Back Yard Baseball

John has been in the middle of a murder trial at work and the hours we are used to seeing him each week has significantly decreased.  But I love that he usually comes home and tries to enjoy some time with the kids.  I especially love this because by this point I am usually ready for a break from the kids.  On this particular night it was a quick game of baseball in the backyard.  I love that I married a great Dad!

 

A glimpse of our weekend.

Conference was actually a bit more successful for us this year.  Just a bit.  It could be in part due to the fact the my children are getting a little older.  But I like to think it was due to the fact that I copied this awesome "game" from my friend.  Owen and Ains actually sat and watched all of Sunday conference with only a small amount of fighting. 

Every time they heard one of the key words they got to choose a snack out of that bowl.  I learned that they say 'children' a lot in conference.  I had to take that bowl away after a while.  It was fun and no one bugged me for a snack all day!  Except for maybe Emmie who had no interest in the game.  Maybe next year.

Emmie's First Fieldtrip

Emmie isn't old enough for preschool this year.  But lucky for us....there is a Joy school group in our neighborhood and they invited some of the younger kids to join them on monthly field trips.  This month was a trip to Linder Farms.  I think Emmie had a lot of fun.  It was strange for me to just have Emmie and not a baby strapped to me.  Good strange :)

There was a petting zoo there and Emmie loved it!  She wasn't scared of the animals at all. There were goats, sheep, bunnies, pigs, chickens, and ducks. She loved all of them.  She was so cute running around to all the animals and petting them and calling after them.  I hate to say this but she might be the child that one day convinces me to get a dog.  Maybe.

 

Here is our little group heading out on our hay ride through the corn and pumpkin fields.  I think the quote of the day was when after riding and being surrounded by corn for quite some time one kid spoke up and said, "Hey, there's corn."  Ah, kids.  Their level of observance never ceases to amaze me.

Emmie chose a great pumpkin don't you think?!

Where did the month go?!

This month has been a little crazy.  So what have we been up to?

Ains started piano.  She is loving it and doing great!

Owen is in an after school tennis program.  He likes it, but he did have to pay us back for his first lesson because he was such a stinker. 

I've been busy with primary.  In our primary the other 3 members of the presidency and our chorister all had babies between the end of June to the middle of August.  None of us have been released.  It's been a little crazy.  Primary program here we come!

John has been working on a murder trial.  The trial starts in 3 weeks and lasts for 6.  We are starting to see less and less of him. 

I'm still working for the children's book website and I started cleaning my mom's house for her twice a month. 

We got to spend some time with John's family and his sister Melanie.  She traveled all the way from Georgia with a newborn for the BSU/BYU game.  Now that's a true fan.

John has been traveling.  He went on a work conference to Jackson Mississippi and then he went to Missouri where he went to another Mormon History conference because his book won another award!  That's right.  His book won 2 awards.  He made more in award money than he got for writing the book.  I think that's kind of funny.  How awesome though, right!? 

Since we weren't there someone got this fuzzy picture for us.  It's the only proof I have that he was actaully there and won an award :)

Worth Mentioning

EMMIE

 

Emmie once got in a bit of trouble for pooping in her underwear.  It must have been traumatizing to her because she still regularly tells us that she has NOT pooped in her underwear.  We regularly hear, "I no poop in my underwears!"  She's always so proud.  Well, with the beginning of the school year Emmie has become my little shadow.  She is always by my side and often freaks out if I so much as walk to the next room with out her.  So the other day I happened to be in the bathroom, within seconds I heard Emmie at the bathroom door, and she asked me in a very concerned voice, "Mom?  You poop in your underwears?"  I totally started laughing and told her that I indeed had not.  I still chuckle when I think about it.

 

 

OWEN

 

I was a little nervous about Owen and school this year.  He has the strictest first grade teacher, which I wanted for him, but I was worried he would be in trouble like he was last year.  I am happy to report that Owen has successfully made it through 2 weeks of school with no 'incidents'.  We're so proud.  Although he did have to spend some time talking to Miss Mary.  This might sound weird, but I was relieved to find out that he had told on a little girl for kissing him.  While I do not condone kissing at such a young age, I was just happy that the girl was sent home with a skunk note and not my son.  What can I say, the kid's a heart breaker. 

Ainsley

 

I can't remember if I've written about this yet but Ainsley was tested last year and qualified for the districts challenge program.  And not to brag or anything, but not only did she pass the test....she killed the test!  When I got the call telling me she had qualified I was told that most kids qualify by scoring in the 98th percentile on at least one of the tests given.  Ainsley scored in the 99th percentile on both of the tests given.  Which is quite rare.  The girl is a genius!

 With that being said, I was a little nervous about her being in the program this year.  In our district, all children that qualify for challenge are bussed to the challenge school one day a week.  They spend a full day there.  Which worried me.  A full day every week is a long time to be pulled out of your regular class room. She also just happens to be the only 3rd grader that qualified in her school.  She rides the bus to and from challenge with only one other little boy from another school. 

I was relieved when she came home and had loved her day at challenge. There just happened to be a little girl from our ward that she saw at recess (our ward services all of the deaf group in the valley and this girls parents are deaf, so she technically lives outside our ward boundaries.)  Ainsley had someone to play with at recess that she knew...this made me happy.  They also spend some time each day during challenge talking about appropriate social behavior.  Lets just say that some of these kids fit the "weird smart kid" stereotype.  While I'm not super happy about this I'm sure there are other kids like her there, that are fine socially and super smart.  I'm starting to feel better about the fact that she will find friends there and love what challenge offers.  

Nice One!

I got this shot of Owen.  I thought I did an awesome job.  I love the look on Owen's face.  It's a keeper! 

Lessons from Emmie

Today when we asked Emmie what she learned at church she told us that she learned that there was a prophet.......and dinosaurs.  Successful day in nursery I'd say!

Lately she also thinks that shirts are waaaaaay overrated.  And luckily she can get her shirts off by herself.  But aren't her tan lines cute?