"Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." Elizabeth Stone

This quote has been on my mind ALL day.
Today, our baby started Kindergarten.
It is the exact same amount of time her preschool was all last year (plus 2 days) so it should be no big deal -right?
Then why won't this huge lump in my throat go away?

I mean...YEAH Penny!!! I am so excited for you!

School Year 2009-2010

The 1st official day for Kindergartners isn't for another week, but we did have orientation... so we had to bring out the new school duds....which this year includes a t-shirt with a vest sewn on. Yep. right on!

Aspen and Eliza with their twinner shirts. I can't lie, the vest is growing on me....especially when I see these two in it.

The newest Husky.

Already working hard.

Super too cool for school. Jackson at his new desk. Love this boy!

Happy learning!

Jackson's 8!

Unbelievable. How did this happen so fast?
He is such a great kid, despite all of our first time parenting blunders.
(like those overalls in the middle pic, for example)

His Greatest 8:

Being in 2nd grade
Getting Baptized
Skateboarding with friends/cousins
Playing the violin (did that really make the list? I'm misty :)
Heading to Cub Scouts
LEGOS.LEGOS.LEGOS
Camping with Dad
Transformers

Our Greatest 8 about him being 8:

That you are no longer anywhere in your first 2 years.
Your sensitivity. (a blessing and a curse perhaps.)
Your enthusiasm for all things electronic.
Your big brothering skills. Penny adores you.
Your "trying on clothes" stance (you'd have to see it...priceless.)
Your internal alarm clock telling you it's 7 am and time to stand 1 inch from mom's face and ask,"Can I go watch a kids show?"
Your absolute LOVE of being with your Dad.
Your awareness of how the world works. It's profound.

We love you, JACK-E-CHAN!

Happy Birthday!

I am pretty much rockin' the collages lately.

They are just so handy!

Here is one last "hoo-raw" for summer fun!
Lots of swimming with my little fishies.
1 very full Lagoon Day.

Some good quality cousin time.
Jack & Tom on their backpack trip with buddies Jared & Sam.
treats. treats. treats. 2 of my favorite. the churro & shaved ice (tigers blood, please.)

Now, for reals...goodbye summer.

We'll sure miss you!

STAYCATION 2009
Brought to you by the letters T & L

I guess we can't really call it a "stay"-cation if we camped in my inlaws RV. : )
However, only 2 county lines were crossed. Here are the highlights...

one Winnebago.
two ecstatic kids.
three nights.
four "To Do's".

Mom's pick: alpine slide
We stretched this a bit and went to Snowbird for the day.
climbing wall. bungee tramp. tram ride. hiking. alpine slide. zipline. mechanical bull. lots of smiles.
CHECK.

Dad's pick: camping
We camped up American Fork canyon and hiked to Timpanogos Cave
stalactites. tinfoil dinners. roasted mellows. river sitting. outhouses... & oh yeah, a mattress & clean sheets. more smiles.
CHECK.

Jack's pick: Water Park & the Dinosaur Museum...still not sure how he got 2.
We were in the parking lot of Seven Peaks 1 hour before it opened....in the Minnie Winnie 300. sun. most crazy half-pipe slide. laziest river ever...literally stagnant. all smiles.
tyranosaurus rex. fossils. questions for the universe. IMAX about Africa. intellectual dizziness.
CHECK.

Aspen's pick: bowling
We stopped at Bountiful Bowl....again, in the Minnie Winnie.
stinky shoes. smelly joint. just the right ball. plenty o' gutters. nothin' but smiles.

CHECK.

good times. farewell summer.

Aspen's 5!

(O.K. she's been five for a month but I refuse to let our blog sound like my journal where every entry begins with an apology... oops! :)

Her favorite things about being 5:

Riding a two-wheeler
Going to friends by myself
Starting Kindergarten
Helping my aunts with their new babies
Sidewalk chalk / making powder

Our favorite things about her being 5:

1) Your last standing mispronounced word:"Wook"
As in, "Mom, Wook at this!" I can't correct it. I simply can't.

2) The broken -legged deer you sleep with. No name. Just a skinny, ratty, white-spotted deer. It makes me giggle every night.

3) Your imagination! The things you come up with amaze me daily.

4) Your love of ALL living things smaller than you...especially babies.

5) The way you treat Jack like your younger brother. Latest example: "Jack, pleeease play TROUBLE with me.....I'll let you cheat one time!"


We LOVE you, PENNY! Happy Birthday!!