... And School has begun!

Well, school has actually been going for quite a while, and I am muy muy late getting these up.

But hey, late is better than never...

I just have to share how proud I am of my kids. Lets face it people, the first day/week of school is no walk in the park! And this year seemed to be especially tough on the girls, which is so CRAZY because I was CERTAIN that Jaxon would be the one having a hard time. But he has actually had the easiest transition into Kindergarten. I am SO PROUD of my little MAN!! I seriously expected crying, clinging, shyness, anything, but I was VERY surprised when all I got was a very BRAVE little guy!!

He was SO proud of himself for going to school and that smile on his face that first day when I picked him up on the corner with Summer is PRICELESS!!

Summer had a rough start. We had a few EXTREMELY emotional days around here. Days I had no idea how to handle (I have no idea how to raise a pre-teen), which made for a really hard first week of school, but she has pulled through it and now she has loads of friends at school. I am very proud of her for STICKING it out and having courage to do things that are NOT easy!!

(apparently I have no pictures of Summer's first day... guess the novelty of the first day of school wears off after 1st or 2nd grade...)

I thought for sure my little Hallie would do GREAT in preschool this year since she has Jaxon's old teacher and she was so excited to be in Mrs. Mulliner's class, but she has had a really hard time and we still have days that she really doesn't want to go. This is so not like Hallie. It makes me worried, but I know Hallie and she can pull through this. She is my BRAVE little PRINCESS!

Summer Turns 10!!

Is she seriously ALREADY 10?? Yes. yes she is! That makes me FEEL so OLD (even though I'm not ... really)!

She is SO grown up for her age though. I think I have possibly created a "monster". I mean she already LOVES to spend spend spend and she likes cute clothes and expensive shoes. She is seriously 10 going on 15, I swear!

But we love Summer so much! She has never given us any trouble with her school work. She is ALWAYS doing her homework without complaining and she is VERY smart. She has also stopped trying to get our of practicing and and she will just come home from school and get to work! She is amazing! I think I don't thank her enough for how wonderful she is and how much she helps me. She has even been babysitting for us for a while now and that is SO nice! But the BEST thing about Summer is that she doesn't complain, she is such a good sport!

So, Summer had a super fun birthday! At least I think she did. I even let her "sluff" school and hang out with me all day (although I can't see how that could be fun)!

I let her open SOME presents early so she could have something CUTE to wear that day.

Then she had a soccer game and since I had treats that day I brought her birthday cake and her team sang to her there! It was really fun and luckily they won so every one was in a great mood!

She got her FAVORITE shoes from her grandma Abu (DC's)...

A few of us (the two grandma's and us) got her a bike...

Then we headed to Brick Oven with the whole Fam Damily and a few friends!

This is Summers Best Friend Natalia. They have been friends since birth. Aren't they BOTH beautiful??

They even made her STAND on her chair when they sang to her!

Happy Birthday Summer!!

We love you SO much!

Crossley's Visit

Our fun friends the Crossley's came to visit (on Alan's birthday actually). They came back to move all their stuff to Montana. So their girls spent most of the weekend at our house, which was GREAT!! Summer and Mackenzie had a great weekend catching up and Hallie was thrilled to play with Alexiss! We love and miss these girls SO much!!

Alexiss is so sweet. She read stories to the kids in bed and then they told stories!

Hallie and Alexiss are trying to be cool like the big girls by doing their "gang" signs!

It was a FUN weekend!! But we were all soooo SAD to see them go... it'll be a long time before we see them again!

A Not So Good Birthday

Alan's birthday was on the 22nd. And it was quite possibly the WORST birthday ever!!(At least I think so, he keeps trying to convince me that it wasn't)I felt really bad!

We headed out in the afternoon to do ONE of Alan's favorite things...We went golfing!

Well...the golf course SUCKED!! We went to Talons Cove in Saratoga Springs and it was pretty much like golfing in the desert! It was HOT and the grass had tons of dry spots and big holes everywhere! I couldn't believe they charge what they do when their course looks like GARBAGE!!

Then we came home and I gave Alan his gift which was a big tool chest thingy, you know, like a craftsman one. Anyway, as he was putting the wheels on the bottom the friggin' thing BROKE!! The top drawer wouldn't go back in and ball bearings were rolling out all over the place (I don't really know what that means, so if you want more details contact Alan)!!

Anyway, then we tried to patch things up by showing Alan the Oreo pie the kids had helped make him, but unfortunately Alan never actually got to eat his birthday pie, because the kids got to it before we made it home from dinner!

We headed to Tucano's for dinner, just the two of us. And although that was probably the better part of the day, the food just wasn't their greatest that night!

Poor Poor Alan! I'm sorry it was such a crummy day!

I love you baby! you are my best friend and I appreciate all that you do for our family! All while keeping the romance alive too! you are the greatest!

And I promise to make your 30th birthday the best birthday EVER!! No matter what!

Ty Ty's First Birthday!!

August is birthday month in our house. It starts with Tyson, then Alan, then Summer(all within the same week) ... It's crazy, but oh so fun!!

My wonderful Sister Elli took these pics and made this for Chunky's Birthday! Isn't it cute??

He is my handsome little MAN... He has never really looked like a baby with all that hair, but he was a baby once...I SWEAR!

Ty Ty brings so much joy to our home! And although he loves to push the printer buttons, stick his hands in the toilet, and "CHUCK" everything he can get his hands on... WE LOVE HIM SO MUCH! I don't know what I would do without my Lido!! And that BIG grin of his!!

Here are a few pics from our family party... Why is it that ALL my kids were TOTALLY sick on their first birthday? Poor TyTy!

Not so sure about this...

Oh. is this what I'm supposed to do with this??

Now were talkin'!! This is good stuff!!

Opening presents is never that exciting when you're one...

But we ended on a good note...

I can't believe he is already one!! Time goes by WAY too FAST!!

Summer comes to an end...

We ended the Summer with one FINAL boating trip with our WONDERFUL friends the Dorny's to Deer Creek. And although it wasn't the BEST boating trip ever. It was definitely not the WORST. We probably could have done with out all that afternoon WIND, but we were in GREAT company, so it was all good fun.

Barret and Cameron learned to Knee Board with their Dad and I really think they loved tubing...what boy doesn't love tubing? And the little kids had a really fun time just jumping off the boat into the lake!

P.S.I'm pretty sure that as soon as we pulled off the lake that afternoon the wind stopped and it was GLASS out there!!

Breaking Dawn

The night Breaking Dawn came out Stacia and I had to get our copies, so we headed to Walmart to stand in line.

(Really I think we just want ANY excuse to get out of the house for a girls night)

There were a number of very INTERESTING people there... Including this girl...

I don't remember the vampires wearing this in the books do you? I'm pretty sure they dressed like everybody else.

Anywho. It was a lot of fun just being there and hearing all the DIE HARDS literally SCREAMING when they got to hold their copies of the book for the first time!

People. Seriously...It's JUST a book!!

We couldn't even wait to get home... We had to start reading in the Parking Lot. I mean, we had like totally been waiting for this book 4EVER, so we couldn't stand to wait ANY longer!

No. Seriously. I'm pretty sure we both went home and went to bed soon after. And I'm pretty sure it took me a good month to finish the book. Not that it wasn't a great book, because I really DID enjoy reading it. It is such a fun read, but like I said before... it's JUST a book and books are usually NOT on the top of my list of priorities!

But...It was a fun night out!!

BFF's

Here I am back blogging again....FINALLY! I don't know what it is... I WANT to blog, but I lack motivation I guess. Not that EVERYBODY nagging me about not blogging isn't enough motivation, but I guess I must need MORE motivation.

But seriously people, I work on my computer for work ya know, so most of the time that last thing I want to do is jump on the computer yet AGAIN just to blog...

This is why I REALLY need a laptop... Then I can blog in the comfort of my own bed or wherever else I want...wouldn't that be a great gift for my hubby to get me??

There was a presence in our house this Summer that we just couldn't seem to get rid of. And no matter what we tried, this little presence continued to return day after day after day!!

Don't get me wrong...we LOVE McKell around here. She is so fun and full of life and her and Summer have sooo much fun together. We even offered to adopt her, but her parents were not as excited about that as we were. It always seems like somethings missing when McKell's not here...

These girls have done TONS of fun stuff this Summer. Like:

• A bazillion sleepovers
• Swimming at the Scera...ALONE (are they really old enough already)
• Riding their bikes EVERYWHERE
• Shopping, shopping, and more shopping
• Swimming at Veterans
• Practicing their instruments together(they don't even play the same instrument!!)
• Going to Movies

It really makes me miss being young and carefree! And being with my friends 24/7!

These girls are really crazy!!

Baby Girl!!!

My sister Caro had a baby girl 2 days ago and I need pictures! I already love her to pieces and I haven't even met her. . . Is that possible?? I'm a nut, but I do!
So my sister better hurry up and post pics on her blog so I can look at her brand new babies delicious little cheeks and butt chin!! Oh, and hurry up and choose a name already ... I really like Isabella personally!
Congratulations Caro & Jamie!!

COLORADO

We went to Castle Rock to visit my Sista the last weekend in July. We had a BLAST! Granted Caro was 10 1/2 months pregnant, but she was a great trooper and took us everywhere...

Like shopping at the Castle Rock Outlets

Elitches

Swimming ... like 3 times

Out to dinner

The kids rocked out with "Uncle Rock"

(Aren't Hallie & Nico cute dancing with each other??)

And more shopping...

And I am now convinced that I need a Laptop. I don't know how I ever lived without one... so I can't wait until I get one...hopefully soon:) hint hint!!

But the best part of the whole trip was just hanging out on Caro & Jamie's bed at night after everyone was in bed... I love my brother-in-law. He is so much fun to hang out with...oh, and my sister too, but you already knew that.