We’re getting ready for trick or treating, pumpkin carving, costume wearing fun! Woohoo!

This Fall Jackson was so excited to start flag football. His team is the Lions and Micah is the coach. The first game of the season was a little rough. We played the Cardinals (Jackson wanted to be the Cardinals), and they had it all together. They creamed us – we didn’t even make a first down. Bummer.

With each game our team has gotten better and so has the coach:o) This last Saturday the Lions won their game! Woohoo!!! I was so sad to miss it, but the girls weren’t feeling well the night before. Hopefully this next game will be another win or at least a good game and I’ll be there to see it and catch some photos (if I can get the girls well by Saturday).

Jackson is one of the younger guys on his team. It has definitely been a learning process for him, but he LOVES it!  He tries so hard and I’m starting to see him understand the plays and positions a little better. I like to see his determination. He loves having his cousins Max and Price on the team with him. They always have a great time together.  We’ve appreciated the new friends Jackson has made through playing sports too. Its so great to meet new people that live close by.

GO LIONS!

I’m way behind! I can’t believe it’s October already, my brain is stuck in September! Well, I’ll have to play a little catch up. I’m not going to lie, the summer here this year has been long! I kept thinking it was going to cool off, even to 100 – 105*. It would barely get to that at night! Our shallow pool starts getting quite warm late in the summer, so even it lost its draw, so my kids got creative this year. Almost every day in August Jackson would fill up several cups and bowls and anything I would let him with water and put them in the freezer. We would check them several times a day and when they were finally frozen they would all go outside and play with the ice on the sidewalk. They would draw pictures and see how long it took for the ice to melt – it was great fun that all three could enjoy and I could watch from the window!  If they weren’t playing with ice and we weren’t in the pool, they would turn on the hose around the slides and either make water slides or make canal paths in the rocks for the water. It was nice to be able to play out there by the slides again – without water the rocks and slides are too hot to step on! One of my BYU rec. management teachers said, “Just add water to any game and its like ‘magic’… it makes even a boring game fun!” He must of been from AZ ;o) It really does seem to be true though.

We decided to take one last summer trip to the cabin for Labor Day weekend. Aaahhh, such nice cool air there and it was especially nice to have Micah with us! Almost everyone was there this go around, even the Colorado Coonsies, and it was a blast to have so many cousins to play with! We hadn’t had a fire there all summer because of the restrictions, so Jackson was SO happy there had been enough rain that we felt it was safe to have a fire and smores. He prayed for it quite a bit… it was a happy answer to prayers. We get lots of play and craft time up at the cabin… can life get better???

So the old man turned 30… it is funny that we are getting this old, but I feel like we’re still young. I’m having a weird realization – just three years ago I would have called us a young couple with a 2 yr old and new baby, and being in our mid-20’s but now we’ve got our 4th baby on the way, a child in kindergarten and a big 3 in the beginning of our age (at least his age). Weird! Anyway, I tried to plan something a little fun for his birthday – I thought we’d go out and play some softball with friends and family (since we’ve been talking about going to the batting cages for a while) and then have some cake and ice cream. Fun right? I was just going to make it a surprise, but I thought I’d better ask him because I wanted him to be happy about it. That was a dumb choice. He didn’t want to celebrate… so we ended up just having the dinner of his choice and a delicious ice cream cake at home and then he and Jackson rushed off to their first football practice and I went to curriculum night for the school. I think probably the highlight of the day (at least for the kids) was the 30 balloons that were delivered from Micah’s siblings! Its fun to see that many balloons! He opened presents in the morning, a couple pairs of work out clothes, and a (total shot in the dark) blue tooth. I thought he might like it because he just got a new phone and he was recently called to be the executive secretary for our ward so he has been on the phone more often, but that was a huge fail! Hey – I tried! He had been talking about getting a nicer camera for a while, so a few weeks before I told him to get the one he wanted for his birthday… finally he just ordered it today and is really excited! So, worst 30th b-day ever? No, but definitely not the one I would have liked to plan for him. Next time I’m just going to do what I want for his birthday and not ask! Oh well, I guess that’s just part of getting older! The greatest part about this whole birthday is that I can’t find one picture to show for it. I have no idea where they went to – I KNOW I took some!

I love Micah. I appreciate the hard work he does for our family. He definitely keeps things lively and exciting around here! He’s always got something fun up his sleeve! He loves to spend time with Jackson, Lacey and Rachelle. He loves to coach Jackson’s teams and is so patient! For each team he has coached I’ve had parents come tell me how much they appreciate his patience and kindness with the kids, especially at this age. Besides all this, his determination is unstoppable – when his mind is set, nothing will get in his way. I am so grateful I married such a great man!

This year was a big year for us… Jackson started Kindergarten! He was pretty excited, and we all thought he’d love it! He started  in afternoon kindergarten last Wednesday, but we were hoping someone wouldn’t show up for the morning so we could get into morning kindergarten. Here are the first day pictures:

He was so excited to ride the bus to school! The first few days I followed the bus to see how many stops and make sure he was good to go when he got to school. Well, the bus was a few minutes late each day, but other than that the bus ride was the highlight of the week! The first day Jackson was not very happy when I picked him up. He wouldn’t really talk and when he did he’d answer with an annoyed, “YES!” or “NO!” I was a little concerned, but I thought maybe he was just tired.  Each day he was a little sadder when he came home. Finally, Friday afternoon we got a call from the school saying someone had dropped out of morning and we could take their spot. Woohoo! Jackson and I were so excited! He knew a couple of kids in the morning class, it would work out so much nicer for carpools and with Lacey’s preschool schedule. He always seems much happier in the morning and not so tired, so I thought the morning would suit him much better this year. Monday came and we went early to meet his new teacher. She was so kind and welcomed him and took him out to show him where they line up, his new desk, etc. She really is a nice lady. Every day since Monday has been an all out fight to get him into the car to go to school. It breaks my heart, I hate seeing him so unhappy. I think reality just set in that this kindergarten stuff is everyday! Its a much bigger school, much bigger class, and I think a little more “sit at your desk and listen” than preschool. I’m hoping that he will settle in by the end of the week… we’ll see (this may be a long year)! His teacher emailed me yesterday and said he is “a very sweet and bright boy and a pleasure to have in class!” and  that made me feel so much better – I was hoping he would have a teacher that saw the positive in him and would be patient with this issue. I think he does fine when he’s in class and he’s happy after school… have any of you had any kids that hate going to school? What did you do to help them? I love this little guy and want him to be happy!

*** UPDATE – 8/18/11 – Today when I dropped Jackson off at school he walked in by himself and didn’t cry a tear (I cried a few though)***

Lacey, on the other hand, was ready for school 3 years ago! Her school started yesterday and on Sunday she came in to my room while I was getting ready and said, “you always let Jackson go to school, how come I don’t get to go?” I told her school was starting this week and she was so thrilled!!! It couldn’t come fast enough. Finally Tuesday morning came, and she got ready, put on her backpack, and after dropping Jackson at his school and a sad goodbye with him, we finally got her to school! She was happy as a clam when we picked her up. She couldn’t wait to go back today. Its fun for her to have SO much to talk about. She loves to talk, she’s just excited for life!

Now Chelle and I have a couple hours a few days a week to hang out. I’m so happy that she and I have a little time before the baby comes to hang out just me and her. She is a such a sweet little girl.

She’s been learning a lot of words in the past few months and she understands and communicates really well. In the middle of July we lost her last binky and so we decided to wean her. She was really only using it to fall asleep, but it definitely made a big difference… Instead of taking two hour and a half naps a day, she’s down to one hour or hour and a half nap a day. She really is so sweet though and loves to give hugs and kisses and cuddle. She is very loving and easy going.

These sweet little kids all came with such different personalities! It makes me laugh at how different they all are, but how well they can get along and work things out. What’s even funnier is the little traits that Micah and I see in them that have always been a part of me or him… I was a lot like Jackson in Kindergarten – I really did not like it… but I don’t really know the best way to deal with it either! Lacey’s brain and creativity come from Micah, and sometimes he can’t figure out how to get through to her. What have we done to our kids???  😉 It is definitely a fun ride being a parent.