School Carnival

Every year our elementary school has a carnival. We have only gone once and it was crazy crowded so we really didn't have interest to do it again. Allison came home from school today just begging to go the carnival because Miss Keeney(her 1st grade teacher) was going to be in pie toss booth. She told me they were going to have it outside instead of inside like the last time we went. I thought this would be fun to see so why not. The first thing we did was go see Miss Keeney. Allison was so excited that she actually hit her with the pie. Teachers have such an amazing job and when they really love what they do it really makes a difference. Miss Keeney is one of those amazing teachers and I have a feeling that Allison will remember her forever. I am so grateful for the wonderful people that influenced my children's life.

After hitting Miss Keeney with the pie Allison and Ashley Did the cake walk fished Golfed And finally Ashley went to the duck. When we were walking away she looked a little sad so I ask her what was wrong. She didn't like her prize she wanted a duck. It was a lot of fun and I am really glad that Allison talked us into going.

Madison Mowing

Kevin thought it would be fun to teach Madison how to mow the lawn. He has been talking about it for awhile and finally decided to do it tonight. Kevin is such a hard worker and I am so grateful that he is teaching our daughters to be the same way. I have never mowed a lawn(mainly because of allergies as a child) so Kevin wanted to teach our girls how to. Kevin even taught her how to start it. She said it was really hard. Madison said that she really had a great time and will be helping out again.

Labor Day Weekend in Utah

This year we took our annual trip to Utah for Labor Day. We use this weekend to school shop in Park City and go to Lagoon. This year we skipped Lagoon since we are going to Disney World in November. We still tried to make it fun for the girls since we weren't going to Lagoon. We started our vacation off with the Children's Museum in Salt Lake. The girls have been asking to go there for a few years so we broke down and went. It was so much fun. Ashley was in heaven. It was a big playground just for her. She loved every minute of it. I had so much fun watching the girls have fun. I am always so proud of Madison. She always makes the best of anything that we do. She doesn't complain that she is too old but jumps right in and has a great time. Allison is our great explorer. She had a great time figuring everything out. Ashley had a great time with just about everything. She could have spent all day there.

The girls had the best time and we will defiantly do this again.

The next thing that we did was visit friends and family. We could just take one trip to do this. We have such wonderful friends and family that live in Utah. We visited with an old friend from Texas that I grew up with. We had a great time visiting with Melissa and her parents. They made us lunch and we had a great time visiting and catching up. The girls had a great time running around and playing in the back yard.
We handed Allison the camera and she had a great time taking pictures. .

I was very impressed when I looked at the pictures that she took. I might have two little photographers on my hands. Madison and Allison have impressed me with the pictures that they take.

We were also able to visit with my brother and his family. They just moved back to Utah from North Carolina on Thursday so I am glad that we were able to see them after being far away for so long.

We had a great time hanging and the girls had a great time playing with cousins. They always like it when we see people that have kids for them to play with.

We also were able to see Kevin's brother Brian. Kevin went to a movie with him and then we met for ice cream afterwards. It was late and the kids were tired so again I gave Allison the camera hence why she is none of the pictures. It was a long weekend but we had a great time. It will be fun to do it all over again next year.

Family Reunion

This last weekend Ashley and I were able to go to a family reunion in Utah. Madison and Allison were in school and chose not to miss 2 days for the reunion. Kevin was not disappointed. The reunion was for the McIntosh side of my dads family. I have a lot of fond memories hanging out at my great-grandparents farm with my family. It has been a while since I have seen my extended family so I spent a lot of time learning names and putting families together but it was great and I can't wait until we have another one. I hope that I will be able to bring my whole family.

The reunion was at a lodge in Park City. The lodge that we stayed at was at the base of the mountain. The parking lot was down hill from the lodge. When my mom and I first arrived we were having a hard time figuring out where to park. When saw that we had to park at the bottom and hike up my mom was frustrated. She said she was not going to walk up that. Ashley from the back seat piped up and said, "Well no one is going to carry you." My mom and I were laughing so hard. I don't know what we are going to do with her. She just thinks she is so funny.
We had the option to stay in the lodge, hotel or tent. We chose tent. Ashley was very excited to sleep in a tent again. We were a little late setting up tents the first night so we decided not to get both my parents and mine set up. Ashley and I shared with my mom while my dad slept in a one man tent. It was a very interesting night so the second tent got put up the next night We slept much better. On Friday since this the night was kind of crazy we were up early enough to see the sun rise. It was so beautiful and peaceful but not sure that I need to see another sun rise in awhile and I am sure that Ashley doesn't. A three year old needs way more sleep then five hours in one night and only one 45 minute nap during the day. She actually did amazing well on Friday considering the circumstances.
Ashley had a great time. She had 5 adults to herself. She was not lacking any attention for the 3 days that we were gone. I am very grateful to my parents and my sister and her husband for all their help entertaining her. I love this picture. They look like they are having the best time. Brian played with Ashley at the playground so I could help with dinner. It was such a lifesaver to have his help.

The final night of the reunion we took some group pictures. This first one is my grandma's living siblings and their spouses. My grandma was 1 of 12 children. 10 of those kids lived to adulthood and had families of their own. 8 of the children are still alive and all 8 were able to attend the reunion. This is an amazing group of people and I am so grateful to be apart of their family.
There was also a crazy idea to get a picture of the whole group. It was crazy but we did get a large group picture with as many people as we could. It is amazing to look at this and think it isn't even half of everyone. Alot of people were able to attend but there were so much that weren't.
After the pictures we went inside for a family auction. This is to raise money for the next reunion. Funny story about the auction. Ashley not to far into the auction figured out that if you raised your hand they brought you stuff. She started to raise her hand but soon found out that no one paid attention to her so she hopped on my lap and started raising my hand. We soon bought some homemade Carmel's and she was happy.
To finish the reunion off a square dance caller came and everyone danced. It was alot of fun. Ashley and I were out there but as soon as she had to touch someone else she was done. It was late and she was very tired. This is my cute parents square dancing. It was fun watching them dance. Poor Ashley crashed during the square dancing. I guess it was too long of a day for a three year old.

Ashley and I had a great time visiting with everyone in Utah. My parents were bummed that Madison and Allison weren't able to make it so they came back to Idaho with me so they could spend some time with them. Madison and Allison were very happy.

Camping

Every year we talk about going camping but never actually make it. The girls are always asking to sleep in the tent so we decided that we could at least do that. Kevin set the tent up and the girls played in it all day. I loved it because my house stayed clean. After playing in it all day they still wanted to sleep in it so we did. The evening started out with having smores. We love smores but can't always make a bomb fire so Kevin made this mini bomb fire.The girls really had a great time roasting marshmallows.
We were all pretty exhausted so we went right to bed after smores.
After taking these pictures I suggested that I get a picture of just Kevin and I. I was expecting him to say no like normal but he didn't. I only wish that I wasn't in my pj's ready for bed since this is a rare occasion. We had alot of fun and hopefully we will make it on a real camping trip one day. Except one down fall to not being in you back yard is that you can't go inside when the sun comes up and sleep a little more.

First day of school

This year was very different for me than years past. I feel like I am in school with all the anxieties that I have about my kids school. The district changed year round school and the change has made things different. First of all we did not know who the girls teachers were until last Friday. We normally know that at the end of the previous year. We thought we knew who Allison was going to have but the school had to make some last minute adjustments for the unexpected last minute enrollment. Second grade had way to many kids enrolled and they weren't quite sure what to do so the solution that they came up with was a 2nd/3rd grade combo class. Allison was chosen to be in this class. She is very excited about the new prospect but I think it might be going to her head. Kevin and I are very excited at the possibilities that this will open up for her. She is so passionate for learning and I love to watch her embrace it. I have been very nervous all summer for the teacher that Madison was going to get. She had very strong feelings about one teacher that moved from 4th to 5th grade and I had heard some things that concerned me about another teacher. Madison ended up getting the teacher that moved from up from 4th grade and she was not happy. She worked with her in science last year and didn't like her. Kevin and I talked with Madison about having an open mind and going in with a good attitude. She came home today excited for this school year and really likes her teacher. This year is so important and I feel like it is going to be good for her. It makes me so happy that she took her our advice and is giving this a shot. Ashley was still asleep when the girls left so when she woke up to a quiet house she was upset. She did not like the idea of the girls going back to school and leaving her home. It didn't take me long to change her mood because her friend Mikayla was coming over to play and she was so excited for that. She had the best day playing with Mikayla. The house was a little quiet for me. They get along so well I hardly knew they were here. This is going to be a great year. The girls are going to do great in school and Ashley and I have so much to do here at home.

Madison's final cake

Madison had the best time in her cake decorating class. She loved learning everything that she could about decorating a cake. She also likes to say that she can make a rose and I can't. I love this picture. I was trying to get her making a rose and the rose wasn't cooperating.