Where to Begin?

Oh honestly......I've been sitting here trying to decide if it's worth trying to catch up since July 5 or just starting from now.  The problem is that we did SO much from July until now that I don't want to forget about.  So for journal purposes.... here goes:

July:

All three of my kids had swimming lessons. I could drop all three off and read a book while they swam.  It just keeps getting better and better....it really does. ;)  I don't have any pictures of their lessons-BUT, I have a success story: ALLIE CAN REALLY, REALLY, SWIM!  Hallelujah! I mean people.....She. Can. Swim!!!  Who gets teary eyed watching their child do the front crawl? I do. Yes I DO! Allie has always been....(what's the word here).......cautious about the water.  Timid even.  No more! Not only can she swim beautifully she can MOVE! She can swim so fast. Even her teacher commented on her speed.  She started learning to dive and loves that also.  She spent most of our time at the pool this year at the diving boards.  It was a long time coming, but it was worth the wait. ha..
Olivia and Easton are also little fish.  When we would go to the pool(which was almost every day) Olivia always had to grab her naked Ariel doll and kitty-Kat watering can.  When you added goggles, it looked something like this:

haha.....okay, I never really made her wear all of that. I took at least one inflatable off her. ;)  Me and my kids are always sad when the pool closes for the year.  We spend lots of happy, happy hours there.  I know that it will always be a good place in our memories.

Let's see.......Oh! In July me and Paul went and saw Wicked.  We(yes me AND Paul) LOVE going to the theatre.  I have seen Wicked before, but Paul has never.  Everyone was shocked that I didn't take Allie, but we took her to see Phantom AND Mary Poppins.  I told her another time. Besides-I knew I would go to a nicer place to eat with Paul. HA! It was a nice night out and he loved it and I will ALWAYS love that show. One of my favorites.

Easton kept on golfing and golfing and golfing through the summer. He has definitely found what he loves to do and he was even able to do two Jr. golf tournaments. The second one was a parent/junior scramble in SL.  They golfed with Paul's boss and his son and they did pretty well.  They love to golf together.....and I LOVE that.  I like that what he likes to do can let his dad be so involved.(did that make sense?) Its so fun to watch your kids find what they love. For Easton it is most definitely Lego's and Golf.  In that order. ;)

Allie spent all summer working on "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" at Heritage Theatre.  She tried out for the part of Veruca Salt back in early May.  She was called back three times and made it right down between her and another girl......and in the end she was given the part of an oompa-loompa.  haha.....but she happily accepted that part and had so much fun with this show!  Tons of kids, not a stressful part to play and she met a very best friend in the process.  We couldn't have asked for more.  The show was darling, she was able to sing a small solo and me and Paul were able to sit in the dark and smile until our faces hurt.  :)

Paul has turned into a major hiker. He has tackled many, many mountains and caves this summer and fall including Mt. Timpanogos and Ben Lomond.  He takes the kids whenever he can and even me and Olivia have started to be able to go. She is a good little hiker and refuses to be carried, so she gets worn right out...but she will NOT be different than Allie and Easton. ha...

Then the first day of school rolled around.  I always get so sad that another year is starting.  It's nice to get back on a schedule and routine, but I like the ease of lazy summer days too.  I have a 5th and 2nd grader and a pre-schooler this year.  I was SO worried about the day I dropped Olivia off and I would get back in my car and drive home alone.  It wasn't bad...I have lots to do while she is gone for two hours. I help in Easton's class on Mondays and Fridays I usually go and run errands or do grocery shopping.  Honestly? Its kind of nice to have a little down time.  I'm sure happy when all three faces are back home though.  I love hearing about their day and helping them with homework, practices, reading.  I love dinner time-when we are all back together again. It's a great stage of life for me.  I know it will be one of my favorites when I look back.  :)  Here are Allie & Easton on the first day....

And.....Ms. Olivia. Kitty back-pack and all.

A few days after school started, me and Paul headed out for our river trip up in Jackson Hole.  This is, hands down my favorite trip ever.  We go with our good friends Jay and Holly but a whole slew of people go. We usually don't know many of them and they come from all walks of life....but we all have so much fun together.  So nice to be outside, on the river and with Paul.  We get lots and lots of time to just talk out there on the river, something that doesn't happen at home with work, kids, etc....by the time we leave we have made a ton of new friends and feel ready to go back home and conquer it all.

 I always tell Paul that right here, in this seat, is where I am happiest.  Just looking at this picture makes me want to be right back there. 

I learned how to do a "ducky" down the Weber River.  I was scared to death.....but that was the whole idea.  haha....

Sadly, we had to come home for Paul's grandma's funeral. Grace White. One of the classiest, amazing and beautiful people I have had the pleasure to know.  She played a huge role(as did Grandpa) in Paul's life.  They were his constant cheerleaders.  She will be missed so much, but we were so glad that she could join grandpa again.  She had missed him like crazy.

I always take my kids pictures about this time of year. I wanted to do something a little different.  Something that would help me remember something about them at this time.  So here are Olivia's.  She is my stuffed animal lover.  I have a feeling she is going to be my real life animal lover too.  Her bed is covered in stuffed animals and we have to put them all around her before she goes to sleep.  So here is Olivia and Friend's. ;)

Lego's pretty much rule our world and ruin our vacuum around here. ;)  Easton is obsessed.  Lego Ninjago to be exact.  His imagination is so fascinating to me though.  I watch him create an entire world with those legos.  So here is Easton and his favorite obsession.

Next up was Allie.....we had this whole thing planned(it will still happen) but these field pictures were a kind of spur of the moment thing. I love them.  They seem like her to me. :) 

I also got to take pictures of my niece Ashtyn.  Some of my favorite pictures....EVER. 

How do two brown-eyed(darkbrown!)make that eye color? Beautiful!

I love this time of year! I am so excited for all the holidays and family gatherings that are coming up.  We also have a baptism coming.....December 1! Oh, and it should be known that Paul came home from Wal-Mart last night and said "I'm thinking those inflatable reindeer would look awesome next to our Santa."


Not even joking.




Let the madness begin! ;)