Soccer and dance

We are those kinds of parents. The kind that try to "instill" a love of whatever activity/sport that we love into our kids. Thus, Caden is in soccer and Soleil is in dance. Both kids seem to love it! I am such a proud mama!

Caden (on the left side dribbling the ball) is becoming a soccer stud!

Caden got the "player of the week" award on his very first game!

Soleil loves her tap/ballet class. And I have no idea how to turn this picture.

Shuffle, ball, step across the room

Labor Day weekend

In need of an adventure before getting bogged down in the school and upcoming holiday craziness, we headed to Big Bear Lake with R&M and gang for the Labor Day weekend. It was a lot of fun! Big Bear reminds me a lot of Jackson Hole - quaint shops set in a beautiful landscape. We rented a cabin and explored the area.

The water was freezing!! But that didn't stop the kids from having a great time!

Muscle men!

Feeding the ducks and fish

First day of school!

Caden started Pepp this year. Pepp is a pre-kindergarten program that our school district has for the late-fall birthday kids, since our birthday cut-off date is in December! It gives them another year to mature and grow before kindergarten. It is only held at a couple of elementary schools, so we were lucky to get in at all. Caden loves his class and his teacher! Caden's good friend Brennan is also in his class, along with some kids from his preschool, so that helped with the transition. He's never really been a clingy kid, and on the first day, he marched right into his classroom without a look back. I, however, did leak out a couple of teardrops. I can't believe he is at the big kids school now. It is still tripping me out that my baby is almost 5, and for all intents and purposes, in kindergarten! How did this happen so fast??!!

Caden and Brennan

Soleil started preschool this year. She LOVES it!! Her teacher is amazing! She also has some friends from church in her class, so it helps seeing familiar faces. I was worried about the potty issue with her, but after the first week, it hasn't been an issue. Hallelujah!

I am loving my 9 hours/week to myself. It's so nice to get the car smog-checked and grocery shop by myself! ;->

Summer 2009

We had a fantastic, full summer. We drove up to Idaho for my brother Forest's mission homecoming. The kids did great for the long drive, thank goodness for DVD players! The family all dressed in our best missionary outfits for the airport arrival of Forest. It was so fun to see him, and have everyone together. I love hanging with my family!

Yes, we were quite the scene at the bustling Idaho Falls airport.

My mom did the forced matchy-match photo.

Stormie teaching Caden all her best faces.

Soleil and Forest walking the river belt. I love having everyone home!

Since Scott can only handle a few days with my family at a time (just kidding, Mom!), he flew up to Alaska to meet up with his brother, dad, and uncle for a week of fishing, beard-growing, and male bonding. They caught some serious fish, including a 5"4' halibut. Yes, that is as tall as me. (so is that a big fish, or a small person?) I now have 125 lbs of salmon and halibut in my freezer - so if you've got a fish hankering, come and get some!

Uncle Doug, Scott, Ross, and Barry

Holy fish, Batman!

The kids and I also spent the 4th of July week in Utah hanging with my dad and family at our good friends' home. It was a relaxing, though hot, week. Thanks, Gary and Sue, for letting us take over your house!

David and Soleil

Caden on the 4th of July
After yet another week back in Idaho, Forest and I drove back to SD. We played at the beach and did a little post-mission shopping before he went home.
At the beginning of August, we flew out to N. Carolina to Scott's uncle's lake house. Despite the 5 hour plane ride, this is one of my favorites of our annual trips. Eat, swim, eat, nap and read, eat, take a boat ride, eat, watch a movie, eat and go to bed. See the pattern? Scott's aunt and mom are great cooks, and I am a great cleaner, so together we are unstoppable!

Scott and Caden enjoying a pre-dinner boat ride. Guess who feel asleep?


Scott getting some air wakeboarding.


Soleil imitating the older cousins and attempting her first toe touch.

Uncle Ross and Brinley on the pontoon boat.


Cheese!

Caden did two summer camps, his first ones ever. He and his cousin Drew first did a sports camp and then the next week did a bible camp at his old preschool. Gotta love the songs!

Hope your summer was as good as ours!!

Bramwell B&B

So our bed and breakfast is officially open for the season. Actually, it's been open for the last 6 weeks, but will be closing for the next 3 weeks. Our latest guests have included my wonderful in-laws back in mid-May. We went to a Padre game with them, huffed and puffed our way through the cystic fibrosis walk, and celebrated Scott's 33rd birthday with them. It was a lot of fun! I think I have pictures, but as stated in the previous post, I'm still learning the in's and out's of this new computer, and the photo program and I are fighting right now. The program is winning.
Three days after Barry and Linda left, my dad and stepmom's best friends came for the weekend. Gary and Sue are like my....fourth set of parents. Caden loved playing with Uncle Gary, and Gary and Sue both helped with my dreaded sac. talk. (see post below) They were also here for the start of potty-training, and even assisted with taking Soleil to the potty. Talk about great friends!!

Four days after Gary and Sue left, my brother David and his girlfriend Carrie arrived. David did a month internship at Scott's work, and Carrie washed windows. It was so fun to get to hang with my brother for an extended time, and gave my kids the opportunity to get to really know him. He and Carrie played with the kids, babysat the kids, and explored San Diego when we weren't unloading the kids on them. I really enjoyed having them here. Carrie left a week ago, and David pulled out this morning. And somehow I didn't take a single picture of David and the kids. He was here a month! Why am I so bad at this??? ugh!

My dear aunt Cathy came over from Phoenix last week for 24 hours to help me decorate my bedroom. She is a master decorator - incredibly talented and creative. She sewed my drapes, and I enjoyed her company, if only for a short time. One day I'll get her out here for a "non-working" trip. Thanks for all your help, Cathy! I LOVE the drapes!! It's probably weird to post pictures of your bedroom online, but I am so pleased with how these turned out. I'm anxious to finish the odds and ends, and get this room done!!

Please ignore the ghetto lamp. It WILL be replaced!!

This last week we had 2 different bouts of the fever thing going around. Caden got over it in a day, but poor Soleil got hit a little harder. I think we are all better now, just in time for our trip!

With the beginning of the month came the end of school. Caden LOVED his preschool and his teacher. This is from the last day of school.

Miss Cullison and Caden

Hope everyone has a happy 4th of July!

Sigh of relief

Sac. mgt talk - check. So glad that one's done with. For at least 5 years! Don't call me about speaking again until 2014, people! My nerves and my marriage can't handle it any sooner!

Summer calendar - double check. SUPER glad that sucker is done. While it is an annual affair, I think next year's will be easier...cause Scott got me a new computer!! I love him. He is da' bomb. We bought our computer when we got married, 6 years ago, which is like 50 in techno years. My computer did not have a calendar feature on it. It didn't want to download anything from the internet. And our newer laptop is a Mac. Shoot me in the head...I can't handle going back and forth between a Mac and a PC. Too hard. Anyways, complaining aside, the calendar is done, and I have a new PC!! Hopefully soon my special IT guy will come to set it up for me...firewalls and all. ;->

From Melissa's senior dance recital in April. That shirt makes me look prego. Dang, I thought it was a keeper.

Dad, Michelle, Melissa, Jill, and me. Shiny, happy people.

This is what happens while I work out. Maybe that's why I still have my "baby" weight, and my baby is 2 1/2!! Look closely...that's her hair caught up in there. And she's neekid!! Where are her clothes?? ;-> We are potty-training, so that means no clothes while at home. Keeps the laundry down.

Got to give her props...she never cried while Daddy got her untangled.

Send some happy thoughts for the potty-training. We need it!!

April Adventures

It's time for the Easter post!!

We had a busy April. Caden did a couple of spring break day camps with his cousins. On Easter weekend, my mom and my cousin Jill and her family and her mom, my dear Aunt Cathy came for a quick visit. We ate and laughed and reminisced. Thanks for stopping by, guys! The Easter Bunny was good to the kids this year.


Decorating eggs

While we were in a decorating mood, we finally finished our last gingerbread house from Christmas. I put it up on the counter to harden up, and went upstairs. Soon I noticed how very quiet the house was. I snuck back down, and peeked around the corner to find Caden and Soleil standing on stools whispering to each other and picking the candy off of the gingerbread house. This is them "getting caught."

I love Caden's face, but I'm a little nervous that Soleil isn't fazed at all by being caught.

Caden showing off some of his Easter wares.

Why does my 2 year old have more toned arms than I do?? She doesn't even care about toned arms!!

Still...how cute is she??

Trying for a Easter pix with Grannie. Soleil is all attitude already - heaven help me!

My mom's friend Penny and her 2 daughters came down from Canada to defrost for their spring break. We played at the beach and Legoland, and laughed at how quickly those Canucks got sun-burned here in sunny SoCal. And it's always good when my mom comes to visit!

The last weekend of April I flew to Austin to watch my little sister in her last high school drill team recital. It was so much fun to see...I'm so proud of my youngest sis!! Of course I forgot my camera, so Melissa - email me some photos!! It was a quick trip, but it was fun to just be daughter and sister, and leave the parenting to Scott for the weekend. Thanks, honey!! I love you!!

As soon as I find the camera, I'll post about May.