Back to School!

Another school year is upon us. The day got off without a hitch, rain and all. I think this is the first year that their school year started with a rainy day schedule. I didn't even get out of the car. Just wished them a good day and off they went. This year, Brayden is a fifth grader and Shelby is a third grader. They both came home from school happy. I hope they have a good school year!

No more cups!

I finally did what I've told myself that I would do for a while now. I threw away all of Claire's cups. She started using these when she was about a year old. At first I thought is was great that she was taking a cup, but after a while she became very attached. We did not leave the house with out one. When she was happy to take them empty, it was obvious that they were mostly a pacifier. She would stroke her ear with one hand while holding the cup in the other. Everyday she would put herself to sleep this way. I have to say, these cups sure made life simpler for me. I knew taking them would be just as hard if not harder for me than her. She cried several times the first few days. In desperation, she went on a cup hunt and managed to dig up a few more. I thought I had found all of them. A few nights ago she started fussing for a "baby cup". I told her that she was a big girl and didn't need them anymore. She looked up at me and asked, "can I just have one more?" She reminded me of an alcoholic begging for one more drink. We are on day five and she's doing great. I think this was more my addiction than hers.

Great to be Eight

Shelby was baptized Sat. Aug. 4th. She shared this day with many family members and friends. She looked like a little princess in her white dress. She is growing up before our eyes. I saw what I hope is a glimpse into her future as I looked at her in her beautiful white dress. So far, Shelby has been such a good little girl. Her testimony is growing and she understands the importance of following the Savior. We have high hopes for her future and hope that she will always remember this day.

Five things about Shelby:
1. likes gymnastics
2. lives to play with her friends
3. likes mashed potatoes and gravy, chili cheese fries, and hot Cheetos.
4. favorite color is turquoise
5. favorite TV show is Hannah Montana

She's swimming!

I learned about a swim school that several friends have used to help teach their children to swim. I figured that I for sure had waited too long to get Claire in for lessons. I decided to call them and was pleasantly surprised that they had openings for lessons. She went four days a week for two weeks. She screamed the whole time on the first lesson. At first it was very scary for her to go with a stranger into the pool. By the third lesson, she was a different child, She was a little reluctant to do everything, but she was happy. By the end of the lessons, she was not swimming,but she was kicking her feet and putting her face in the water. One day after we got back from vacation, she decided she wanted to swim to Brayden and Shelby. She took her floaties off and off she swam! I couldn't believe she did it. She certainly surprised her brother and sister too. She's not ready for the Olympics, but she's swimming great for being three years old. Those swim lessons were worth every bit of money spent. I'm so glad she did them.

summer vacation

We went to Newport Beach for a week this summer. We bought a timeshare here two years ago and finally tried it out. We really enjoy this area because it is central to many fun locations. This year we spent a day at Sea World and a day at Universal Studios. Brayden and I went to see Wicked in L.A. The rest of the days we spent either at the pool or the beach. It was wonderful spending time together as a family. As is usually the case with vacations, the week went by very fast.



Eating nachos at the bar.




Pool time! Shelby poses for just a moment before jumping in. The property has four pools to choose from. This picture was taken at the main pool.













Getting ready to leave to see Wicked!
Kerry and I saw this play in June and knew
Brayden would love it. I learned first hand
how terrible LA traffic is. Unfortunately, we were a little late but Brayden loved it. I bought him a CD of the music. He has listened to it so many times that he has memorized all the songs. Now he is asking for the sheet music so that he can play the songs himself.



















Little Lola Claire obliging her mother for some cute shots.















Sea World was a highlight of our trip. We were able to spend some time with a trainer and one of the dolphins. The kids got to touch and feed the dolphin. Here, we're giving the dolphin the signal to wave. The kids enjoyed all of the exhibits, rides and shows.