Ashlyn Turns 2!

I can't believe our little Ashlyn is 2! She has grown up way too fast and we once again find ourselves wondering how we can make time stand still and keep her just the way she is.She has so much personality!

She talks a mile a minute and thinks she is one of the big girls.

She does a quick head check every time we get in the car to make sure everyone is there. If someone is missing she start yelling, "Where's Lu Lu? Where's Lu Lu?" or who ever is missing.

She just started calling Jessica by her nickname, Jessi Bear. We think its funny when she stands at the bottom of the stairs and calls up, "Jessi Bear! Jessi Bear, where are you?" She has a set of lungs!

She loves all of the girly stuff like playing dress up, baby dolls and barbies.

She thinks she needs to bring her purse every time she leaves the house and she seems to be the only one in this house who always remembers that she needs her shoes if she is going somewhere.

She can run REALLY fast! We love to watch her skid around the corners in the house!

We still find ourselves just sitting and watching her like we did when she was a baby. We just love her to pieces!

For her birthday this year, we went to the zoo again. She loves animals! Here she is looking at the elephant. Her hair is getting so long, but starting to lose a little bit of its curl.


Austin, Ashlyn, Me,and LaurenAshlyn and Grandma (DaNae) looking at the monkeysAshlyn and Austin

Austin and Ashlyn

I love the relationship that Ashlyn has with each of her siblings. They are so good to her and she loves them so much!AustinJessicaAshlyn

After we were all done at the zoo, we went to Ashlyn's favorite place for dinner- Panda Express! She loves all of the vegetables! She will eat the main dishes but, mushrooms and broccoli are her favorite!

After that, we came back home, sang happy birthday, had cup cakes and ice cream, and let her open some presents.

Jessica and Ashlyn

Jessica was excited to give Ashlyn her gift! She asked me to take her to Target a few days before so she could buy Ashlyn a present with some of the money she had saved. Jessica bought her a Jungle in my Pocket set because she knows Ashlyn loves animals and anything small enough to fit in her purse!Lauren, Ashlyn, and BrynneAshlyn, so excited about her new puppy from GrandmaShe also got a new purse, lots of bracelets, a doll that cries (she's not too sure about it), and a My Pet Violet.
She had a great 2nd Birthday!

Fall Sports Part 1

One of the only things I look forward to when school starts back up in the fall, is watching my kids play sports! Austin is playing football, Jessica is running Cross Country and Lauren is playing soccer. I think they each deserve their own post! :-)


Austin had a tough decision to make this year. Varsity vs Junior Varsity. The max weight limit for football is 125lbs and the minimum is 65lbs. Austin weighs in at a whopping 73lbs which was likely to translate into not very much playing time if he decided to play Varsity. His coach told him he would get a lot of playing time if he played on the JV team. He had a few friends that had decided to play JV. So, Austin decided he preferred time on the field to time on the bench.


I'm so glad he made that decision! It has been so much fun to watch him this year! He is the starting running back and plays defense as well. (I can't remember what position he plays! I just know where he stands!)

Austin #40

He scored a touchdown at his first game in the Football Carnival! The Football Carnival kicks off the season. Every school in their area comes and they play a bunch of short games at the big high school stadium. It really gets everybody excited about football!

He has a game every Friday and I look forward to it all week! I love to see how excited he gets when he has a good game or a great play! He is such a cute kid!

Austin with the footballbreaking away catch me if you can!

My cute nephew Garrett (#48) is playing on the JV team this year too! He is such a tough guy! It is so fun to watch him get scrappy out there!

Austin, Carson, Garrett

I am already loving this football season!

Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day- noun 1. a legal holiday 2. the last day of the year to wear white pants 3. the summer's last hurrah

Even though summer is not officially over for a few weeks, Labor Day marks the end of summer for me. School is in, soccer season is here, football games and cross country meets start on Friday for the kids. The weather starts to cool off and Halloween costumes are already in the stores!

This last weekend, we went out to Millerton Lake with the McCauley's for the "last hurrah" of the summer.

Austin and AshlynJason and Ashlyn

Last chance to decide it was time wake board...

Austin got up on his first try!AustinTara

Last chance to see how high he can jump the wake

Jason (doesn't he have great arms?!)

Last chance to wipe out!

Jason

The girls wanted to try to U ski

LaurenJessica

Last chance to learn how to wake surf

AustinAaron and JessicaJessica

Last chance to jump in and cool off in the lake

Tara, Ashlyn and Clara

Last time this year that I will see these happy sunburned faces out on the lake

AustinJessicaLaurenAshlyn

Last time we will watch the sky change as the sun sinks, while we try to steal one last turn before it is gone...

Good-bye summer.

Thanks Aaron and Haley for another great summer and being a part of so many fun memories!

Back to School

Here's the annual first day of school picture... Jessica 5th grade, Austin 6th grade, Lauren 2nd grade

I can't believe I have a son in 6th grade! I remember 6th grade! Some of my Facebook friends are from 6th grade! Crazy. Austin was feeling a little sick the first day of school. He wasn't excited to get back to school and homework, but he couldn't wait for football to start!
Jessica was excited to get back to school to see her friends, but was sad that neither of her two best friends would be in her class this year. Her 2nd grade teacher is teaching 5th grade this year and will be her teacher again. She really liked her before and is excited to have a teacher that she already knows she likes.

Lauren is a social butterfly and is just excited to see her friends every day!

As for me, I'm always bummed when school starts! Most of my friends are excited to have the kids out of the house again, but I'm dreading being grounded to a schedule. I love our casual summer schedule. I love sleeping in. I love having dinner at 5:30 some days and 8:00 on others. I love being able to take off and go... just to where ever, when ever we want. I love not hurrying the kids in the morning. I love not having to wake them up before they are ready to get out of bed. I love not worrying about homework. I love not having to be totally aware of the time all the time... Ahh, I will miss the summer.

I am looking forward to the fun projects they bring home. I am looking forward to seeing them grow up a little more this year. It always amazes me how much they learn and what they are capable of. I'm really exited to watch Austin play football and cheer Jessica on as she runs cross country, but that really all the good things I can think of. Oh, and the school carnival. Haha! I don't know why, but I really enjoy it every year!

Ahh... Summer...

Ashlyn

AshlynJessica, Ashlyn, LaurenAshlyn, Jessica, LaurenJessica and Lauren

School starts on Monday... I will miss these summer moments...