Fun Moments in Boise

We had so much fun in Boise. I think that the kids had the most fun. They all loved playing together. Here are just some of the cute pictures of the kids and the activities that they did together. We were so grateful for Noal and Wendy for letting us come over and stay in their home. We love being in Boise with them.

Rachel and Morgan had a water fight and then eventually Jacob and Kaelen got all wet and involved. They all had so much fun playing and getting wet. The picture of Morgan and Rachel was a funny picture because right after I took it Morgan dumped the bucket of water on Rachel's head. It was pretty funny.

Morgan, Jacob and Rachel pulled Kaelen and Ainsley around in the wagon. Ainsley and Kaelen had so much fun. I think that Kaelen's favorite part was eating a delayed melting Popsicle. Coolest new invention even though he still got it all over him.

Wendy and Kaelen played in the blinds. It was so cute. I love the blurry picture. I think that it looks cool. Wendy was kissing Kaelen. Kaelen had so much fun playing peek a boo in the blinds. He was giggling. I also love that you can see Wendy smiling through the blinds.

We cannot visit Morgan with out playing the Wii. The kids had so much fun. They were playing boxing in the pictures. It was fun to watch them work so hard to beat each other.

We had the chance to go and pick peaches from a local orchard. They were so cheap and so good. I canned after I got home 50 quarts with what we picked. So nice. The kids liked picking too. I think though that they enjoyed playing in the dirt more though.

Jacob and Morgan ran off and quilt dirt castles. They didn't work very well though.

Kaelen really loved playing in the dirt. He would sit down and throw it all over himself. If he wasn't doing that he was grabbing the peaches from the buckets and was throwing them all over the place. He really liked all the balls he had to throw around. We didn't like it very much.

Our Little Girl

Kaelen to me has always been a very beautiful baby. I have always wondered if he looked like a girl if we dressed him in girl clothes. While we were in Boise Kaelen ran out of shorts and while his shorts were being washed we had to borrow some from Ainsley while we went fruit picking. They were denim with flowers. I made the comment about what he might look like in girl clothes. Wendy brought out a pink shirt for me and we put it on him. He looked so pretty. It was amazing what just changing the color of the shirt does to a baby. The best was that Wendy then brought out a bow for Kaelen's hair. He really looked like a little girl. It was pretty funny. Fortunately he knew that he wasn't a girl and did not like the bow in his hair. He pulled it out rather quickly and then cried. His days of being a girl were over. I did what I had wanted to do for a while and now have probably caused hours of therapy in the future. I hope you enjoy our little girl as much as we did.

Oh I love these pictures. The middle one especially.

Boise Trip - Football Game

For the labor day weekend we went to Boise to spend time with Noal and Wendy and to watch the Boise State football game. We drove to Boise Wednesday evening. The kids were going to miss 2 days of school for this trip. We figured that this was an okay time to miss 2 days. School had just started and so they weer still reviewing things.

Thursday evening Boise State played the Oregon Ducks. Boise played Oregon last year in Oregon and won so this year Oregon was ready for payback. This has been a much talked about game for 6 months now. Enoch and I were very excited to get tickets to it. We bought season tickets because there were going to be no tickets available for the public. We bought extra tickets to this game and other games to sell for more to make up the price we paid for the game. So if everything works the way we want we won't have paid anything for this Oregon game. The game was completely sold out.

This year in the stadium they have asked that people wear certain colors in the area you are sitting in. We sat where we wore white. Enoch surprised me with a Boise State shirt. The games started late too. Kick off was a 8:15 PM. Enoch and I had really good seats. We sat at the 50 yard line on the side of the press box and a little more than half way up. We could see everything so clearly. It was awesome.

The game was a good game. Not the best because both teams made many errors but Boise States defense was awesome. Just before the 2nd quarter Org eon had only 6 passing and rushing yards and no 1st downs. That is pathetic. By half time they only had 14 all together.

Boise won the game. The most talked part about the game which was sad that it was really the only thing talked about since they did win was the Oregon player that punched a Boise State Player in the face. After it happened which we didn't see they showed it on the big screen over and over again. Well the crowd started booing the Oregon player and he got even more mad and tried to attack some of the fans. Because of the incident he is suspended for the year and his chance of playing in the NFL is gone. So stupid that he let some comments and losing effect him so badly.

Enoch and I had so much fun though. We loved being at the game. We also loved that Noal and Wendy watched our kids for us so we could see the game.

Enoch very excited to drive to the game. We have flags for our car that we have for game day as well as a nice big sticker on the back window, our fiesta bowl sticker (we went to that so we had to have it on the car) as well as magnets now. Yes we are fans.

You can really see the crowd and their shirt colors in this picture.

Oregon's rushing and passing yards. Still not sure why it says 7 because 5+1 equals 6 last time I checked.

Boise on the blue turf.

Enoch after the game. Yippy they won!

My shirt says "The Myth is True..Ducks Do Crash on the blue." It had the date as well on it.

New Glasses

Rachel surprised us all on Monday by calling in the middle of the day saying that she was having a hard time reading her school work and reading the board. She said that everything was fuzzy. I called Enoch at work to ask his opinion. He said that he would find out stuff about our insruance and then would call me back. He called me a little later saying that Rachel had an eye appointment at 12 noon. We are leaving for Boise today (Wednesday) and we didn't want problems while we were there. I got her out of school just before lunch and took her over to the eye doctors. We had her eyes checked by another doctor in December because she had been complaining of her eyes hurting. The doctor had said that she was a little near sighted but nothing to even worry about. She could still see far and we didn't need to come in for another year or more. Because of what the doctor said we opted out on optical insurance for Rachel for the 2009 year. Luckily though the appointment is covered under medical.

Well she did need glasses. She is near sighted in the right eye and has a astigmatism in the left eye. She wasn't too bad but bad enough to get glasses. So we picked out some glasses for her. I was so hesitant because of how much they were going to cost. I even ran over to Walmart to look at their glasses. We didn't find any that we liked so we got ones from the doctor. The nice thing about getting them from the doctors was that they could have them ready for her the next day. They also had a coupon for $65 dollars off. I was happy that it wasn't over $200 for her glasses.

She picked out some small dark purple metal framed glasses. They are really cute on her. I was hoping to get a picture of her in them yesterday with her hair flat ironed straight and in her shirt and tie that she wore the first day of school. No such luck. I did get pictures of her this morning though as she headed out the door. She loves them and looks cute in them. She also can see really well now. No more blinking 100 times while talking to you or watching TV.

Rachel also has an appointment with the orthodontist on Tuesday. She should be getting braces soon. I told Rachel that she would be a geek with her braces and glasses. She then told me that glasses and braces were cute and all of her friends that have braces and glasses look awesome. I guess I felt like a geek when I had glasses and braces. Glad she doesn't feel that way.

Oh yes and Jacob cried when he found out that she was getting glasses and he wasn't. He was so mad. He really wanted glasses too. Kids are so funny.

In school for a week

The kids have been in school for over a week now. They are in their second week of school. They have really loved school. Jacob still gets up in the morning excited. They both come home really happy.

Jacob still doesn't tell me much. He did tell me that he got yellow carded. I had to ask what it was and I guess it is a warning for talking to much. That does not surprise me very much. Jacob is extremely smart but loves to talk and take him time working in the classroom. I am wondering if his teacher has moved him yet from the table with all the girls. Jacob leaves for school almost a half hour before Rachel. His bus pick him between 7:45 and 7:55 in the morning. His school starts at 8:20. Jacob is them home at 2:40 fr0m school. Jacob has homework every day. It is usually a math sheet. It takes him a while after he gets home to be motivated enough to do it right a way. I am hoping he learns fast that homework gets done quick so he can then play. It is really easy for him so I think that he is just bored when doing it.

Rachel loves school and can't tell me enough about her teacher and her friends. She loves it. She did come home the other day and told me how they separated the boys from the girls and had talks with them. They talked to the boy about no longer teasing the girls and being nice because they are more sensitive. The girls they pretty much told them that they have feminine hygiene things for them if they need them and if you don't know what they are talking about go talk to your parents. Sad that they have to address this matter for girls so young. Rachel has no homework well yet. Her teacher has told her that they will only have homework if they are messing around and don't get their work done in class. I love that. It was the same last year for Rachel as well. She never had homework. Rachel goes to school at 8:15 and then come home at 3:00.

I have really loved having just Kaelen and me at home during the day. We have been out running errands by 9 am most days. I have been able to get a lot done most days. I still don't feel like I have time for all I want but it sure has been nice. I have started to finish a lot of projects that I have wanted to finish all summer. I like too that I can be lazy for a few hours if I want during the day and I still have hours before the kids come home. It has been nice to just play with Kaelen as well. Kaelen is very happy though when the kids get home. When he hears them coming home he runs to the door screaming and smiling. It is very cute.

First Day of School

Rachel and Jacob both had their first day school today. It was exciting but a little nerve racking. I was nervous for Jacob. We didn't get the teacher that we requested and I didn't know the teacher that he did get. She is new in the school.

Jacob and Rachel woke up bright and early and had breakfast and got dressed and then I loaded everybody up into the car to take Jacob to school first. Jacob is attending 1st grade at Rimrock elementary where Rachel is attending 5th grade at Ammon elementary. Jacob was so nervous to go. When I looked at him in the rear view mirror he had this funniest face because he was so scared. He kept telling us how nervous he was.

When we got to school and took him into his classroom we was greeted by what was more of a jungle than a classroom. His whole classroom was a jungle theme. It was wall to wall covered in jungle paper with animals everywhere and fake trees. He found his seat right a way at his table and started to color. He was excited to see a few boys from his class last year. I think that he was really excited to be the only boy at his table. Jacob loves to hang out with girls. He loves to giggle and talk with them. His poor teacher. His teacher is Mrs. Rammell. Yes Rex Rammell who is running for Governors wife. Very funny that the class has relations to somebody running for governor and congress. When I asked Jacob's teacher if she needed any instruction before I left she said that she was great and that everything was going to be fine. I left the class with her asking the kids who was nervous about today and her saying that she was very nervous. Jacob's teacher gave this awesome note about how she wants first grade to be their favorite and most memorable year like her first grade was as a child. She also gave a note that is written phonetically not spelled correctly. The note talked about how this year they are going to write lots and she (Mrs. Rammell) didn't care if it was spelled correctly she just wanted them to write phonetically. I liked that. I really think that Jacob is going to have a great year. I am not worried at all about his teacher.

After dropping Jacob off I rushed to Rachel's school to drop her off. We made it just as the class was lining up outside. She looked so awesome in her shirt and tie. She is very into fashion and has to look cool all the time. Rachel let me take pictures but wouldn't let me come up to her classroom to take pictures. She is too cool for that. Luckily she lets me kiss her goodbye still at the house before she runs for the bus each morning. Rachel's teacher is Ms. Mackintosh (like the caramels. hmm yum) The kids call her Ms. Mack. We requested her and luckily me being a past PTO president at Rachel's school I get priority. Lucky me.

I still can't believe that Rachel is in the 5th grade. She is so big to me. She looks so much older this year as well. She has matured a lot over the summer.

So after dropping the kids off I went home with Kaelen to a quiet house. It is crazy to only have Kaelen home. I know though that i am going to like it. I am excited to get things done during the day especially when Kaelen sleeps.

After school when the kids came home I actually didn't get much from them. Jacob said the best part was lunch because one of the lunch ladies came up to him and told him "that if he didn't smile she was going to have to kiss him and hug him and then eat his lunch." He thought that it was funny. That was pretty much all I got out of him.

Rachel talked a little more about her day. She said that she had so much fun and that she loved her teacher. She sang this song to me that she learned. Go figure Jacob I don't think learned a song in the 1st grade but my 5th grader did. Very funny. Rachel also has a couple of really good friends in her class so she was really happy.

I think that this year is going to be a really great year for my kids. I am excited. I think that they both have great teachers whom they will love and learn a lot from.

Family Pictures at the Oregon Coast.

While we were at the coast (July 25-Aug 1st) we had family pictures taken. They turned out so beautiful. I am excited to get them printed and put on the wall. Here are just a few of the many that were taken. We had the pictures taken at Hug Point by Cannon beach. It was an amazing beach with tons of caves to go and look at while the tide is out. Once the tide goes in you can't see them anymore. This was one of my favorite places at the coast this year.

Gloria has mentioned that this is the whole family photo that she is going to order. I agree it is by far the best.

Okay these grand kid's ones are funny because of all the face expressions of all the kids. They were so unhappy at the time. IT was such a challenge to get them all to sit. Lindsay had to sit and hold Evie down in the pictures. I love looking at them. Oh so funny.

I love these family pictures. I am going to get a large one for my big frame in my living room and then a smaller one.

This is one that we'll have done in an 8x10.

I like this picture of Gloria and Chuck. I think that this is the most I have seen Chuck smile in a picture before.

This is the picture that will be blown up and put in my large frame in my living room.

Kaelen's First Hair Cut

On August 7th Kaelen got his first hair cut. He was so much older than Jacob was with his first hair cut. Kaelen was in much need of one. He had some crazy long pieces. I had been meaning to cut it for months now never found the time. I knew that it would take some time and I never felt like spending the time and energy to do it. It was so long though that I finally decided that it had to be done. I cut his hair on Enoch's lap. It was so hard because he would not sit still. He didn't cry but he didn't like me grabbing his hair and then cutting it. I was so worried about cutting him. Enoch kept having to move him around and distract him. It was so hard to do. It ended up turning out great though. It is so cute. I cut off about 2 inches in some places. I liked how it turned out. He looks more like a little boy now.

Before with his long hair near his ears.

Cutting the top of his hair.

Cutting around his ears and man he moved a lot.

Cutting the back of her head.

Cutting the back. Good thing Dad had fun things to play with.

Afterwards. Notice that there are no fly a ways on the sides. I love it.