Flag Football

We have a new love!  Flag football started this month and it is in a word... AWESOME!  Football without the pads and the contact... Speaking as the mom of this crew... I LOVE it.  Ty does too- which is a bonus.

He's the one in the middle here... and as you can see- he's still the tallest- but his size is a great perk.  The little bugger is fast too- he scored several touchdowns throughout the season and quite a few "tackles".  It was so fun to watch- and the weather so far has been incredible each game!

Millions of peaches

We all know that I love summer... that is no secret.  But what you may not know... Fall is probably right up there too as one of my favorites.  I love sweaters and hot chocolate.  And I love bringing in the harvest.  Sounds pretty corny right?  It kind of is.  But I don't mind.

I really love bringing in all the fruits and veggies and spending a few days getting things all stored up and ready for winter.  I'm like a food hoarder I guess.  I love nothing more than going down to my pantry and seeing all the jars lined up in a row with peaches and pears that I put up for my family.  Seriously.  It's a source of pride around here.

We were able to get our hands on a good amount of peaches this year.  I canned 12 quarts of peach slices, made 3 quarts of peach butter, dried several pounds of peach slices and cut up and froze the rest.  It was awesome.  Now bring on the pears...

Red Ryder

We went up to Declo a couple weekends ago and spent some time hanging out with Grandma and Papa... my kids were so excited!  Any excuse to spend some time in the country is a good excuse... I can't say that I blame them... I kind of love it too.

Shaun and Ty took out the BB gun for some practice on Sunday morning and check out the Coke can... Ty totally nailed it!  Woohoo!

Howdy Day

Ryan is in his third year of preschool.  Not because he failed and his teachers made him repeat... but as you all know- we just felt like it was the best decision for our shy little bear to have one more year to hammer home some rockin' confidence boosters and really cement in some of those letters and numbers.  And to be honest- he is LOVING it!  Yay.  We made the right choice.  I love it when you KNOW you made the right choice.  I have seen HUGE strides in his confidence in the last month- it is absolutely amazing to me.  The last two years he hasn't wanted ANYTHING to do with dressing up for the class parties that are held each month... but THIS year... THIS year he is all over it.  Check us out on Howdy Day...



When I see this picture- I can practically smell the horse poop.  Here's to you Ry and an amazing year!

Ragdoll

Note to self:  Look up online tutorial for how to do rag curlers CORRECTLY.  Kate totally has a fro today.

Cub Scouts

Ty and I got to attend our first Pack Meeting this week... and even though I'm pretty sure I have no idea what we're doing... Ty earned his first... well... I don't really know what it is- but dang it we were excited!



Sorry- I know the picture is terrible but sometimes that's just what you get when you use your phone inside with poor lighting.  But see him standing there bold as brass?!  He is holding his Bike Belt Loop.  And like I said... I have no idea what that is- but I'm proud to have been there to see it.  I guess this means I should read the little book they gave me a little more carefully.  Here's to a little late night reading tonight...

Signs signs- everywhere are signs

Summer is over.  It's official.  Sigh.

My kids brought in the last of the flowers that were blooming out in the yard... That's okay though... they promised me some leaf bouquets.

Little Diesel Engine

You remember the story about the little engine that could?  Well Ryan is the little stomach that could.  I swear he eats more than I do most of the time... and he's only 5!!!  We went out to some little pizza buffet the other night and he ate 8 pieces of pizza.  8!  Shaun tapped out at 5 and Ty only pounded 4...

Last night we had some roasted chicken and potatoes and it was like the pizza buffet all over again.  He ate.  And ate.  And ate.  It was kind of like watching Winnie the Pooh when he ate all of Rabbit's honey and got stuck in Rabbit's front door.  I wasn't sure how we were going to budge him from the table!

At the very least- I know he's not going hungry and he slept REALLY well.

New Shades

Okay... technically they aren't shades since they aren't sunglasses... but is there a  cool name for new glasses?  I couldn't think of any.  Anyway- terms aside- Ryan got new glasses the other day (after he aced his eye test) and I think he looks a little bit studly.  He picked them out because they have Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on the inside.  Like I said... pretty cool.

Go Utes!

My dad is a Utah Football season ticket holder and he takes one of us with him to each game- but sometimes it's nice to be able to take EVERYONE and spend an afternoon together (even if it is watching football).  So when a 12:00 PM game showed up on the schedule against Weber State- Shaun and I knew it would be the perfect one to take the kids to... especially since the weather was supposed to be gorgeous!

Two of my little Utes... the other one refused to have his picture taken.  Stinker.










Kate totally crashed on the way home... Honestly I can't believe she lasted the entire game!

Back on the Horse

Here's the thing... I love summer.  Love.  Love.  Love.  Carefree days spent by the pool and at the beach... life just does not get any better.  But... if I had to pick a second favorite season... it would be fall.  Hot chocolate.  Sweaters.  Apples.  Pumpkin spice everything.  Crisp autumn air.  It's gorgeous!  And back-to-school is the precursor to said fall paradise.  

Really though... this year I was kind of sad to see everyone go back to school.  But they were sure excited... 

Kate started preschool this week too!  My baby!!  Preschool!!!

 We got to school to meet her teacher and she was just beside herself with excitement.  She wrapped her arms around Miss Tammy and Miss Barb... and was beyond stoked when she got her very own "cubby".  I think she is going to have a super year!

Ryan is also returning to preschool this year.  After some long talks with Shaun- we decided it was going to be best to give Ryan one more year before Kindergarten.  Ry is smart as a whip- but he's just not quite emotionally ready for school.  Almost.  But not quite.

Ry is actually pretty excited to be the Big Man on Campus... he loved showing Kate around the school.  He pointed out the bikes and the best places to have a snack.  It was pretty cute.

On another strange note... I am also going back to school... as a preschool teacher!!  Ryan and Kate's school was looking for some help this year and I was beyond excited that I was one of the ones that was chosen to help fill their open positions!  I'm a little leery of being on someone else's schedule... does that make me sound flakey?  Maybe.  It's just that for the last 8 years, it has been MY way... I'm sure it will be fine- and I'm so excited to be working with little ones again!

Anyway... here's to a great year!!!

Big Day

 I can't even write this post without getting teary!!  It's so not fair that my babies have to grow up!  I keep telling Shaun that I just want to rewind 8 years and do it all over again.  He asked me if I was sure I really wanted to do that... since it hasn't all been smooth sailing.  And even with the ups and downs along the way- I would love to do it all over.  I have loved being mom to three beautiful and mostly well behaved kids.  Sigh.  But... that's not the way of it.  Until science figures out a freezing spray I can spray on my kids to make them stay the same age for as long as I want... I just have to put up with these huge milestones that make me feel old.

Ty turned 8 this year and was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on August 3, 2013.  I am so proud of my little guy and his decision to follow his Savior's example and be baptized.  He took this decision very seriously and wouldn't make it until he had thought seriously about it and had prayed about it for about a month.  He came upstairs one day and told me, "Mom, I think that it's the right decision to be baptized.  I want to make my Heavenly Father happy and I know this is what I need to do."  Talk about setting off the water-works.

I just can't believe what an amazing little boy we have.  He put on his white jumpsuit and he just looked so grown up!

 We are so blessed to have Ty as the "Big Brother".  He really tries his best to BE his best most of the time.  He always watches out for his brother and sister and is my biggest helper.  He loves to tease his dad and ride bikes.  I love you Ty.  And I am so proud of you!

Family Pictures

On our last night in So. Cal, we got dressed up and went back down to the beach (sorry Shaun) for some much needed, updated family pictures.  The sun was setting and it was so pretty!

So I know we are all blurry here... but when I saw Ryan's face I just about died...