Halloween

For some reason I can't find a picture of Brooke or Camden on Halloween. Brooke wore my old powder puff jersey and Camden was a scientist. Easton was a cowboy and Addie was Smurfette! I loved making this costume. The only drawback? Pleather! It stinks to sew with, sticks to itself and the machine! I made her hat the morning of the school parade, in about 5 minutes. I went in my poodle skirt and letter men jacket. Inside the pocket was a note my bff wrote me in high school. Wow did it bring back memories! We took the preschool class to a nearby clinic and the kids were able to trick or treat in the offices. Aren't my preschoolers darn cute!?

She really did go

I had to teach preschool (two classrooms away from Addie's) on her first day of school. I was so sad to miss out on it. My amazing friend Brandy watched her in the morning and then brought her to school and even took her first day pictures.

Piper is one of Addison's besties. They are trouble, especially when you add in their other bestie, Adilyn



I snuck out of my classroom in time to walk her down to her class and kiss her goodbye. I may have even sneaked a peek when they were outside at recess!

Spoke too soon

Yesterday I bragged about sweet Brooke and then I went to her parent/teacher conference last night. I should have waited until after I went to conferences so I could add all the amazing things they had to say about her. One teacher asked me how in the world I created a Brooke and to give her the secret so she could duplicate it. They all had such great things to say and we were not surprised to hear that she had straight A's! One class she has 112%! Totally not surprised by what I heard, but still thrilled to have heard it!

Brag on Brooke!

Just need to brag about my Brookie! She has had a big couple of months. Today I signed her progress report...all A's (not surprised at all). Brooke finished her personal progress on her birthday. This is a big deal. Basically she had until she was 18 to finish it and she did it only 2 years! Her amazing personal progress leader Lindsay made her a beautiful quilt as a "way to go" gift! go to Lindzsews.blogspot.com to see it! Brooke was inducted into the Junior National Honors Society and is the Vice President of History for the group. They are going to be raising money in the next few months so they can fund Micro Loans for women in 3rd world countries! Brooke had to give a little introduction at the induction ceremony and did a great job! Brooke has been babysitting like crazy and I have the parents tell me all the time what a great job she does. One day she had 3 jobs...8 am, 1 pm and 7 pm! The best part? She saves every penny. I had her get a debit card when we set up the account and she has only used it once in the 3 months since. Brooke was also selected to be a school ambassador. She submitted an application and a group of teachers chose students to represent the school. They do special events for the school like "say no to drugs week". Brooke went to her first stake dance. None of her friends were available or old enough to go so she basically went alone (we did carpool with a neighbor boy, but they didn't hang out). At the dance she found some friends from school and she hung out with them. They noticed a girl all by herself and decided to ask her to hang out with them. They included this girl the entire night. (I keep thinking of the girls parents. We so hope that our kids will have confidence and feel included. I am sure they were praying that night that their girl would find a friend. Brooke hasn't seen the girl since, but I am sure it made a big impact on her) Brooke was recently selected as one of 8 kids in the stake to be interviewed for the stake youth conference video. The stake leaders prayed aobut which kids should be chosen and Brooke was one of them. On a side note, after the youth conference one of the leaders complimented us because Brooke was one of the few girls that was dressed modestly the entire time and they were very impressed by her! Yesterday a friend stopped me and said she just wanted to let me know what a great girl Brooke was. She put on a Halloween dinner for her son and the big group of kids that all hang out. The meal and decorations were so over the top fun! The 3rd course was meatloaf shaped like rats! At this point I guess Brooke asked her how much work she had gone to for the night. Susan couldn't believe a 14 year old had noticed her hard work and had actually mentioned it to her. It wasn't a "thanks for the ride" kind of moment, but a moment where someone noticed your hard work and actually mentioned it. Susan was very impressed! My friend Brandy calls Brooke and old soul. She is so right on. While I was out of town recently Brooke was at a birthday party. At 11 she told her friend she needed to leave to make sure her dad had put the other kids to bed! Sometimes I wish Brooke wouldn't take so much on herself, but I realize this is her. She is so responsible. She is learning to have more fun, but she does it her way, responsibly! That I am very thankful for!

Done taking a nap?

Today is day three of me having hardly any voice. I kind of sound like Phoebe on friends when she is sick, which is perfect because my bff's husband sings "smelly cat" to me everytime he sees me! I am thinking it is allergies because it is my only symptom. It is a little difficult to teach preschoolers with a whisper. Yesterday I told the class I thought my voice was taking a nap since I didn't have time to take one myself. At the end of the day one of my cuties in his little tongue thrust lisp asked me "Is your voice finished napping yet?" That my friends is why I teach!

Just breathe!

I guess because Easton has always had allergies we don't realize how poorly he is breathing. He doesn't get a full blown asthma attack where he is gasping for air, he just is constantly now breathing at full capacity. To help him we are starting a fairly intensive regimen. For 5 days he will: nose spray twice a day, inhaler twice a day and 2 tsp. dose of prednisone once a day. Then if he is going to be doing something outdoors he will do a fast acting inhaler 15-30 minutes before. After 5 days he stops the prednisone and then switches inhalers. He is starting a very high dose *250/50* for two weeks. After the two weeks his dosage gets lowered *100/50*. He continues the nose spray (probably forever) and the fact acting. To top it all off in about two weeks he starts allergy shots, which are kind of a pain in the neck. He goes twice a week to the Dr. to get the shot and then sit around for at least a half hour to make sure he doesn't have a bad reaction. I told Neil last night that I can't wait for him to feel what it is like to breathe at full capacity. Most of the time he is about 70-75%. He has no idea what it is really like to not be wheezy. Most of the time I don't even realize his is wheezy. Like yesterday at the Dr. he was a little wheezy and I had no idea! I guess it is like eye sight...you are use to what you got, then you go to the eye doctor and are given glasses and realize wow I was missing out on so much! This is a long journey we are on, but hopefully one that will help my sweet guy out!

I survived...barely

I survived sending my baby off to kindergarten. I don't know how I made it! Perhaps I have been so crazy busy that I haven't had time to really think about it, because when I do I start crying. I have never had a hard time sending my kids to school. When Brooke went to school Camden was two and Easton was a newborn. I would put her on the bus and then put the boys down for a nap. It was pure bliss! I would scrapbook one page and then I would do chores without helpers. When Camden went to school Easton was in preschool and Addison was a napper. So I again had a little alone time. When Easton went to school Addison napped for a while, but then gave them up. It has been just the two of us for 3 years. I have loved spending so much one on one time with her. We love to giggle together! For the past year I have known that kindergarten was looming in my near future. I couldn't decide what to do....do I send her or not? I changed my mind weekly. Neil didn't, he knew she should go. I told myself she is so little and barely makes the cutoff by a few days. I would then remind myself that she is soooo ready for school. She loves to learn and is very social. Well I bit the bullet and sent her. I won't lie it was hard. The week before I would tear up just talking about it. So to make the transition easier I got a job...at the school...two classrooms down from hers! I am teaching preschool at the elementary school (finally that degree I paid so much for is being put to use!) I had to prep my classroom on the first day of school. Addison went to her friend Piper's house in the morning. Then her amazing mom Brandy brought her to the school at 12:40. She took the first day of school pictures for me (she is my personal photographer since I always forget to take pictures!) Addie came and got me and together we walked to her classroom and found her chair. The teacher said goodbye to the parents and I walked out. I had done it. I had done it without crying in front of my baby and her class. She looked so little sitting in that big chair. She is a tiny thing in this class full of big kids. I hurried back to my class and got busy so I wouldn't think about it. How did it go? Her favorite thing about it was the smart board (this amazing technology that is kind of an overhead projector and computer mixed into one. Like having an enormous I Pad on the wall) Her least favorite thing was recess, it was hot and boring and she had to wait in line for the bathroom. The next day she wouldn't even say goodbye to me, just ran down the hall and headed into class. I guess I should take it as a good sign that she loves her teacher! But can't she miss me a little? The third day she came home and told me she made 4 new friends, but doesn't know their name. She does know what team they are on (the class is divided into teams). Addison loves school. I know I made the right decision, but it still breaks my heart. The short time we had together, just the two of us, is over. It will never be the same. Now I just have other things to look forward to with her (which I am trying to remind myself every time I get a little weepy) For now I will just be content that I am two classrooms away if she ever needs me.

3 weeks

I can't believe that school will start in 3 weeks! Where has the summer gone? We have had a very relaxing and fun summer. This is the summer I will always remember my kids becoming fish...the kids took swimming lessons and fell in love with the water. Addison is so close to being able to really swim....she loves showing me how she puts her face in the water! Easton is everywhere in the water but has no interest in becoming a pro. Camden on the other hand LOVES swimming. Camden has decided that he is going to swim instead of playing football this fall! The weather in SG has been amazing this summer. I think the highest we have hit is 105! Because of the great weather we have enjoyed a lot of time outside at the park and riding bikes. We had our very favorite babysitter visit us from WA! Becky started babysitting for us when Brooke was one...it was fun to have her come and show her Zions. We went to Disneyland for a week to watch Brooke clog and Brooke was busy with girls camp, youth conference and babysitting. This has been a summer of dreams and I am sad to see it end. I hate getting back into the routine that school brings. I think the kids are excited to see friends again...and they are super excited about the teachers they have. The saddest part....my baby is going to school this year. I have had a hard time accepting this, and tried to convince Neil that I should just homeschool her...he laughed. I know she will love it and do well, but this is my baby, my last baby. Addison has been my side kick...the other kids have been in school for so long that it has just been the two of us. I am sad to see this end, but she is very excited to go to the big school. We are planning on packing as much fun into these next three weeks including a wedding for my cousin and a trip to grammy and papas! Then back to the grind. I guess all dreams must come to an end becausde this summer truely has been one!

It's so far!

Easton: I want to move my bedroom upstairs into the office and then move the office into the front room.
Me: Why do you want to move upstairs? (He currently has a bedroom downstairs
Easton: Cause then I won't have to walk so far to get breakfast

A kid after my own heart...food comes first!? Monday I had Easton and one other boy show up at scouts. After a tour of the landfill I took them to ice cream. I heard this convo:

K: I think some of my friends come over just to play with my stuff
Easton: That's not nice. I like you just because of who you are, not because of your toys.

Thanks Easton....you just made me feel a little better about my mothering! Now if I could just get him to stop fighting with Camden all the time!

merry-go-round

We went to Disneyland! Brooke's clogging group was performing there and we were able to get tickets cheaper! Notice I didn't say free or cheap:( While we were in California Adventure the kids of course wanted to go on screamin. Since Addison isn't tall enough we went on the carousel: over and over and over! Then when they big kids were done Easton joined us for one last ride. Addison loved it and we never once had to wait in line for it!

Downtown splash pad

Brooke has clogging on Tuesdays. They meet in the building right next to the downtown splash pad/river. We normally go every Tuesday and play in splash pad while Brooke is clogging, but this year with the weather and our busy lives we only went once! We packed up a picnic dinner and went and played in the water and enjoyed the sunshine.

Cambo

Sometimes it is tough being Camden. Most of our friends don't have kids his age (thank heavens for JD!) There aren't any boys in his primary class that go to our school, in fact they both go to charter schools and neither of them are interested in the things Camden is interested in. Camden is also at times a little sensitive and a little bossy. He is just at that hard age and so a lot of the times gets stuck with me while Addison and Easton are playing with friends (which they have a ton of options. I guess everyone I know had kids the same time I had them!) I love spending time with my Cambo. Camden will ask me the most in depth and thought provoking questions. He is a deep thinker and analyzes things. He is getting a little old for the park now, so while the kids play he would prefer to sit and chat with me, which I love! I am praying a new boy will move into the ward and that he will be a perfect fit for Camden. Until them I guess he will keep me on my toes with his deep thoughts. I guess I should of named him Jack Handy!

Inhale, exhale

One day at soccer Easton came to get his drink and was wheezing. So the next day we were off to the doctor. We only had an hour and then we would need to run to another soccer game. We explained some of our symptoms to the Dr. and then he listened to his lungs. Easton was put on a breathing treatment. Before the treatment his lungs were working at about 75%, after they jumped to 95%! With just one treatment! So Easton has now been diagnosed with asthma (coughing all the time is a symptom that I didn't know about) We now every morning and every night do both a nose spray and an inhaler. He also needs to do a fast acting inhaler right before any outdoor activity that could trigger his asthma. We already knew he was allergic to every grass and plant imaginable, so pretty much before he goes outside to play or participate in a sport/recess. Easton was not very excited for the treatment, but did say it is a lot easier to breathe after doing it! Yeah for modern medicine.

Easton's baptism invite!

I found a few photos on the computer that I hadn't posted. This was Easton's baptism invite. It's a good thing I have such amazing friends! Valerie took the pictures of Easton and MaryBeth put together this fabulous announcement/invite! I must say, this kid is adorable!

Two months worth

Well I have two months worth of pictures and videos to blog about, but my stinkin computer won't upload my pictures. Here is what I need to blog about:
1. For two months we lived the crazy life...Brooke and Addison were in dance, Brooke played softball, Camden and Easton played baseball and Camden Easton and Addison played soccer. This meant some weeks we had 6 ball games and 3 soccer games and 2 dance classes, plus practices. What I learned? yes I know I am crazy and no it will never happen again.
2. Addison graduated from preschool. I loved teaching this year and was sad for it to end!
3. Brooke and Addison both had dance recitals. Addison's costume cost a small fortune, especially since she wore it for all of 5 minutes! What I learned? Addison is changing studios! Oh and she gets to start clogging in September!
4. Easton was baptized! He was very excited. It only took him a few months to finally decide it was ok for his dad to baptize him! Whew, I was starting to get a little worried for Neil!
5. Brooke's clogging group performed at Disneyland. She was amazing! We had a great family vacation! Addison got to meet Tangled and Eugene, the highlight of her trip!
6. I went on 3 field trips this year: two with Addie and one with Easton! Have cute pictures from all 3, just can't share them (so mad at my computer right now!)
7. I realized how bad I am at taking pictures, I only got two from Easter, whats wrong with me?

So I have a bunch of posts to do, and will as soon as I can upload this darn pictures!

Proof times have changed!

A few days ago I walked past Addison's room where she was playing with her dolls (I think it might have been polly pockets or barbies) I love listening to the conversations they have. Usually it is some version of something I would say, but not this time. On this day the two girls were discussing....wait for it.....their websites! What? I guess it was really important they check out each other's website. Proof that times have changed. I am sure my barbies probably were listening to records!

8 is great!

Easton is getting baptized soon. He turns 8 in May! Where has the time gone? We recently went with my friend Valerie to have pictures taken for his baptism announcement. Val is an amazing photographer and did a great job. To see more of his photo shoot go to valeriehartphotography.blogspot.com Thanks Val!

Just a highlight!

We went camping with some of our favorite people...the Connors and Dotys. I am busy doing laundry and getting the sand out of everything! I have only done 10 loads so far...but there are many more to do! Here is a sneak peak of some of the fun:







She told me she couldn't see, but it was still fun!

Productivity!

Today I have had a good day...the weather is nice and I have accomplished so much. Laundry...close to caught up. Painted a bench for my front room (it has been sitting for 5 years in my garage waiting for me) painted a desk for Brooke's room, pulled some weeds (but not enough) Neil helped boys in the neighborhood make their pinewood derby cars, sewed, sewed and sewed some more. I also had a nice lunch with just the hubster! Easton went to soccer practice. Neil took the boys to the hill to jump their bikes. Cam crashed and has a little road rash:( He did cry (miracle)! Brooke has tended most of the day and even took Addison to her second tending job! The weather is perfect, I wish it would last for months and months!

Few videos of the yellow jackets!