Happy Birthday Sophie!

Sophie turned four this past Monday!  It was a minimal day at school so the big kids got out early and we met up with Nate for lunch.  Well, let me back up, we began her birthday celebrations at 6:30 am that morning.  We seem to have filled evenings these days and we didn't want Sophie to have to wait to open her presents and play with them til almost bedtime, so we just started very early. 

My mom had brought her presents down when I had Tessa, so she had quite a bunch of stuff to open. 

So we spent the early morning opening presents and singing.  Then we got the kids off to school and Nate off to work and Sophie and I played with her presents until it was time to go get the kids.  We ate lunch at Zupas then came home and I finished decorating her cake.

  She requested a cake that looked like Ariel, I did my best, but it really isn't my forte.  I think cake without faces are easier.  Then we took Jack and Bella to their practices and came home to get ready to go to the mascot bowl.  We met up with Nate and headed over to the high school to watch a bunch of mascots play football with the Lehi eighth grade teams.  It was a good time and we didn't get home until way too late.  

Four great things about Sophie:

1. She is exuberant, really excited about most things.  We love to see how she smiles when she runs, it's pure joy.

2. She is really helpful with Tessa, she has been very patient ever since she was born.  She loves Tessa and it shows.  

3.  Sophie is funny, she says the funniest things all the time, we need to be better about writing them down.  Her observations of the world are pretty keen, and she isn't afraid of asking for what she wants and being clear with people.

4. She is smart, she knows so many things.  I think she will have a ball when she starts school in a few years, in the mean time, we do joy school and lessons at home.  She gets frustrated when she doesn't just know things-very reminiscent of Jack in that way. 

We love Sophie and I am glad she had such a fun birthday! 

Summer, according to the pictures on my phone

The weather is cooling down, it's not cold by any means, but you can tell that fall is on its way.  I take a lot of pictures with my phone to send to my mom and Nate.  But a funny thing happens, they don't often get the picture I send, they get a random picture I deleted months ago.  This is a good lesson to never take pictures you don't want the world to see.  I have no idea how the wrong picture finds its way through the ether, but it does.  Usually if I take another picture and keep sending, the right image ends up in the right place eventually, but I only do this if I have a fully charged phone and some time.  Anyway, I downloaded all the pics I took this summer and here are a few highlights.

In the hospital

Scary Hands

Pool in the backyard

Sisters

Mom, I want a haircut

Loves scarves

Neptune

I have 40 of these and it's not enough

Gummy Grin!

Splash Park

34 years old

Great form Bella

BYU Bookstore

Crab Spider

Artistic Concentration

He can finish a footlong

She can't finish a 4 inch

Hard earned football cards

Mom, please take my picture

Multitasking

Going shopping

Just a boy with a ukelele

Costco

QB

QT

 So, the older kids and Nate are hardly ever with me when I am taking pictures.  Tessa and Sophie and I spend the most time together-makes sense.  My cell phone says it holds 4975 pictures, doesn't that seem unlikely?  It would be shocking if I filled it up.  Of course if I did, even more random pictures would go to those I send picture mail to.

St. George

I some how missed doing a post on our only excursion this summer.  Isabella really wanted to see a production of The Little Mermaid when it was on Broadway in New York.  We talked about doing it for her nine year old trip.  However, it ended it's run and we didn't make it.  She's not nine yet.  Anyway, earlier in the year I saw advertising for Tuacahn Theater in St. George and they had the production down there.  So Nate and I planned a little getaway and didn't tell the kids until we were all in the car on the freeway.  They were pretty excited and had a great time.  We stayed in a hotel, which they always love, but this particular hotel had sliding glass doors from our room out to the pool.  The kids thought that was the coolest thing ever.

This was taken from our room.  It was the Howard Johnson, if any one needs a suite that sleeps six easily and has pool access, here ya go!

Nate and the three kids loved the show, no babes in arms or kids under three, so Tessa and I did this instead:

There is a movie theater across the street from the hotel.  It was opening weekend, so I didn't really think I would get into the movie, but I did, it totally wasn't sold out and Tessa and I weren't crowded at all.  She slept almost the whole time and didn't make a peep, which was lovely.

We also went to the Dinosaur Tracks Discovery site.  It was okay, but no where near as developed at The Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point.  The kids loved eating out a lot and we treated them to Dilly Bars at Dairy Queen, none of them remembered having those before.  It was a quick nice trip.

Lehi Jamboree

The hottest weekend in August is the Lehi Youth Football Jamboree.  I have no idea how they know it will be the hottest weekend, but it is, and that is when they schedule it.  Nate had been gone on a scout camp out, so he arrived just as the action began.  Roger and Cassie took Bella and Sophie swimming, which was great, because the girls would have been melting out there with me.

 

Jack is standing the the middle with the yellow penny on.  He is playing quarterback this year, so it should be a fun year.  He loves being in on the action, and you can't get anymore in than that.  He is also playing defense, so I am working hard to make sure he stays hydrated.  They played a seventh grade team in their scrimmage (why?!?) and did pretty good despite the size difference.  I will try and post his stats after each game on his football blog, In the Zone. 

Color Me Mine

It felt like I didn't do too many big things will the kids this summer, besides provide them with a baby sister, that was really their main entertainment.

So in early August we all went to Color Me Mine and I let them pick out a piece and paint it.  I also got in on the action and painted a salad plate and a little bowl.

We had gone about three years ago and I had painted two salad plates.  A few months ago I broke on and Sophie got very very mad at me and told me I can't use glass dishes any more.  She has no enforcing power, but was really happy I finally replaced the one I broke. 

Sophie painted this mermaid and was very pleased with it.  It is very colorful now that it is fired!

Bella was very meticulous and spent a very long time painting this castle.  She also really loved how it turned out. 

Jack painted a giant mug with Colts, Lehi, and BYU logos.  He wanted the giant mug so he could use it for cereal and ice cream.  He took all the pictures that day, which is good because Tessa was in the wrap carrier and I probably would have forgotten to take any.  The kids want to go back again, they had so much fun!

Swim Lessons

We managed to get in two sessions of swim lessons with the kids this summer.

  Jack really looks like a swimmer out there finally.  He did really well.

In the second session, Bella got to move up a level, which is exciting. 

And Sophie had a ton of fun.  She is really happy all the time and just can barely hold it in when she is doing fun things. 

Everyone is already excited to do some more lessons next summer.  Maybe Tessa and I will do some mom and tot ones to get in on the action

First Day

I always have mixed feelings about the beginning of the school year.  I love that the kids are growing and having new experiences and adventures.  I also love to have them here with me.  Jack and Isabella have been beyond helpful this summer.  They have prepared meals and cleaned and been great helpers with Sophie.  And having a baby at the beginning of summer makes it go even faster.  Not that summer is over mind you, it is supposed to be in the high nineties all week.  Anyway, here is my big sixth grader:

He totally needs a haircut.  He wants to hold out until October, I don't know.....

And here is our third grader:

She got a spiffy new backpack this year. I was glad she picked it out, sometimes we have the same taste in things. 

Sophie, Tessa, and I went to the Thanksgiving Point children's gardens today with some friends.  Poor Soph, part of her really wants to go off to school and part of her doesn't.  It makes for some funny rants on her part occasionally.  She has a late birthday, so she still has a few more falls at home. 

 

We are all anxious to get back into a regular schedule.  It will be interesting to see how it goes.  Nate got the kids alarm clocks so they can be responsible for getting their own selves up on time, or staying in bed until a certain time, depending on which kid.  I set the alarm on my phone so I will remember to pick up Jack everyday-new for me.  Wish us luck on a new year!