thanks to Uncle Mattman and Aunt Gillian, we had a grand summer finale and took a trip to Portland, Oregon. Sadly, Eric couldn't come with us due to school. We missed him like crazy, but we made the best of it and had a good trip.

 We stopped in Idaho to see the Snake River. Tessa was convinced the river was full of snakes. 

 The sun was so bright, we couldn't open our eyes for pictures!

 We stopped in Twin Falls, Idaho to see the new new temple there. 

 Tessa loves to find flowers

 Lunch break!!

 We stopped at Shoshone Falls in Idaho. Adam loved these cause they kinda look like Niagara Falls. They were quite the site!

 We are blessed to have good little travelers! I got Adam 3 chapter books to read on the trip, thinking he might not even get through one of them. He finished the first one in about an hour and a half! Uncle Ben took his naps on Adam's lap.

 We were so thankful that Tessa didn't get car sick once while we were gone! A true blessing! She is a princess everywhere she goes...she had to bring her crown with us. 

 A yummy dinner at Golden Corral. The kids were excited about the cotton candy!

 Gwennie the buffalo.

 We saw some cool things in Oregon. We stopped at the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center and checked some things out there. The cousins had fun playing with their tops from Ma.

 On the Oregon trail! You can still see the wagon tracks. Pretty cool!

 The only complaint I have about my kids when we travel is that they don't sleep in the car. Why, I have no idea, but they don't. When Tessa fell asleep one afternoon, I was shocked and had to document the moment!

 We stopped outside of Portland to see another cool waterfall. Adam is afraid of heights, so the fact that he was up on that bridge made me proud of him! That's him in the red hat with Katy and Ben.

 Aunt Dee and Gwen

Gillian is from the Portland area, so she and Matt were sealed in the Portland temple. It was hotter than heck, but the temple was beautiful and it was fun to see another temple.

 Adam and Tessa loved seeing their Uncle's in their uniforms. Here they are with Uncle Danny.

 Matt and Gillian

 Matt and Vincent

 Tessa was thrilled that Gillian had a candy bar at the reception and declared herself, "The Queen of Candy!!"

 I can't believe my little Mattman is all grown up and married. 

Tessa's favorite table!

 Gwen and Pa

 Matt and Danny-(Matt is Air force and Danny is Army)

 Tessa wanted to catch Gillian's bouquet so badly. One of the bridesmaids helped her out a bit!

 She caught it and was so happy!!!

 Everyone was so happy to swim in the hotel pools. My kids are fish and would live in water if I let them. Especially Gwen!

Tessa & Ares

 Tessa would swim around yelling at the top of her lungs, "Go Missy Franklin! Go Missy Franklin! Missy Franklin wins the gold!!!"

 Adam trying to float.

At one of our stops for lunch, Tessa insisted she sit alone with Pa!

 We stopped and saw the Boise Capitol.

 We saw the Boise temple

We came home this week and got ready for the Utah reception. I spent 2 days making over 450 cake balls! 

 We had fun visiting with so many family and friends. It was a fun party!

 Adam and Tessa did a good job of taking care of the kids table.

Our summer adventures are over for this year. It was fun to go out with a bang! We are glad Matt and Gillian are so happy. Now it's time to get back into the groove of normal life and figure out what "normal life" is. We are so grateful to live close to our family and create new memories with them!

BYU Season Kick-off!

We love football season and we love our BYU Cougars! Adam has been counting down the days for football to start the minute basketball season was over. Last night we headed up to campus to hang out with the football team and have some BYU fun!

 Poor little Gwen was so exhausted from both of her naps being interrupted that she slept the entire time we were there. Sorry we didn't wake you up for pictures Sweet Girl. 

 Adam and Tessa both got to try on one of the players helmets!

 Tessa arrived in all her cheerleading glory!

 Adam was excited to see the George Q. Cannon and Tessa was THRILLED to find the cheerleaders!

 Adam was anxious to meet the team and got his football signed by several players.

 Adam and Riley Nelson:)

 Adam received several comments from the players on how polite he was. He asked each and every one of them, "Can you sign my ball, please?"

 They thought Tessa was pretty cute too!

 Apo, Van Noy and Hoffman....not necessarily in that order:)

 We played games and got balloons....

 Tessa got a lady bug and Adam got a snake!

 They ran races with the track and field team. These kids love to run!

Before we left, Adam and Eric had fun tossing the football around. Adam is now counting down the hours for the first game next Thursday! 

GO MIGHTY COUGARS!!!

First Grade!

It came and went and I think I survived. Adam started first grade today and he loved every minute of it! His favorite parts-recess and lunch! So glad I am sending him away for those things. He raved about how good his lunch was. I had to remind him it was the same lunch he eats almost everyday here at home, but I guess it tasted better coming from a lunch box. That made me laugh. 

He got up this morning and got his chores done and had his favorite breakfast of French toast, sausage, fruit, and apple juice. Then we took some pictures and loaded everyone up and headed off to school for our first day of first grade. And  yes, I cried....

 His own little desk. He loves it!

 He was a happy boy when we picked him up this afternoon. He said he can't wait to go back tomorrow. Tessa and I don't feel the same way. We missed him today! Tessa told me a few times during the day, "I miss my brother." So sad! The girls and I met some neighborhood friends at the park this morning for a "Morning of Mourning". It was good to get together with everyone and have something to distract me. It didn't hurt that the park was across the street from the school:)

When Adam got home I had him fill out this paper. Another first day of school tradition.

We are glad that you love school so much Big Guy and hope you have a wonderful year of learning!

If Tomorrow Never Comes....

I am not a fan of back to school. I hated the first day of Kindergarten last year and I am already hating the first day of first grade, which is tomorrow. I am so thankful that Adam loves school so much. That makes it a little easier for me, but I am really not looking forward to him being gone all day long. Eric keeps laughing at me because I am worried about the silliest things....what if he can't find his class or the lunchroom, what if he can't open his bag of chips, what if he gets hungry, what if he doesn't understand something. All valid but irrational concerns, I know. I can't help it, I am a mother. My neighbor didn't help me at all by reminding me that he would now be with his teacher more than he is with me. That almost made me pull him out of school right then and there!

I was able to say family prayer tonight, which is better than last year. I couldn't say it because I knew I would sob through the whole thing.  He is so eager to find his old buddies from Kindergarten and he is dying to play at recess. We went to school today to find his classroom and meet his teacher. He will be in Mrs. Riley's class and he is thrilled to have his own little desk. From the looks of their classroom, it should be a fun year for him. 

 Adam and Mrs. Riley

 Standing next to his star where all his artwork will be displayed.

Their classroom has a western theme. Adam and Tessa got their pictures on the saddle in the reading corner. 

Since we just got back from our trip last night, I didn't have a lot of time to plan back to school activities, but we squeezed in a few fun things. Adam helped me make a "Back to School" centerpiece for dinner with all of his new school supplies. I figured that would be a fun way to give them to him. 

We packed his very first school lunch. I told him he could have whatever he wanted. He picked a peanut butter and honey sandwich, Cheetos, grapes, cookies, and ice cold water. He is so excited about his "Cars" lunchbox and thermos.

We made our traditional back to school pencil cake for dessert!

Mamma called to wish Adam good luck on his big day as a 1st grader. 

Before bed, Eric gave Adam a father's blessing, we had family prayer and I read Adam, "The Night Before First Grade".

I can't believe my baby is a 1st grader. Since having 3 kids, I have thought a lot about my slower days when it was just me and Adam. I will always be so thankful for the time he and I had together. It is amazing how much busier life gets the more kids you have. He is such  good little boy and such a good helper to me. I am going to miss the noise of his cars racing and his basketball hoop bouncing during the day. 

First grade....here he comes!!