Auntie Update

This one is for Auntie Em who can never get enough.

Maddie just finished swimming lessons and passed Pre Level 2. She has always been kind of a girl about getting her head wet (hm, who was she watching?) but now she loves swimming underwater and can float by herself.

Ella had a tough time with sitting on the sidelines. The first two days I let her wade in the shallow until she got kicked out for not having me in the water with her. She really would have loved her own class but can't start until she's 3. So after lessons were over we took a family trip to the pool so she could swim to her heart's content!

Even baby Ty got in! This was his first time swimming and I thought he was just too cute in his little shorts.

A few other goings on... Maddie is starting to read! Her teacher gave her these fun slider cards to practice at home and she blows through them before I can even help her.

To help Ella feel special among all Maddie's fun activities, Mike took her on a Daddy Daughter Date to Chick-Fil-A. She is still talking about it a week later!

Tyler has started playing in the exersaucer and I just can't believe how big and strong he is. In the last few weeks he has gotten super silly and talkative. He is already growing up.

Mrs. Emily

My gaggle of high school friends is still dear to me. In our senior year we had a sleepover and each wrote our guesses for who would get married first to last, have the most kids, etc.

Emily was first on everyone's list to get married because she was seriously dating an older guy... luckily life has a way of working out for the best and she got married last Saturday to the man of her dreams... last on the list! Dana and I took our families up to support her. Emily and Jason chose to get married on Redfish Lake in Stanley, Idaho, and the back drop was just stunning.

Husband and Wife!

My sister and best friends... seriously, I couldn't ask for better. I'm so glad we've kept close and can pick up where we leave off.

The reception tent at Redfish Lodge

Friends with the beautiful bride. Her ruffly dress was gorgeous!

My girlies were supposed to come but they both woke up sick. They stayed with Daddy who was just broken-hearted about catching the BYU game. They think Grandma's house is just about the best place on earth, so I don't think they were very sad.

Gotta love the tire swing. We wish we had a tree big enough to hook one of our own up.

Uncle Cole let Maddie play his new electric guitar. She thought she was rockin'.

Grandpa loved on the babies. Grandma was with the newest babies, twins Ty and Ava up in Rexburg! We missed her but we're glad she can be with Noelle.

I love going home to I-daaaaaaaaaaaa-hooooo. Always a good time.

Learn Something New Every Day

Kids change fast, but they seem to be learning at great speeds right now!

Ella

Ella is loving her pre-school group! The biggest accomplishment (in my eyes) is allowing me to drop her off alone. She has never been good at leaving me and usually has Maddie as a shield as well. She has been so brave.

She loved these little turtles. Everything in her world is Daddy, Mommy, sister, and baby (even the different size steps at the park) so she loved all the babies following the mommy and helped me put each one in order.

She is getting so good at coloring! I was shocked when she brought me this picture and most of the color was in the lines.

Ella has been working on riding her bike too. A few nights ago I found her pedaling herself quite a ways. This is a big thing for her as I've always had to push! I think it also has to do with her size... she is a lot smaller than Maddie was and takes longer to grow into things.

I also wanted to record that both girls sing songs everywhere they go. They learn the words so fast and hum little tunes to themselves all day. Mike recently taught Maddie "Zippidee do-dah" and after singing it 3 times she had it down.

Maddie

I don't know if I've mentioned it but Maddie is attending two preschools. We signed her up for one with her friend Karlee, and then my neighbor started one last minute and begged Maddie to join to even out the girls and boys. I thought it might be too much for her to go 4 days a week, but she soaks it right up!I think it's good to keep her busy till kindergarten. Both teachers are absolutely amazing and she comes home bursting with new ideas and sayings. They tickle my funny bone too:

"Criss cross applesauce" (to sit Indian style)
"Catch a butterly!" (in their mouth, to quiet them down)
"Tootsie roll, lollipop, we've been talking, now let's stop." (with cute hand motions)
Handy Manny handshake: hammer, screwdriver, saw

Both teachers started the year with the book "The Kissing Hand" and crafts. One was made of playdough and she painted it, and the other was a cookie and puppet.

I'm telling you, these teachers go to so much effort! Especially my neighbor, she is over the top.

Maddie started Kinder ballet last Friday! She was so excited to get new clothes and shoes, but when we pulled up to the studio she said, "Wait, I don't dance here anymore. I dance on stage!" It was too cute. She thought because of the recital that she had graduated to dancing only on stage.

I couldn't get a good picture but I think she has good form! Her new teacher has some neat ideas, like telling the girls to connect toes to make a circle 'pizza' and then when they stretch over, they can't dip their toes in the sauce.

Maddie also started swimming lessons this week! I know, we're totally over scheduling our 4 year old! Swim lessons only last for 9 days and it's high time she started them. Mike aptly described her as an enthusiastic learner--she is so excited about it all.

She's done great so far! I thought she'd be a little scared but she just looks over at me and grins, then bobs underwater.

Tyler

Baby has found his toes!!! It's so cute!

"Check me out Mom!"

He almost rolled front to back today because his head is so heavy and he was screaming (hates tummy time)... bet it won't be long.

Gotta end with some sweet shots! I seriously munch on this guy all day long. He is so kissable!

Off to Pre-School!

We have been counting down to September 6th. Maddie apprised me every morning for weeks:

12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... 0 days till school!!!

Ella is a little young, but a friend of ours started a mom co-op group and I thought she could use an activity of her own. It's only a few hours a week and I only have to teach a few times, so it should be great! Like her poster says, she needs something "All About Ella!"

I was so impressed she knew how to hold her pencil... I don't remember teaching her that. She doesn't really know how to write yet but she certainly knows her name is E-L-L-A!

Maddie started pre-school at Tina's Tots in our neighborhood. Miss Tina is awesome! She is super organized, enthusiastic, energetic, and fun! Maddie came home talking a million miles a minute.

Here's Maddie with her buddy Karlee. They are excited to be together now for pre-school and dance. Here's to a great year! Now I just have to get back in the swing of a schedule... it's rubbing wrong at the moment. :)

Labor Day Games

We had a fun family picnic with the Andrews at Liberty Park on our day off.

It was a good way to end the summer... watermelon, green grass, swings and slides, and field games.


Rebecca planned a relay race for us and these funny ladies practiced the wheelbarrow portion.

Go Grandma!!!

The kids ended up doing it in the real relay. Adults just don't have the proportions to go very far!

Then we placed a rousing game of Red Rover. As fun as it sounded, we decided it needs to be all one age group... 5 kids ended up crying because of competitive adults trying to break through!

Maddie's tears were actually because she was the first not to break through and she thought she did it wrong! It was good for her to learn the rules to a classic game.

They also played SPUD... everyone is numbered, then touches the ball in the middle while one person throws it up and calls a number. Whoever's number is called catches the ball while everyone else runs as far as they can. The person with the ball can take three steps any direction, and then tries to hit someone with the ball. If it is caught, they have to throw it up again, but if not then the person hit throws it up next. Kind of a fun twist on dodge ball.

I love this action shot of everyone running away... except Mike. Was he going backwards???