First Day of School

We have been looking forward to this week for a long time at our house! And, now that we are a few days into this school adventure, it's really going well. When I took Sam to meet his teacher last week, she said that of all the kids she had tested, Sam and one other little girl were way beyond all the other children's current abilities, and suggested we put Sam and this girl together so she could work with them and challenge them a little more. The problem was, at the time, Sam was signed up for morning kindergarten, and the little girl was in the afternoon, and she still had to okay it with the principal. That first day Sam went in the morning, and then his teacher called after school and said the principal gave the go-ahead, so since then he has been going in the afternoon. He didn't seem to mind the switch.

I am so happy about the afternoon schedule! I hadn't even thought about it before, but Lily and Bella both take naps in the afternoon, so now I can too! We also are not great at getting to bed on time, and Sam sleeps in (if you can call 8:00 sleeping in), so I think we ended up with the best thing for us for this year.

I take Sam and drop him off just after noon, and the first few days I walked with him to his class. Yesterday I had Dann take him and let him "lead" him to his classroom, and he found it just fine, so today I just dropped him off in front of the school! He is also riding the bus home now, and loves it.

Bella loves to go wait at the bus stop with me and pick him up. "Bus" is her new favorite word!

Lily tells me everyday how excited she is to go to school now....it could be a long year!

Lily's Birthday

Our full-of-life Lily is finally four!

She started off her birthday by going to the dentist for the first time and did great! She was thrilled with her new princess toothbrush, her own toothpaste and floss.

We had a party with some family in the evening. She loved all her presents and the cake and was sad to go to bed because then it wouldn't be her birthday anymore.

We sure love having Lily in our home! She is so funny and creative and loving. We love the songs she makes up and the pictures she draws for us. What a joy she has been for the last 4 years!!

Lily wanted a butterfly cake this year

Her present from Dad and Mom. Don't worry...she does have a helmet!

Thanks Nana and Papa for this one! She loves it!!

Summer, We Will Miss You!

I'll be the first to tell you that winters in Roosevelt are not enjoyable, but it makes all of us who live here so much more grateful when we do have sunshine and warm weather!

A few things we checked off our summer to-do-list: put in a backyard, go to the lake, visit family and friends, swimming lessons, play at the park, eat lots of popsicles and ice cream, ride bikes, get dirty, put on a tennis tournament, barbecues, UBIC, SLC Days of '47 Parade, go camping, grow a vegetable garden, and HAVE FUN!

I just downloaded pictures of some of the above-mentioned activities, but rather than go back and write a separate post for each one, I'll just post the pictures and write a few lines.

Bella and Lily enjoying some strawberry ice cream cones!

Dann took Sam and Lily to meet Jeremy Evans (a new Jazz player) when he came to the local junior high. They thought that was pretty cool!

Sam and some friends at swimming lessons

Bella at the park. She loves walking these days!!

Lily, obviously not happy that she and the bear both got wet at the bottom of the slide!

Pres. and Sis. Uchtdorf at the Days of '47 Parade

Lily and Sam took part in a Children's Theater that my Aunt put on with several of the kids in the neighborhood. They performed "Three Wacky Tales." It was darling!

This is at Flaming Gorge, where we go almost every year for a family reunion.

Sam and Dann, looking for lizards and climbing rocks!

Gotta Love Family Photos

I don't like taking family photos much. I always seem to be in a bad mood, which usually results from trying to get everyone in the family looking good and not getting dirty, smiling and looking happy all at the same time, which any mother knows is near impossible.

Still, Rachel was kind enough to try to get some good shots, and I think she did a great job.

Here are a few of the best.

Thanks, Rachel!

Ward Trek

Lovely picture, I know...make-up wasn't allowed!

A new post is long overdue, and my excuse is that I've been busy preparing for our ward trek to Martin's Cove.

We have been to Martin's Cove before for a family reunion two years ago, and let's just say it wasn't my favorite vacation. But this time was different....we all loved it! It was a lot of hard work, but a great experience. We really enjoyed spending time with other members of the ward. Another thing allowing it to be so fun was the weather. It couldn't have been better, which for Wyoming, is amazing!!

We left Wednesday morning at 6 a.m. on school buses (next time I think I'll drive!) and got to Martin's Cove about 6 1/2 hours later. After orientation, we trekked a few miles to our campground. The next day we went up into the Cove and crossed the Sweetwater River, which was awesome, except that I lost my shoe. I learned that it is pretty difficult to cross a river that is chest-deep carrying a 3-year-old. I don't know how those pioneers did it. We ended up walking about 7 miles this day, and then took the buses to the Willie site.

Just enough room in the handcart for one cute, little pioneer!

The next day was the most tiring. We walked over 11 miles, including the Women's Pull (all the men leave while the women and girls pull the handcarts for 3/4 mile up a steep, sandy hill...at this point I thought I might die, or at least pass out) and crossed another river. When we got back into camp, we loaded all our stuff and headed on the bus to yet another site, a few hours away. The buses got lost and we didn't get there until after dark, resulting in dinner at 11 p.m.

Dann carrying Lily and helping a neighbor across the river

The kids loved everything about the whole trip. The buses, riding in handcarts, being outside, sleeping in a tent, and spending all day every day with friends. I hardly saw Lily at all...she was with a few little girls in the ward as much as she could get away with. Bella was in a hiking backpack as much as she would stay in it; the rest of the time I had to carry her. She wouldn't let anyone but Dann or me hold her. Sam spent his time collecting rocks and bugs and just being a boy.

Sam's rocks

All three kids slept all through each night, which was a blessing. In my opinion, there's nothing worse than crying kids in a tent at night with 25 other families nearby!

No cell phones or any electronic devices of any kind were allowed, which was fantastic. Another member of our ward described it as "being on the Lord's time," which I agree with. It was a great, spiritual, eye-opening experience that will always be a fond memory.

But, I am glad it is over with! By the end, we had walked over 20 miles. The bus ride home took nearly 9 hours, which was literally painful. Upon return, I really enjoyed a warm shower shower and my own bed!

Dann and Mark

Time for Tee-Ball

It is going to be one busy month!

Sam started tee-ball last week and had his first game yesterday. He's got another one tomorrow, then one Saturday, as well as a practice Thursday! When I saw the schedule, I wondered what we had gotten ourselves into. But, it only lasts for about one month. I think we can handle that.

So far, he loves it. Playing ball with boys (and a few girls) his age, then getting a treat afterward...what could be better to a 5-year-old?

Happy Birthday Bella Bug!

My sweet little Bella turned one last week, so I'm a little slow in getting this post up! By the third child, sad as it is, this first birthday wasn't quite the big deal it was with the first two. Still, I made the effort to make a cake and we celebrated with a party. Lily "helped" Bella open all of her presents. She seemed to enjoy her piece of cake at first, but once she spotted the box of crackers on the table, she wanted them instead. I took several videos at the party, but realized I only took only a few pictures.

My beautiful blue-eyed baby, on her birthday, eating a messy sucker

Bella isn't walking yet (my kids don't seem to be very early walkers), but loves to pull herself up to furniture and walk around that way. She is still sleeping like a champ- 11 hours a night with no waking. At her 1-year appointment, she was 19 lbs. 14 oz. and right on track with growth patterns. She doesn't like when strangers look at her, or even when someone she knows looks at her when she doesn't want them to, so the doctor's visit was quite tearful. She is a very sensitive soul, which drives me a little crazy sometimes. Her favorite people are her mom and dad, Grandpa, and Uncle Braden.

Bella is really into animals these days and gets so excited when the neighborhood cat comes around. Her favorite toys are the ones that make animals sounds. She is loving the warm weather we've been enjoying in Roosevelt lately so we can play outside and Mom can push her around on a tractor. Her 7th tooth broke through today, and it looks like she has more on the way. She doesn't have a lot of hair, but definitely more than Lily did at this age, so I can't complain!

Everyone comments to me about Bella's big, bright-blue eyes she inherited from her dad. She smiles a lot, but my camera usually isn't fast enough to get very good pictures of her. Or, maybe it's the photographer that's the problem!

Bella out at our land...Grandpa's llamas in the background

At Chuck-E-Cheese in Las Vegas over Easter weekend....doesn't look too thrilled!

This is a common occurrence at our house, unless I remember to keep all the bathroom doors shut!

Not the greatest picture of all the kids, but I think it's kind of funny!