Major Catch-Up

While we were busy having fun this summer, I didn't realize how far behind I got in my blogging.  So here goes - a quick recap of the last few months:

JULY

Well-renowned California artist Karl Johnson visited Utah for a special showing and to do silhouettes.  We had him do the girls' silhouettes, and I'm so glad we did!  Karl has amazing talent, and it was such a neat experience to see him just look at each girl, start cutting with his tiny scissors, and have a perfect image within minutes.  What a keepsake! 

Although we bought our "new" Pilot last August, we couldn't quite let go of our little van.  We didn't drive it anymore but it was hard for us to make that final decision to give it away.  We ended up giving it to Cars That Care, a local company that takes cars, fixes them up, and gives them to low-income and/or single mothers who could use them.  Knowing that our beloved van wouldn't just be smashed to pieces and knowing it would help a good cause helped us - even though it was hard.  That little van had become like a part of our family!

We went camping a couple of times this summer - one of our favorite things to do as a family!

(Makenna is a messy smore-maker!)

AUGUST

Kiera and Makenna had a gymnastics class, Kasidee had Biddy Ball, and all 3 girls had swimming lessons this summer.

We enjoyed cousin time at Pioneer Village in Lagoon.

Makenna turned 9 and had a puppy adoption birthday party.  It was so fun to plan it with her - and it ended up being a hit!  Each guest adopted a puppy, then they got to go to different stations: Pet Store (they bought puppy chow (or cocoa puffs), a collar and dog tag), Vet (they got to help their dogs get their check-ups), Groomer (they groomed their pets), and Training (they got to help their dogs learn new tricks).  It was a fun party - I can't believe Makenna is 9!

And 2 days later, Kasidee turned 6!  She had a swimming party in our backyard - kiddie pool, slip-n-slide, and sprinklers underneath the trampoline!

For my girls when they turn 6, I give them a book I have written and they draw the pictures.  Kasidee was so excited about her book "Ditto."

More camping adventures!

  

The girls started school.  This has been the hardest year for me by far.  The first year all of my girls are at school all day.  It's been a hard adjustment for me and for Kasidee.  I'm glad I have my preschoolers to bring some happiness and noise to my quiet house - but it's not the same.  I sure miss my girls!

 

A hot air balloon came to the girls' school.

 

The girls sold zucchini and cucumbers from our garden.

 

SEPTEMBER

 

The girls had a late night with some neighbors.  After the movie, the older girls had a pillow fight...

 

 

...and the younger girls ran for cover in the playroom!

 

OCTOBER - So Far...

Visiting Pack's Pumpkin Patch with cousins.

Eric and Mischelle had a Harry Potter Murder Mystery Party.  So fun!  Quentin was Harry Potter and I was Ginny.

We visited the American West Heritage Center in Logan for their Fall Harvest Festival.  I love that place!  We were there over 5 hours and had tons of fun experiences: rag doll making, candle making, cow milking, making brooms out of sorghum, apple pressing, corn shelling, throwing tomahawks, wagon rides, corn maze, train ride, giant slide, cob of corn slingshot...and yes, we did all of that!

Is Anyone There?

Okay, so I realize I haven't been the best at blogging lately.  I don't really know why I haven't been doing it much, but it's something I still really want to keep up on.  I like to blog as a record for my family, but I'm curious to know if there's anyone out there still checking my blog.  So it's roll call - if you're reading this, please comment so I know if anyone's still listening.  I'll be catching up soon, but until then, here's a funny.

• Makenna wanted to fill up some water balloons and pretend they were her pets.  She announced to her sisters, "Water balloons for sale for free!"  Kasidee said, "I'll give you 50 cents and 10 cents...so here's fifty-ten cents."  Later, when she couldn't find the coins she had put on the counter, Kasidee exclaimed, "I lost my cents!"

Ha!

Okay, either I think my kids are super funny...or I'm just not taking the time to document anything else.  Anyway, here's some more funnies.  My last 3 posts were "Funnies," "More Funnies," and "Even More Funnies."  It was tempting to call this one "Even even more more funnies!"  Well, here you have it!

• Our girls have had a little summer job taking care of our neighbor's garden, watering the lawn, checking the mail, etc. while they have been on vacation.  One day we decided to swing by on our way somewhere else, so we were in the car.  Kiera and Kasidee jumped out to do their job but Makenna decided to stay in the car.  After about a minute Makenna said, "I better go see what they're doing - I know how they handle things!"
• Another time when we were in the car getting ready to run errands, I looked around and said, "Augh - I feel like I'm forgetting something.  What did I forget?"  And Makenna piped up and said, "It seems like I forgot something too.  Oh yes, my dignity!"
• One day I took Kasidee to her friend Libby's house to play.  As we were standing my the front door, Kasidee said to me, "I'm not afraid of Libby's cat anymore.  I want to overfear my scares."
• As Makenna was saying a prayer before dinner one night she said, "Please help us to be protected and nourishmented."
• Kasidee came up to me one day and very seriously said, "I know Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy are real, but what about the Sandman and the... nose picker guy... what's his name?  Oh yeah, the Boogeyman."
• Makenna was practicing the hula hoop, and she said, "Mama, do you want to watch me do the Loopty Loop?"
• Kasidee had a stuffy nose one morning.  Pointing to one nostril, she said, "I can't breathe out of this nose [then pointing to the other nostril] or this nose."

Even More Funnies

So I haven't been very good at posting pictures/events lately.  But I'm pretty proud of myself for writing down things my girls say that make me giggle.  One day I'd like to put all of these silly sayings in a book.  Here's some more I'll add:

• After swimming lessons one day, I asked the girls to all get in the tub for a quick bath.  Kiera wanted to take her own shower but I said it would be faster and easier if they all just cram into the tub together.  Kiera said, "There's not enough room for the 3 of us in the tub.  Makenna's toots take up most of the room!"
• When the girls are with me when we go to Target, we like to get their free kid's cookies.  The other day Kiera and Kasidee gobbled theirs up within seconds.  Makenna held onto hers and said, "I'm going to save my cookie for the car.  That way you guys can watch me eat it!"
• Patting her tummy, Makenna said, "I'm feeling a little chunky."  Kasidee said, "Makenna, everybody has flubber."
• Kasidee said, "I saw a mosquito flying around and when I closed my mouth I couldn't see it anymore.  Can you check my teeth and see if there are any tiny legs there?"
• We've been getting invitations ready for Makenna and Kasidee's birthday parties.  Kasidee pointed to the envelopes and said, "When can we invitation them?"

More Funnies

• As a family, we are saving up for our new puppy that we'll be getting around February.  Kasidee asked if we could get 2 puppies.  I told her no, that one is plenty.  She said that 2 puppies would be too much money.  Then she said, "If one dog is $2,000 [which is not even close to how much I would pay for a puppy!] then 2 dogs would be 40 hundred thousand dollars."
• I called the girls inside as they were out riding their bikes.  I said, "It's time to come in - you need to have a bath and then we can do a family movie night."  Makenna said, "I want to do both of those, except the bath."

Funnies

• The girls have had fun playing with their dolls - the other day they planned a birthday party for them.  They told me, "They're turning zero!"
• One day, Kasidee was trying to whistle but for some reason a sound just wouldn't come out.  She exclaimed, "My whistle is out!"
• Kiera said, "Well, that was kind of freaky."  Makenna's eyes widened as she said, "Don't say that word!  It freaks me out!"
• Makenna said out of the blue one day, "I hope when we get our dog it doesn't bum-scootch."
• The other day when we were running a few errands, I told the girls we would go to one store to get something Kiera needed and another store to get something Makenna needed.  After a little bit Kasidee jokingly said as she laughed, "Well, what about me?  Is there candy involved?"

Princess Festival

On Saturday we joined my sister-in-law, my niece, my SIL's mom and niece at Thanksgiving Point for the Princess Festival.  I think this is our third or fourth time going, and it is a fun experience. All proceeds go to a great charity, and the girls get to dress up as princesses and go on "quests" where they interactively participate in princess adventures.  This year was extremely hot so we didn't do as much as we probably would have, but it was fun being there and having the fun experience!

 

 

Perhaps the best part was getting all wet at the end!

 

 

Funnies

• After Kasidee washed her hands at the sink, she couldn't quite reach the faucet to turn it off.  Pointing to the water, she asked, "Can you undo this?"
• Kiera (who will be in sixth grade this Fall) said, "It's weird how the sixth graders are a lot smaller now than when I was in first grade."
• Kasidee saw that I had bought a new bottle of mustard.  She exclaimed, "Ew - why did you get hamburger sauce?"
• The other day, I bought a bunch of fruit to make a fruit salad.  Makenna started licking her lips when she saw it.  I told her that we were going to give some of it to my sister-in-law and her family.  Makenna, who likes to have food all to herself said, "So you mean you got all of this fruit for nothing?"
• The 3 girls have been playing "Princess School" with each other for the last few days.  One of the things they're practicing is poise - and they walk across the room with a book balanced on their heads.  After trying many times and not making it all the way across, Kasidee said, "Okay, I guess I have a slippery head."
• Kasidee told me matter-of-factly the other day, "I'd much rather have sisters than friends."

Summer So Far

Well, we've been on summer break not even 2 weeks yet and I just feel so giddy!  I wish summer could last forever - I love having my girls home with me!  So far we've had the perfect combination of relaxation/motivation to get "chores" done/time for fun stuff!  We went on our ward campout, 2 birthday parties for friends, a sidewalk chalk festival at the neighbor's house, had sprinkler time, 2 trips to the "big" Salt Lake library, friend time, lots of cousin time, took lunch to Mom and Grandma, went to the Church History Museum with Mom, library show & babysitting class at the library, crafts at Sister C's house, BBQ at Corbin & Nikki's, picnic at the park with Mom and Grandma, vegetarian potluck with neighbors, International Peace Gardens with neighbors...plus gymnastics class for Kiera and Makenna (with cousin Marina) and soccer/basketball/t-ball class for Kasidee (with cousin Isaac).  Whew - so fun!

 

Ward Campout (Kiera and Ashleigh's secret hideout)

 

 

Neighborhood Sidewalk Chalk Festival at Kate's:

 

 

 

Kasidee learning T-ball

 

International Peace Gardens

 

 

Kasidee playing soccer:

Cousins:

 

 

Catch Up

It's been awhile....  Here's some of what's been going on:

 

Kiera was nominated to be in the district-wide decathlon.  In each of the 4th, 5th and 6th grades, 2 girls and 2 boys were chosen - she was so proud!  They competed against about 30 other schools in 10 competitions (200 meter dash, shuttle run, basketball dribble, jump rope, cup stacking, etc.)  She did great - she loves anything athletic, plus she has a bit of her dad's competitiveness in her!

 

Memorial Day weekend - the girls with Nana:

 

Preschool Graduation - Kasidee was my special helper this year, and she still wanted to have a part in the program!

 

 

(Group preschool hug!)

 

Kasidee's REAL kindergarten graduation:

 

(Kasidee's BFF Sydney)

 

All of the third graders had to create a "grape smasher" using at least 2 simple machines.  Here's the one Makenna created.

 

The last day of school.  This is Kiera's "all time favorite" teacher:

 

The girls came home to a "Happy Summer" banner I made:

 

 

Funnies

• Kasidee got one of those long stick suckers from a birthday party she went to.  For weeks, Kiera asked her if she was going to eat it.  Kasidee decided she could share with Kiera so she told Kiera she could lick the top half and Kasidee would lick the bottom half.  Kasidee explained to me, "Even though we're sisters we don't want to lick each other's licks."
• It was particularly hard for Kasidee to wake up for church one morning after a late night.  I kept going into her room and trying to rouse her.  At one point, I saw her stretching and said, "Oh, are you finally ready to get up?"  She said, "I just need to get my eyes ready."
• For Father's Day, my mom gave Quentin a foam mat that we can use for camping.  It's in 6 pieces and goes together somewhat like a puzzle.  Kasidee remarked, "Hey, we could make a box out of that instead and you could put me in it!"  I exclaimed, "What a great idea!"  Then she jokingly grumbled and said, "I should've not've said that!" 

Funnies

• Kasidee said, "I know zero is the shortest number...so what is the tallest number?"
• The girls bought snow cones from some neighbor kids on the last day of school.  Kiera and Kasidee got cotton candy flavor.  Makenna had wanted the pink lemonade flavor but the kid accidentally put cotton candy flavor on hers too.  As we were going home, Kiera said, "Those kids are pretty smart doing a snow cone stand on the last day of school."  Makenna said, "Well, they're not THAT smart - I asked for pink lemonade!"
• The night before Kasidee's kindergarten graduation, she asked if Daddy would be able to be there.  I told her that he wouldn't miss it - he took the whole day off.  She said, "Oh good.  It just wouldn't be the same without him."  Awww....

Funny

The other day I put our bathroom rug back after washing it - Kasidee always loves how fluffy it is after it comes out of the dryer.  She promptly put her feet on the rug which made 2 little footprints on the fluffy rug.  I teased her by saying, "Oh no, Kasidee - now it's ruined!"  She laughed and said, "I'll fluffin' it back up.  See, now it's all fluffined."