First Tooth

Mckell has been waiting for the longest time to loose a tooth. Her friend Gretchen has lost several teeth, and Mckell is continually commenting that it is not fair because she hasn't lost one tooth yet. Infact, last year in Kindergarten she read a book that said you will start to loose your teeth at the age of 6. So on her 6th birthday, she jumped out of bed and informed me that she would loose a tooth today because she was 6 know, lol. She was very disappointed that that didn't happen. She didn't even have a wiggly tooth :). Well that all changed today, because she lost her first tooth. Yay!!! She has had a wiggly tooth now for about a month. This morning as she was brushing her teeth, she noticed there was something like a rock in her mouth. She reached in and pulled it out, and when she realized it was her tooth she couldn't contain her excitement. She ran all around the house squealing and showing everyone the new hole in her mouth. She couldn't wait to go to school and show her teacher. Infact, she informed me that Mrs. Wadman probably wouldn't even recognized her now that she had a tooth missing, lol. Yay for the first lost tooth!

First Day of School

My kids were both so excited to start school this year. For Hunter, it was because he was starting a new school. For Mckell, it was just being back to school making friends. We changed schools this year to go to the same school that most of our neighborhood goes too, which made me super nervous for Hunter and Mckell today. All day long, I worried if they had made any friends in their classes, if they found their way around the new school OK, and if they would remember where they were supposed to meet me for pick up after school. I really didn't need to worry because they were fine and absolutely LOVED their first day of school.
The day started off with pictures then a run up to the street for the neighborhood "Back to School Breakfast". The kids loved getting doughnuts and visiting with friends before heading off to school. What a fun tradition!

Mckell really enjoyed her first day in the First grade. She said her teacher is super nice, she made lots of new friends (although she can't remember any of their names, lol), she LOVED school lunch, and she couldn't wait to show me the song she had learned in sign language.

Hunter also had a GREAT first day. He also said he really liked his new teacher, he made some new friends, and he liked playing a fun basketball game called "Revenge"out at recess. He was beaming from ear to ear when he told me that he was doing so good in a shooting contest that another boy came up to him and said,"Hunter you are a really good shooter! Let's be friends" I think that comment made his day :)
So I really didn't need to worry today. The kids did great, and they even remembered where I was picking them up. I think it is going to be a great school year :).

~Cherry Hills~

We were invited by some friends to join them at Cherry Hills. My kids have never been there before, so we jumped at the chance. Being there brought back a lot of memories for me. Growing up, we went to Cherry Hills every summer for my dad's Hostess Bakery work party. As kids, we really looked forward to this party every year. We had a blast going down the water slides, playing mini golf, and loading up on Twinkies and Pies. It was fun to go back and see all the changes that they have made to the park, and to see my kids get excited about going on the slides like my brothers and I used to.
Lexi loved going down the pirate slide. She even got brave and went down with her hands up in the air :)

Mckell loved the Lazy River and the Dragon waterslides. She wouldn't go down the slides at first (she was a little scared). I told her I would go down with her, and she LOVED it. She went down by herself several times after that :)
Hunter loved all the waterslides :)

We had a lot of fun. As we were leaving Mckell said, "Mom, we need to bring Dad here. He would just LOVE it". I agree, we will have to come back with Dave :). Thanks Mckays for letting us tag along!

~Christian's Home~

Dave just barely made it home from his all night search for Jared, when we headed out to pick my little brother up from the airport. He was just coming home from his mission to Birmingham, England. My parents went out to pick him up and visit a lot of the families Christian taught, so actually we were picking up both Christian and my parents :) Dave was such a trooper. You could tell he was exhausted but he still made it through the airport and dinner. He didn't however make it to a little get together at my parents house :) He was out cold, hahaha.

We all wondered how Lexi was going to react to Christian. She was just a little baby when he had left. She ran squealing with delight to my mom, and then realized everyone else was running to Christian, so she did too :) I think she was a little unsure why we were hugging this stranger, but that didn't stop her from doing it too, lol.

The kids had fun jumping on the tramp with Christian, and Mckell was very upset when Christian's friends all showed up and he wasn't playing with her anymore, hahaha. It is good to have him home!

~Water Slide Party and Search for Jared~

Our sweet stake president has the funnest yard! Every year he has a big BBQ/waterslide party for the stake high councilmen and their families. Our kids had been looking forward to this party for weeks. The afternoon of the party, I got a call from Dave to say that he wasn't going to be able to make it to the party, but that he still wanted me to go with the kids. He had just gotten news that our cousin, Jared, was missing up in the Uintah's. He and his brothers, uncles, cousins, and grandpa were heading up to go search for him. I really felt guilty going to a party and having fun while Jared was lost up in the mountains.

Lexi playing on the splash pad.

Hunter didn't eat anything the entire night. He was to busy going down the waterslide :)

While we were playing in the water, Dave and his family were searching the mountains. They ended up forming a search group with family members and searched all throughout the night. It was cold and dark but they kept going. All they could think about was that Jared was out there and they needed to keep looking for him. And they were also determined to finish the grid the sheriff gave them to look over. It was a scary, long night, but Jared was found first thing in the morning. He used his scouting skills to make him a lean-to for shelter through the night, and he also covered himself with dirt to keep himself warm. What a smart kid!!!! We are so glad this situation ended happy. Jared is one tough kid and we are proud to call him family!
Jared and Hunter. Hunter really wanted to go and help Dave look for Jared, and was a little bummed that we didn't let him. After hearing Dave's story about their all nighter, I'm glad we didn't have him go.

~End Of Summer Pool Party~

My kids have the BEST grandma ever! She let them invite all the nighborhood kids up for an end of summer pool party. The kids had a blast! We got to swim, visit, have yummy snacks, and watch the Top of Utah bike race ride past the house while we were playing in the pool. We had quite the group, I think we had a little over 50 or so kids and adults come. It was fun watching all the kids from ages 15 down, interacting and playing with one another. Thanks Darinda for letting my kids host a neighborhood back to school party.
Lexi was in heaven having her little friend Melyn there to swim at her grandmas. She had to show Melyn everything that her grandma had, from toys to swingsets. She was like a little tour guide showing Melyn around :)

Hunter and Mckell discussing everyone who came to the party :) They thought it was so cool to have all their friends there at the same time, lol.
One little girl refered to Darindas house as the other Hawaii. So cute!

~The Treehouse~

With summer coming to an end, we decided we need to take these next few weeks and fill them with fun activities. Today the kids and I decided to visit the Treehouse Museum. It was a lot of fun.
This was Lexi's first time to the museum. She didn't want to leave :)

The kids took part in the "Step on Stage" play. All 3 of them were fish. Mckell LOVED being up on stage. She cracks me up.
Hunter is at a funny stage lately. He hates girls! While we were waiting for the play to start some girl (about his age) came and sat next to him on the bench with her family. He scooted over, closer to me, to get away from her a little bit, and what does she do? Move close to him. He kept scooting over and she kept moving closer to him. It got to the point where there was no more room to scoot and he was freaking out, lol. He kept whispering for me to move over, and would squeeze my hand because this girl was basically on his lap. He was totally grossed out! I couldn't help but to laugh. He couldn't get away from this girl, lol. He ended up volunteering to be in the play as an attempt to get away from her, but that didn't work cause she volunteered to be in the play too. :)
Hunter loved playing against me in a game of big chess.
Hunter cracks me up :)

The kids had fun exploring, dressing up, and playing. Like I said before, they didn't want to leave :)