First Day of...

 

Shayla was a little nervous because she was getting  a new teacher.  She also worried 3rd grade would be hard! She was really excited to walk to red carpet and be a star for a day! She came home loving her first day!  She loved playing with all of her friends again and her new teacher.  I think it will be a great year!

Carter was not nervous at all for school to start!  He put on his backpack and was ready to go!  Daddy took him to his first day of 1st grade.  He walked Carter to class, Carter found his seat and turned around to give dad a thumbs up. That is our signal that everything is going to be ok and he is going to be brave and try new things.  He really enjoyed the 1st day but only ate his grapes and drank chocolate milk.  The lunch room can be a little overwhelming for a 1st grader.  He loved playing with Kaitlyn and ran to mommy when it was time to go home and said "good day today!"

Addie also had a first day of school...what I'm still trying to get over the idea.  She was so excited to go to school!  This was a big surprise because all summer she talked about how scary school was going to be. She never wanted to leave mommy.  I think once her brother and sister were off to go a good start she decided she could do it.  She ran to her teacher and went in with no tears or problems.  I was even holding it together until her teacher handed me some tissues and a cute little poem.  The tears started then.  My baby is at school!  When I picked her up she had so much to say.  She learned sounds and letters, read books, sang songs, ate snack and her favorite she played in the kitchen with 3 friends. I have lots of friends!  She told us.  She even went potty 3 times...hopefully this will be cut down to a minimum as time goes on.

Families Are Forever

We had the opportunity to visit the Ogden Temple as a family.  What an amazing experience! I was worried as a mom with with 3 small children.  Worried that they would have a hard time being quiet, would want to eat or drink or need to go potty.  The most amazing thing happens the moment you enter the temple...they are quiet!  For the whole 40 minute walk they were quiet.  

Shayla took in all that was around her and she had many questions.  We tried our best to answer them and keep the line moving. She used to be so excited to be baptized and now that she is she can't wait to turn 12 to go the temple.  She talked about what temple she wanted to be married in. 

Carter was quiet! I don't know what else to say.  It is rare for Carter to be quiet.  He took in all the pictures of Christ on the walls.  He also enjoyed singing.  At one point we heard piano playing and he knew the song so he hummed along. He also really enjoyed the ice-cream we got  after the open house.

Addie was a little concerned. She was not sure what to expect and so she wanted us to hold her.  When they put the white booties on her feet , I think she decided it would be safe to walk on her own.  About 1/2 way throughout the temple Addie commented "I will be brave for Jesus". I smiled at her and said " You are being so Brave!"  Little did I know what was going through her little mind.  As we neared the end Addie says"Mommy I will be Brave and run to Jesus and give him a hug!" I realized in that moment Addie thought we were there to meet Jesus.  She didn't realize we were looking at rooms in the temple she thought we were in line to meet Jesus.  Her sweet little spirit was nervous but she had found the courage to be brave.  I scooped her up and explained that we wouldn't be meeting Jesus but we can always feel his spirit in our heart.  She looked at me with big eyes and a smile and said "Jesus loves Me!" 

I really needed this experience with my family tonight. It's so easy to loose perspective of what really matters in life.  I am so grateful to a loving Father in Heaven who gave me the opportunity to have a family and to be with them forever!

A look Back on January....
Jan 5.. Brittany's Birthday

Addison Loves Brittany!  She babysits for us and since we have lived close by she has really attached to her. She sat on Brits lap the whole time she opened presents for her birthday.

Jan 6..

I came home from a presidency meeting to find dale singing and rocking Addie to sleep.  She usually goes to bed fine on her own but I guess she needed her Daddy.  She will say "I am daddy's baby"...it is very clear who has the power in this relationship!  I love that he is such a great dad!

Jan 8

Addison putting her minnie to bed and deciding to take a little nap herself..ok only for 1 minute but it was very cute.  

Jan 11...

Took the family bowling..Carter initiated because this is one of his favorite activities.  My favorite part is my kids singing to the music!

Jan 13...

Shay came upstairs "look mom I can do it like you now!" Yes her towel wrap is just as good as mine!

Jan 17...

Dale took Carter to Nitro Circus in SLC.  He bought the tickets a year ago and couldn't wait to take his little buddy!  Carter was a little worried about the noise and how loud it would be.  He was so excited to watch all the tricks.  As I am writing this post he is begging "please mom I want to go again!"  Dale loved it all! They came howe 2 happy boys.

Shay persisted in asking for a girls night out since the boys were having one.  She planned it and it was a success. She had a craft, fashion show and ice-cream!  Addie loved playing with Piper and the big girls!  

Jan 22

Eating my lunch..Chick fila and talkin' on the phone. Like mommy.

Addie loves to dress up and it's so fun to see what she will come upstairs dressed in.  Now only if she was good at cleaning up the dress up.  It's always all pulled put and in disarry as she has to pull it all out to see her options. 

Jan 25...

We decided to go away for the weekend to Las Vegas. My wonderful sister, Mel took the kids.  It was so nice to reconnect with my best friend!

Shark reef.  Dale has always wanted to go see this.  We spent a long time watching the sharks! He was transformed into a little boy.

We ate at the rainforest Cafe.  Super fun atmosphere, except for the couple next to us either breaking up or in a really big fight.  At first it was uncomfortable and then it was a little entertaining.

I"ve been watching "Tanked" with Dale and so I really wanted to go see the fish tank at Serendipity but it was gone.  I was disappointed until I ate my breakfast, it was delicious. 

On the way home we stopped in St.George to walk the temple grounds. What a beautiful temple!

This kid has always been able to fall asleep anytime, anywhere! He always took 3 hour naps when he was little and still seems to need a little cat nap in the car or on the floor. Dale also slept in random places when he was little.  Like Father like Son.  Oh how I love this little boy!

Frightmares at Lagoon! 

The kids loved going to Lagoon with all decorations for Halloween!  They have so many fun things for the kids to do.  They get to go Trick or Treating, go through a corn maze and enjoy all the Lagoon rides.  Addie is little scared this year of the Halloween atmosphere.  She will say "that witch scare me mommy, rarrr scary." It seems to be witches and skeletons. 

J&J Pumpkin Rides

Carter took the longest picking his pumpkin.  He was looking for a really big one.  He settled for one with bumpy looking warts all over it.  Shayla was looking for a perfectly round one.  Addie wanted all of them.  When she settled on one she wanted to carry it, but was frustrated to find she couldn't lift it on her own.  I love this tradition and  hope it carries on for many years to come.

Our Fun UEA Day!

We were thinking of going out of town for UEAbut decided to stay and have a really fun day.  We have talked about doing this before and then we end up staying at home.  We asked the kids what they wanted to to do and they had lots of ideas.  Carter really really wanted to go to Chuck E Cheese! He loves that place. Shayla wanted to go to a movie of SLC.  We started the day off with the movie theatre.  Despicable Me 2.  Other than the 4 potty breaks with Addie I really enjoyed it.  Then we headed off for some lunch at Subway and then to Chuck E Cheese to play the games. Carter loves ski ball, basketball and the bowling game.  Addie loves all the rides and was sad when she ran out of tokens.  Then we took the kids to the park.  It was an amazing family day.   

 

Where did Carter go?

So I didn't cry leaving carter on his first day of kindergarten.  Carter did great too, he gave me a kiss and off he went.  Addie fell apart.  She started crying and repeatedly asking "where did Carter go?".  She broke my heart!  So we are going to the park and having an Addie morning.

First day of School: 2cd Grade

Shayla was a little nervous that 2cd grade might be harder than first but other than that she was thrilled to go.  She has an amazing class that got together every few weeks during the summer.  Unfortunately we weren't able to make it to most of the get togethers.  However she did get some play dates in and she loves seeing her classmates during the summer.
She also got to visit her teacher at Lagoon because she works there and we have season passes.  She would take Shayla back to the security room and show her all the rides.  What a great teacher!

They make the first day so special by rolling out the red carpet.  Addie was dancing to the music they had playing over the loud speakers.  She didn't hesitate as she walked in the school like it was home.  She won the "get to know you" bingo her class played.

First day of School: Kindergarten

Carter had his first day of kindergarten orientation today.  We were a little nervous because he was not going to kindergarten he wanted to go back to preschool.  Then he woke up this morning all excited.  Strutted into his class like he had no issue with coming.  Today they wanted all the parents to stay with there child. At one time they separated us and he waved good bye.  We were really proud of him!  Sometimes he really outshines my expectations.  For me it will feel real when we leave him on Thursday for his 1st official day.   

"Where's my school mommy?"-

Addie was very sad that she did not have a school to go to. She did not want to go home with me she wanted to go find her school "where did it go?".  She is such a curios 2 year old.  How did we answer her question?...Donuts!  You get to have donuts.  This satisfied her for a little while.  She missed her Shayla and was so excited to go pick her up.  Carter even gave her a big hug and said "missed you Shayla."  Even though they were all back to fighting within the hour it was a nice moment.

Last Day of 1st Grade

Teacher: Miss Moulten

Favorite Subject: Math

Lunch: Home lunch consisting of peanut butter and honey sandwich everyday!

Best friends at school: Fay, Taylee, Tatum and Adalyn

Favorite thing about 1st grade: Love my teacher. Staying all day and eating lunch at school and reading.  The librarian was one of her favorite people.

Worst thing about 1st grade:  forgetting to bring home lunch 

(in Shay's words It was the most frustrating!)

Accomplishments:  Memorized a Martin Luther King Speech, Met AR goals, Survived 1st year in PAL program.

 Shay loved 1st grade and is super excited to go back for 2cd grade. She gets her same teacher for 2cd grade so that helps the anxiety of the unknown.  We overcame some fears.  When she would forget school lunch she became very worried she would throw up.  This fear came from the one time she bit into a chicken sandwich and it tasted funny so she almost threw up.  She would call me panicked when she forgot her lunch bag in the car.  Begging me to bring her lunch.  By the end of the year she was able to try school lunch again if she had to.  This year she also found a LOVE for reading.  She would read at least an hour everyday.  She loved finishing her fairy books in one day.  The days she only had time for 20 minutes of reading time she was frustrated.  I can't believe the year is over, but we are excited for summer!