SCHOOL IS IN!

Well!  My life will look much different for the next school year!  We are taking a break from homeschool and the kids are ecstatic to be at Westside Christian school this year.

My cutie patootie Kindergartener is ready and looking handsome...

And my third-grader looks way to old, if you ask me, but I know she'll do great!  She is already so excited to reconnect with her bestie from Kindergarten.

And what will I do you ask?  Well, I think I might clean my house by a cleaning schedule!  That'll be a change.  And I get to hang out with my littles.  I'm excited to have time with them and enjoy their big personalities.   Yes, I'll do that, but first things first.... I had to catch up on my blog!

Summer in Review

We had such a busy summer!  It flew by and I can't believe it's over!  Summer does tend to be long though when it starts mid-May and ends in September.  Here are a few summer highlights.  Unfortunately, since bloodspot changed everything up, they are in reverse order.

We ended the summer with a trip to Bass Pro Shop, then camped out in our backyard (a promise we made that didn't get fulfilled until the last possible day).

Of course the AV Fair is a highlight every year.  The kids have such a blast.  We couldn't get Jason to do the Muttin' Bustin'.  Maybe next year...

Swimming was a big part of the summer.  My "middles" (as I call them) took lessons, so four weeks of the summer were spent at our local country club pool.  Jason swims well and is now pool-safe.  Ashley...well she learned to be in a pool and cry with someone she didn't know (she loved swimming on her own with just a noodle though).  Again, maybe next year.... 

 Other than that, there was gymnastics camp for Shelby, an overnight beach trip, plenty of playdates (and some random colds that spoiled other playdates), Summer in the Son at church, and in case you didn't know, the Kings won the Stanley Cup.  That was a summer kick-off adventure!

Okay, so now that I'm caught up, I can post back to school pics!  After all the above I was ready for school to start (except maybe they getting out the door at 8am part).

Shelby turns 8!

Well, our girl is now 8.  She is very sweet and smart.  Sometimes I think she's 10, with how mature she is.  I'm so grateful that she is my first.  I'm not sure what I'd do without her because she helps me so much!  She still does little girl things like playing with Barbies, playing so well with the littler kids, and she's very much a daddy's girl.  I definitely still want to keep her small, yet she has lost her two front teeth and wants to grow out her bangs.  She's growing up faster than I'm ready!  She is an avid reader (yea that my good lit. curriculum worked) and this year she picked up piano and she's running with that!  What a blessing our Shelby-shu is!

For her birthday, we took her and a friend to the American Girl store for lunch.  It was a cute and fun lunch.  But I know the highlight of her day was going to the beach afterward.  Well, that and all the dessert she got to eat all day (she definitely has her mama's sweet tooth).

Ash Fash Turns 3!

 Do you see this face??  This is quintessential Ashley- a doll face that has mischief
written all over it.  Notice the pen all over her arms??

Our Ashley turns three today!  She is as independent as they come, very opinionated, and quiet emotional.  She will do it her way, in her timing, and to her liking.  She is very girly, liking make-up, shoes, painted nails, and she even asked for pierced ears for her birthday.  She is very funny, often talking to herself and her expressions are a crack up!  She's had mixed feelings about her birthday coming and sometimes she flat out says she doesn't want a birthday (which she seems to think is a thing rather than a day).  Quite possibly, she associates turning three with leaving the baby years behind and is not ready for that.  Too much for a 3-year-old to understand? Maybe, but I don't put it past Ashley.  We, on the other hand, are ready to move out of twos, onto threes!  We are looking forward to see what God has in store for this ever-developing little person.

Resurrection Sunday!

This is mostly for the Aunties who want to see the cute kiddos, but could not spend Easter with us. WE love you and missed you!

The little man himself. He loved the eggs and candy, by the way.

The little lady.

The big boy. (sniff, sniff) Oh, and he insisted on wearing a tie.

The almost 8 year-old, who looks like she's ten. Wish I could stop this!

Cousins

Happy Resurrection Sunday! HE IS RISEN and HE IS GOOD!

Caleb

Our little man turned one this month. He is lots of fun and has a big personality! He certainly knows how to protest when he's being bullied by his big brother and sisters or when he sees something he wants to eat! He stays very busy exploring, climbing the stairs and saying words (his favorites are "elmo" and "ball"). He worships Mommy and food. He's pretty great and we are super-thankful for him.

Happy 5th Birthday, Jason!

Happy Birthday to my sweet 5-year-old Jason! He has THE sweet smile of anyone I've ever known. He gives the best hugs and still loves to snuggle with his mama. He is a typical, rambunctuous boy, but is thoughtful and funny. Five years ago I was so thankful for his long awaited birth and I still think he was the most beautiful newborn ever! Happy Birthday to my Boo-Boo!

Jason's Jake and the Neverland Pirates Party

The Motley Crew

...walking the plank in pursuit of the treasure

tiptoeing past Tic-Toc Croc...

Coley beating it out of the pirate ship piñata.

My boy turns five this month, which means he got to plan a big party for friends. He's been talking about the said party for six months now and had the same four friends on his list. I convinced him to do a pirate party, since it goes with his favorite show. He's spent the last two months making "pirate maps" and planning details like what order we should do everything! I had fun planning the details, like the treasure hunt, and decorating for the party, but I'm sure glad we only do these parties every few years!

VACATION 2011

This is our cabin that we stayed in with my parents.

Jeff and Jason bonding while barbecuing...precious!

Highlights: Jeff's beautifully bbq-ed turkey!; not having sleep in the same room as kids anymore; remnants of snow and a quiet mountain atmosphere; relaxing, stress-free time in a cozy cabin; spending Thanksgiving with the greater Case clan at a massive cabin they had rented nearby; sledding at a nearby snow park (see our Christmas card).

Challenges: none to speak of on this part of the journey! We didn't want to come home! But we'll never forget Shaver Lake entirely drained.

VACATION 2011

Our family had a WONDERFUL vacation this year! We spent 4 nights in Yosemite and then 4 nights in Shaver Lake over Thanksgiving weekend. WE were so excited to show our kids Yosemite (a childhood favorite vacation spot for both me and Jeff). It may have been a little cold for them to fully appreciate it though.

Highlights: Snow on the way into Yosemite (chains required); Walking around, enjoying the sites of Yosemite and bringing back all the memories of going there as kids; kids ice skating for the first time; BEAUTY of God's creation (one of them asked "is this real?" which is a clear indication of too much Disneyland).

Challenges: 6 of us in one hotel room (sleeping with a new kid every night is not always enjoyable); 32 degree cold during the day; car sick kid (not a pretty sight).

Catch Up

What we're up to this year....school, of course!

Monkey see, monkey do...that's my Ashley. She wants to "do school" all the time, which means she practices things like colors and body parts and then she gets a candy. Of course, she HAD to have a school picture taken.

And apparently she needed to be in Big Sister's photo too. Shelby started second grade this year. I really couldn't ask for an easier student. She really teaches herself A LOT! But I'm really enjoying my time with her this year. She's one smart cookie!

My sweet boy started preschool this fall. He is finally ready to sit down and learn (rather than the running around learning he did for the first 4 1/2 years of his life). I decided to teach him at home this year and he's doing great!