A Friday Afternoon

These are just some photos of the kids playing one day. Logan and Kaylen love to color and paint together. Spencer has been inspired by a young man in our ward who does card tricks. Spencer was practicing and performing his tricks in these pictures.

Temple Groundbreaking

We are so excited! A temple is going to be built 1/2 mile away from us!!!

Today we (Eric, Lindsey, Spencer, Logan, and me) went to the groundbreaking for the new temple. Our seats weren't very good and we couldn't see much of anything, even the actual groundbreaking. It was still very exciting to see that the process is finally starting.

Bonus October Pictures

The following pictures are just extra October pictures.

This is one of Colton's creations


Colton fell asleep one morning, just before we needed to run errands.
He's upstairs, almost ready to come down the stairs.

Kaylen made this at school

Me with my newest niece, Ava

Kaylen and Lindsey making bread

Kaylen practicing tumbling moves

Trunk-Or-Treat

Our ward had a trunk-or-treat on the Friday before Halloween. I have to say that it was a difficult night for me. We had thought about costumes, but I did not want to spend a lot of money on costumes that were only going to get worn once, so we scrounged up costumes. I actually bought Logan's costume, an army man, at a second hand store. He wasn't too sure about the muscles, but ended up being ok with them. Kaylen has so many dress ups, so she just chose one of those to wear. Spencer was a skater; quite easy. We had tried so hard to actually find him a costume. He wanted something bloody and disgusting, and I wouldn't go for it. Lindsey had been working all week trying to come up with matching costumes with a friend. They ended up being hobos, ripping brand new shirts and dirtying them up. I had bought a pirate costume last year for Colton, and when we went to put it on, it didn't fit. We looked through our stash of costumes and found a clown costume that worked and looked cute on him.

Things were going good (once we finally got there) until it came time for food. I had been making soup all afternoon and took it over to the party. I was trying to push a stroller, dish up Colton's food, and my food. I had dished up my soup (which had been boiling for an hour, so it was HOT) and was trying to move forward. I tipped the bowl and soup spilled all over me. I spent the night by the car with an ice cold napkin wrapped around my wrist, being in pain. There really wasn't an easy way to get out of the backyard (where it was held) with the car, and I didn't want to walk home in the dark, so i stuck it out, wishing every minute I was home. (Another post will follow with gross pictures and a few more details.) The kids had fun going around multiple times to get candy. We had such a big turn out, that I was worried the kids might get lost. I had given Eric the responsibility of Colton because I couldn't hold him or push the stroller. Well, Eric kind of slacked and Colton ended up wandering off. It was quite scary, because we were near some semi-main streets. It was an embarrassing relief when, over the microphone, it was announced that a little clown had been found.

Bonus September Pictures

Logan after skate lessons



Samantha (Lindsey's friend) and Lindsey doing a presentation on modesty for Personal Progress

Kaylen performing

Not an uncommon sight: Colton messy at dinner

Colton learned he could climb onto the fireplace hearth

Extra August Pictures

These are pictures I took in August that don't really have enough to blog about. They are just cute pictures.

Colton would copy what the kids would do.

Colton taking some of his first steps.

First Day of School

I love my children. Really, I do. But, when the middle of July hits (sometimes earlier), I long for the structured chaos that school brings. This summer, it was just plain chaotic. We had been so busy prior to the end of school last year (with remodeling, moving, vacations, and yearbooks), that we hadn't had a chance to rest and recuperate. So, I did not plan a single activity, class, or lesson (other than swimming). I wanted to just relax, swim, and spend time with the kiddos. This happened. It was all good for about, um, 1 day. Just kidding. It was ok at first, but then I realized that nothing was getting done. And then the petty arguments and fighting began. So now that it is time for school to start, I welcome it with huge open arms! It's going to be crazy, but at least things will be planned out (I have already made a schedule to coordinate everyone's lessons, homework, and piano practicing)! It will all be good.

This year, Lindsey, Spencer, and Logan are all at the same school, a k-8 school. We are fortunate to have them be able to ride the bus, and the bus stop is just two houses down from our house. However, in order to get them ready in the morning, they have to wake up at 6:15.

Kaylen is in a kindergarten prep class at a different elementary school (where Aunt Kelly teaches, so Kaylen might get to see her occasionally). Kaylen goes to school everyday from 12:30 - 3:30. She has the most fabulous teacher. Ever. I love her! Unfortunately there isn't a school bus for Kaylen, so she gets to ride in the Yukon bus.

Kaylen wearing an Ohio State jersey. When she and Logan found out their teachers are from Michigan, they instantly knew what to wear - OSU clothes!

Ok, so I was a helicopter mom and followed the kids' bus to school. (Hence the above picture is blurry, I didn't want to embarrass the kids too badly by taking pictures of them at school.) I wanted to make sure they knew where to go. I was concerned for them, being thrown into a new school, not knowing very many kids. I was especially concerned for Logan. I almost started crying when I thought about him. I helped Logan find his playground and where to line up. But he was totally fine without me. It was actually good I showed up because I got to help a little crying kindergartener know where to go.

A Photo Shoot with Logan, by Lindsey

Lindsey, being the aspiring photographer that she is, took over my camera when I tried to start taking Logan's pictures for his baptism. These are some of the pictures that she took. She has learned how to edit them also, but none of these have been edited.