question......

what are ya'all doin' for after school snacks?(ooo, southern today)

cause we're day 4 and i'm over it.

"i'm hungry! i'm starving! i need something now!"

ramen noodles.

ravioli.

toast.

chocolate-peanut butter bananas(personal fav)

veggies and dip.

microwave popcorn.

pot pies.

here's the real problem.

they feed their faces and then they're not hungry when dinner rolls around.

oooo, rolls. yum.

i must be hungry.

so how do you handle this at your house.

what are the "go-to's" that you go-to.

help.

hope to hear from ya.

thanks a bunch.

Dear josh.

15 years ago today i said yes.

and so did you.

can you believe it?

15 years.

i can't seem to wrap my brain around it.

where has the time gone.

where will we be in 15 more years.

grandparents i suppose.

i wouldn't want to be in this life with anyone else.

lovingly.

adoringly.

yours,

em

fashion show and first day.

ok, so the kids each got to pick a couple of outfits to model.

i turned on justin bieber.

ethan said, "there's no way im coming out to that."

can ya tell he really fought the feeling.

first day. 8/23/2010

"Where in the crap are they going?"

"Oh, you're not leaving me here alone with them are you!"

Big 8th grader.

5th for sweet emma.

3rd for sammy boy.

and 1st for sweet lizaloo.

unbelieveable.

i really struggled this year.

i usually don't.

i usually feel really excited for them and for me.

i love routine.

i love a schedule.

but there was something about sending eliza all day this year.

she has been my buddy for so long.

she is loving it! so that helps.

josh and i drove away from the school with the realization

that the next time we send off a 1st grader,

we'll also be sending off a missionary in the same month.

gulp.

i might need a valium for that one.

here's to a great year for all!

back to school dinner 2010!

well we did it.

the kids are back in school.

we started it off with our traditional dinner.

we set goals, talk about our summer, and plan out our year.

i made everyones favorite,

Meatsticks! i know it just sounds wrong.

but it tastes so good.

griff got in on the action.

he can't quite figure out what the fuss is all about.

everyone got a littel gift with their own motto for the year.

this is eliza's.

after dinner we had a fashion show.

i'll post that next.

just give me a minute, i've had a rough morning.

ya, i was one of those blubbering moms.

but i at least held it together until i got in the car.

school year here we go......

practically a year.....

griffin beck....you are 10 months old today!

i thought another naked picture was in order.

we really can't get enough of his rolls.

they really are quite edible.

i munch on him all day long!

although i fear the days are numbered because he is on the move!

pat a cake. pat a cake.

Griffin @ 10 months you....

* say, " GO! GO! GO!

*crawl everywhere

*understand no. no.

* you have really curly hair all of the sudden!

* for as big as you are you really don't love food.

you would set up camp and nurse all day long if i let you.

you are the best!

now stop growing please.

we're winding down......

so we can wind back up!

we are cramming in some "last week of summer" fun.

do you do that?

i start to think, "did we do enough?"

did the kids feel footloose and fancy free enough?

it went way too fast.

don't get me wrong.

i'm ready.

they're ready.

you just start to feel like,

ya know,

was it enough?

so we are bowling,

lagooning(not all of us)

swimming,

park city-ing,

playing....

i hope they all had a good summer.

cause i sure did.

now get out!

pics of our fun to come.

bear lake here we come........

oh how we love bear lake.

i'm not quite sure what comes over me.

i start to feel giddy....

even though we were camping i was still excited.

we usually go with my mom and sis but we couldn't all do it this year.

camping is just not something we do very often, or at all.

but first, the car ride.

who can be first to spot the lake?

is it our handsome chauffeur?

oh...the canyons are not emmas friend.

griffy did great in the car.

it is only 2 hours after all.

some highlights of the trip......

prepare for picture overload.

football in the street under the lights.

hanging around the campsite

playing games, reading 2 minute mysteries,

making smores, and memories.

oh, griff on the beach.

be still my heart.

i literally have 50 pictures of him doing this.

could you die over his little lips

and chubby little hands!

jump for joy at bear lake!

now everybody jump!

the trip would not be complete without

a raspberry shake from the bear cave.

yum.

i love that even though ethan is the resident

"teenager" he still plays so cute with the kids.

he had them sparring on the log.

emma and liza cozying up around the fire.

goodbye bear lake, until next year.

although next year i really hope to be in the condo!

so i keep this little chalkboard in my kitchen.

every few days i write a little thought on it.

they vary from "inspirational" to the "hint-hint".

sam added a new one today.

he said, "mom, i think we need to ask ourselves this every day."

i couldn't agree more.

ps. yes that's a double "L" on helpful.

school starts in 2 weeks.

they'll fix that, rightt?

holy cow, that was a long blogging break.

unintentional of course.

sometimes i just get busy.

busy or lame.

we have had a low key summer.

meaning no big trips, no pool passes etc...

we have had fun just being.

the kids have had some fun camps

that they have really enjoyed,

other than that.....ya know,

just kind of hang'n.

and you know what?

we've all really loved it!

i did realize that 2 weeks from this morning

all of my chickens will scoot off to school

(except griff of course)

all of them gone all day.

it would have been so weird if i didn't have the baby.

what on earth would i have done all day? wink. wink.

it will be lovely to have my house stay clean for 7 hours straight.

and it will be divine to not have to make 3 meals a day.

but i'll miss 'em. its true.

its a love hate relationship i have with school.

well, now that we've caught up a bit i feel better.

do you?

i'm putting on my big girl pants and

going camping this week for a couple of days.

i'm not the greatest camper but we'll give it a go.

so wish us luck.

see ya.