Here We Go...

First day of school today!!  Hooray!  Grant told me that this summer was WAY too short!  I think it was plenty long! 

 

Here he is prior to starting the big 3rd grade.  And Katelee is below, ready to start 1st grade.  Dave offered to take them to school, but I wanted to show Katelee where to line up and make sure she was comfortable. 

 We parked the car, I walked as quickly as I could, but honestly, that is as slow as tar.  In my mind, my body is speed walking Olympic style, but my swollen legs and belly waddle at the speed of a stuffed snail.  Grant raced ahead of me, didn't even say goodbye, but luckily all the kids line up in the gym, so he couldn't ditch me so fast.  I walked Katelee to her line and in an effort to avoid the tears, I kept my mouth closed.  That, however, resulted in a horrible snort/choke sound.  So, I just did a quick dab/wipe when I started leaking.  There were another couple people teary...okay, one was a first grader, but why compare ages?  Katelee walked off, with me waving and she didn't even see it.  I am so glad she was excited.  I walked by Grant's line and at least got a wave out of him. 

 

I'm definitely going to miss them during the day.  We have had lots of fun this summer.  As soon as they got home, the teasing ensued and it was reassuring that there will be 8 hours a day less of that! 

 My goal was to make it through the first day of school, and we did!  So, bring on baby #4!  This picture, for posterity sake was taken a little over a week ago.  I'm fairly certain I am a good 20 lbs bigger than this!  Okay, not so, but it feels like it.  Dave took one look at my cankled feet last night and said he felt like taking a pin and popping them-they look like they are just filled with water...which they probably are.  I am looking forward to being able to bend my toes, roll over, cease vomiting and mostly hold my baby!!! 

 

Just July

 July is the only month in the whole year without one day of school for us.  So, we have found plenty of other things to fill our time  For instance,a Demolitian Derby.  We LOVE this new tradition.  We have gone the last three years here and this time Paige and Jason, as well as Brandon and Malia accompanied us.  It rained, but that couldn't stop the car carnage.  Everyone loves these events, while it does tire us out.  Brenna, at bedtime the other day told me, "oh what a fun day!  You are my best friend!"  Then, her voice changed to a resemble a gremlin as she growled, "Now GET OUT!"  The girls needs more rest!

 Fireworks-of course!  I didn't take one picture of any firework occasion, but we did see them.  We have the best firework show in our little city on the 4th of July.  My family comes and we play games and wait for hours. It is well worth it.  Our neighbors joined up with us this year too.  It was a fun night of oohs and aaahs...okay, we squeal with excitement a bit, but it is genuine.

 Grant had cub camp and I got to go up with him for one of the days.  Nothing like boys shooting guns and tying knots...or eating cheetos out of a trash can.  That wasn't Grant but it was a boy in my car, who also nearly made me loose my lunch when I opened the door and saw him covered in melted chocolate.  Chocolate, I know in itself is not gross, but it appeared nasty when I opened the door.  Boys will be boys!

Here are some of the boys who went up from our troop...

 It has been a record breaking summer in the heat department, a serious scorcher.  I take responsibility for this because I vowed I never would have an August baby, one of the reasons being huge and heat don't mix.  But, here I am due end of August and being taught that I am not in control of pretty much anything!  To beat the heat, we have spent time at the waterslides and my kids have really loved that!

 We usually go to a parade or two, but that wasn't happening with the temps, so we just checked out the floats and the kiddos got their faces painted. Seriously don't mess with Grant here... I think he has to try and be tough because Brenna was just singing the 'You Are So Beautiful' song to him and petting his face.  She did change up the words to, "You are so beautiful, like a dress!"  That girl loves dresses and figures her brother must too. 

 We have frequented treat shops that sell ice cream, slurpees or snow cones.  Next time, Dave and I decided the kids get no say in the ice cream flavors.  The play doh ice cream was nasty and tainted the rest of our delightful sundae. 

 Because we are not at a year round school and most of the kids' friends are, we have spent a lot of time chillin together.  Somedays this goes well, sometimes it results in fighting and extra chores and a very frazzled mother.  I have tried to be creative and change up the consequences of the sibling battles.  One of them is they get to spend lots of time together in a room playing. 

 Of course saying sorry is always a requirement, but I am having a hard time getting those words out of this girl:

She will say 'sorry' as close to a ventriloquist as she can.  I make her say it over and over until it resembles someone not in the field of puppetry.  But, she insists on apologizing without moving her mouth.  I guess it is somewhat of a compromise!