Wednesday, August 27, 2008

My baby is in the 1st grade!!

Hayden started school today. He is in the 1st grade and it just kills me. Shawn woke him up this morning before he left for work. Here is the conversation that I eavesdropped on while they were getting ready in the bathroom:


"I have a really nervous feeling in my stomach."

"Get used to that feeling, you'll have it a lot in your life- every year before the first day of school, when you start a job. Remember to listen to your teacher and do what she says. Be nice and watch your mouth, other kids might say bad words but that doesn't mean you say them"

"I know, I won't"


I'm so glad that Shawn remembers to give him those little reminders. He is such a good father. Hayden decided what he wanted to wear, he got dressed, we took pictures and he was off. He wouldn't let me walk him all the way to the bus or take picture of him getting on the bus because he's "not a baby this year".

He wrote his teacher, Mrs. Price a little letter last night that he made sure to take today with an apple. He is funny. I can't believe that he will be gone all day. I should be happier about that but I'm not. He is a good boy and I know he will do well in school. I'm so lucky that the Lord trusted me with that little spirirt, he is better now at 6 than I could ever hope to be in 100 years.





"I'm in grade #1"


Walking

to the

bus

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Back to school (after a LONG break)

Well it's official- I'm a student again. I've made it through my first week of school. All I can say is that I hope my 30 year old brain is capable of retaining all of the information that it is expected to. My friend Heidi went back to school a few years ago and she said it took her about 3 weeks for her brain to get back in to school mode. Well I'm holding her to that- one down, two to go. I really like being back in school. I'm excited to learn again and to start a new chapter in this thing called life. My first class is at 7:30 in Idaho falls so I have to leave the same time that Shawn does to be to work 10 minutes early. As we were leaving on Tuesday 8/19 (my first day) Shawn got the camera and took my first day of school pictures just like we did Hayden last year. It was funny. I am so lucky that he supports me in this decision and I couldn't do it without him. Heather is watching my kids while I am at school. She gets off work at 3 a.m. and sleeps on my couch so she can get up with my kids. I am so thankful that I have such a great support system.
My friends and family are the best!!

Great story- bad ending

We went boating on Palisades lake on Monday 8/18 with Tena and Gerald. Gerald is still up at Grand Targhee so he met us in Swan Valley. He was so funny when we pulled up- he was in his shorts and a cowboy hat. He's lost a lot of weight and Tena had to make fun of him. We got out on the water and Shawn did some wake boarding, we stopped at a beach for some lunch and then got back out of the water. Shawn, Tena, Hadley and I all took turns on the tube. Hadley loves to ride the tube. She was out there on every ride. I brought my camera but true to fashion, left it in the car. So here are a few with my crappy cell phone camera. This is Shawn, Hadley, and Tena. Gerald's cowboy hat had blown off and Shawn had picked it up from the tube. He had it on his head and that is about the only thing you can see in this picture.

Well right after this picture was taken the hat blew off Shawn's head and in to the water again. Gerald circled around to get it again, missed the first try and then ran over it the second time. This time it sunk. Shawn tried to save it but couldn't dive with his life jacket on. Gerald was none to pleased to lose his hat that he had used all summer but at least it was just a cheap $15 hat.

We found the hot spring that empties in to the lake. I wish we had a picture of this. It is a tiny little area where the hot water comes in to the lake and we were all huddled in this tiny spot trying to keep warm in the cold water. Gerald, Tena, Hayden, Hadley, Hallie and I all crammed in a little spot. Tena had the best spot and she kept laughing telling Gerald "I'd really like to give you my spot but I just can't". Shawn was out in the cold water in his wet suit splashing us. He said we looked hilarious.

It was getting dark and we decided to head back. We were about 10 minutes from the dock at full speed when we suddenly lost power. The boat was still on but it wouldn't move. Shawn was smart enough to flag down a boat that was following us immediately. Luckily he did because it was the last boat out there besides us. The nice couple in the boat towed us back. It took about 1/2 and hour. Shawn is used to doing this but is usually on the other end- the saving side. We got the boat out of the water (by we I mean Shawn and Gerald) and got the kids packed in to the car.

No this story is not over. The lights on the trailer would not work. Apparently a fuse in our car was not working. We had no light to check it. Again luckily a few campers came by to dump their garbage in the dumpster by the dock. They were on 4 wheelers and were able to shine their headlights on the fuse box. They got 1 brake light working and we were able to use a jump pack to get the lights working in Swan Valley. That did not last long but we made it home in one piece, without being pulled over. It was much later than planned but it all worked out.

All in all, it was a fun trip and makes one heck of a story.

Seattle or bust

Being the Twilight groupie that I am, I had to attend the latest Stephenie Meyer book signing in our area. Unfortunately, the closest one in our area was in Seattle- an 11 hour drive away. Luckily, I have the best sister's in the world. Heather said that she would drive, and Brooke watched my children so that I could go because Shawn was scheduled for 12 hour days each one of the days I would be gone.

Heather, Brandi Hunter (our co-worker/friend), and I left on Monday 8/11 for Seattle. It was a long drive but was not a bad one. Heather did the driving, I read and Brandi slept. We talked and laughed. It was actually fun. It's a good thing Heather likes to drive so much. I was the navigator (ie: read the mapquest directions to Heather) and a poor one at that- I think. We got to our hotel at 11:00 p.m. When we pulled in to the parking lot, there were 2 police cruisers lit up. We were all wondering what kind of hotel this was. Not to worry, it was just an accident that had pulled in to the parking lot. We got in to our room and turned on the olympics. Heather and I had the giggles and were making fun of the commentators for the gymnastics. I'm sure Brandi thought we were crazy.


The next day 8/12 we got ready and headed into Seattle. We went up the Space Needle, to the market on the pier, and out to lunch. I would love to live by a market like that. The fresh fruit and flowers alone would have me there all the time. The book signing started at 7 so we left early so we had plenty of time to get lost, etc.


The signing was also a concert. It was a signing with singing. Justin Furstenfeld, the lead singer of Blue October, sang songs on a acoustical guitar. It was awesome. Justin came out first and sang a couple of songs, then Stephenie did a Q&A and then Justin came out again. He and Stephenie told about the songs he sang- which characters the songs related to for Stephenie and what the song meant, or how it came about to be for Justin. It was great!! Then it was over and Stephenie had over 2,000 books to sign. We had to wait about 2 hours for our turn to stand in line. It wasn't bad, they let us sit in the nice cushioned auditorium seats to wait. It was air conditioned in there and we just sat and read our books. Heather and I had made shirts- the front said "Team Nessie" and the back read "more than my own life". That won't mean anything to you if you haven't read the books.


We left first think in the morning 8/13 and drove all day back home. Again, not a bad drive. Heather and I each took a turn driving (mostly Heather), we slept and read too. I personally had a blast and am so thankful to those that made it possible for me to do it- Brooke, thanks so much for taking such good care of my kids so that I could go and Shawn wouldn't have to miss work. Heather, thanks for donating your car for the drive. Brandi, it was so fun to have you with us. I hope we weren't too wierd for you- at least you got a good laugh. I now have a signed copy of all but one book that Stephenie Meyer has written. Some day I will get my Eclipse signed. I am a nerd!!!

Heather & Brandi in front of the Space Needle:

Heather & I in the Space Needle:

The auditorium full of over 2000 people:



We in our auditorium seats (I'm taking the picutre):

Me in my homemade t-shirt:

Hadley

Hadley brings our family such happiness. She is about to start pre school in a week and is so excited. Hadley has such a good heart and loves to learn. She loves to attend primary and sing the songs. The other day I heard her belting out "I am a child of God" and asked her if she would sing it for the camera. She told me she would love to. So here it is, the lighting is not very good but she still sounds great. (you'll need to pause the music player on the right to hear her)

I love you Hadley!!

I love the Twilight books! And I'm not ashamed of it. I was so excited for the final book in the series, Breaking Dawn, to be released. Heather and I went to the midnight release party on 8/2/08 in Idaho Falls at Barnes and Noble. We got there at about 11:30 and there were already SO many people there:

Many were dressed up in their prom gowns:


Some more goth:


And some just plain funny, this girl was dressed up like Bella in the hospital:

We got our books at 8 minutes after midnight and went straight home to read them, over 700 pages and one day later, I finished my new favorite book. Luckily, I have several people in my life that also love these books- Heather, Kirstin, Heidi- thanks ladies and may there be many more discussions to follow.

Followers