Picnic and Fun at the Park

Today I told the kids that if they would help me around the house, that I would take them on a special trip, so after our chores were done I made us a picnic, and we headed off for our adventure. They had no clue where we were going, and I wasn't about to blow the secret. They were feeling bad because we were not able to go down south to the Jack Leavitt Family Reunion, and they figured that this long weekend would be a boring one. Well after I drove in circles (literally) around a vacant parking lot with their eyes closed, I drove to a park that they had never been to and told them to open their eyes. You would have thought that it was Christmas or something, they were so excited, and couldn't get out of the car fast enough. I forgot to take pictures of our fun picnic, but I did get some fun pictures of the kids playing on the playground. After we got done playing at the park, we headed over to Wal Mart, where we made some early Christmas wish lists, and Jake even made some requests for his birthday that will be not so soon in the future, but he thinks it is approaching rather quickly. Then we bought him a new twin bed to match the chest of drawers we bought him a week ago, and then we went to 7-Eleven where we got our favorite color of Slurpee, sat on the bench in front of the store and people watched while sipping on our Slurpee's, and then we headed home with exhausted kids. Ellie even thanked me for not letting them go to the Reunion. She told me that she is glad we stayed home cause the reunion wouldn't have had a fun day like this. haha, I am so glad she doesn't realize the fun she missed out on not going to the reunion, or else I think my big girl would be pretty sad at her mom and dad. Oh well maybe next year when Ray and I don't have things going on that keep us grounded for the month of September. Next time maybe we will hit the Zoo in secret or the Planetarium, or the living Aquarium, or maybe even the Tree House in Ogden for a day. All are places my kids would really enjoy.

I found this website a few months ago and thought it was a good time to start doing this.
This blog gives you ideas to post about...they present a question and you answer it how you want.
They post a new question every Tuesday, thus the name "Tuesday Tell All". And, since I am wanting to use my blog as a journal, or at least make it into a book once a year, I figured maybe this might help me out a bit.

Jake's First Day of School

Today is Jake's first day of Pre-School. He will be going 4 days a week this year. Mondays, Tuesdays, have Wednesday off and then go on Thursday and Friday. The bus picks him up between 8:15 and 8:30, and it will drop him off around 12:00-12:15. There are 3 other boys from our ward, and two of them live in our neighborhood that will be on the bus with him and going to the same school. He was so excited this morning, he was up early dressed and patiently waiting at the window. Mom on the other hand was a bit emotional. He seems so young still, and 4 days a week for half a day seems like a long time. I do believe he will enjoy it, and that it will be good for him, I am just going to miss him so much. He made sure that he had his pictures done before the bus came, and had to make sure I knew what faces he was making. so I will put the names of the faces above the pics so that you know what he was thinking. haha

Cheese

Woo Hoo, I'm really excited...

I can't wait till the bus comes to get me.

See my cool new Pack Pack.

Tuesday Tell All-

This week, for posterity's sake, share with us a school memory from your own childhood. What is your earliest memory of school, what did you love about the first week of school, who was your favorite teacher, subject, or playground game?

* My earliest memory of school begins on my very first day of Kindergarten. My mom was late getting me to school (at the time had had 5 older girls she needed to get to school and make sure they were each settled). The bell had already rang, and all the kids had already taken their seats. I was crying and embarrassed and was refusing to go inside. My mom was trying all sorts of things to get me to go inside but to no avail, then she said to me that if I would go in she would take me to buy me a lunch box after school, and that she would let it be the one of my choice (which just happened to be a Popeye one). So after much thought I decided I would go in, but was still very nervous. Then as I walked in a little girl came up to me and asked me if I wanted to sit by her and be her friend and I said yes. Her name was Carolee Stout, and we remained best of friends throughout our school years, and are still friends to this day.
* I think the one thing I loved most about the first week of school was the feeling that you could do anything. That nothing was going to stop you from being the best at whatever you wanted to do. I remember each year feeling like such a big kid on the first week of school (usually feeling older than I actually was).
* My favorite teacher was Mrs. Cornelius. I happened to have her for both 1st and 2nd grade. She lived in our neighborhood, and I was really good friends with her grand daughter Jessica. She was always very nice to me, and made me feel like I was very important.
* My favorite subject was spelling, which I always seemed to do really well at. I remember when I was younger I would read things my sister's would write and I always would spot the miss spelled words, and bring it to there attention. (they probably did not appreciate me much)
* My favorite playground game was tag. I remember that we would split up in teams (girls against boys). If the girls tagged the boys we got to kiss them, and if the boys tagged us we had to tell them who we liked. Ellie plays the same game now at school, except they can't kiss the person they catch, so they just tell each other who they like.

Ellie's First Day of School

Today was Ellie's first day of school and she was both excited and nervous to go. She was afraid that kids at school would make fun of her in her new glasses, and that she would not be able to make any friends. But as she returned home today she informed us that she had a very good day, and that she is going to love being in second grade. I am so proud of her, and I hope this year will be a good one for her. :)

New Glasses

For a while now Ellie has been complaining that her eyes hurt her when she reads, so with school approaching rather quickly I told Ray I felt I needed to get her into an eye doctor and see just what is up with her. Well on Friday we went into the Wal Mart vision center for an eye exam and he said that she was near sited. He said her vision isn't really bad yet, but that it will probably get worse with the older she gets. I asked him how long they would take to get here, and he told me a week. I told him my concerns of her not having enough time to adjust before school starts, and he told me the soonest they would be here would be on Friday the 22nd of August, and school starts on the 25th. I told Ellie she would have the weekend to adjust but that was it. Well, last night at about 7:30 I get a call from the vision center letting us know that her glasses were in. When I asked them how they were able to get back so quickly being that we ordered them Friday at 4:00 the receptionist told me that the doctor had put a rush on them and sent them off separately free of charge. HOW NICE!! Anyway so this morning after dance practice we headed for Brigham to pick up her glasses. She is slowly getting used to them, but is now concerned that the kids at school will make fun of her. So, we have had to remind her that Kortney has glasses, the twins, and Whitney, and Brandi, and Kasey and aunt Terra, and the list goes on and on of the big girls that she idolizes that have glasses. So thank you to the big girls for wearing your glasses with pride. haha Anyway, here are several pictures of my big girl in her glasses. The rim is pink, although she wanted dark frames just like Kort's. But, I think the pink ones look just dang cute on her. Hopefully this will help her want to read more. And hopefully we wont have problems at school with mean kids making fun of her

In a blink of an eye

So, the other night I put my kids down stairs for a video I had promised them, and I came up to blog for a few minutes. Then I hear Jake clomping up the stairs, I holler out at him to come to me, and he says I can't mom I'm goin' to school. I walked to the hall and looked down at him and almost started to cry. What happened to the little boy he used to be? It seems like he has just got big so fast. He isn't the little cuddly Jake anymore, but the big kid Jake who is getting ready for another year of school, which by the way he is stoked about. He is looking forward to making new friends, riding the bug, and learning. Anyway, I just don't know that I am ready for him to all of a sudden be a real big kid. I know I have told him I don't want him to be a baby anymore, but what ever happened to the in between stage?

The Shoe Tree

On one of the first evenings of being in Southern Utah I was talking to Kortney and Kenzi about the shoe tree, and how it would be a cool picture for the year book this year. Kortney is Editor of the Year Book and was telling me she wants to get some cool pictures. So the three of us headed off to snap some shots. It is a really cool tree, and I love it cause it doesn't matter who you are, what kind of life you live, or the kind of shoe you wear, the tree accepts us all, well our shoes anyway. I noticed while walking around the tree that there were shoes of every size, shape, color, for young and old, fancy, plain, cheap, and expensive. They come from all walks of life, and I love that. I love this tree, it makes me think a lot about my life, and what I want out of it, or expect from it. I know that it is weird to feel that way about a tree, but it makes me want to be a lot like the tree, excepting of everyone, and not judgemental of any situation, or walk of life. This tree rocks, and I hope it will be around for a long time.

Highlights

While in Southern Utah my kids spent lots of time over at aunt Karri's house. One night Brandi was highlighting Karri's, Kortney's, and her own hair. Then Ellie asked if she could have highlights put in her hair and I said she could just not thick ones. I wanted it to look more natural on her being that she is still young. Well then Jake asked and I said yes to him as well. I figured that if his did not turn out well we could just buzz his hair. So Brandi got some foils ready, mixed up the cream, and started on Ellie's hair. She was so excited to have her hair look like the big girls, and Jake was excited to look like Ryan. And I was glad to see that they both turned out looking very good. Jake's isn't quite as noticeable as Ellie's, but that is ok. And, Ellie's looks like natural highlights, which I really like. Thanks Brandi, ya done did a good job on making my kids look and feel good about themselves. :)

Our new niece Anni Hope

On the 7th of August my sister Tracey gave birth to a sweet little baby girl. They named her Anni Hope James. On our way down to Southern Utah we stopped by the American Fork Hospital to meet her. What a cutie. She is the 7th child, so I guess she will be my favorite being that I am also the 7th. (haha) Ellie, and Jake were so excited to see her, and were even more excited when on our way home from Southern Utah they were able to stop by aunt Tracey's house and hold the baby for a few seconds. Congrats Tracey and John on a beautiful healthy baby girl.

Jake and Ryan

This is my nephew Ryan, he is one of Jake's favorite cousins. Jake just idolizes him. Ryan is such a good kid, and sweet as well. Anytime we go to Southern Utah he makes sure that he spends time with Jake. He put a set of Football pads on Jake, and then put one of his red practice shirts on over the pads and then they played catch. Jake says he wants to be just like Ryan when he gets old. He wants to be big and tough. I am so glad that my nieces and nephews enjoy spending time with my kids, and are always willing to make them feel like they are important to them. I don't know if they realize just how much it means to me to have them spend time with my kids, and just how much I love that my kids look up to them and idolize them, and I don't mind cause they are all such good kids. :)

Pretty Butterfly

One morning while at my parents house I looked out their picture window to find this beautiful Monarch Butterfly enjoying these pretty purple flowers. It was huge, and hung around for what seemed like the longest time. I was able to get a bunch of really nice pictures. Ellie named him Monti, and asked if we could catch him and bring him home to live with us.

Which Disney Princess are you?

Free-spirited and wise. You have a strong passionate spirit that touches and changes all who know you. The wisdom and common sense that you have is really what guides you through life. Even so, you also have a very playful side that loves adventure and excitement.

www.greatestjournal.com/quiz.bml Disney Princess Are You?




I'm not sure if I would agree with this one much. I re-did it several times, and got Pocahantas each time.
Here is a run down of what they tell me I am.
44% Pocahantas - Free spirited and wise,
22% Jasmine - Independant and Adventurous
11% Aurora - Thoughtful and Loving
11% Snow White - Pure and Trusting
11% Mulan - Strong and Spirited