Parades and Playing with the Gaede's

 Jordan is just five months and one day in this picture! He looks a lot bigger than five months doesn't he?

 

Wellsville has a decent sized parade, considering how small the town is, at the beginning of September. We heard they threw candy so we had to go and see - of course. Lucky for us Aunt Carrie and her boys were up visiting their grandma so they were able to come with us. We sat right next to this drainage canal and it couldn't have been better. The kids loved to fetch the candy that was thrown but hit the canal and floated down. It also provided an excellent source of cooling that we needed. We heard that there was an Indian and Cowboy show afterwards with gun fights and fire. We headed over and while it was somewhat enjoyable, I think next year we will skip it. It was the same thing over and over again and you couldn't really tell what the story was. One of those if you've seen it once you've seen it all.

 I love this picture of Russ and Jordan, Russ actually looks like he's enjoying holding the squirmy wormy little guy!

The Gaede's came up to Brigham City for the Temple Open House and we drove down to see them. It was such a great day to be outside having fun and enjoying the weather. We went to a park to play and Jordan just couldn't hold still. We finally found my camera and since you can see yourself while you're taking pictures Jordan sat still and content - until I took it away! Poor Carrie went to the Open House while we were at the park and the line was wrapped all the way around the Temple block and then some. She said it didn't take too long, but taking five boys by herself sure earned her some gold stars!

John - Super Daddy

The second of September we had a nice relaxing day. Practicing riding bikes with no training wheels! and going to the park and racing around and around with daddy! John was pretty exhausted by the end of the day, but he's such a good daddy he just kept going all day long playing and playing with them. He rode up and down our street too many times to count teaching Madison and Drew how to ride a bike with no training wheels. Madison took to it and had it mastered within a few hours. Drew is our more cautious child and didn't like to ride without his training wheels, just in case he fell. He's always been extra cautious, not trying anything until he's sure he can do it without failing. He was very content to just ride his bike and not learn to ride a two-wheeler. After playing at home we went to the park to get more energy out of the kids. How they had any energy left after riding up and down the block over and over again I'll never know. The park in town has a sidewalk that circles the toys. The kids love to pick a place to start and then race around and around to see who is the fastest and how many laps they can get in a certain amount of time. Mommy likes to time them. Daddy gets out there with them and runs around and around. He's such a great daddy and one day the kids will realize how great he really is!

First Day of Kindergarten and Preschool

 Madison insisted that I get a picture of each pose, in front of the flowers at Mrs. Rose Mary's house. Yes, she's in charge and she knows it too.

She dressed herself, can you tell? She's getting pretty good and finding all yellow. Yellow is still her favorite color, can't you tell? Apparently it's merging into neon yellow. The up side of this? Yes, there is an up side and it didn't take long to find it. I can pick her out of a crowd anywhere! She's our social bug so being able to find her quickly is very handy.

Once Drew and Jocelyn saw that there were flowers in the picture they both had to get in too. They're all at such a fun age!

 Drew refused to put his hand down, he wanted to make sure that you saw the Millville sign. Not sure how one could miss a sign that is dominating the picture, but he was very worried that it would be missed.

 He was like most Kindergarteners - nervous and excited. Isn't that how we all are though in new situations? Drew went into Kindergarten reading and doing math. I wasn't sure that he would like Kindergarten since you have to go through each individual letter. Although he thinks it is ridiculous that they have to learn each letter, and so slowly at that, he is enjoying being at school and meeting new friends.

 

 Madison was so excited for the kids to come home from their first official school day together that she took off running down the street to meet them and walk them home. Drew and Alexis weren't nearly as excited as she was, but they indulged her.

Next year sweet Madison will get to officially make this walk home with them. I'm so excited, for me - not them. I'm excited that they'll be excited, but I'm more excited at the thought of having only two kids home for three hours a day five days a week! Oh what shall we do with ourselves?

My kids love the camera. Madison was ready to go to school, but wouldn't get out of the car until I took her picture because "I look too cute". Drew was giving Madison loves goodbye and telling her to have a good day at preschool. Such a sweet little boy he is.

Singing in the Rain - Dancing Really

 A rainstorm hit the day after John ran his race and right before we were to head home. Grandma decided to go and have fun with the kids in the rain - in her church clothes no less. I'm sure it's a great memory of Grandma that all the grandchildren who were with her will remember forever.

Some of us decided to be party poopers and stay nice and dry inside.

Rivalry Relay

 John did the Rivalry Relay again this year. I was smart enough to not want to kill myself again - EVER. I think John might run to get away from the noise of the house. My house noisy? I think not.

 I left after this exchange to go home and tend to the munchkins. John and I were both exhausted the entire day as we both only got about two hours of sleep before we had to wake up - before the sun did- to get him to Salt Lake for the start.

 

 Grandma JoAnn helped the girls learn how to sew. They loved being in charge of the sewing machine. Mine was played with multiple times after we got home because they "know how to do it by themselves, Grandma JoAnn taught me!"

 The rest of us played with the camera while we waited to go and see the end of the race.

 

 They all survived - I'm not sure how, it's beastly to run anything more than about a mile. John wasn't too sore the next day, I'm not sure how he accomplishes this, I couldn't walk for nearly a week after I did it. I'm glad that one of us likes to exercise. Now if we could figure out how to plug a jump drive into those that like to exercise and then transfer some of the benefits to those of us that don't like it at all.

Second Grade!!!

Alexis was practicing her photography skills on the way to her first day of school! She was so excited to go and play with all her friends.

 

She's seven and in second grade. Seriously where does the time go?

The End of Summer Fun

 Summer exhausts this little one. She loves to play on the computer and will fall asleep if you leave her alone long enough!

 Maybe it's time to get her her own helmet?

To end the summer we decided to go to the Brigham City Temple open house. It was beautiful inside and the kids loved it. Drew kept looking around and pointing out things and saying how magnificent, amazing, gorgeous and just beautiful they were. We took six adults for five kids - better safe than sorry. This was the only picture that turned out though.