Terrific Tuesday... or Terrible Tuesday?

Yes look at that face. Isn't she so cute.  Look closely at that look of "am I in trouble"? So I woke up and started my Terrific Tuesday with all my kids catching the bus on time. None of them running out crying. OK OK- there was one that went pouting:)  Two of my friends who twisted my arm into exercise. As we all know I just hate that word.  It felt good and it was turning out to be rather terrfic.  Sofie and I went to library day and we went to not one but two classes. We had so much fun.  Stopped and got me a diet coke and home to clean house.  I felt rather good.  Then one of my Arizona BFF's called and we were talking and trying to multi task when all of a sudden Miss Sofie was soap skating in the kitchen. What I knew, was she was just going to wash her babies bottle. So this smart momma turns away and goes into another room to clean-up and when I come back this is what I see... 

Oh Sofie I LOVE YOU!  Someday I will write a book. The title you ask??

Where's Sofie???

So I ask is today going to be Terrific or Terrible.  The day is still young...

We are fired up... GO Grove!

Me and Syd at our first cheer game.  

Syd with one of the football BOYS... Chat Hayes

These two are the reason that Syd gets to cheer this year. Margie is like a momma to my girls. Her son is Chat and is in the 5th grade with Syd and plays on the football team.  Margie is a teacher as well as the kids bus driver. She has taken our family under her wing since we moved here.  Her daughter, Morgan was a cheerleader and so she let Syd use her cheer outfit. This saved us quite a bit of expense.  Margie also coaches girls softball and asked our Morgan to be a manager and so Morgan has been helping with the softball team. Pictures to come later on that:)

Syd and Katie

I was asked to coach with these two awesome moms.  They have become wonderful friends. Sandy yought and Jill Hacker.  I was nervous because I am not a cheerleader, but I was a really good mascot!!! I learned some cheers from those good old high school years 20 years ago. Yes - it is my cass reunion in September and I can't go and I'm so sad about it...

SYDO really get's into it. She is having such a fun time. I love how involved they let these kids be at these young ages. Football is a big thing. They even make these boys weigh in before games.  Parents are going nuts and it is a little intense:)

Half Time dance to the song "Girls just wanna have fun"

Today was such a fun day. Thank you Margie for making all this possible.  As for Syd and I...

We are FIRED UP!

Barbies- barbies- barbies... and No more TV

So I just had to post this because my girls love their Barbies and they will play for hours. It is so much fun to walk in and see them all stop and burst into laughter as if they know they are getting bigger and that they might be a little emberassed.  I love seeing them play weddings, parties, and family get togethers with them. Of course there has to be a few kissing moments with them or it wouldn't be fun:)  Sofie has now joined in on this. It has caused a few squabbles with sharing.  I am kicking myself that I didn't take a picture of what the playroom looks like when barbies come out to play.  HOLY MOLY it is a sight to see!  This last week we stopped our cable and we have no access to any TV now.. We have talked about doing this for awhile and so have decided it is time to try it out. We sat the kids down for Family Night and talked about the idea. We were surprised that they were all very willing to give it a try.  I know this will be the hardest on me.  We will let you know how this goes...  I am already seeing how dependant I was on just the noise. It is awful quiet around here. Kids in school and Sofie girl singing in the background as I type.  Well it was quiet for a second...

OFF to the RACES!

Yesterday afternoon was our back to school. Daddy took a half day so that I could have a little help. It is a struggle trying to get to four different schools in a couple hours and a two year old in the mix of all the craziness.

Preston was first. He has Mrs. Austin. Her son played basketball with 

Preston so he was really excited to have her as a teacher. (Kindergarten Boy)

Bryn with Ms. Watts. She was so happy to get her. She says she is really sassy and pretty:) 

(2nd grader)

Sydney with her teachers and I truly can't remember their names. Sad but true:) 

I think she is in for a great year. (5th grader)

Morgan woke up with a headache and not feeling very good. She got her schedule for 7th grade and was so surprised that she was in pre algebra.  The teacher explained that it was because of her test scores at the end of the year.  She is very nervous about it. She is my one that always gets the back to school jitters.  I always have a sick stomach the first day.  It is bitter sweet. They truly are my best friends in so many ways.  The TRUST we have to have in others and their influence on our kids is always huge for me.  I will carry a prayer in my heart for the rest of today. 

Bryn with Coach Hayes who we absolutely LOVE!

Today the kids were off to the races.  When I say that I truly mean that.  We "raced" to the bus and were lucky to take a quick picture.  They have to be up by 6am and on the bus by 7:15 and we have not prepared ourselves for this new schedule.  WOW... I think I will need a nap with Sofie:) 

OH DARN...

Back to School BASH

As you can see from these photos we had a very happy night at our house as we celebrated back to school.  We talked about our attitudes.  Played a game with big pieces of yellow bubble gum.  Can you tell who's mouth was the fullest?  Every negative comment or feeling that was expressed over the night had to stuff their mouth with gum.  Shannon really did not like this game.  In fact he went to bed with a headache:)  Sometimes all the negative attitudes around us can truly make life hard to swallow. It is not fun to be miserable and sometimes I know I can get discouraged and get the self pity party going on and then I become a mess.  We talked about ways to change our attitudes. Expressing grattitude, building a closer relationship with our Father in Heaven through prayer and scriptures, and being kind to one another in our home and to others. We acted out the 7-ups to being a happier person. They were 

  1. wake up 

  2. dress up

 3. shut up

   4. stand up

  5. Look up

    6. Reach up

7. Lift up

These all had a spiritual thought and scripture that went with them.  I read the poem about frogs and gave Preston a small pillow pet frog and Sofie a frog apron and the older girls a necklace with a frog that says "hoppy". We then had fathers blessings as we prepare for a fabulous New year.  I am ready for the kids to be in school just so I can have a little bit of "me" time.  I have enjoyed our summer. It truly went fast. I just know that it is time for some routine again. Time for me to set goals and to focus on things of importance.   

Maybe even slip in a few naps and some chocolate:)

As you can see from these photos we laughed quite a bit tonight.  Oh how I love my children and only want the very best for them. As they are growing up and I see glimpses of the pre-teens happening. I am excited as well as nervous for what lies ahead with all the ladies in the house. But I am also sad as I miss the baby days!  We are ready for a fun year as Morgan is the Softball Manager and Syd doing cheer. Bryn is going to do gymnastics and Preston in soccer. The 3 older girls are also doing piano. Morgan is taking voice lessons and just recently sang a solo in sacrament meeting. She was so nervous.  She did such a beautiful job.  

For dinner we had Papas famous breakfast burritos.  I knew this was the perfect meal because it always makes my kids so happy:)  They must have been pretty good because Morgan said, "these are good. They are "ALMOST" like Papas."  

It will be busy and the calendar is already filling up quickly.  It is true when they say it gets busy as your kids get older.  I am just starting to see this happening. 

Get ready- get set- Gooooo... 

P- Dog's party was a HIT!

My sweet little Sydo was a huge help as she cleaned the kitchen "without" being asked. This included mopping the floors. She also baked over 40 cupcakes in the process...

Then my Morgy was the one adding the details to everything. The decorations and the signs for the food table that she did on the computer. She and Syd decorated while the two little one's licked alot of frosting to keep them busy...

This was the party bag favors...

We let everyone help themselves to Hot Dogs, Nachos, Peanuts, Cracker Jacks, 

Popcorn, and Red Vines

The cupcakes turned out so cute. What a blessing to have these daughters of mine:) I would have never been able to pull off this crowd without them...

Preston's shy girlfriend:)

Brother Bridges is my Daddy away from home. I just love him and his wife so much. He is Preston's primary teacher as well as our Home Teacher. (In our church we have men who come into our home and sit down with our family and leave us a spiritual message and offer support once a month.) This is such a blessing as our kids look so forward to it.  As you can see in this photo I also think he has pretty cool style. We didn't plan it I promise:)

getting all these kids ready for some water baseball...

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME...

Our pitcher PODGE... 

Sliding into home... Look at those sweet faces!

Preston was so excited all day about his presents. As a parent you try to explain to them that this shouldn't be the focus of the party but they just don't quite understand.  He was counting down the hours, minutes, and seconds to this part of the part...y:)  This first photo you can see he is one happy kid!

As you can see this party was a real HIT!