Jackson Hole

Chad was headed to Jackson for the dog carnival and we tagged along this time.  We had fun swimming at the lodge and eating out. We drove home through Yellowstone Sunday stopping at Old Faithful.  The bottom two pics one with Kambria she had a blast playing in the rock gravel she didn't care at all about old faithful.  The boys and Karleigh thought it was cool.  We love Jackson and Yellowstone. 

Mueller park

Every year after the morning session of Sunday conference we head up to Mueller park for family pictures.  I didn't go this year.  So sad :( I will regret that for years and years to come but here is a picture of all the people that make up my world!!

I love conference.  I love hearing what is prepared it always finds a way to speak to me.  I always find answers to what ever is concerning me and feel so blessed to have been born into the church and been raised by Strong parents with strong foundations built on the saviors teachings and am so grateful that they instilled in me such a love for the gospel.  I pray I can do the same for my children.

 

 

 

 

Oh this girl melts my heart!!! I love her.  She misses the deadline for kindergarten by 12 days so she is in Preschool one more year.  I am sending her to Appletree Preschool in Kaysville I have heard some really great things about them I really want her ready for kindergarten next year and not to be bored this year.  This is the place I guess. 

We went to the open house to meet her teacher and she really liked it there she goes on Tues and Thursdays and today on Wed.  She just can't wait for tomarrow. 
She is also part of a playgroup with the girls that live in our neighborhood and she loves to be with her friends. 

She loves her little sister and is a great little mommy.  She loves babies and playing with her brothers and cousins. 

She loves books and practicing writing words.  ( mom just needs to be better at helping her)

I love this girl!!!!

 

 

Colton 1st grade

 

1st grade is much much harder for me as a mom.  Kindergarten is only half a day and you kind of get used to them gone half a day with preschool and playdates but All day school that is so hard for me.  The morning of the first day Colton had some real anxiety he didn't want to go he was so scared and nervous.  I told him I would stay as long as he needed.  We went to Back to School morning and found his desk and met his teacher then went to Preston's class and met his teacher and got the rules and disclosures for the classes then I walked Colton back to class and he was feeling much better.  As I left I found myself worrying a lot about my little guy.  How was he doing?What about lunch?  I was tempted multiple times to go down and check on him.  When he came home he was so excited he had a great day. 
I talked to his teacher that night she said that she had to seperate him and his friend for talking to much...OH NO.  If you read my report cards from 1st grade all through school it reads " Celeste is such a joy in our class if only she could not talk soooo much"  I have a feeling Colton is going to be like his mama!!! At almost all parent teacher conferences my parents were told that I needed to be quiet.  I would like to say that I learned something so I could help him but I didn't.... I still love to talk.  I did sit down with him and talk with him and told him it's not good to have problems on the first day of school and we talked about some things he could do.  Needless to say I love him and know he will do awesome!!!

Some of the things Colton is doing right now

Loves to play with his best friend Louie
Loves Soccer and is REALLY good
Loves to try reading and is doing really well
And he loves is DAD .  He is his buddy and shadow ( he gets that from his mom)

Shool Days

 Preston 3rd Grade

Looking back on my school years the first real school year I remember is 3rd Grade.  I remember going down to the school the week before it started and finding out I got the "worst and meanest" teacher and crying and begging my mom to switch me.  Mom said lets meet her and see how things go.  That teacher ended up being the one that notified my mom that I may need glasses and I did, She was the one that got me a extra tutor for my multiplications, and the one that pushed me and encouraged me to strive harder in class.  I ended up really liking her as a teacher. 
On a social level it is also the grade that I was bullied by  a girl in my class, got called midget, 4 eyes and a slu of other not so nice things.  Those things stuck with me throughout my school years. 

 So am I excited for Preston to enter the 3rd grade?

Yes, said with some reserve.  I am excited for him to really stretch this year in academics, I am excited for him to really search and find his place in this big wide open place they call school.  YET......

No, I am not looking forward to those "mean" kids.  Not looking forward to hurting along with him as I watch him struggle with new concepts and ideas.  

Though I am excited to watch how he overcomes this new start in life.  I feel that 3rd grade really is the start of the love or hate School. 

Some of the things I love about Preston:

His willingness to help
His servants heart that he got from his dad
His love for his little brother and sisters
His compulsive attitude to detail and organization ( I can attribute my organized rooms in my house to him)
His love of music and art
His love for theatre

So here goes to a new chapter.....

Discovery Museum

Saturday we went to the Discovery kids museum.  I havn't been there with Kambria yet.  She LOVED it.  Its a place just perfect for her.  The older kids loved taking her to different things and showing her all the fun places. 
Kami loves Horses.  They have a life size one the kids can ride and she loved it.  When she gets excited she startes to yodel her words together.  Horsie becomes horla horla horla.  It cracks me up.  She is growing up so quickly.

This summer we have Cherry Hill swimming passes and have spent most of the summer swimming.  The kids have loved it.  Preston is just the perfect age to ride the dragon slides and cardiac canyon all day.  He is like me as a kid he could be there from open to close everyday.  I remember as a kid going there all summer since we grew up just across the highway.  It is fun to make memories with the kids that takes me back to the things I liked as a kid.  Kambria can't get enough of the little slide in the Pirates Cove she goes again and again the faster the better and barrel rolling and going under at the end is the best part for her.  Karleigh and Colton love the lazy river and Colton loves the Dragon slides.  They are all getting so big. 

A couple of weeks a go we headed to Lava Hot Springs.  Chad and I had never been there and it was a lot of fun.  We went with my brother and their kids.  Our kids love each other to death and I love being with them.  Before leaving we decided to float the river.  Colton was so nervous he wasnt sure he wanted to do it.  But we have a saying in our home  " you can't be afraid to try new things, Cause you just might find it's your favorite thing"  I told him it's going to be okay.  IT was okay to be nervous and scared but you don't want it to stop you from trying something new.  Beleive me I tell myself that more for me than for them cause I am one to not try the new things.  And what do you know Colton loved it wanted to float it again we had just enough time to float it one more time and then head home!

We have had a very cameraless summer not very many pictures since I don't have a nifty smart phone anymore I don't capture as many memories but we have been having so much fun.  I am so ready for school to start and the kids and I get some sort of a routine started again.  But will miss them.  Especially having Colton gone all day school this year is going to be tough.  Kindergarten is not hard for me to adjust to it is Full day 1st grade.  It is so quiet when the kids are gone. 

Lagoon....

Last Tuesday we headed for our annual trip to Lagoon.  I go once a year with the kids.  Chad hates Lagoon and never goes with us the last couple of years I have gone with his sister and her kids.  Well Sunday Preston came down with a fever and we said we will see how things go wether or not we go to Lagoon I watched him like a hawk because he would tell me he was fine so he could go to lagoon they look forward to this all summer.  Well monday he was much better and come Tuesday morning he had a low fever of only 99 and he said he felt fine so I gave him motrin.  My sister in law and I debated waiting till next week but the kids all freaked out needless to say we decided to go.  Kambria was so excited when we got there she was pointing to the rides and jabbering.  She went on the rides and loved the first 2  then all of sudden she wouldn't go on anything was laying in the stroller after only 45 min. being there I pick up Kambria  and she is burning up.  I end up taking her home with a fever of 102. luckily Chad was home and watched her while I returned with the other kids to swim and ride rides.  Needless to say it was a really ruff trip.  I felt awful the whole time for the fact I wanted to be home with my sick baby and Chad had so much to do to prepare for a job interview and was stressing out.  We ended up taking the kids home for dinner and promising them we would return.  We got home ate and Colton started feeling bad I took his temperature and he was 102. So Preston and Karleigh headed back with my sister inlaw and I nurtured my sick kiddies.  Wed. We headed to the doctor to find all kids had Hand Foot and Mouth!!! 

So yesterday after we were all better and no longer sick we bounced back to lagoon a much better trip.  We had so much fun. Kambria is not afraid of anything she rode anything they would let her on. At only 19 months the kid is fearless and adventursome.  I don't know what I am getting myself into. 
Karleigh had so much fun with her little sister and wanted to show her everything.  Preston and I ventured onto Wicked and he loved it.  For me I have to say I closed my eyes most of the ride.  I finally rode the spider.  And I can say now I am no longer 15.  I was raving to the kids that the centennial screamer was so fun and that we should go on it.  I talked them into it and even with 2 dramamine in me I about lost my cookies!!! Yes age has finally caught up with me.  It is so sad I never wanted to not be able to ride the rides with my kids.  Poor Colton he is my mini me.  He wasn't tall enough to go on the "Big" rides he wanted to.  I remember at being 11 or so and my dad trying to persuade the ride operator to let me ride Jet Star I just wasn't quite tall enough.  I am felt bad for colton and tried to spend time with him and go on the rides he could.  He was  a trooper and wasnt ready to leave.  We kept going to different rides and they were all closed finally when the game booths were closing up I told them all it was really time to go. 

It was such a fun trip and I love spending it with my kids and seeing all their little personalities that come out when they get into their elements.