Girls weekend-

Over the weekend, the girls and I went and stayed in Salem. We haven't been down in a while and now that we'll be doing swim lessons for the next 6 Saturdays, I figured we'd better get down there. Greg was vaccinating calves and helping his dad bring cows down off the hill on Saturday and Sunday anyway so it was a good time to go. We don't get down there as much as we use to. With 3 kids it's gotten harder to pick up and leave for a couple nights. Packing for 4 is a real pain and especially when I forget something major like someones underwear (usually mine) or even worse, a stuffed animal!!! When we are there though the girls have a ball. My parents and my older sister live next door to each other so we don't just visit grandma and grandpa we visit the whole fam-damily! This weekend however, all the boys were hunting so it was just the girls! We didn't do anything too exciting. We couldn't talk anyone into babysitting so the big girls could catch a movie but we did get to go bummin' for a while till the BYU game started then grandma deserted us. Then we went out to eat at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants and Jamie and I made some cute headbands and flower clips for the girls hair. On Sunday we got to visit with my Grandma Maida, We try to see her every time we are down because she loves to see the girls. She's over 90 and is still so sharp. Sometimes it takes her a minute but she seems to remember all the kids names. My parents live just around the corner from her so it's always fun to walk down to Grandma Maida's. After that we went and "stole" some peaches. My uncle planted peach trees years ago so in the summer we go "steal" them. We don't really steal them because we have permission but it's sort of become a tradition to steal peaches from Uncle Shirl. Unfortunately my uncle died a while ago so although I have many memories of my uncle, "stealing peaches" is one I share with my kids. Sometimes we'll be in the grocery store and see the peaches and one of the girls will say something about getting ours from Uncle Shirl. I wish I was more ambitious and would bottle some but I'm just not there yet.

So when we left Salem we headed home to Francis where the big round-up was over and Grandma Dixie and Andrea had prepared yet another feast for the cowboys. Whenever they move the cows or haul hay or do anything that requires extra helpers, Dixie wont let them leave with an empty stomach. She goes all out with dinner and dessert and she invites their spouses too. I'm not sure how she does it because she's never sure how many mouths will come or even what time to expect them ( you know how cowboys are) As always it was awesome. Thanks Gramma Dix it was Yum-O. It's plain to see why they're always able to get so many helpers. I think the cowboys outnumbered the cows this time! Anyhoo- It was a busy but fun weekend and now that my two days of babysitting are over I can catch my breath and get some stuff done around my house..... maybe later.

Sisters

I was blow drying my hair the other day and Hayden and Chandler were watching TV, or at least I thought anyway. When It was a little too quiet I went to check on them. Hayden had fallen asleep on the couch and Chandler was asleep on the love seat. I don't get time to myself very often, so I tip-toed around the house for a while doing laundry and other chores that I have been putting off. When I came back in the living room Chandler had gotten off her couch and snuggled up to her sister and gone back to sleep. Of course I grabbed my camera so that I have proof to show them that they really do love each other in spite of all the scars from biting and scratching. Hopefully we'll be out of that phase soon.

Haydo-P-Tado goes to school!

Hayden started preschool today. She's been counting down for the last week or so and she was really excited. Last year we didn't know anyone in her class before she started but this year there were a few people she already knew so that made it even more exciting. It's crazy how big she's gotten. Greg thinks she isn't growing fast enough but of going by the length of her last years pants, she's definitely grown. She may not be as tall as her big sister but she's getting there. She is really into coloring now and writing words all the time. She is always asking me how to spell something and writing it down. She's a smartie and I'm excited to see how far she will come in school this year.

Oh heavans!

Why is it when I babysit other kids mine are the ones that misbehave? I don't know why this child is drawn to the baby lotion but this is the second time she's done this. It's probably because Baby Magic is my very favorite and they stopped making it so when I was pregnant with Chandler I bought a case of it online. There's no better smell in the world than a baby magic baby. It will be gone way too soon at this rate!

You can totally tell she's trying to talk her way out of trouble in this shot and how could I be mad at that face. But I sternly told her she was in big trouble while I stifled a laugh and ran for my camera. Oooh I love that girl.

First week of second grade

My Gracie Jo started second grade this week. Most kids and moms eagerly look forward to the start of school. For the kids they get to go back to a new teacher, new friends, new fun. For the mom, well, we all know that summer wears on their nerves a little. For me though I really wasn't looking that forward to school. For me it just means that another season has flown by and my girls are growing up faster than I want them to. I don't like it! It wasn't that long ago that princesses and strawberry shortcake were all that she thought about. Now it's Hannah Montana and the Jonas Bros. Real people, not cartoons! What's next?
Well so far every first day of school has started off rough. In kindergarten Gracie was sick the first day and couldn't go. In first grade we missed the bus because it came earlier than we expected. Lucky for us we weren't the only ones and she was able to catch a ride with the neighbor. Then this year I started babysitting for another friend of ours and they were coming for the first time on Gracie's first day of school. Of course! They got dropped off at about 10 minutes before the bus was suppose to come so I was pushing Gracie out the door as they were walking in and trying to get final instructions from their mom. No big deal normally except there are 3 kids. A four year old and two, yes, two 17 month olds. Twins! So I threw them in the stroller (luckily I have a double) wrapped my 2 year old in a blanked and told the two four year olds to head down the street. So me and my 5 kids made it to the bus stop just in time to snap one picture of Gracie right before she got on the bus. No cute little photo shoot for the first day like I have done the last 2 years. Other than this one I had to settle for taking pictures as she came off the bus and she had already taken her hair-do out between the corner and the house. I did get a few second day of school shots. Heaven only knows what next year will bring. I hate to even imagine. We all survived our first day. Gracie's first day of school and my first day with twins and a four year old. I think so far she's had a good first week. All she will really talk about are the turtles her teacher keeps as class pets. I mean how do you top turtles? Now Hayden starts after Labor day and I'm sure I'll be a little sad then too. It's her last year of preschool and before I know it she'll be in college. Or maybe not, she says she's going to live with me forever. So for now I'm trying to take it one day at a time, one grade at a time, and enjoying my little girls while they're still little. Because one of these days they're going to be 15 and they'll be up for adoption. : (