Viva Las Vegas!

We flew to Las Vegas for my brother's wedding. Nate is the only one who remembers ever flying, so this was quite the experience for the other kids. There was some definite anxiety on the take-off and landing, but other than that the trip went very well. Getting from the car to check-in with four kids, luggage, and car seats was quite the undertaking. We got there just shy of two hours before our flight and made it just in time to board! Whew! It was crazy...

Swingin' Sara

Sara is just so sweet, I couldn't resist these photos!

Saturday Morning Sword Fight

Andy made armor and swords out of brown paper bags. The kids had a ball!

5 Yrs Old...Finally!

For some reason, turning five was a magical number for Jace. He was so elated! He had a small party consisting of siblings and three friends. This was his first party that he actually didn't celebrate with Nate, since their birthdays are a month apart from each other. They always wanted a party together. This year would have been the same, had I not forced the issue. He got to invite his own friends, and he really enjoyed having his "own friends"!

Jace's trying to figure out how to get the gift open before it is even out of the wrap!

You can never go wrong with Star Wars!

Jace's first webkinz! He loves frogs, so this was a GREAT gift!

Dallin and Jayson join in the coloring fun...of course, it's star wars!

Pizza and a movie, enjoyed by all, especially little piggy Sara!

1st Grade Field Trip

Nate had a field trip in which Andy was able to go as a chaperone. They went and toured part of the underground railroad and learned about Harriet Tubman. It is so weird living here in the South, being able to see places such as this that have had such a huge impact on our history and our nation.

Columbia, SC Temple

Going to the to the temple is quite the production. It is a 2.5 hour drive which means we are gone 8 hours from start to finish. I can't fnd a babysitter for 8 hours most of the time which means we have to bring the kids with us. FUN. There is a park nearby, so someone in the ward (who also has kids and can't find a babysitter) went to an early session, and took all the kids to the park while Andy and I went to a session. It worked out well; the kids had a 2 hour playdate and we were able to go to the temple this month!

Jace was not happy to make this long trip, only because it was a Saturday and he couldn't play video games!

28th Birthday!

My boys specially made cupcakes, just for my birthday! I don't much care about birthdays anymore, but they were so excited for me, I couldn't help but feel excited too.

I had a little help blowing out the candles. In fact, the first time I wasn't fast enough, so I re-lit them and did it again. Andy thought I was silly. Maybe so, but it was MY birthday!

We celebrated by going to the bowling alley. It was actually a lot of fun, even if there were a lot of kids running around, taking other people's bowling balls, and bowling in other people's lanes! It was enjoyable, mostly because my boys really wanted to make my birthday special.

Zan Shin Do

Dragon Stance, KEEYAH!

The Sweaty South

This is what we look like after SITTING for an hour in a building with poor air circuation and very little air conditioning. Poor Sara can hardly stand on her own at the end of the day! She sweats almost as much as Andy....

Gymnasts in the Making

Drew and Jace took a gymnastics class together. I had been looking forward to them being in this class for a while, they are both little monkeys! It is so hot this summer; it's miserable to just be outside. I need them to get their energy out without destroying my house, or ruining my sanity!

Big finish!

Drewby the Pirate

AAARRRGGGHHH Matey! Even when he sleeps, Drew is all about dressing up!

Who Invited the Alligator?

We went to a pond located on the Air Station for a ward picnic. Several kids were jumping off a small dock into the water to cool off (it was VERY hot and humid). After swimming, jumping, and playing for about 15 minutes, one of the moms went down to the pond to check on the kids. Suddenly we heard "ALLIGATOR!" and saw all the kids that were in the pond, hurtling their bodies onto dry land! Luckily, s little guy was just a baby. He was more interested in eating leftover hotdogs than little fingers or toes.

This was a neat picture until I realized where Jace's hand was...

Oh well, it's still a good picture! Boys will be boys!

School Days

"1st grade, finally!" Nate took two years of kindergarten because he was eligible to start early in California, since the birthday deadline there was in December instead of September. We asked to hold him back one more year so that he would be with kids his own age once we moved, instead of being the youngest one in his class. He loves school, so he is so excited to start something new!



"Pre-k, here I come!"

Jace is in the pre-k program. He will be going to school with Nate, so they will ride the bus home together. Jace is very anxious when it comes to change, so we will have to see how he does in the class room. He will SO love recess though, doesn't every kid?

"It's prescool, baby!" Drew is going to preschool, and is very excited to be with his buddy, Cale. He doesn't really need a backpack, but unsisted on it since that's what you do when you go to school!

Loungin' Around