First Day of School

The kids had their first day back at school today. It took more effort than expected, but I didn't cry (too much).  They were all smiles when they got home.

 Naturally, on the first day, the kids get ready faster than normal.  So the boys sat on the stairs playing games with their backpacks on.

 For some reason they love taking this picture every year.  I guess they are officially turning their backs on me.  Ha ha.

 We had to get as much swimming in as we could before school started.  No one else had that idea.  Kathleen even got to have the pool to herself for a while (the boys were cold and got out).

 Kathleen and her friend had a peach stand and sold $25 worth of peaces at $0.10 a peach.  She was pretty excited.

 Cody and Kathleen started soccer and Brandon started football.  This is the only picture I have so far, but stay tuned for more.

 We canned peaches.  Man our trees have so many we don't know what to do with them all.  But they are delicious.  We have had peaches in every meal in some way it seems.

 Brandon's best friend (his primary teacher) was released on Sunday.  He cried.  So then, of course, I cried.  We had a nice long cry together.  We love him.

 We went out for frozen yogurt to celebrate our last day of summer vacation.

 The boys were big helpers picking peaches.

Lake Fun

We went on a trip to Washington to visit family.  The morning we left to go, Cody lost his first tooth!  

 Brandon LOVES, LOVES, LOVES... his cousin Tanner.  And Tanner is a wonderful cousin to Brandon.

 Cody and Cousin Will read books to the leopard.  I am sure the stuffed animal really appreciated it.

 We spent most of our time at the lake.

 Cody in a pit:

 Zombie Cody rises from the pit (covered in mud):

 These cute boys are so fun to watch.  They would play in the sand for hours.

 Cody is obsessed with the dogs, of course.

 Ryan and Sadie (so cute):

 Kathleen thought she was super funny stealing mom's sunglasses.

 The big-kid cousins had so much fun playing the whole time.  Tanner was a great leader and I think the kids would have done ANYTHING he told them to.  So it was good that he was kind in that department.

 Cody and Uncle Jon invented a game where the kids would sit on one edge of the tube, then Jon would jump on the other end, sending the kids flying.  It was a riot.

 "What, is something wrong with my hair?  What does yours look like after a day on a boat?"

 Grammy and Pompa set up an outdoor movie one night.

 We took our kids and some friends to the Old Penitentiary.  They had a ton of fun.

 My kids fit right in, the little hoodlums:

 We also went to the fair (I guess I need to update my blog more often so I don't have a million events at once).

 They all took turns milking a Cow.  Cody thought it was the best time of his life.

Hawks Baseball

We took the kids and some friends to a Hawks game on Tuesday night.  It was the most fun we have ever had at a game before.

 Cody got to race Humphrey the Hawk on the field in the middle of the game.  He totally kicked booty, even in his blue crocks.  The guy interviewing him asked how old he was and when Cody said 6, he asked if he was starting school soon.  Cody said yes, that he would be in 1st grade.  Then the guy said, "So you will be starting school for the first time, that is so fun."  Then Cody corrected him, "No, I said I'm going into FIRST grade."  Duh, get with it man!  It was so funny.

 And, as if racing the hawk wasn't awesome enough on it's own, they gave him 10 "Hawk's Bucks" to spend however he wanted.  And he got a free hot dog and drink.  The kids was in heaven with all his food.

 Kathleen couldn't decide on a baseball or a heart.  So she compromised:

 Brandon got his bobcat award.  He is such a cute little scout.  We sure have been having fun with him in the scouting program.

 Ryan and I went to the Shakespeare festival.  And yes, this is a sexy self-taken picture.  Those always look so good.

 Cody really wanted to spend some time with me one morning.  But I really wanted to spend some time on the elliptical.  So he came with me.  Instead of sitting on the chair I got out for him, he chose to sit in the garbage can lid with his DS and his stick.  Oh the joys of childhood, and the joys of not caring about germs and dirt.

Fun in Stanley!

We went to Stanley to stay at a cabin with friends.  It was so much fun.  Here is Kathleen with Brecklyn.  These two are peas in a pod.

 Amber and me:

 I think the boys would have stayed and played in the sand all day if we would have let them.

 Stanley is one of the most beautiful mountain places.

 Brandon had to show his buddies how to shoot his new bow & arrow.

 This is the view from church.  You can see it through the entire meeting.  With a view like that, every word they say just has to be true.

 Rob caught a little fish.

 The teeter-totter:

 Amber is an awesome hair stylist:

 It totally looks like a couple of guys hanging out, drinking their beers.  But I swear it is really just water.

 Brandon and Crayton slept in the same bed.

 The boys loved the fish hatchery:

 We went on a hike.  It was perfect.

 Cody's shoes leave a dinosaur footprint when he walks.  We forgot to tell Crayton and Dawson about this little amazing feature.  They were so excited for a moment when they thought we were tracking a dinosaur.

 Cody wanted to get one last picture of the stairs before we left.

Thanks for the super fun weekend Rob and Amber!