More Stuff

I made the choice to keep Kyle at home with me for preschool this year. His friend Austin joins him on Tuesday and Thursday mornings for an hour and a half. Alison goes with Austin's Nana (my friend Gaylene), and the boys and I have tons of fun singing, reading, coloring, doing puzzles, snacking, and all sorts of preschool things! This is something Kyle and I need to do together. He and I don't always listen to each other or like what the other one says or does, and we are in need of some bonding before I set him loose in the public school system next year! The easy thing would've been to send him to the preschool I had him registered in, but I felt the need to spend some quality time with my boy! I'm trying to build our relationship and fix some of the cracks I've already made! So now when I don't answer the phone on those mornings, you know why!


Here is Chad's first big project for Kindergarten. The instructions read, "We are asking each family to create, as artfully as they can, a new insect or "creature" from common food items in your home." Chad quickly decided that he wanted to make a grasshopper. I printed off a picture of one and then we searched our food room and pantry looking for things that could work. He chose the food, but we had to use the "as a family" part when it came time to putting it together! It turned out great! He loved it and so did the person who ate some of the "Pretzelhopper's" legs before the end of the day! Kyle, Alison, and I had the pleasure of viewing the "Incredible Edible Insects" exhibit in his classroom! Thank you Kerri for loaning me your camera! How could I forget on such an important day?




And, for those of you who care, here are the photos from the Top Of Utah Marathon that I did on the 19th! It's hard to post about the races that I do. I don't want to sound boastful, but I do enjoy my running! I don't sign up to win. I sign up so I have a purpose! I like having something to work toward! I like to have a reason to get up so early in the morning! I love the ladies that I run with! I am so blessed to have them in my life! Running will be just a little different with our friend Kerri not living right across the street anymore, but we're going to do what we can to get together as often as we can! I'm proud of all of these girls for doing their first marathons! I knew you could do it! (I wrote comments on each of the pictures if you want details! Just click on the picture once the slideshow starts.)

And YES, we obviously planned our matchy, matchy outfits! It was fun, and it made it easier for Jeff to find us! I didn't get the memo that we were to wear blue tops! I'm always just a little off!

Let's Play A Little Game I Like To Call....

...Catching Up!!! Again!!! This is just how my life goes! I take a quick minute most days to read any new postings on my friends and family's blogs, but I just don't see how I can sit down to do any posting of my own! Well today I planned on babysitting, but that fell through so I have a "free minute!" Yeah right...like there aren't mountains of laundry to be done, a kitchen and bathrooms to be cleaned, and a million other things I should be doing like making an insect out of food for Kindergarten!!! Maybe I'll get to that posting one of these days!!! Anywho...I may be the LAST mother to post a picture of the FIRST day of school, but I'm still going to do it! Here is my cute Chaddy on his first day of Kindergarten 3 WEEKS AGO! He has been ready for Kindergarten for a really looooong time! He loves it! He walks a mile ahead of me every morning and doesn't even look to see if I'm with him! I'm just not needed like I used to be!




Earlier this month we also celebrated my big 32nd birthday,
I ran the Salt Lake Half Marathon under 2 hours (New PR...Yeah!),
and we hiked to Ensign Peak with our Primary.
Sorry for the lack of details there, but my time is running out! I'll do another post soon about our big Top of Utah Marathon this last weekend, but, for now, my household duties are beckoning!!!

New Definition of Summer Madness!

I began this Summer with the hopes of keeping things simple. Staying home. Swimming occasionally. Reading some good books. Visiting the Library. A few BBQ's with friends. Making crafts with the boys. You know, a nice, relaxing, peaceful BREAK! We only had our annual camping trip to Warm River planned, and with Jeff taking his EMT class twice a week and on Saturdays all Summer, I thought I'd have no problem keeping things mellow around here! WRONG! I guess I'm just a sucker for a good time or something!

If Chad was asked what he did over his Summer Break, I'm not sure he'd know where to begin! Here's the list:
Crafts with Mom (I tried, we didn't do much!)
Visiting the Library
Playing with Webb cousins
4th of July parade & fireworks
BBQ's with friends (Almost EVERY week!)
Camping, fishing, floating, & playing at Warm River
(Kyle learned to ride his bike while camping!)
Hiking Millcreek Canyon
Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House
Walking the river at Sugarhouse Park
Playing with Maher cousins
Museum of Natural History
Hogle Zoo
Discovery Gateway
Playing at the park
Thanksgiving Point Children's Garden
Visiting with Sanderson's from Indiana
Sweet's Candy Factory
Discovery Gateway again!
Wheeler Farm
Classic Skating Bounce House
Working in the garden (we were home sometimes!)
Playing with friends
IKEA with Aunt DiDi and Uncle Mark
Playing with Puriri cousins
Playing with Niederhauser cousins
IKEA with Kelly (TWICE)
Thanksgiving Point Gardens
Museum of Ancient Life
Dinner with friends
And A LOT of running, bike riding, swinging, and visiting out on the front lawn!

By the end of it all, I felt a little like Alison looks in the last photo! I KNOW this slideshow is overkill, but it was either all or nothing! I couldn't bear to do a separate post about each of the fun things we did! Thank you friends and family for all of the invites! Lucky for you I didn't have my camera every place we went! I thought I knew how to say "NO"!!! Apparently NOT! You agree with my post title, now don't you?