Football

This weekend Connor had his first tackle football game, he is on the Eagles team and they played the Dolphins. It was a good learning experience, the other team dominated the field, but our team learned about working together, playing defense and not giving up. Although we lost, Connor had a great time and can't wait to play again next week.

We also started cleaning out grandma Archie's house. It was hard and there was so much to go through, but there was lots of family there so we were able to reminisce and hear a lot of different memories we've all had with grandma. Each of the kids were able to pick something to remind them of grandma. Connor picked some rocks she got from her trip to Jerusalem, one was from where David slated Goliath and the other was from the Red Sea, and he got 2 Utah Jazz pendants. Kadee picked a hanky, a white board, and a brooch, Kinlee was out of control, lol. She picked grandmas came, a porcelain doll, a necklace, a hanky, a stuffed animal and would have taken more if I would have let her. The only thing Matthew took was an old wind up dog you that used to be Derk's. It's so hard to realize she's really gone, but her spirit was strong and I can't wait for the day when I see her again. 

First Day of School!

Summer went out with a bang!  Friday I took the kids to the Castle Day pool.  We met Nana and their cousins and had pizza and played for hours.  Saturday we went up north to the mall, Sam's Club, a quick visit with grandma and grandpa Curtis and ended with the Bee's game.  The younger kids loved riding the train and rolling down the grassy hills and Connor loved watching the game.  It was super hero night so we all got capes to wear for the game.  Sunday we listened to Lance speak in church, he did a really good job!  Then that afternoon we went to grandma Rhea's for dinner, lots of family was there and the kids had a blast playing with cousins.

Yesterday Connor started his first day of 5th grade (and last first day of elementary school) and Kadee started her first day of 4th grade.  Kinlee had Kindergarten testing and we will find out at the end of this week who her teacher is.  They both loved their first day, but Kadee is very nervous for math, she said her math teacher kept giving her the stink eye.  They are rotating to different teachers this year and they both signed up for Musical Theater and Musical Majors so they are going to be doing lots of singing this year on top of all their other extra activities.  Connor was super excited to do the announcements, because he is Student Council President he will get to do them a lot and was pumped to be the one to do them on the first day of school.  I'm super excited for this school year but also very sad, the days are long but the years are short, it all seems to be flying by.  I hope I am raising them well and I hope they stay close to me when they are adults.  Kinlee can't wait to start Kindergarten and asks me every day if she has school yet.  Wow, it's crazy that 2 days a week all the kids will be in school (Matthew only goes Tuesday's and Thursday's).  Wish my babies would stop growing so fast!

First day of school!

Not her first day but she had to have a picture

Student Council President doing the morning announcements

Glenwood Springs Fun!

We had an AMAZING weekend in Glenwood Springs, CO.  Derk and Debbie paid for us to stay in a huge cabin that had a pool table, water slide, tee pee, hot tub, pond, deer, and much more.  They also took all of us (Derek, Nicole, Kyle, Candee, Rory, and I and all the kids) to the Glenwood Amusement Park and the swimming complex.  We all had so much fun!  Friday we hung out at the cabin, the kids played on the water slide, and we all just relaxed.  Saturday we went to the amusement park, it was way fun, they had an Alpine Slide, Zip line, 4d Theater, Cave Tour, and a roller coaster, just to name a few things.  We spent the day riding all the rides, eating, touring caves, and visiting.  We rode the tram up, but by the time we were leaving there was lightning so we had to ride a bus down, on the bus we sang Happy Birthday to Kinlee as loud as we could, she loved it and couldn't stop smiling, that night we celebrated her birthday, she opened her presents and ate cake, then the adults played a game, Rate your Mate.  It was so funny, we all laughed so much and Rory and I ended up winning, yay!

The next day we headed to the hot springs, there are a couple of water slides, a diving board, a cooler pool and the hot pool.  We rode the water slides about a million times, swam, sat in the hot pool and Rory raced Derk and Derek in the lap swim part and won so they had to buy him an ice cream.  After swimming we headed back to the cabin and made teriyaki chicken while the kids played pool.  The weekend flew by, and before we knew it, it was time to head home. 

It was a great weekend and lots of amazing memories were made, I'm so glad we got to end the summer with a relaxing weekend away!

Inside one of the caves

Enjoying her birthday cake

All the cousins

Logan, Kin, Kadee, & Con

Kinlee wanted to take a selfie for her birthday!

Carriage rides and cake

Yesterday we celebrated Kinlee's 5th birthday.  We will be in Glenwood Springs for her actual birthday, so we decided it would be easiest to do her party a few days early.  She was ecstatic and woke up in the morning ready to go.  She had her cousins (who are also identical twins) Calista and Alyssa, her cousin Jocelyn, Kamberlee, and Lexie help her celebrate.  She really wanted her very best friend Kaydree there, but unfortunately Kaydree was home sick.  Once all her friends arrived we had a tea party with Koolaid, danimals, sandwiches shaped like stars, strawberries, strawberry salad, and chips.  The girls were all so cute and so polite.  After the tea party Kinlee opened her presents and then we headed to Sam and Sandra Brown's for the horse carriage ride.  The kids got to pet the horse then everyone got to hope on the carriage and go for a ride.  They had a blast, but Kinlee thought it was hilarious that the horse was gassy, she whispered in my ear that the horse had the toots the whole time!  After the horse ride Sam and Sandra presented all the girls with princess wands, crowns, ring pops, bracelets, and bubbles.  After the carriage ride we went back to the house and sang Happy Birthday and had delicious cake.  Kinlee was worn out by the end of the night but said it was the best birthday ever, she said she wants to do the same exact thing next year, silly girl.