Friday, August 22, 2008

What a Morning!

We were already to walk out the door this morning to take Caelan to school - everyone was in the car, and I got in and turned the key...Nothing. Yep, the battery was dead. I thought, "No big deal, we can just take the Galaxy (our old faithful)" but I went out to it and found the tire completely flat. So then I called Sean, but didn't get an answer. I figured I was just going to have to get her to school without a motorized vehicle. The bike sounded better than walking. I went to hook up the bike trailer, and wouldn't you know...my bike tires were flat. At least those are easy to pump right up. So I pumped them up and then biked to Caelan's school. It's really not too far at all, but let's keep in mind I am 8 months pregnant (I stayed on all the low traffic streets for safety) and I had Caelan in the bike seat behind me, and Ben and Megan were in the trailer in the back. The sun was up and shining, and that little ride wore me out. Caelan was late for school, but at least we got her there (the kids actually thought the whole thing was pretty great). Sean came home to jump start the car about an hour and a half ago. I just got in it to go to the doctor and the blasted thing was dead again (I guess we didn't drive it around enough to get the battery charged). AHHHH! Good thing his work is pretty close by - he's running home again to get me jump started. We're going to make it through this day - I just know it.

Friday, August 15, 2008

I LOVE THE OLYMPICS



Yep - it's that time....the 16 days every couple of years where I am attached to my TV (at least during Prime Time hours). I like the Winter Games, but I LOVE the summer games (I am much more interested in the events of the summer games). I've really been trying to do a lot of stuff during the day so then I don't feel so guilty when I'm sitting like a bump on a log on my couch for hours on end at night watching the games. How about that Girls All Around Gymnastics competition last night or the Mens 4X100 Freestyle swim relay or May and Walsh controlling the beach volleyball arena or track and field (Saturday - here we come)? I love it! And my husband is just so wonderful about my slight obsession. He enjoys the games as well, but not quite to my crazy level...and yet each night he doesn't mind when I turn on the TV and watch sports until late into the night (while he often falls asleep on the floor) - what a guy!!

Thursday, August 14, 2008

First Day of School



Caelan started Kindergarten today. I dropped her off at 8:30 AM, and I won't be back until 3:30 PM to pick her up (they have all day Kindergarten here in Kingman). She has been so excited this week: picking out a lunch box, finding new school shoes, meeting her teacher, helping me make her lunch last night (she actually had been asking me about making her lunch all afternoon). We met her teacher and had a look at her classroom yesterday afternoon - she was pretty excited! Her actual teacher has 4 weeks of maternity leave (she just had her 4th baby - all of her kids are pretty close to ours...her oldest daughter is also starting Kindergarten), but her substitute teacher also seems really nice and good. She thought the cafeteria and the idea of eating lunch there everyday was pretty neat.
I have to admit, I never thought I would have a difficult time sending my kids to school, especially in Caelan's case, where she is SOOO ready to go, but I definitely had a pit in my stomach as I drove away from the school this morning. It's just so crazy that she is growing up so much. She has been home all day with me since she was born (minus preschool twice a week for a few hours), and now she will be in school for 7 hours five days a week. I know she will be great, but now I know what all the moms are talking about when they say it is hard to "let go."

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Meg's New Trick


Megan has learned how to take off her clothes by herself. This is usually how she looks by about 3PM.

Here are some pictures from our family reunion up in Colorado (Sylvan Lake State Park). We left on Thursday evening, and ended up driving much later into the night that we had planned (there were no open motels anywhere). We drove through Monument Valley at night (we could still see the shadows of the huge rock towers, which was cool). We had all the fun...fishing, white water rafting, cliff jumping, rowing on the lake, spending time with the fam, enjoying the beauty, etc.

On the white water rafting day, I took the youngens and drove over to Vail (a pretty ski town). Caelan and Sean rafted and did a little cliff jumping (yes, even Caelan - well, she jumped off a ledge).




After the reunion we headed over to Utah and saw our new niece, Brooklyn. What a cutie. We also spent an afternoon with Sean's parents and sister's family. Then on our way home we stopped in Cedar City where my family was hanging out for the week, and spent the afternoon with them (Sean and Dad spent many an hour installing a new radio into Dad's car). Then we headed home. We had a great time.