First Day of School

Emma was so excited to start Kindergarten!! When I went to wake her at 6:30am she was sitting on her bed and said "I was waiting for you to come and get me! She was a little nervous when I left, but had a great day. Unfortunately she got the flu that Monday night and had to miss the second day, but she got right back Wed. and finished the week great!

Although not as excited as his sister, Tay was still glad to be heading back to see friends from last year and had a good first week of school!

Daddy went in to work a little late so he could walk with us to school!
This morning was almost as exciting as Christmas!

Funny Conversations!

There have been a number of funny conversations at our house lately a couple of the best are as follows:
Emma: "You are a really good step mother mom!"
Me: "I am not your step mother Emma, I am your real mom. A step mom is when a child's
mom has died or when a child gets another mom because of divorce or something. Like when
Cinderella's mom died so she got a step mom."
Emma: "Oh, so if you died then we would have a step mom?"
Madi: "I don't want you to die mom."
Me: "Yes, Emma if I die then you would get a step mom if your dad got remarried, but I am
not going to die for a long time Madi so it is okay!"

About then Joseph came home for lunch and we had a blessing on the food. Madi asked to say it.
Madi: "Dear Heavenly Father, please help mom to die, I mean me to die, I mean please help me and mom to NOT die!!"
We ended the prayer and Joseph looked at me,
Joseph: "What was that all about?"
I proceeded to recount our conversation on step moms and dying!


Another time,
Madi: "What if Dad were evil and killed all of us?"
Me: "Daddy isn't going to get evil and he isn't going to kill us!"
Taylor: "Well, he could get evil if someone made him that way and then if he was killing
everyone in our town he would probably kill us too!"
Me: "He isn't going to become evil, do you know how I know that?"
Taylor: "Because you don't believe in magic!"
Me: "No, I know evil is real and Satan is real, but your Daddy reads his scriptures and prays
and goes to the temple and as long as he does these things he won't become evil like Satan."
Madi: "So Dad won't kill us?"
Me: "Right!"
Emma (from the bathroom) yells: "Because Dad doesn't want to be on Satan's team."

So to sum if up, my kids think I am a nice step mom and that their Dad may some day become evil and go on a killing spry! Where do they come up with these things?! I think we better watch a little less TV from now on!

Olympic Fever!!

For those of you wondering why our background is the Olympics, we have had Olympic fever at our house the past week! We have had so much fun watching every night and during opening ceremonies we researched some of the countries flags and made sugar cookies like the flags and watched the ceremonies! It was a lot of fun. GO USA!!!

Trip to Panaca and Caliente

We had a lot of fun in Panaca at Grandma and Grandpa's house! GGma spoiled us with bowls of our favorite candy in her room and we enjoyed meeting our Aunt Marilyn.
Playing with cousins is always the highlight of our trip to Caliente! These six kids have so much fun together! Will and Deb were so good to us and we are so glad we got to spend a few days at their house!!

Jackson and Madi had a very good time pulling each other in the wagon!
Ice Cream treats at Grandma's was a special part of coming to Panaca!

Trip to Grandma and Grandpa Pendleton's!!

We attended so many events and had so much fun in Utah this
past 2 weeks! Here a few of the highlights!

I was the photographer for the pictures of Savannah's (my niece)
blessing and didn't get a pic with my camera, but we were
glad to be there for it. She is so beautiful!!



Katy's shower was a lot of fun, before the shower mom and Ash and I got
to go shopping without the kids which was so nice! Thanks Dad for being such a great Grandpa and watching them. It was nice to meet Katy's family and fun to get to know Katy better! We look forward to returning for their wedding in 4 weeks!









We had a lot of fun at Hogle Zoo!! Going to the Zoo was the highlight of Taylor's trip inspite of the fact that the Lion's had died a couple years ago!

Mom was so fun with the kids at the pool. I don't remember Mom swimming much with us as kids, that was usually Dad, but she swam nearly everyday with our kids and really helped Madi get used to the water!

I love being with my sister! Inspite of an 8 year age difference, she is one of my dearest friends!

Parade at for the 24th of July!! Spencer, Hunter, Tanner, and Taylor really enjoyed each other!


My girls were so excited to see the Grandpa and the Kids!
princesses in the parade, they felt
like they were back at Disneyland
again!

Trip to Jackson Hole

Kim and Brooke's Husbands also attended SCCO, we look forward to many more CE vacations!

The Alpine slide! Jono and Tay caught up to Madi and I because we were too slow! It was a fight over who got to be Jonathan's partner!
We loved having Brooke hang out with us for a few days! Joseph and I have really missed our Game Playing partners!
Taylor and Ericka used to play together in California when they were little, it was fun to have friends to hang out with while Daddy was in classes!
Bathing Beauty!!
What a Poser!
Super Swimmer!
Sleeping in was Mommy's favorite part of the trip!

Taylor & the carnival

Dear Grandpa,
I went to the carnival yesterday. I went on the Yo-Yo and it swung me around and around and up high. I went on a ride with my mom that went around up in the air and came back down and then went up again. The dragon roller coaster was also very fun, I went with my friend Quentin. Then I got cotton candy and I went home. I had so much fun at the carnival so I told my mom and dad thank you!!
Love Taylor

Learning to ride bikes! FYI: Very frustrating for parents! Almost as frustrating as potty training! But rewarding when they finally get it!




Tay riding his BIKE!



Emma riding her BIKE!

Rodeo Parade!!

Rodeo week is big deal here in Sheridan. We sat by friends from the ward. Joseph is sitting next to James Mathews who he grew up with in Panaca. They live here in Sheridan now too!!

New Hair Dos

I got a hair do blog from a friend and had so much fun looking at new hair dos for the girls, I put on my first two attempts. If interested there is a link to the left.

Finally Catching Up!!

I can blame my brother Jeff for my addiction to blogging the past three days. He gave me a hard time for not posting since March so I got on to make a few adjustments and here I am three days later having done a lot of blogging. I am really not blaming him, but I have caught the bug and see how it is a really good way to stay in touch with my friends and family I don't live by! Anyways, I have put things that have happened to us in the past 3 months on and hope to keep it up to date from now on! So, thanks Jeff. I really enjoy seeing all the pictures all of you post and I see how it would be nice if you could see ours too! Keep looking because I added a lot!

"KID MAGNET"

Joseph calls this our kid magnet! The kids have so much fun playing on
this! It was a very hott day today and they had a blast putting the sprinkler under it! I have a lot of fun watching them and remembering all the fun times I had with my own family on our trampoline!

Little Sluggers!

Taylor and Emma have played baseball together this summer!
They have had a really fun time doing it and have learned a lot!

Trip to Rapid City with Will, Deb and Fam

Crazy Horse! Joseph's Favorite!









While waiting to get out of the parking lot at Mount Rushmore we convinced Joseph and Will to have a push up contest! So then they challenged Deb and I to do the same! She beat me hands down, but it was a lot of fun!!


Mount Rushmore was Amy's Favorite Place!

Reptile Gardens!!

Devil's Tower

We were so glad to have William and Debbie and their family come and visit us. We all had so much fun together! I just wish we lived closer! The kids played so well and each new destination was begun by a chorus of begging to ride in each other's cars! Thanks Will and Deb for making the time to come and visit us. We enjoyed you all so much!!