Halloween 2013

I feel like I was slacking on Halloween photos this year.  It just seems the older our family gets (and the more members we add to it!), the longer and more chaotic everything seems to be.  I did manage to sneak a few in, though.

This year, we all went as monsters.
The boys in the process of getting ready for Trunk or Treat.

(I am SO impressed with Brychan's willingness to wear the make up not once, but twice.  It goes against every fiber in his being to have that stuff all over his face.  I guess certain sacrifices are worth it for the sake of Halloween fun).

My super cute skeleton, ghost and werewolf

Lala

David and I.

As always, we had a blast at our ward's trunk or treat the weekend before Halloween.  Halloween night, we did more trick or treating than we've ever done before, and the kids all got more candy than is ever necessary.  A couple of times we thought Jessa was getting tired, so we put her in the stroller.  NO WAY.   She knew exactly what was going in those bags, and she wasn't about to miss out on anything.

After Halloween?  Jessa quickly realized where we kept the candy locked up.  It was in the floor of my pantry, behind a locked door.  More than once I found her laying on the kitchen floor with her little arm and hand under the pantry door trying to steal a piece or two.  I'm tellin' ya - there is nothing that girl won't do for a taste of sugar!!

First Kindergarten Field Trip

Brychan's first field trip was to the Wildlife World Zoo, on Halloween.

There were so many parent volunteers that I was just in charge of Brychan and his friend, "H".

The two boys had a blast together all day long, and since NOBODY goes to the zoo on Halloween, we got to see lots of animals, up close and personal, without being crowded by anybody else.

After the field trip was over, all the kids climbed back on the bus and went back to school for the last few hours of their day.  Since I drove, I was lucky enough to keep Brychan with me for the rest of our day.  We had fun going back to revisit some of the animals (mostly the aquarium) by ourselves.  Once the school kids had left, there was literally no one at the zoo except for us and a handful of other people.

Lesson learned?  Go to the zoo on Halloween!!

Student of the Month

We were so proud of Brychan for earning Student of the Month at school for October.

Each Kindergarten teacher chose two students from their class to be students of the month.

Of course, the assembly HAD to be the same day as hat day.

And of course my son HAD to be wearing his hat like this:

David, Ashley, Kehlton, Jessa and I surprised Brychan by showing up at his assembly.  David at least got Brychan to turn his hat around (since he refused to take it off).

Brychan gets extremely serious if he's nervous or uncomfortable.

I think seeing all of us there kind of threw him off.

It was fun hearing the things Brychan's teacher (Mr. Fish) had to say about him.

Mr. Fish has obviously learned a LOT about Brychan in the short time they've been in school; everything he mentioned about Brychan's personality was spot on.

 He talked about Brychan's need to have everything "just perfectly so" before turning in his work, and the fact that Brychan is a super fast learner.  He also mentioned Bug's kindness and willingness to help others around him.

Way to go, Bug!! We're so proud of you!!!

Jessa's 1st Birthday

I always swore that this blog wouldn't get forgotten about or neglected.  After all, it is pretty much the only journaling I do, and the only picture "books" my children have to look at.

And yet, here it is, a month and a half AFTER her birthday, and I am just now getting around to it.

Don't be offended, baby girl.  Momma just has way too much on her plate.

For Jessa's birthday, she got her first real trip to the park, which included her first time on the swings.

She loved every minute of it.

When Daddy got home from work, we did presents and cake.

Jessa was super patient with her brothers continually stealing presents from her so they could do all the unwrapping.

She just wanted what was inside, anyway.

A new baby doll and stroller were among one of her favorite gifts

(we should have saved those for last.  She opened those first and we had a hard time getting her to focus on anything other than those afterwords).

  She also got a riding giraffe that she loves.  

She kept trying to ride her brothers' bikes, so this toy makes everybody happy!

And, her cake.

Which she enjoyed every bite of.

What are some of Jessa's favorite things?

Jewelry of any kind.  Preferably being worn by her.

Shoes.

SUGAR.

Seriously.  We thought Kehlton was bad.  But he doesn't hold a candle to her.  It's a bit out of control.

Her brothers!!!
Reading books
Being outside

Eating.  There is nothing this girl won't eat.

Her blanket

Sleeping in

Her Daddy.  He is, by far, her favorite person.  Which is good; 'cause he kinda likes her too.

We sure love and adore our little Jessa!  She definitely adds a little extra sunshine to our home!

Cake Smash (Finally!)

I just realized I never put Jessa's cake smash photos OR her 1st birthday photos on here.  Not that everybody hasn't already seen most of her cake smash photos, but still.  They need to be here too so they eventually end up in a book.  :)

I'm sorry if you're tired of looking at them.  I don't think I ever will be.  I absolutely love them and am so grateful that we have friends and family to help turn my ideas/wishes into reality.

And, because our world doesn't totally revolve around one little girl...

I love this picture of Kehlton.  I do wish he would have looked at Jocie, but then again, everything about this photo is Kehlton.  Totally laid back, slightly mischievous, always doing his own thing.

 And this?  Just makes my heart want to burst.

Man!  I love my kids.

We Love October and Touch a Truck

We love Arizona.  Especially once October hits.

I've felt a little guilty about our beautiful weather when my family and friends in South Dakota have been absolutely miserable; literally ear deep in snow, with no power for days on end.

We are so happy to be able to play outside all day, every day.

Jessa especially.  She gets so mad when I bring her inside for any reason.

And then a couple of weekends ago, the city sponsored a "Touch a Truck" event where you could climb in, on and around all sorts of different trucks.

 The boys even got to blow a few horns while they were pretending to drive away.

Not only are we enjoying beautiful weather again, but you'll also notice that David is in quite a few of these photos.  It is SO nice to have him back!!

Rain. And Smurfs.

 I know I've mentioned before that Kehlton loves going door knocking with David.  He begs to go and does so almost every single day.  Last night they stopped at a random house and after chatting with the lady, she asked if Kehlton could have a toy.  David said that a small toy would be fine.  The lady then proceeds to come out with an entire display case of Smurfs Happy Meal toys.  As you can see, all three children enjoyed Kehlton's spoils immensely.  Today, I keep finding little Smurfs hiding all over my house.

The last few days, we have been blessed with a LOT of rain.  It's been heavenly!!  Kehlton has enjoyed it too; every day he's out there playing in it for several hours at a time.  He always comes in soaking wet and caked in mud.

Who doesn't love riding their scooter in the rain?!?

Jessa Update

This little girl is something else.

She has EVERYone in this house wrapped around her finger; 

just about as tight as humanly possible.

I don't think David can honestly say anymore that having a girl is no different than the boys.  And it doesn't hurt that Jessa absolutely loves and adores her daddy...

She's all about funny facial expressions and cheesy grins right now.

(I don't know if she's just figuring out she can move her face or what, 

but she's got some good ones!)

And, she now has a tooth and a half on top to match her set on the bottom.

She's also mastered waving, clapping and nodding and/or shaking her head this month.

 And as of late, she always has a shoe or two in her tiny little hand.  She knows right where to find her shoes, and as soon as I put them away, she goes right back to pull them out.

I know I've said it a gazillion times before, but we sure love our little Jessa girl!!  

She is still the happiest, easiest, sweetest little thing.

Kehlton's First Day of School

I'm a little late, but here are the photos of Kehlton's first day of school!

He started on August 12.

He's in Ms. Mellisa's morning class with only 8 other students.

Every morning, his little friend Preston comes to the house (Preston's mom picks up Brychan to take him to school with her two oldest boys) and they ride the school bus together.

Kehlton is LOVING school!!

Just Because...

I love everything about this photo.

1st Day of Kindergarten

Oh my heart.

I have been crying about this day, literally for years.

(Dumb, I know).

I had to fight my hardest to make it home in time to see Brychan off for his first day of Kindergarten.

(Technically I was supposed to be in the hospital still today)

I'm very grateful for doctors who were sympathetic to my pleas!!

(Kehlton starts school on Monday, but still had to get his backpack ready today)

Bug was really excited about going to school today, although it was a much bigger deal for me than for him.

I got up early to make him chocolate chip waffles for breakfast.

He just wanted Captain Crunch.

I wanted him to wear his nice, new shorts.

He refused and just wanted to wear his old soccer shorts.

However, I put my foot down when it came to photos.

That wasn't an option!!

I had planned on doing some cute little photos with signs showing that it was his first day of school and who his teacher is and what he wanted to be when he grew up, but being in the hospital for 3 days kind of messed up those plans.

But. His teacher is Mr. Fish.

And today is his first day of Kinder.

And I have no clue what he wants to be when he grows up.  I'll ask him when he gets home.

Butterfly Wonderland

In Phoenix, we have a new "museum" called Butterfly Wonderland.

We have been waiting patiently for Daddy to be done with work so we could make this our first family trip in what seems like ages.  The boys were SO excited when they found out that it was going to be a family outing; one that even Daddy was coming to!

Amazing does not even begin to describe this place.  You start with a 3D movie about the monarch migration, which the boys just loved.  And then you move into the "Emerging Room" where they have hundreds of chrysalis' and cocoons in different stages so you can see the butterflies and moths in all different stages (there were actually a few emerging from their cocoons while we were there).

But the biggest part of the tour was the rainforest.  It was huge and hot and sticky and steamy.  

And I could have stayed in there all day long.

Thousands of butterflies everywhere.

This one made itself comfy on David's arm for quite awhile.  We tried so hard to get him to open his wings for a photo; the top of his wings were a gorgeous, shimmering bright, bright blue.

 Kehlton could not get enough, and tried his hardest to get a butterfly to land on him.

Brychan didn't care for it at all.  He was totally freaked out that the butterflies were going to land on him.

Yay for having Daddy home!!

(Brychan's face shows you exactly how he felt about the rainforest room.  He loved everything else, though!)

Love those little toofers!!

The Emerging Room