School Days

It's that time again...

Backpacks ready

Kids all ready with smiles

Boston is a grown up 1st grader this year

Alexa is our happy 3rd grader

Sera is our mature 5th grader

Eating our traditional back to school breakfast cake in the morning

They are off and running!!

Gettin Ready

Every year we do a back to school party as a family. This year I went to Tempe Water Park with Misty and her kids during the day. Dad was at home setting up for the party!

These three had a great time

My cute kids

Notice the forced happiness on the faces. These two decided they were to old and it was boring. At least they were good sports.

Myt cute baby loved to fill the bucket with the fountains

It was fun, and it was something new for the kids to do.

Then we came home and dad had built the traditional fort for our back to school party

We had Pizza, root beer floats and watched Avatar. The kids felt pretty special because we let them watch it. They always love this tradition and we have a great night every time!

The girls had a cute little back to school fashion show at church the day before school. They looked GREAT!

our rainy adventure

Right before school started we went to Payson for some last minute fun. We went up to visit the dentist, go to the lake and take the kids on a hike or two. Instead we played in the rain, ALOT!!!

So what did we do in the rain....

Trevor caught a tarantula for all the kids. Yep they are checkin it out in the kitchen!

We had a frog hop in the house one morning and Boston caught him to keep as a pet while I was at the dentist. He thought it might be cold so he set him in the sun in a tightly sealed tupperware bowl. It was a cute WATER frog they named Red...he had no water!

Yes that is the dead frog and boston is plugging his nose.

Have no fear Alexa dug a grave and buried him out in the yard

Dancing in the rain

This is what happens when a REALLY loud thunder is heard

Beck and Sera in more rain

They loved it

Beckom doing his pose when you tell him to say cheese

Just hanging out. Beckom came and got us and wanted us to sit right by him on the fireplace. He would pat right where we were supposed to sit.

Finally we had a little break in the rain so off we went on a hike

the gang with a few very serious faces (we forgot how bad the cat-claw could be)

Talk about over the river. We crossed a few very deep washes...

One of the views on the hike

They look a little happier once we got them out of the cat-claw

It was a fun weekend. The kids keep asking if it is raining at Grandma and Papa's so we can play in the rain again.

Sea Life

A few weeks ago my kids earned free passes to the new Sea Life aquarium doing the summer reading program at the library. So, off we went. We had Grandma Anderson and Mike and Stacey's kids with us too.

Touching the star fish

Check out the Shark swimming behind them

The closest we got to a group picture

These two are so cute together!

Roman and Beckom loved the slide and play area at the end

If Beck sees me trying to get a picture of him he sits down and looks at me!

Our Bubba...

Boston is a great kid with a great heart. Yes, he can drive us all crazy but he also is the sweetest kid. A few sundays ago he wanted to have Beckom and him match for church. He helped pick everything out and was so proud.

They look so handsome

These two are already best buds. Beckom lights up when he sees him. And walks around the house calling "bubba" when he is not home. Boston is really good with him and loves to play with him. He never complains or gets upset when I ask him to help out. Most of the time I find them together anyway.

Recently Boston asked if he can start mowing the lawn. I thought "no way, what 6 year old mows the lawn". Well this boy does. He is such a great help to his dad and I. He loves to work along side his dad. He is also really good at mowing. This is how you will find him most saturday mornings.

working hard

With his little buddy always close by, and always in just a diaper and shoes!

my naked chef

This little guy loves to cook in the play kitchen. He also loves to be naked. So this moment has to be one of his favorites.....cooking naked!

getting the food ready

taking it to the table

making the girls join in

He keeps us all entertained!

We have FISH!

My kids that is. They are little fish. They had an amazing swim season. But more importantly they loved it. Even if I tried to give them an early morning off they would want to get up and go!! I am so proud of them.

All three of them went to divisional' s. Sera swam freestyle, backstroke and butterfly. Alexa swam back and free and Boston did free, back, and butterfly. You had to place in the top 16 to go to the city semi finals. All three qualified . Sera went for freestyle and place 8th ! Alexa went for Freestyle and got 4th and backstroke with a 2nd! Boston got 1st in Backstroke, 3rd in freestyle, and 1st in butterfly. The top 4 got to move on to the city championships. That meant that Alexa and Boston would both be swimming.

Sera getting ready to swim. She worked so hard this year and had a great attitude. She wants to swim year round and is going to do great. She was in a VERY competitive age group and we are so proud of her.

Boston with his cap and googles, he takes his sports very serious! He is so serious about it that he worked out with the older age group every morning and was determined to make it all the way up to the hardest practice lanes. Way to go Bubba!

Alexa getting ready to dive. She gets the most improved from me. She went from crying last year to a huge grin this year. She is a Great swimmer and worked hard.

Boston is diving in the white cap

Here is Boston and Alexa after the City Championships. Alexa placed 2nd in backstroke and 4th in Freestyle. Boston got 2nd in butterfly 2nd in backstroke and 5th in freestyle.

Mom and dad couldn't be more proud of our kids. We are just so excited that they have a great time and work hard at it!

OH what do we do in the summertime...

We of course have sonic slushes and snacks out by the pool...

ice cream from Water and Ice...

cute pedicures with cousin Tessa...

make flip flops with our cousins...

jump on the trampoline, in-between swimming...

play in our cousins dog kennel...(half naked)

And let Alexa be Alexa...

Sometimes we can only laugh!!!

Here's to our fun summer of swimming, friends, bbq's, and fun!