September Catch-up

Wow, I just cannot even believe that it is already December.  A lot of things have been going on these past few months, both good and frustrating.  With the way things are looking - it probably won't calm down for a while.  But hopefully I can get a little caught up on here before the year ends!  So here are some pictures that I took near the end of September.

The kids had really been wanting to go up to Red Rock so we finally found a good time to try and go.  We planned to just walk around the boardwalk, but unfortunately most of it was closed off because the old wood is deteriorating and replacing it is expensive and apparently not a priority right now.  But we did walk around the area that was still open.

Stopping to read the signs along the boardwalk asking that you stay on the path and not wander around.

I realized most of the pictures I took are of the kids backs :)  I think Ian had spotted a bee buzzing around a flower.

Las Vegas actually means "the meadows" in Spanish

We saw several bunnies while we were there.  It was funny because an older couple there kept stopping to look at them quietly and would point them out to Ann and Ian.  The kids did a good job of not scaring the bunnies, but it was funny because they didn't care that much to just sit and watch them, much to the surprise of the couple - we had to explain that we have lots of bunnies in our backyard and so they aren't much of a novelty seeing them here.

About a week later we played in the sprinkler in the backyard (it was probably nearly 90 degrees out at this point).  Ann and Ian decided it would be fun to fill up their watering cans with the sprinkler water

I tried to take a picture of Ian and Ann stuck her face in front of him...

My growing up girl!

First Day of School

All right, I think with this post I am all caught up.  School started for us here just a little over a month ago on August 14th.  The school district here decided to start a little earlier than normal so that way the first semester would be finished before the Christmas break.  Ann started 1st grade this year!  She is not attending the private school she was at last year (while we did enjoy that school and I think it was perfect for Ann last year). For various reasons we decided to enroll her in one of the public school district's magnet schools.  As a result, she gets to have Spanish classes twice a week as well as other little extra things that aren't in the regular schools.  And she still gets to wear a uniform every day.  Ann has really enjoyed her new school and teacher and has been doing great so far.

Hopefully I'll have more time eventually for taking more pictures (as I obviously haven't in the last month).  With the start of the school year that means I am back at work part-time.  It's a lot more difficult to find time for pictures (and subsequently working on them) when I'm working because when I am at home, I'm more busy with cleaning/shopping/etc.  And if I do take pictures, it's often with my phone (and those just get uploaded to instagram instead of on here).  I am really excited though that the temperatures are finally getting to where it's sane to go and play outside for extended periods of time.

My big first grader!

These two are such cuties.  I know I say this a lot, but I really can hardly believe how much they have grown.  We've been here in Las Vegas for 2 years now - when we got here Ann was just starting preschool and Ian wasn't even walking yet.  I sure do love my little family lots and lots!

Welcome Home!

A big part of this summer was welcoming home Tom's little twin brothers - Todd and Tanner - from their LDS missions.  Todd had been serving in the Korea Seoul Mission and Tanner in the Baltic Mission (his last area was Riga, Latvia).  Todd had been originally scheduled to come home a week before Tanner.  He decided to ask his mission president if he could possibly stay one week longer so he could go home on the same day as his brother.  We were all excited when his mission president said yes, and Todd told him he'd like to try and arrive home as close to when Tanner was scheduled to come.  As a result of an insight Tom's mom had to buy another ticket out of Seattle to Las Vegas for Tanner in the chance that he missed his connection after flying in from Europe (he did miss that connection and took the flight him mom bought), Todd and Tanner arrived in Las Vegas within 15 minutes of each other.  They were able to meet each other in the secured area of the airport and come together to meet us all waiting for them at baggage claim.  It was a beautiful reunion.

I became the designated photographer for their arrival (a task that did make me a bit nervous).  This is Jill's husband Aaron looking at me while I took practice pictures while we waited.

Waiting, waiting - the kids did a great job, especially considering they were up past bedtime (they didn't arrived until about 8pm).

A very eager mother, waiting to see her two babies

We were fortunate to have almost the entire family there (we were only missing Ann's husband Kreed, who wasn't able to come down until the next day because of work).

One of Todd and Tanner's very good friends came with us

The funny faces of David eating his candy while we waited

Holding all of our "welcome home" signs

Kinley got to chill in her stroller

Waiting for them to come down the escalators (we actually guessed wrong which one they'd be coming down)

So we turned from where we were standing in the above picture and realized they were walking towards us!

Smiles and big hugs all around!  I don't think most of the rest of the pictures need captions - they kind of speak for themselves

Ann and Ian did hug their uncles (I just didn't catch a picture of it) - they were pretty tired by the end of everything

Time to walk all the way down to the opposite end of baggage claim to pick up Todd's luggage - since Tanner took the flight down that their mom bought, he actually arrived in a different terminal. So they got to drive back over there to collect Tanner's luggage.

The one picture I am in :)  Their friend took it for us.  One big happy family (we missed having Kreed with us)

Tom's mom had ordered signs to put outside the house

Can you spot what's funny about this picture? :)

The Sunday after they came home we had an open house for them so friends could come and visit with them.

Helping clean up the kitchen prior to the open house

Father and son cleaning - Todd was elsewhere chatting