Bennett's First Day of Kindergarten

August 22nd was Bennett's first day of Kindergarten.

He is a full time student now.

School is from 8:15 am - 3:15pm Monday thru Friday.

It's a little sad that he is gone from home so much now, but he as a great teacher, Ms. Hitch, that he really likes.

He is enjoying school so much. The first week was a little rough. He kept asking to stay home, but now he's in a routine and is use to school he loves it and is always wanting to be there.

(On a side note: I started my preschool on September 6th. Jemma and Jacks are both attending. I think we all like it...you'll have to ask Jemma and Jacks how they really feel about it. But I was so busy the morning we started that I didn't get any pictures of us on our first day...sad. I'll have to try to recreate the morning as best as possible sometime)

Bennett's 6th Birthday

Bennett's 6th Birthday started out with him being sick! That's right. He was sick for his 5th birthday with pneumonia, and this year he had a fever, cough, and was sleeping all day long on the 17th. I thought for sure he would have a repeat this year. But he pulled it together and was able to enjoy his birthday.

Happy Birthday Bennett!

Louise Lake

The first part of August Matt took me and the kids up Sinks Canyon to a place called Louise Lake. It was really pretty there. Nice big lake and a nice warm sandy shore, where the kids loved playing. We took a picnic and enjoyed the afternoon with our little family.

(Don't ask...I don't know)

We're Going On A Safari Hunt!

Another thing we did while up in Island Park was go on a safari hunt.

Heather called her good ole friend Safari Mack who wrote up clues to where he left all his treasures.

The kids all had a blast with it!

July 4th

I never got the chance to post our fourth of July pictures...very important.

We spent the 4th in Idaho Falls. We woke up to our 4th of July breakfast hash burritos (a tradition now), after which we headed out to Menan for the parade. My cousin Krysti and her husband Bob met up with us there. They came in from New York for a visit. Once the parade was over we walked down to the carnival and let the kids bounce themselves crazy on the bouncy house. After spilling all their icee's down the front of themselves, we took them all back to Idaho Falls to watch the movie Cars 2.

We decided Grandma Betty needed to be tortured so we took ALL the kids there for a visit at the nursing home. They went crazy of course, but it was great to visit with her.

We then grabbed our pizza, headed to Heather and Jason's house in Shelley and set off some of our own fireworks. Then we drove up to the foothills in Idaho Falls and watched the Melelucia Fireworks from there.

It was a hectic fourth, but what holiday wouldn't be complete without chaos?

Pieceadia (Quesidilla)

Apparently if Jacks says: "That looks like a piece-a-dia", it should not be taken as a compliment.

I handed Jacks his lunch the other day. (A sandwich) He gave a great groan, "Awww!" Then shrieked, "You can't make me eat that! It looks like a pieceadia!"

I was a little confused, he likes quesidillas.

Mack's Inn

Taking the canoes down Big Springs was a must while up in Island Park.

It took a little adjusting at first, and the whole way down the kids kept jumping from canoe to canoe. Matt and I had one glorious moment when we only had Felicity and Jemma with us...so peaceful.

However, at the end, Michelle and Heather hit the jackpot when all the kids abandoned them. It was smooth sailing for them all the way to Macks Inn.

We had a great time. Matt and Jason tried to do a little fishing. But we spent the day mostly drifting and relaxing.

Until the end when we raced to the pullout.

Matt and I came out victorious!

Yellowstone 2011

During our family reunion we all headed up to Yellowstone. We went up to Mammoth and looked at the thermal hotpots up there.

We also went around the Towers and on the east side of the park we spotted a grizzly. It's hump and backside was about as good of a picture as I could get.

Matt's day was made complete by seeing this bull elk by the road. Yea!

Summer Vacation

Does anyone else feel like summer went way too fast? We were running around so much that it seems like we didn't have anytime to sit and relax...but we did have some fun on the go!


In July the kids and I headed to Idaho. Michelle sent her girls up there also, so we had a great big slumber party for a week...and then into the next week when we all went up to the cabin in Island Park for our family reunion.


One of the fun things we did was go to Tauphas Park Zoo. Heather and I were way out numbered by the kids, but they were all well behaved. Ella was also a big help. I can't believe she is 8. She is such a great babysitter. I also can't believe the Ethan, Felicity, Bennett, and Grace are all going to kindergarten this year. Jacks will be there next year. Time is flying by. I'm glad we get to have the summer time to make sure we enjoy each other!

Banned

3 Words have been banned from my children's vocabulary:

1. pee
2. poop
3. underwear

Every other word out of my 3 darling children's mouths consist of 1 or more of these words.

Since the banning their sentences have slightly differed from previous ones to the following:

Jemma: "Pee, pee, pee, poop, poop, poop!...Sorry Mom!" (That is her entire sentence and conversation with her brothers)

Bennett: "You stinky poop! I see your underwear!...Sorry Mom!" (hysterical laughter promptly follows)

Jacks (a little more sneaky getting his banned words in): "The P says puh. Puh, puh...like poop! Dinosaurs poop!...Oops, sorry Mom! We aren't suppose to say poop, or pee, or underwear!"

I have no clue what fascinates them so thoroughly with these 3 words.