Back to School!

Okay, I'm going to try to hold back my level of excitement with this post. Some moms really dread their kids going back to school because they miss them so much when they're gone. How do I say what I'm feeling without looking like a terrible mom? I AM SO ECSTATIC THAT I CAN BARELY CONTAIN MYSELF!!! Don't get me wrong! We had a very fun summer, but the arguing was getting pretty annoying and my house needs a major overhaul!

Jared is so excited for preschool this year! On his first day he took his three books that he knows how to read to share with his teacher. Look at that smile! Can life get any better than that?!

The day after Jared started preschool Dallin went to first grade. He came home and said that first grade was very boring because there were no toys. Man, it stinks to get older!

Hmmm, Jared is smiling, Dallin is smiling and Jenna is very sad that she can't go to school with the big boys. She's probably just thrilled to get to stay home alone with Mommy! No worries Jenna! I have big plans for us!

Fun at the Fair!

Man I love the fair! I love watching my kids have fun, the food is great, I get to hold hands with my cute husband, and if you're a people watcher like I am, you can't find a better place to be entertained! No really. The hosts of "What Not to Wear" would be beside themselves as to what to do! They could do 2 years worth of shows with what they'd find here! Gotta love it!

The zoo train is always such a big hit! I'm sad that Dallin will probably want nothing to do with these rides next year! What are we going to do when he wants to go on the twirl-spin-and-barf rides? Brett and I don't do well with those. I guess we'll have to invite a friend! Aunt Shannon or Aunt Natalie?!!

Jenna was in heaven. She loved this ride and the helicopter one too.

I grew up on a ranch, so as a child the animal barn was my least favorite place to be! My kids love it! I wish I never would have introduced them to the rides! I could have saved a lot of money over the past few years!

The kids loved this little bunny. The little 4-H boy was so nice and patient to let all of the kids pet his little rabbit.

Dallin saw these and just had to drive one. He promised he'd go home and do lots of jobs to pay for it! He was so careful to stay on the dirt path. Even though he got lapped a few times by the other drivers he got out at the end and said, "I won the race and I didn't even drive off the road!" That's my boy!

Fun in the Sun!

The other day our friend Hayley invited us over to play in their new pool. In the early afternoon she started filling the pool with the hose. She also added hot buckets of water to make it a little warmer. (It was only about 66 degrees outside so we knew the sun wouldn't heat it too much.) She even hooked the hose to her kitchen faucet so she could add more hot water. Two and a half hours later (and no hot water to be found) the pool was still filling up! I couldn't believe Owen, Hayley's son, just dove in face first. The water was FREEZING!! Later the pool buckled and the water started flooding their backyard. It was so funny watching our delayed reactions. "Hey, where's all this water coming from? Augh!! Hurry! Fix the pool!" I'm sure her husband was delighted when the lawn was way too wet to mow that night!

While Owen and Dallin enjoyed the water, Quinn, Jared and Jenna had fun playing with the toys!

TENNIS ANYONE?

Last night for Family Home Evening we took the kids to try out their new tennis rackets that Grandma and Grandpa Gardiner gave them for their birthdays. We had so much fun attempting to hit the ball! We learned two things from the whole experience.....One, Jenna needs her own racket and two, we definitely need to go again. We had a blast and we all need a lot more practice. Help us, Uncle Steve!

You go girl! Jenna loved this, but didn't last too long. She ran to play on the slide while the rest of us played some more.

Look at that form. Actually Jared did pretty well when he wasn't being a wild child!

After Brett worked with Dallin on keeping his forearm straight, Dallin started hitting the ball a lot better.

Randomness

This week was actually pretty uneventful, except for the fact that we had two sunny days. One of those days was spent at the zoo and the other at two different parks. I've learned that when the sun does pop through this summer I need to drop everything and go out and enjoy it!

This is Jenna's new dollhouse. This is where she will eat, sleep and pretty much live until she outgrows it! Our friend was having a garage sale, so I couldn't resist! (Just what I need....one more big toy in my house!) The kids have been having fun though! The house is already filled with stuffed animals. I'm sure in future years Barbies will take over!

Dallin was so excited for me to take this picture so we could put it on our blog. This is a snow leopard from our zoo.

Brett taught the kids what an owl says.....

"Hooo, Hooo, who's your daddy?!

This is Jenna's version. These kids don't stand a chance
with us as parents! We are such nerds aren't we?!