Starting School and Bowling Fun

Tanner and Carter just started their 2009 year of school. This is Carters first time on the bus since he is in Kindergarten this year. He was so excited to be a bus rider. The morning of the first day of school I overheard them talking in Tanners room. Their conversation went like this:

Tanner: (kind of timid asks) "So Carter who do you think you will sit by on the bus today?"

Carter: pausing "Well Tanner I thought I would just sit by you!"

Tanner: "Oh yeah, uh huh, that's what I'm talking about, give me a high five bud!"

I'm glad that my boys are such good friends, most of the time.

School is going well. On Monday Carter decided that he would like to stay home. I told him he could but he would spend the day in his room, which he did. It was a long day for him. When Todd got home he asked Carter how his day was. Carter said "Dad it was a bad day, so boring. Mom made me stay in my room, I only got to come out for lunch. I just wanted to see how it would be staying home, I'm never doing that again." One day missing Kindergarten, lesson learned!

We went bowling with the Becker family last weekend and had a ton of fun. Our kids had never been, and they really enjoyed it.

I tried to persuade everyone into doing a victory dance when they got a strike. I think I am in total denial that we are getting older. Wasn't it just last year that we all graduated high school? I don't care I'll still raise the roof when I get strikes, or when I get gutter balls. I was the biggest loser by far, both games.

Cali's 9th Month

This month has been a busy one for this little girl. She started rolling over and crawling. I'm asking myself what happened to my stationary little girl.

Patty cake is her favorite song to hear!

On the move...

She can only roll from back to front, so at night we find her like this a lot. We lay her back onto her back nightly.

It just looks so uncomfortable.

She is such a little angel, and its been a joy to watch her learn and grow.

Candice and Kinnedi Visit Tucson

After our trip to Salt Lake, Candice was nice enough to drive back with me to Tucson. Oy, and what a long drive that was! Kinnedi was so cute every time I would glide over into the emergency lane and hit the falling asleep bumps she would yell "WOW, COOL!"

When it rains in Tucson, you just gotta go out and play in it.

Candice spotted this little big beauty while on our way out one night. Needless to say she screamed like a little girl, as my boys would put it. I told her that they were slow, well this guy must have had his shot of caffeine because he was moving pretty quick. Todd came out and took care of him, we hid in the garage and one of his legs flew at us when Todd um took care of him.

When its 110 degrees, outside is not an option. We headed over to the mall for some play time.

Then that night Candice and I went out for some girl time. We went to this place called "Frost," its an itialian ice cream shop.

This is the time of year I wish I had a pool, so refreshing.

Swimming lessons and snow cones each morning. I am so happy with the progess my kids have made. On the last day Tanner got to participate with the kids swim team in a race. He made it the entire way across the pool in the race lanes.

Peter Piper Pizza is the pizza that we picked!

Just chilling in the backyard.

The Cookie Cabin. One morning we headed up Mt Lemmon, we had never made it all the way to the top. We ate the BEST EVER pizza and the BIGGEST cookie I had ever seen. Sooo good.

It was over 20 degrees cooler in the mountains. I'm thinking this is a must do at least once a month.

There is a ski resort at the top. I really little ski resort, but still it looks like fun. I would love to take the kids next year. When I say me I mean Todd, I can't ski to well, but I would really love to learn.

The most peaceful part of the drive, just recharging for when we get home.

We found it, COUNTRY rock band! We were so excited to find a rock band game that had all country songs. We put the kids to bed and let the honky tonk ring out.
Todd and I are complete Rock Band nerds, its our idea of a fun date night just us and the rock band. I can barely speak the next day from all the singing and laughing.

Todd did a little singing and dancing that I got on tape, I would post it but he made me delete it. Just Candice and I got to witness his best "I think your tractors sexy" rendition.

We celebrated Carters actual birthday with cake. My cousin Chanelle and her family came up for dinner also.

Off to the Melting Pot. We went there for a little desert before dinner one night.

The kids didn't enjoy this at all, to much chocolate and to many things to dip into it.

Carter turns 5 years old. He got to have his first ever big huge party.

Candice tearing it up on the slide.

I was glad Todd took off work. I needed someone to hold this girl so I could go down the slides. I was secretly happy Carter chose this place because I like to slide and bounce along with the kids.

Carter has made some good friends here, and we were excited that they could share this special day with him.

There is just something not right about cooking smores in the back yard when its this hot. The boys wanted to show Kinnedi what they love doing the rest of the year though.

Candice attended one of Tanners games, it meant so much him.

Candice being the crafy lady she is helped me make some of these interchangable watch bands. They are huge in Salt Lake, I think they call them bumbles. Love 'em!

It was sad seeing them go. Candice took off from the Phoenix airport. I had never been there and on the way home my GPS malfunctioned and it took me 2 hours to realize that I had been heading West! We can laugh about the fact that I almost made it to California now, so coming back should only have taken 2 hours and it took me with the kids in tow 6 hours. Good times!

We had such a fun time with them here. Thanks Candice for coming and I hope you will bring Trent back soon! I mean where else can you look up at the car thermometer and see 110?