Ben's 1st day of Pre-School

Yesterday was Ben's official first day of school. He was so excited that he could hardly stand it and he got very upset that we were not going until after we had gone to the gym (he has the afternoon session from 11:30-1:30). When we got there he couldn't hold still long enough to get his seat belt off and I was trying to find my camera. I got out of the car and saw Carter a little boy that Ben has played with a few times because he is one of his playmates cousins. I said hi to Carter and as soon as Ben heard his name he jumped out of the car took Carters hand ( Carter was already holding hands with the teacher) and said "Bye Mom". I thought I was going to cry but I didn't have time because they were already walking away so all I could say was can I get a picture first? So he stopped and smiled as big as he could for the mild inconvenience I had caused him. I got one shot and he was gone. I suppose it is nice to know I have raised such an independent child, well at least one of them...because when I got back into the car I was welcomed by huge tears.
Now I am not sure if she wanted to go with him or just hated to see him go. Most likely I want to say she really missed him because when we pulled up to the school a little early to pick him up and Ben was not out of class yet she was very worried that we would not find him and when she saw him walk out the door she started cheering. How cute! Ben ran inside so fast that I didn't get a photo of just him with his backpack so after I picked him up I tried again.
This time he was a little more calm so he let me take a picture but I couldn't see it because of the light outside so I told him I needed to take one more and he said "okay but I need Kendall to be in this one with me" Oh! How cute! Today was a good day

bear lake camping trip

We decided that we should go camping for labor day just the four of us. This whole summer we have not had a camping trip by ourselves. At first I was worried that we would not be able to intertain the kids without family to help but what was I really scared of because it is something I do everyday. After talking we decide to drive up to Bear Lake. The weather was not suppose to be that nice but Tyler and I had not been there sense we were kids and if no one else was going with us we were going to go somewhere that we wouldn't normally. I think we found our new favorite vacation spot in Utah. The weather was surpisingly nice and we spent the entire day at the beach. It was a real beach too, not like the rocky shores of Echo. The kids love Love LOVED it.
Kendall was in the water the whole time and Ben was having fun looking for seashells. He wanted to bring some home but the only thing I had to put them in was a rasin box, it was so cute watching him pick the ones he liked best to put in his box.They were beat when we finally left. The wind was starting to blow the storm in that was suppose to be there earlier. Even Kendall did not protest too much when we put her in the car because she was getting sand in her eyes. They fell asleep on the way back to the trailer and got some much neede sleep. When they woke up we all went for a tradional Bear Lake rasberry shake. Yum Yum.

The next day was sunday and we got ready and went to church. It was a very interesting meeting because it was all visitors I think only the speakers were people who lived in the area. When we got back from church Tyler took the kids for a bike ride and I took a nap. A much needed nap. When the bike ride was over we started to make dinner and that is when the wind started to pick up and it blew the flame out on our outdoor stove. Three cheers for trailers with kitchens inside, yeah, yeah, yeah! And when dinner was done it started to rain the kids wanted to go outside so bad but we brought our DVD players from the car into the trailer and kept them intertained with movie and puzzles until it was time to go to bed. Three cheers for trailers in campsites with hookups. Yeah, yeah, yeah!
It was still raining in the morning so we just packed up and went home. But this will hopefuly not be the end of our camping adventures this year we will just have to go a little further south.

My husband and I went out on a date on Monday. He took me to the Sheryl Crow concert, tickets that he bought me for Mothers Day. It was so exciting I have loved Sheryl Crow for a long time but the best part was being with my husband. I love taht

My friend Camille and I went to Thanksgiving Point to try $2 Tuesday (again) I guess I am not a fast learner. Really it was not so bad we got there right after they opened the line was long but there really wasn't as many people inside as there was last time. Ben kept running away because he knew what he wanted to see and he didn't want to wait. This time with less people I was able to see some things and I felt better prepared because I knew where to look for Ben because I knew what he liked the most. The kids had the most fun digging up the dinosaur bones in the sand box ( I think that is what Ben was trying to get to so fast) I tried to get pictures of all the kids but Camille's boy didn't want his picture taken, oh well what are you going to do?! It was fun but unless my kid starts talking about Dinosaurs as much as he does trains we probably will not go back anytime soon.



On Wed we went to the preschool to meet Ben's new teacher, Miss Sally. They held an open house and I was a little disappointed to have it when they did I was hoping they would wait until the first day was a little closer because he will be asking me everyday when he gets to go to school. When Joy School ended he would ask me for a few weeks after "How come you don't let me go to school anymore?" I was very impressed with all the teachers and the set up that they have it looks like he will have a lot of fun.

Texas anyone?!!?

I have good friends who are moving back to Utah and I could not be more excited! They just need to sell their house in Texas so if anyone is interested..... http://swallowlane.blogspot.com/

Foutz Week 08

I couldn't be more upset about this, all I was doing was transferring pictures from my memory card to my SIL computer and it went haywire and deleted 100 pictures for no reason. And it is not like it was the pictures from the week we had just spent with family who all had their own cameras and I was trying to share mine so we could decide who had to best pictures. NO! it was all the pictures before that week the ones of our whole summer ya know the ones that I should have been downloading so I could update my blog already but I have just been too lazy to do. I guess I will take that as a sign that I should stop being such a slacker. Now that is off my chest on with the trip. PORTLAND The first night we spent in Portland was girls night out, I don't really get to spend to much time with just my SIL's and I miss hanging out with them so we planned a night for just us First we went dancing at some clubs in downtown Portland. It was great to let loose and just have fun. Our group of girls got a lot of attention because we were the only group that had two very pregnant chicks. Most people thought it was funny and some even took pictures but a few people were rude (mostly girls) I guess the reason that most everyone else was there (meat market) didn't make much sense to them why the knocked up ones were there and getting a lot of attention. You cannot even see the cute prego bellies in the photo!! On the way home we stopped at a cool doughnut shop voodoo doughnuts and bought some sweets then we had to run in our heals to catch the train. We missed the last run of the night by seconds and had to take a cab, what a rip off. Oh well at least we didn't have to walk in those shoes anymore. CAMPING We camped on the coast and the kids had so much fun riding their bikes around "all over everywhere" as Ben put it. Kendall had more fun making other people take her for rides I think. We spent a whole day at Seaside a city on the coast and the kids got to play on the beach and in the waves a little bit. Kendall is such a beach baby she threw the biggest fit when we had to go it was almost heart breaking Our campsite was close to some trails so we all went for a bike ride to see a wrecked ship and an old Fort that was suppose to used in WWII. On the way to visit Tyler's mother we all stopped at the Cheese factory to get some squeaky cheese. SOUTHERN OREGON The rest of the week was spent hanging out by the pool, eating great food and more pool time because it was so hot. We did take the rafts down the river one day. I was worried that the kids would be scared but they really liked it. Enough to make it a family tradition to run the river when we get together every summer. Ben was not so sure of the tahitis at first but he saw Kendall and his cousin Natalie taking turns riding with people that when he finally got in with his YaYa he didn't want to get out until the end. In fact Ben liked it so much he spent the rest of the night in the pool paddling back and forth. Something I would have never guessed that he would like, but my kids surprise me more and more everyday.

the last week

we had a great week this week first the kids had their check ups together, just one of the nice things about having them so close together them seem to hit their milestones at about the sametime if only the co-pay would count for both. Ben didn't need any shots and that is not a big deal either way because that stuff has never really bothered him but I was glad that Kendall didn't have to watch him get shots because she really would have know what was coming. She really doesn't like anyone in scrubs and for good reason anytime she has encountered someone dressed like that she is usually on the reciving end of some sort of tourture that I am sure she thinks I enjoy watching because I always seem to be the only one available to hold her down. All tourture aside she was done poking out her lower lip when I exchanded the generic cartoon bunny bandaid for a waterproof Princess one as soon as we got home and pulled out her "swimin-soup". The rest of the day was spent at the splash park with friends something we hardly ever have time for. This funny to me because when I remember back to the lazy days of summer that is all I ever did was spend time with friends WOW my mom must have worked her rear-end off to arange such a thing. Allthough these were my friends and it might just be convienent that we all have kids the same age that will play well toghter and the kids have fun so that is all that matters right! (here is where the cute picutres of the kids running through the water go)
Tuesday was the Dinosaur museum at thanksgiving point with my sister and her four kids, two dollar Tuesday to be exact. Considering it is about $10 to get in on a regular day we thougt we would give it a try how crowded could it really be?
$2 Tuesday was sortof a nightmare I wish we still had the photos just so we had proof of how many kids were actually there, but seeing as how Thanksgiving point is in Utah County that might not be a stretch for anyones imagination. I am not saying that my sister and I were any less of a spectacle but with all the large families there we blended in better than I thought we might. Picture this me with my double stroller (the limo) fighting for enough room to turn because it is so long I cannot see my front wheels. My sister with her baby in the stroller her two boys dissapearing off and on for different reasons. And her toddler on a leash, normally I am apposed to those but the toddler in question is an escape artist and under the sircomstances I thought it might have been the best investment my sister ever made untill she started chasing one of the boys and gave the leash to me. At first I was really embarased to have anyone see me use it but when she started to try to get away also and was draging me away from my children in the limo what choice did I have but to tie her up. That is correct tied her right to the handle of my stroller and then I put the brakes on. That little girl was not going anywhere. too bad we no longer have pictures of this ( I dont know if I am ever going to get over that, soooo many pictures just lost like they were nothing......)Anyway at the end of the day the kids were tired and happy just they way we like them so I guess fighting the crowds were worth it

Wed was a little more relaxing, no needles and not so many people. I had lunch with some friends from High School at Castle park in kaysville.
Our kids played and we got to talk, It was nice to sit and chat with the same girls I have been friends with from High School. I wish we had more time to spend together but sometimes I am amazed at how we have all kept in contact for so long.
I know we owe that all to our Christmas party that has become such a tradition my husband even starts asking when it will be so we can plan the rest of our holiday celebrations around it, he knows you dont mess with the green elephant. he he he ( I know only like 10 people are going to get that one but it is true) I am happy for the true friends that I have been able to keep and what they mean to me in my life.

I love to see the Temple

My kids and I took a field trip downtown to see the temple with my friend from High School and her neighbors. We rode the train in, I think that might have been their favorite part, and took a tour with some of the sister missionaries. It was nice to hear their simplified version of the tour ya know just the basics sometimes we all need to be taught like we are children who don't understand everything. Anyway this outing was one of the many that the pictures were lost so thanks to Z and the wonders of the internet I was able to swipe some photos from her blog, thanks for being more organized than me I hope I can make it up to you someday. For now i am just grateful. Oh and thanks for letting us tag a long

Fun family outing turned crime scene

When our evening suddenly opened up we decided we would go for a bike ride as a family. The kids were excited and we thought it would be fun to ride on the jordan river parkway so the kids could see the ducks and stop at a park for a break. If we rode our bikes to the parkway we would have had to take the bike trailer on the street something we were not all that comfortable with so we packed up and drove to a parking lot along side the trail. We saw an older man riding a BMX bike in the parking lot and even though I felt a little funny about it I didn't say anything to Tyler. Turns out he felt funny about it too and with good reason, when we returned from our ride our passenger side window was busted out all of our compartments were opened but nothing was taken. We didn't have anything to take really, the car had just been cleaned out because my dad drove it to girls camp for his ward and I didn't want any of my things getting in his way. All I could do was take a deep breath and hope Karma catches up with whom ever did this old guy on the BMX or not. We called the police just to get a case number so it would be easier to make a claim with the insurance, the officer that showed up was really nice. I know there was nothing he could do and they will never catch them and I am sure that was the last place he wanted to be but he was patient and helped us fill out a report and gave my kids some jr officer stickers that they loved. Our night as a family was still fun but I have an uneasy sick feeling in my stomach and I am not sure when it will go away.