Day 67 of 365

I am so sad.  It is the last day of August, the last days of summer activities, spending time at the beach, lazy days, fantastic evenings, the last of summer sunshine, beautiful sunsets and longer days...  Don't get me wrong - September is an awesome month - that is when my first baby was born and I do love fall, but there is something about August I will miss.  September heralds in cooler weather, hay fever, turning leaves, harvest, apples, football and shorter days.  I adore fall and all the activities it brings but I am gonna miss my summer months especially my August!  It always seems to me that as soon as September rolls around the year end just comes so much faster...  and unfortunately, it affects my psyche for the rest of the year.

Scenes from a Summer

From last summer...  June 2010

Memi and Papa - June 2010

I love this boy - June 2010

Fun at Island Park for my girl - June 2011

My little man - June 2010

Camping with cousins - July 2011

Jumping on the trampoline
August 2011

Playing at the beach @ Bear Lake
August 2011

Parades with family - July 2010

"August rushes by like desert rainfall,

A flood of frenzied upheaval,

Expected,

But still catching me unprepared.

Like a matchflame

Bursting on the scene,

Heat and haze of crimson sunsets.

Like a dream

Of moon and dark barely recalled,

A moment,

Shadows caught in a blink.

Like a quick kiss;

One wishes for more

But it suddenly turns to leave,

Dragging summer away."

- Elizabeth Maua Taylor 

"There's a time each year

That we always hold dear,

Good old summer time;

With the birds and the trees'es

And sweet scented breezes,

Good old summer time,

When you day's work is over

Then you are in clover,

And life is one beautiful rhyme,

No trouble annoying,

Each one is enjoying,

The good old summer time."

- Lyrics by Ron Shields, In the Good Old Summertime

There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart. ~Celia Thaxter

Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time. ~John Lubbock

Day 66 of 365

Tonight these glasses caused quite a problem for my Princess Little.  Carson has had these for about a year.  I had her checked before she started kindergarten.  I was totally surprised when the Dr told me she needed glasses.  Probably shouldn’t have been since Bryan, Jordan and Rylee all wear glasses; however, I was still surprised.  We got these bad boys and for about three days she was happy to wear them.  After that, I couldn’t get her to wear them for anything.  She told me they didn’t help her see so she didn’t want to wear them.  I did try to get her to wear them to school but with kindergarten only two days a week, that was a joke.  Big Fail – I usually would remember on the way to the bus stop or when I was half-way to work.  I just gave up.

Fast forward to the first part of August– she started wearing them again and told me they actually made everything look bigger!  Really?  Isn’t that what glasses are supposed to do?  She has been pretty good at wearing them.

Tonight, as she was going to bed, I saw her case in her drawer.  I asked where her glasses were and as she opened the case, it was empty.  She searched her room and backpack to no avail.  Glasses thought to be lost.  We had a little talk about keeping track of glasses and she went to bed.  I decided to look around downstairs and it didn’t take me long to find them by the television.  So glad I found them, I didn’t want to purchase new ones!  Memi decided on a great place to keep the glasses so I’m hoping we don’t have this problem again for awhile!

I’m telling you – when she dumps her retainer in the garbage someday – I AM NOT LOOKING FOR IT!  SHE IS!

The infamous glasses

Day 65 of 365

Only 300 more to go!!!!  hee hee  Monday means back to work, back to school, and back to business!  The weekends are always so relaxing.  Some Mondays hit me like a ton of bricks.  On a scale of one to ten, ten being the worst – today was about four or five.  Not much to complain about.

Carson started piano lessons today.  I am really looking forward to her learning to play.  I took piano lessons for many years – too bad I don’t have much to show for it.  One of my goals in life is to pass on my love of music to my children.  We sing together, we make up songs, we listen to music in the car and sing our hearts out…  Music is such a part of me.  I can hear a song and it will remind me of certain times in my life.  I can remember my feelings at the moment and sometimes even the smells from the memory.  Music has healed my soul, strengthened my testimony, touched my spirit in many ways, bonded me to Carson and Morgan, helped me develop friendships, helped me develop relationships with Jordan, Rylee and Cameron that I hold dear to my heart, helped me express my feelings and calmed my insecurities.  Oh Music – I love you!

Carson and Marlynn - her wonderful music teacher.

Learning how to hold her fingers.

Day 64 of 365

Another full day…  We all gathered at Michelle and Todd’s after church to celebrate Todd’s Birthday.  As I’m typing this I just realized it was his 40th birthday.  We had no black decorations anywhere – there is always next year!

It was good time – the kids enjoy every second together.  We decided to take a picture of all the grandkids in birth order.  I actually got a picture of everyone smiling!  What a difference a year makes – last year when we were at Disneyland, it was like trying to pull teeth to get them in a group picture.  August, September and October are busy birthday months for our family.  Stay tuned for more birthday celebrations.

This is what it looks like when we are all together - trying
to get to the food!

Poor Caden stepped on a bee that Cody killed and it still stung him.

Celebrating Todd's Birthday with a round of singing and cake -
the reason for our gathering!

Mandee lining up the kids.

Everyone is smiling, thanks to Auntie Melissa and her
funny dance.  Next time we will do the picture in order
of heighth.

As soon as we were done, the fun began again.
Chasing, teasing and wrestling happened
for at least half an hour after the picture was over.

Grandma Bell, Memi and Papa

After all the fun, Morgan had homework
to do for preschool!  Seriously, homework
in preschool?

His completed coloring and cutting.

Day 63 of 365

Today was a full day!  Sam was baptized in the morning.  Almost everyone in our family was able to attend.  He was so excited!  No pics from the baptism; however, I’m sure Mandee will have them on her blog at some point.  Afterwards, we all went to Merritt and Mandee’s for some good food and good company.  The kids always have a wonderful time playing together.

Morgan, Carson and I had some family pictures in the evening.  My new friend, Jennifer Hill, who I just LOVE! took our pictures.  She is awesome.  The ones I have seen so far look great.  Carson and Morgan were so good for the pictures.

When we were done, the kids were hungry and so we went to Homestead for dinner.  Carson almost had a meltdown because she thought they didn’t have chocolate milk.  When we found out they did, it suddenly became her favorite place to eat.  It was so nice eating at a restaurant that doesn’t have a drive-thru!

I love Saturdays and getting to spend the day with my kids.

After the pictures - I thought we matched pretty good.

Day 62 of 365

These are a couple of things I want..

A NEW CAMERA

A Nikon D3100.  I hope my camera will last until I can get this one!

A NEW HAIR STYLE

Can't remember which blog I found this on, but loving this
hair cut!  I don't know if I am brave enough or if my hair would work.
I will keep you posted.

Day 61 of 365

I Thursdays!!!!  Having a four-day school week is awesome!  We have two Friday nights instead of one now.  Memi always helps Carson with her homework when she gets home from school.  She is doing really well – she is reading everything she can get her hands on…  After homework, we took a trip to Idaho Falls to run errands.  Carson and Morgan were so good!!!  We had to go to three places and they didn’t complain at all.  We stopped at the mall for my last errand.  They begged to play on the playground after the errands.  They had so much fun.  I sure love my little munchkins!

Homework, homework

I can read

Fun on the toys

Carson climbed up this slide about 25 times...
She loves it.

Max

Max is my nephew, he is a year younger than Morgan.  He is pretty darn cute too!!!  Max loves his mommy and sometimes in the past he didn’t let anyone else be his friend.  However, he is growing up and now he really likes his Aunt Louie!!!  I share my diet pepsi with him every chance I get and I’m sure that has nothing to do with his affection he feels for me!

Max is funny as all get out.  I had to share a series of pictures of him from Sammy’s birthday party.

Day 60 of 365

Today was Sammy’s 8th Birthday.  He has been so excited to turn 8 so that he can be baptized.  Mandee planned an Angry Birds birthday party and it was so cute.  The kids had a super time playing, eating cupcakes and ice cream and watching Sammy open presents.  It was a great night.

Piggy piggy

The original Angry Bird

Yellow Diving Birds

Triple Blue Birds

The cute goodie bags

All the cupcakes together

Sam's stash of birds he received as presents.

Abby, Sammy, Max and Carson

All the kids playing the Angry Birds board game that Memi gave Sammy

Sammy riding his new bike while we walked home...

Day 59 of 365

Carson got up again today and was excited to go to school.  She was so tired yesterday – our school has a four day week so she starts at 8:25 am and school ends at 3:35 pm.  It is a long day for the little ones.  She did the same schedule last year, however, she only had to attend two days a week.  Now it is a full week for her.  When she gets home she has homework and then it is almost time for dinner and night-time routines and not much time for fun.  Hopefully it won’t take us long to get used to this schedule.  Starting next week, Carson will be taking piano lessons and will have to practice every day along with her homework.  Can’t wait!!!

I didn’t get any pictures of my kids today – they were in bed early.  I did get some other pictures to share.

This is my favorite thing ever!  It comes above all else!  I love me
some diet pepsi and I have been out since Saturday!  Oh no...  I went
to Walgreen's today and stocked up on some.  Life is good again.

This is only part of my stash - the rest is in my van for work.  I will
try and make more trips to Walgreen's this week so I can stock up.
They have five 12-packs for $12.00.  Awesome deal.

This is no relation to the Diet Pepsi - this is Morgan's schedule for
preschool.  Each day they have a different color they are
learning about so we have to make sure he is wearing
the appropriate shirt each day.  And of course when he
is to take snacks...  Probably in October for his birthday.

Day 58 of 365

Today finally arrived!!!  The first day of school.  Like all good mom’s, I put Carson on the bus and left to go to work!   Not really, I would have loved to take her to school however, where she rides the bus, I decided she should start on the first day so she gets used to it. 

Memi took Morgan and Max to their first day of preschool in case Max decided he couldn’t leave his mom for that long.  Memi said he was so happy to go and didn’t bat an eye.  Morgan loved the first day of school as did Carson.  She had so much to tell me when I got home and she had homework!

For FHE tonight, we had a carnival with the kids.  It was a lot of fun.  Aftewards, Carson lost another tooth.  It was a busy day.

We are now trying to get into the schedule of school – early to bed and early to rise.  Carson is very excited about getting up early for school.  I need to train her to wake me up instead of the other way around.

My first grader.

My preschooler.

Our family.

Another lost tooth.  Carson is making the money lately off of the tooth fairy.
Such a cute grin.