Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Brenna Goes to School!

I can't believe it happened!  Brenna started school today!  I have a kindergartner!  Seriously so crazy, it makes my head real!  She was cute as a button in her school uniform and excited for her first day!... until we got to school.  Brenna hasn't gotten out much.  We very briefly did a preschool with her but only for a couple of months and it was a long time ago and it was at someone's house whom she knew.  She doesn't go over to a lot of people's houses, and has really not had much exposure to things outside of us!  And when we arrived, she got really nervous!


Brenna is obsessed with doing funny faces lately... and they almost always make me laugh.



She just sat in her spot and wouldn't do the tracing paper or coloring page, and she looked through a few books, but only if I handed them to her and put them back for her.  It made it really hard for me to leave!  I knew I'd be emotional... I bawled during her fathers blessing last night!  But I was trying to be strong for her!  I had a good cry in the car and I was very excited to go pick her up 2.75 hours later!




She LOVED school though!  The first thing she said to me when I picked her up was that she wanted to stay for full day kindergarten instead of coming home.  We may switch her over too, we will wait and see for a little while first though.  She got to pick a cubby, do a stamp of her hand and some circle time (which she said was the only boring part!).  I can't wait to see her learn and progress!  And to get used to being tied down to a schedule!  I took her for an ice cream cone so she could tell me all about her day, and she thought she was pretty special!
This was her when she got home and hurriedly changed out of her uniform back into "girl clothes"... I have a girly-girl on my hands and I'm in trouble!




Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Canada!

We had such an amazing time in Canada with my family.  There was nice weather, there was cold weather (which I enjoyed just as much!) and there was family family family.  I am going to tell the story in reverse since my pictures loaded that way and I don't want to deal with the pain of switching them all!  I will start off by saying that I didn't take pictures for a whole almost two weeks of our trip because I'm a failure, but I have been promised some from my cousin, and also we did take a few on Jeremy's phone which I don't have yet.  Still lots here though!

On our last night, we were at my Grandma Peterson's and decided all the kids needed one last bath.  She has an awesome Jacuzzi tub that I think we have all had plenty of baths in over the years!  My mom did the bath and they had a lot of fun and didn't want to get out.  We took lots of pictures, but they were mostly too scandalous since Owen won't sit in the tub! 



So the last weekend of our trip was a family reunion for the Smith family.  I loved seeing everybody!  I have some really great cousins, and some rad aunts and uncles and grandparents.  I had a lot of fun with these girls for the reunion and the week prior in Fairmont B.C. on our Vacation!


My brother and his wife Whitney left a little early to go back home.  It was really nice to spend so much time with them though and to finally meet their dog Paisley and see their new home.  They are so talented and busy, and I love them!  And so do my kids!

Oh, this one is random, but I was in a story that my grandparents read and I was the babbling brook... turns out I'm pretty bad at gurgling water!


I also got to meet this princess who is so stinkin adorable!  And catch up with my old twin cousin for a few days at the reunion.  So many good memories!  And now she'll come visit me soon since her sister moved here for a while!  Yay!


My Aunt made these crowns and wands for the little girls, and no lie, Brenna wore hers ALL day!  She wore it on our 3 hour drive to Montana, she wore it to lunch, to the airport, and finally let me put it away on the plane for a bit, but is currently dancing with it all on in the living room... get this girl a crown and a wand or a pretty dress, and she is one happy chick!



At the reunion they rented these inflatable ball things... So. Much. Fun!  The kids loved it, especially Brenna, and I got in and had quite the fun time, and Jeremy was loving it too.  Fun was had by all with these crazy contraptions! 



During the reunion we stayed at my Grandma Peterson's house.  She still has the same dress up pile from when I was little and the kids loved that!


My brother and Paisley!  It was fun getting to know her... the kids loved Paisley!  She is definitely energetic, but so pretty and so patient with the kids.  Loved it!


Brenna was on team red and wanted her bandana tied just like Aunt Whitney's.


 Grandpa taught Owen how to use a toothpick.. or at least how to rock the look of using a toothpick!



Owen is screaming in joy and love in this photo... haha or because he had a bit of a hard time in general while we were there with all of the people.  He was a bit of a challenge a lot of the time, but he had his happy moments too, especially towards the end when he was more comfortable!  Sorry for dumping him in your lap and taking a picture Karli... you rocked it anyway!  haha


My mom and her mom!  I am so glad we got to stay with my Grandma Peterson for a few days.  I love her so much and she is so accommodating to let us flip her house upside down for a few days.  Pretty ladies!



Just love this pic!  haha say cheese!

Grandpa and Owen.  I love this one too!



Well, know we skip a week where we were in Fairmont and I didn't take any pictures!  When I remembered to get my camera out, it was out of batteries!  So maybe those will come in the future when I collect them from people!  

For a week and a half before Jeremy came and after our nightmare trip getting there, we stayed with my parents and Jessica, Mike and Curtis and we just played!  We went to the lake, Calaway Park, Southland Leisure Centre, and had the best time just being there!

Poor Mason fell and bumped his left upper lip really bad, it was bleeding bad and quite swollen, then just as that started to heal, he did something (I can't even remember what now!) to the other side!  And it swelled up nicely too... poor boy couldn't catch a break!


Our Calaway day was lots of fun, but also a little on the cold and dreary side.  So we didn't last quite as long as we planned, and Owen didn't really love it too much.  We still had fun though!







My mom has this potato head toy that Owen liked, and then I looked over and he was doing this!  haha It cracked me up so bad!  All by himself he just thought that was a good idea... so funny!  Then all the kids did it an I have a million pictures, but I'll spare you the bunch of them and just post two!


This one made me laugh because it looks like the box behind him is balanced on his head!

Friends!

Our day at the beach!  The kids loved every minute of it!  Cold water and all!



So that's it in a nutshell with way less pictures than there should be!  But lots of memories!  I am usually ready to go home when I'm done a long vacation, but this time it was hard to leave as we had such a nice time.  Games almost every night, getting to know family I didn't know as well, sharing laughs and stories, and seeing my kids so excited to be with everyone!  Thanks so much to my mom and dad who took such good care of us, and lent us their car and their house and their lives for a few weeks!  Can't wait until you're here next!  And with my free flights from my nightmare experience, we may be back sooner than you think!  haha

Coming Home

We're Back!!!  It was such a fun trip!  And the trip home was 100000 times better than the trip there.  This is what it looked like.. not the whole time, but the fact that there was a moment like this is proof enough.  

Brenna sat by me in one row, just the two of us, and she is pretty self-sufficient!

I actually got to sit and read for a few minutes!!  That is special!

Mason was back with Jeremy... he could play on the ipad for hours, so he was easy too.



I was supposed to have Owen in my lap, but he decided he loved daddy more... Jeremy may have a slightly different view of our peaceful trip... but that's because Owen was fussy, and all he has to compare it to is his peaceful trip alone on his way TO Canada.

And I got to see a lot of this cute hand reaching through and dropping objects or wanting them back.
All in all.. lovely.  On the con side it was late and the kids were all tired.  But the flight was on time, we were there in plenty of time, but not overly early.  Shorter flight since we drove to Great Falls (thanks again mom!) and most of all, no emergency landings or overnight stays, and I had my husband!!!!!!  Which makes all the difference in the world!

When we got there I was having some vicious flashbacks, but everything was wonderful.  We are glad to be home, but we also had so much fun with family that it was really hard to leave.  I love my family and I am grateful for every chance we have to see each other.  The distance makes it hard, but we make it happen!

Next post - our trip!