First Day of School 2014

It's the most wonderful time of the year!  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my kids.  Believe me I really love summer's with the kiddos, but after a couple of months I start to run out of gas, and the kids get bored.  It seems by August I've turned into a broken record; "stop fighting, turn off the TV, get off of the computer, go outside and play, lower your voice".  I think the kids were ready to go back too, they missed their school friends, and they were excited about their new teachers.  Sunday night we had a special family night where Dan gave all the kids a Father's blessing.  I also presented the kids with a picture of the temple to go up in their rooms.  These were really, really nice large pictures with frames.  I felt like it was worth the investment.  These pictures are now the focal point of their rooms, and I hope the kids will feel peace when they come home after a hard day at school and spend time in their bedrooms knowing they are God's children and he loves them so much.

Today was kinda a whirlwind.  I got up and made breakfast for the kids and helped them get their hair combed.  I drove them to school so I could get a picture of them on their first day.  From there I headed to the gym with Benjamin and Jence for a step class that I haven't been able to make most of the summer because of Kate's swim lessons.  It was so nice to be back!  I really love step.  We headed home and Ben got ready for kindergarten.  I made him a "special" lunch since he wanted the same fun home lunch treats the older kids got.  He ate, got some pictures taken and then it was off to PM  Kindergarten.  He didn't hesitate at all and just jumped right into it. He is not shy and is always ready to take on new experiences.  It's kinda hard to see him go because he's always been my little buddy who keeps me company.  He is such a sweet good little boy.  I'm glad I have one more year of at least half the day with him.  Then I laid Jence down for a nap and enjoyed a quite house. It felt so nice.  Then I headed back down to the school because I wanted to be sure Benjamin made it onto the bus okay.  It was a busy day. It'll be so much easier when the kids get bused and I don't need to drive down and back three times.  When the kids got home all I heard was rave reviews about their teachers, friends, and how excited they were for the new school year!  I can't believe I have a fourth grader, third grader, and a kindergartner.  Wow, when did the kids grow up so fast?  I love this stage and I am going to try to enjoy it and really savor this year as much as possible.  These kids are growing up so fast, and I want to enjoy every minute!

Ogden Temple Open House

So it's finally done!  After three years of reconstruction the Ogden temple is open to the public.  Don't miss the opportunity to take your kids, family and neighbors.  We took some really good friends the Johnson's.  They are so much fun to be around and it made the day super fun.  My favorite rooms were the Bridal Dressing rooms, and the Sealing room.  The Sealing room had the most amazing stain glass windows, and also gorgeous gold detail on the ceilings.  The bridal dressing room had the most beautiful swan mirrors.  They were stunning.  I wish this temple was open when Dan and I go married.  We chose the get married in the Salt Lake City Temple and it was gorgeous too.  But because of the high demand of weddings in August we had our Ceremony at 7:40 in the morning.  I'm not kidding, I was so tired that day.  I really hope that remodeling the Ogden Temple will increase the amount of weddings that are performed in Ogden.  The old version of the Ogden Temple did kind of look like a space ship, and our friends Ken and Lillian were joking that we'd rather get married at 7:40 in the morning in the SLC temple than in the Ogden temple because it looked like a space ship.  I pretty much was like yep, that's pretty close to being right.  Seriously though the temple was beautiful I feel incredibly blessed to be so close to so many temples.  This is the fourth temple open house our kids have had the opportunity to view.  It's amazing to see the work of the Lord roll forward.  I know that this if Christ's Church.  I know that Jesus is my Lord and Savior, and I'm am so grateful for my wonderful family, darling husband and sweet children.  I know our family will be forever, this life is not the end.  We will continue in love and happiness all together into eternity.   Right across the street from the temple it the Children's Tree House museum.  It just happened to be a big back to school promotion day with free entrance for the public as well.  The kids played at the museum for a couple of hours.  It was nice to let them run and play in a nice air conditioned building.  Kirk and Evan played a couple of games of chess, and Kate and Kara had a ball in the arts and crafts area.    

 We went to the logan temple for our anniversary this year

Kate's pictures

 

I've been really ambitious about taking pictures of the kids lately.  Kate was asking me tonight why I do so many photo shoots of my children.  I responded that taking pictures to me is kind of like playing Barbie's to her.  She laughed.  I let Kate pick out her outfit for the photo's and she nailed it.  She is developing quite a taste for fashion.  Her jacket is for school this year, and then she paired it up with her sixties go,go boots from Halloween last year.  She was a trooper and earned her subway sandwich for sure.  We had a wardrobe change and I shot some of her in her ballet costume.  I LOVED her ballet costume this year.  As soon as I saw it I knew I wanted to take pictures of her in it.   

Fourth of July

Wow another fourth of July has come and gone, and I can't believe it.  It seems like we just went and watched the fireworks last year.  The kids are growing up quickly and as they do I am reminded that these holiday's, traditions, and little celebrations are really what life is all about.  Childhood feels like one milestone after another.  And before long they will be off into the real world of deadlines, nine to five jobs, and day to day responsibilities that seem to make adulthood such a drag.  For now I'll revel in the magic of childhood when time is measured by when the next holiday is, and whose birthday is coming up.  One of the cutest thing's that Ben has been saying lately is "Mom when is the next holiday, is Easter a long time away".  I say yes Easter is next year the next holiday is Halloween.  Ben says "Oh, I love Halloween I don't know what I'll be yet."  He has a few months to decide.  Oh, the simple joys of childhood when your biggest worry is what to be for Halloween. 

Here is Kate and me at the Kaysville parade.  We broke with tradition this year and didn't go the the Layton on.  Kaysville throws out a ton of candy and is a little easier to find parking and less walking involved, which is a big thumbs up for everyone involved.  We also got to see our kid's babysitters in the parade.  One was Corinne she was an officer at the Jr. High, and also Anna who will be a cheerleader next year.  We were at the very end of the parade, I mean the last people on the last street.  This ended up being very fortunate for the kids.  They literally had bags and bags of the left over candy dumped right in front of them.  It felt like it was raining salt water taffy.  The kids got more candy then their little Ziploc bags could hold.  After the parade we went swimming and ate steaks and hot dogs.  Then the kids got some down time and Jence had a nap.  Afterwards we visited my Grandma Black and went to the Layton fire works.  It was a really fun memorable day.  I feel a little sentimental about the fourth of July.  Growing up as a kid we had really great tradition's on the fourth.  I can't remember ever missing a parade, or fireworks on the fourth of July.  

My awesome Grandma Margret Woolsey.  She is so sweet.  She is always giving and thinking of other's.  She gave each of the kids a dollar to spend at the carnival.  Fourth of July wouldn't be the same with out a visit to her house.  She lives just a few blocks from the park, and the parade. As a kid I can rememeber walking back and forth from her house to the fair that they hold at the park each year.  Sitting underneath her walnut tree eating hamburgers and hot dogs.  I love my grandma so much!

Jence's two year old pictures

Jence had his two year old pictures taken tonight.  I know he's really two and a half, but I don't know what happened to this year.  It's just flown by.  My goal is to get caught up on all the kid's pictures before school starts, so stayed tuned and I"ll be having the rest of my kiddo's on here soon.  Jence was great.  It is really fun taking the kids for photo shoots one on one.  He loves trains, so I thought it would be fun to take some pictures with trains.  He liked seeing the trains but wasn't so happy about taking a million pictures with them.  At one point he said "I"m done"  and he meant it!

Bear Lake photo's

The planets must have alined because we had a perfect overcasted day, and lots of gorgeous light at Bear Lake.  I saw the lighting was magic and I promptly bribed my kids to get into their Sunday clothes for a quick photo shoot (it's amazing what awesome smiles my kids can put out for ice cream).  The Lake was stunning, and with the partial clouds it made for perfect photography atmosphere.