PARTY!

Jessica's birthday is in the summer, so we decided to wait until school started to have a party to celebrate. There is no better way to start off 6th grade, than with a party! We decorated the back patio and invited her friends. We set up tiki torches for the evening and put 15 beach balls in the pool! Jason set up speakers outside and had Jessica put some of her favorite music into a party play list.

Jason and I had blast, just sitting back and watching these kids! They are so funny! Jessica felt like a rock star for the day!

Megan W. and Ashlyn

dancing by the poolThey had a hula hoop contest.

the party girls a pinata (that broke on the second swing!)

trying to decide what to wish for

Jessica opening a present from Alli

Jessica and Megan

Jason popped some popcorn in the popcorn machine and put a movie on for the girls to wind down the night.

The party was a hit!

First Day of School

Here are a few pictures from the first day of school this year.

I can't believe that Austin is in Junior High! I still remember my first day of Junior High and it doesn't seem like it was that long ago! This growing up thing is so weird, but it's fun. I'm excited for this new phase of life.

Jessica is in 6th grade and Lauren is in 3rd grade. I like looking back at last year's first day of school picture to see how much they have grown up in just one year. Somethings are still the same though. Lauren still insists on putting her hair in curlers and wearing a skirt on the first day of school. Jessica still prefers a simple approach to getting ready. I love how my girls have such different personalities.

Ashlyn talked all summer about starting school. She couldn't wait! Even though she was only 2 when she started preschool, she was definitely ready. She will start kindergarten in 2 years as a 4 year old because of her October birthday.

She had really cute pink shoes that matched her dress, but she just wanted to wear her flip flops. I try to let her be her own person as much as I can, so I just went with it.

I asked her teacher a few weeks into school how she was doing in class. (Most of the class will be starting kindergarten next year.) Her teacher said, "She is doing really well for a three year old! She is so mature and she has a great attention span! She is always the first one to follow directions when I ask the kids to do something. She's doing great!" I was so glad to hear it. I thought she was ready , but sometimes as a parent we don't see our children through a fair lens. I was glad I had assessed her fairly. Then I laughed and reminded her teacher that she wouldn't be three until next month!

Another Visitor

Just a few days after Janelle's kids headed back home, we had another visitor! Jason's youngest brother, Skyler, came to stay for a few days. Skyler LOVES to swim! As often as he could be, he was in the pool!

So, we thought he would love the water park.

We ran into some friends and had a pretty relaxing day, just sitting in the sun and watching the kids.Kirsten, Margaret, and JenAshlyn and Lauren

SkylerAshlyn, Kimberlynn, Brynne and LaurenAshlyn and Austin

Towards the end of the day, Ashlyn took and passed the swim test! She's 2!! Seriously! She was pretty proud of herself. Austin talked me into taking her on the "Family Ride" to reward her for her great swimming.

We had a great day and everyone slept like babies that night!

A Week With the Ehat Kids

My darling sister, Janelle, and her oh so hilarious husband, Peter, took their first trip to Kauai, Hawaii in August. Kauai is one of my favorite places and Janelle and Peter are some of my favorite people, so naturally I was so bummed to not be making the trip with them. (Next time!!)BUT, they stopped by before they went on their trip to drop off their cute little munchkins for us to play with while they were away.

little Logan

The kids bounced back and forth between my house, Jen's house and Grandma's house and just couldn't seem to get enough of each other.

And we did LOTS of playing! We had Sunday dinner at our house so this kids had lots of room to run around and play.

Maddie on the swingsTyler, Lauren and Drew Ashlyn and Emily

We took all the little monkeys to the zoo

Emily, Ashlyn and Brynne

Lauren giving Ashlyn "a boost"LaurenMy mom and meMaddie in the petting zooNathan, my mom, Lauren, Maddie, Brynne, Janey, AshlynGrandma and Logan

We celebrated Maddie's birthdayAnd Ashlyn got what I'm sure will be a scar to match her dad's. She was chasing balloons with the other kids in Grandma's living room and tripped and split her chin open on grandma's brick fireplace. What a sad face! Poor baby!

We took the kids to the water park

Ashlyn and Emily

waiting for the rest of the group so we could go in together

Brynne and AshlynAshlyn on the kiddie slides

A collage of cute pics that I borrowed from my sisterAshlyn and Maddie just relaxing near the "beach" of the wave pool

We had lots of sleepovers

Ashlyn and Emily playing dress up
Austin and Emily

Ashlyn got those darling masks from Stephen last Christmas and the kids have so much fun with them.

Emily has such a fun personality and constantly had me laughing. While the kids were playing with the mask, Emily came up to me and asked where the highest point in our house was. I wasn't sure. I gave her a few suggestions and then asked her why she wanted to know. She answered, "because, I'm the rooster and I need to know where to go to say cock-a-doodle-do in the morning." Sure enough, the next morning, I heard Emily, "cock-a-doodle-do! cock-a-doodle-do!" So funny!

The girls loved to watch movies in the theater. I went to check on them and found them sound asleep in their reclining chairs, next to their popcorn and candy.

Ashlyn and Emily

Nothing like Little Einstiens on the big screen!

The big kids loved swimming in the pool and riding the quads around the property.

Maddie and TylerLauren giving Ashlyn a ride

Tyler and Jessica enjoying their ice cream at the end of the day

Grandma and Janey took the kids to a museum and the lake one day, but I was way too exhausted with all the "partying" we had been doing to join them. I think the kids had a good week and we created some fun memories!!