Utah!

I finally found the battery charger and USB cable for my point and shoot camera .. so I was able to upload the pictures from our trip to Utah!!

We went and visited Wesley's family the beginning of August and had a wonderful time.

We hate that we live so far away.  We miss out on Birthdays, Blessings, Baptisms, Family Dinners .. and Cousin Time.  It was wonderful being able to see everyone, but our trip was NOT long enough.  We miss everyone already.

It was probably one of the best road trips we've had.  Wesley fixed the headphones for the DVD player and the kids were able to watch movies and Wesley and I could actually hear eachother talk.

We got a late start out to Utah, so we stayed at a hotel in Elko.  The kids loved it.

Wesley's brother, Roger, has two go carts and a little mini road bike that everyone got to ride around in.

Mallory called it a "Go-Gurt Cart".

Zach didn't LOVE the pool.

Mallory and Annie

We went up to Idaho for a day and a half to visit the Lasher Family.  The kids played so well and loved every minute together.

We went to the Zoo in Idaho Falls.  The kids LOVED all the animals.  We didn't LOVE walking around in the heat though .. the kids were hot, tired and grumpy at the end.

I think they wanted to jump in the water.

Gorgeous Mary and her TINY baby bump.  She is due in December and is having a boy!

The Lasher's are selling their house in Rigby.  If you're interested in it .. let me know! =o)

We went to the Logan Fair.  The kids LOVE the tractors.

They loved all the animals too.

Mallory got to hold a baby bunny.  She was SO excited.

Baby Goats!

Rides! .. that were way too expensive.  Kids only got to ride one each.  We're cheap-skates.

Cousins!

Zach and Sammie .. can't you tell that Zach "loves" dogs??

Mallory's highlight of the week.  Horseback riding!  She was in heaven.

Cousin Haiden .. riding on Skittles.

Mallory looks a little too big for Skittles.

Zachary hated the horses.  He cried before he got on .. cried to get off.  Mallory loved every minute of it though.  When you ask her what her favorite part of our trip was, she always says, "Going to Shania's and riding her horses!"

She's gonna be a cowgirl.

We miss our family so much and can't wait to see them again!!

Mallory's First Day of Kindergarten

Yesterday was Mallory's first day of Kindergarten.

She was BEYOND ready to get back to school and I was beyond ready to send her.  She and Zachary have been fighting like crazy lately.  They need some space.  3 hours isn't long enough, but it will have to do for now.

Last year's schedule (with her pre-K class) was perfect.  She started school at 11am and came home around 2:45pm.  It was so wonderful having the mornings to lounge around and not rush.  This year, not so much.  School starts at 8:25am and goes till 11:45am.  I have to actually get up and out of bed before 8!  Insanity!

We were late for her first day of school.  Surprise, surprise.

It's gonna take some getting used to, but we'll get the hang of it .. just in time to throw a new baby into the mix!  Not too excited about her schedule come the first of November.  We'll have to see how things work out.

I can't believe my little girl has gotten so big!  She is so sweet and kind.  I am very excited to watch her grow up.  She is smart and funny, kind and compassionate.  I just love everything about her.

Disneyland

Let's go back a few months .. to February! 

We went to Disneyland as a family during "ski week" (a week off of school for Mallory in February).  Little did I know that most of California has that same week off.  We thought it would be a perfect week at Disneyland, nice and quiet, without too many people.  We were wrong.  WAY wrong.

It was still a ton of fun though.  Wesley's younger brother Joe, Jenn and their kids (Haiden and Alexis) met us down there.  It was so much fun hanging out with them.  We hate that they live so far away. 

Zachary hated most of the rides.  He was scared of any rides that were inside and dark.  He loved the Carousel and Dumbo.  That's pretty much it. 

He looked like THIS for most other rides we dragged him on.

Mallory had a blast.  She wasn't scared of any of the characters and she rode pretty much everything we asked her to (except Splash Mountain .. she's made that mistake before).   

Cousin Love.

The girl behind me was NOT part of our group.  She just snuck into our picture.

Best. Part. Of. The. Day.

Hopefully we can go back next February .. NOT during ski week.

Sleeping Boys

I just uploaded a bunch of pictures from my cameras and I found this little gem.

It was after church on Father's Day.

Love my boys.

Foundations Program

Mallory was able to attend Rock Creek Elementary School's Foundations Program this last year.  It's a pre-K class for kids who have a later birthday or who are not yet ready for Kindergarten.  I felt SO blessed having her in this class.  She had an AMAZING teach, Patty Knorzer, who Mallory's absolutely loved.

Their class did so many fun things through out the year.   These pictures are from the Open House at the end of the year. 

This is Mallory's friend Brittney - behind them is a box with baby chicks that the kids got to see hatch.  They were learning about life cycles of different animals.

Here are the tadpoles they got to see hatch as well.

They also had cocoons in the classroom and they were able to watch the butterflies emerge.  So much fun!

These 3 girls were attached at the hip all year.  Ashley, Mallory and Brittney.  We will miss Brittney this coming year as she will be at another school.  I am glad Ashley will have Mallory in Kindergarten with her.

Towards the end of the year, the whole school participated in a "Tony Crane Performance".  He is a dance choreographer in the area and he goes to different elementary schools and teaches dances to the various grade levels.

Mallory's class did Sesame Street's "C is for Cookie" dance.  It was so cute.

After the performance, she was searching the audience for us.

All the girls in her class doing their "C".  This is literally ALL the girls in her class.  There were 20 boys and 6 girls.  (Sorry about the bright light on Brittney .. the light was coming right in from the door when I took the picture)

This was Mallory's last day of school.  I snapped the picture real quick before she got in the car.  I wish I had pulled out my nice camera, but at least I got it documented.

This was from  her first day of school - I can not believe how much she has grown this last year.  I am so glad she was able to be in the Foundations Program.  She learned so much, academically, but grew so much socially as well.  She is much more confident in herself and around strangers.  She talks much more easily to kids and adults.  She is growing up into such an amazing young girl.  I love her so much.  Can't wait to watch her grow even more.