All in a days work!

Today I have done a lot of things... drove the kids to school because they missed the bus, snapped green beans, canned grean beans, waited around the house for the dryer to get fixed and then waited for my new couch to come. I am TIRED. Tate and Chayse have been playing all day like crazy kids! They have so much fun and LOVE LOVE LOVE eachother. We had a delicious lunch of mac and cheese and they didn't disappoint in the entertainment department for me!!!

OH MY!

Tate woke up about 10pm and was crying and walked into the bathroom. After about 30 seconds he was quiet so I went to go check on him. This is what I found!

Family Pictures 2009

Here are just a few of my favorites! Bonnie is SO talented and did some really fun things! Thanks Bon, I LOVE YA!

First Day of School Pictures

Logan and McKenzie started school yesterday! It is hard to believe that my little baby McKenzie is in 3rd grade. She seems so old... she is so old! She has a great teacher and I know she is going to have a great year. Here is something she said to me yesterday that just REALLY made me look forward to the future with her....

we were in the car driving back from Alta WY and both Kenzie and Logan were out of seat belts and laying all over the pick up floor and I said "Get in your seat belt now." Her reply was (SCrEAMING at me) WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO STRICT!

I am pretty sure I have never used the word strict. :)

Logan is in 1st grade. He was so excited to go to school all day and eat breakfast and lunch there. Our school this year does free breakfast so they just get off the bus and eat breakfast. It works out really well for us all! When I picked him up yesterday he said the best part about 1st grade is that you get 3 recesses. He was so cute and it was AWESOME because he had homework on the 1st day. I love his teacher!

Unfortunately last night Logan woke up about 1am and threw up. Not sure why. He never acted sick before or after so it was weird. I told him when we were brushing his teeth again that he probably wouldn't be able to go to school tomorrow becuase he might be sick and he replied "I HAVE TO GO. I promised Slade (his cousin also in 1st grade) that we would chase girls at every recess together" What a stinker!

Yellowstone and another year...

This past weekend we took the kids to Island Park and stayed several days. It was so fun because my little bro Garrett (aka GARY in our house) came for a few days as well. We LOVE LOVE LOVE this cabin in Island Park that we stay in and this year we decided to be true tourists and go to Yellowstone because we have never taken the kids. On Saturday we went to the cabin and rode the dirt bike and four wheeler around and PLAYED in the hot tub. The kids love the hot tub... even Chayse.

Yellowstone was an adventure! The kids had a hard time accepting that they got to look out the window a lot! They waited and waited for something really exciting to happen and eventually it did when the buffalo were standing right next to our car! It was such a fun day being together and we were able to make some great memories and will NEVER forget or let Tate forget the way he freaked out at the bad smells of the sulphur pots and we won't EVER forget Chayse's blinky eyes or never ending patty cake and we will NEVER EVER forget how rough it was to "camp". I love Island Park. I love Drew for making these opportunities for us and working so hard that we can do things as a family.

And we also were LUCKY enough to have my sister Jennifer come on Monday to babysit the kids overnight at our house while Drew and I stayed an extra night at the cabin for our anniversary. Drew's grandpa told me once "Don't start counting the years you have been married, it gets depressing with how far you have to go!" Of course he was being a jokster, but I always laugh when I think about it. We have been married now for 9 years and it has been a great 9 years. Busy years, but great ones. I am very very very lucky to have Drew in my life. He is so great to me and to the kids. Here are 9 things about Drew that still bug me... even after 9 years...

1. Paces when he talks on the phone.

2. leaves his hair on the floor when he gives hair cuts (for me to clean up)

3. never does the dishes

4. tosses in his sleep

5. won't ever fill the car up with gas ( only does 30 bucks at a time)

6. NEVER wants to have dessert when we go out to eat... who has to be hungry to eat ice cream?

7. tracks mud in my house

8. is a packrat

9. has unfinished projects I BEG AND BEG AND BEG for him to do until I just do them myself.

HA!! I thought it would be so funny to not go on and on and on about how awesome Drew is and how perfect and fantastic etc. :) Obviously he has millions and qualities I LOVE.

We are sad at how fast the past years have gone but look forward to many many many more years to come!!!

What a cutie!

She fights sleep... finally she could resist no longer! New words this week: paco (popsicle), bupp (butt) Da-Da and shakes her head yes or no when you ask her something. Also a new personal favorite-- running away naked after you take her diaper off!

The other kids are doing great. Logan and Kenzie start school in 1 week!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes I am looking forward to it. :) I love my kids. I love being home with my kids, but I also love having them learn and experience new things at school and I LOVE LOVE LOVE having my house clean for more than 20 minutes at a time when they are at school. Logan will be going to school the entire day this year so Tate, Chayse and I will have lots of fun all day. We have gotten some school clothes, found out who the teachers will be, and even started going to bed at 8pm. Tate starts preschool this year and I LOVE his teacher. I had a fun chat with her today and warned her about his funny ways and his orange hair. I figured she may need some advanced warning with him! :)

Kansas City

This is Union Station in front of one of the stalls that people used to board the train on. Now there are just shops and exhibits there.

Luke and I were at the new temple site where someday the Lord will come again. It was pretty neat to see the places and things I always hear about. Luke and I ran across the whole lawn. It was so fun!

RLDS Temple

Kansas City skyline

Liberty Jail with Kyle and Luke. It was so interesting to see it in person and definately put things into perspective.

Luke and I were standing in front of the original key to the jail which someone donated to the church in the 60's

Chloe LOVED the cupcakes! She was so cute with frosting all over her glasses. She didn't mind one bit though!

This is the cutest picture of Kyle and his kids! The next one I took Luke was slapping Kyle. It was hysterical!!! Chloe loves her daddy!

I was lucky enough to be able to go to Kansas City to visit Kyle and his family! I got to spend some fun time with Luke and Chloe and that was so fun! They are such cute little kids!!! Kyle and Heidi were so nice to take me to see some of the church sites. We went to Liberty Jail, Indendence Missouri to see the Community of Christ temple (RLDS) and we also got to see a new art exibit called "The Reflections of Christ" which was incredible! Heidi took me to see some sights in downtown Kansas City. Union Station and the World War 1 monument. Kyle took me on a tour of his school and I begged him to take me into the lab where all the dead people are, but he said no!

I also got to be there for Chloe's birthday which was THE BEST. She loved that cupcake! I had a great time and really appreciate having such a good brother who loves me!