Dylan's in Kindergarten!

It's been an awesome summer at Hawaiian Falls!  Definitely got good use out of our season passes.  Now that Colton's 40 inches tall and LOVES the big slides it's a lot more fun to go!  Perks of having a tall, brave 3 year old.  Our family favorite is the big green half pipe slide:

Jason, Carra, Rogan, and Jaxon met us there often.  Fun water buddies:

 I had Pack Meeting at a fire station to attend, so I took the boys with me.  They loved it: 

I went to my Tuesday night workout group right after the Pack Meeting.  Stephen Madsen kicks my butt every time, along with Ginny and Heather.  I like the group.  They are as tough and competitive as I am.  Good 'ol gym therapy.  Keeps me semi-sane:

Example work out:

Warmup:

-50 push-ups

-50 air squats

Rx:

1/2 mile lunges(500 lunges)

Then 4x20 of each:

-Hand release push-ups(body weight)

-Sit-ups(body weight)

-Quad extensions(100lbs)

-24 inch box jump

Bonus round:
50 lunge jumps per leg

I was so sore after that workout I was hobbling around and had to skip 2 of my Mommy park exercise groups that week.  I think I have lunged my last consecutive 1/2 mi.  My knees can't handle it.  Stephen took this action shot that night when I was in the middle of the bonus round:

The week before school started it cooled down to 74*.  Finally able to do sidewalk chalk without burning knees and bums on the cement.  I think Dylan could sense how much I was going to miss him after he started kindergarten yesterday.  Holding hands in a heart means love.  He drew me holding his hand first with our names, then the artwork branched out from there.

The two hearts at the top of the "yellow lightbulb" are him with G-ma (right) and Mimi holding him as a baby (left).  Dylan asked me to take a picture to show G-ma and Mimi.  He is a sweet boy.  I never want him to stop holding my hand:

 The sunglasses were a nice touch:

 On Meet the Teacher night we brought Mrs. Hunter an apple with the poem
"Roses are red,
And apples are, too.
I can't wait to spend the school year with you!"

Dylan also had colored this Ninja Turtle picture right after Kindergarten Round-up in May for his teacher before we knew who it would be:  

It's kind of fun to be on the other side of teaching to do stuff like this:

Mrs. Hunter gave the kids goldfish that said, "You're O-FISH-ally in Kindergarten!"  Colton is having a hard time not going to school with Dylan and cried when he didn't have a treat too.  She was sweet enough to give one to Colt as well.  I like her already.  

Mimi told Autrey she would buy him a table saw if he would build a market stand for her preschool classroom and deliver it to her down in Houston.  Autrey was thrilled with that deal.  He finished it while we were date swap babysitting for Wes and Brindee and the boys tried it out:

It was quite the adventure getting it to the classroom from Fort Worth, but here it is.  Turned out pretty cute.  Wanna buy fruit for $5?

Monday night we went to Hawaiian Falls, ate pizza for dinner, and Autrey gave everyone back to school blessings, me included.  Dylan was so excited to go yesterday morning.  I woke them up at 7 am, and this picture was taken at 7:15 (the kids are to be sitting at their seats before 7:45...sheesh), so you might not be able to tell how excited he was with sleep still in his eyes.  Let me assure you the kid was ecstatic and we've been early both days:

Cutest kindergartener ever:

He wanted a picture with Dylan's "Revenger" (Avenger) lunchbox:

We were excited that Trey will be in Dylan's class:

Matthew is in the classroom next door.  They still get to play together at recess:

This makes my heart smile:

Ready to go at his desk:

The only tears that morning were from Colton.  Poor guy feels left behind.  He will be so excited for preschool next year.  I looked at the clock all day long.  After school I gave them both an Avenger mask for fun to celebrate the 1st day before we went to Dylan's piano lesson.  And we had a doughnut that Mimi sent home with us.  My strong little Iron Man and Hulk:

I may or may not be having too much fun with Dylan's lunches and snacks.  For today I made my own "Lunchable" by putting cupcake liners in his sandwich box for strawberries, turkey, and cheese (I spread it on the plate, but it went in the empty spot by the turkey.  Hope the letters don't stick together on top of each other.).  I also packed him water in his Avengers water bottle, applesauce in the Avengers thermos, carrots, trail mix, a mini box of raisins, and Avengers fruit snacks.  I sent the Chicka-Chicka-Boom Boom tree for his afternoon snack (because they eat brunch...I mean, lunch...at 10:15 they eat a snack to hold them until 2:45).  Clearly I like food art:

Dylan loved his 1st day and ran into my room this morning excited to go back.  Makes it easier to let him go.  So proud of my big boy! Although it doesn't seem like very long ago he was my itty bitty baby:

 My sentiments exactly:

 Let the school adventure begin...

4th of July New Mexico Trip

We got up at 2:30 am and flew home from Utah on June 23rd.  I don't know if the super early morning had anything to do with it or not, but the next few days were the worst fertility drug side effect days out of any of the rounds: Throwing up, headaches, dizziness, hot flashes, super emotional, and cramping so bad I couldn't stand up straight.  (I later found out my progesterone levels were really high that round.)  Thankfully, out of the blue Gaby Calvi called to pick up the boys to play for the afternoon.  And after I almost passed out answering the door, she took one look at me and quickly offered to bring dinner.  That was extra nice because I was too sick to go grocery shopping after I went to the doctor. She pulled me out of a pit that day.  Have I mentioned how much I love my friends? I wasn't sure I was going to be well enough to make the drive to Ruidoso on the 26th, but we left that night along with Matt, Allyson, and baby Hayley in our car.  I hadn't really unpacked or did any of my Utah trip laundry before we left, but I was in survival mode and I did only what I had to so we could leave.  On that trip I read Unbroken, the incredible story of Olympic runner/POW Louis Zamperini.  It was an amazing, inspiring story...and a great distraction while driving.

The kids loved playing in the river.  They would have stayed there all day, every day if they could:

Wendell, Dolanna, and Avani joined the river train:

They also loved the little vehicles...:

...and mini golf...

...and loved the race track...:

Video of Dylan and Colt driving:

We went exploring with Papa and our walking sticks.  We learned a lot of things about the "Pygmy Indians".  And they believed everything he said:

Colt and Tommy were the ones brave enough to go out on that high rock with Aut:

Aut had to pee, then they all did.  I couldn't resist.  They have such cute cheekies.  (I have since taught the boys how to pee like Tommy without dropping their drawers completely.):

2-headed Indian:

 Video of 2-headed Indian running:

These two LOVE babies.  Lucky Hayley:

At the driving range:

I had to go out to Alamogordo for my monthly blood draw, so we went to White Sands and made a day of it.  We even went to Blake's for green chili cheeseburgers afterwards.  It was a great day.  Dylan was asking me to go sand sledding yesterday.  Too bad we don't have that around here:

Holding hands.  Love it:

Got it made in the shade with Mimi:

I know this isn't Tyler because he had a red hat on, Tommy had jeans on, so this is probably Dylan.  Matching identification problems.  Haha:

Autrey sand surfing with Colton:

Allyson trying to surf with Tommy.  You're welcome, Allyson.  Haha:

Loving on the kittens at Nana's:

Poor cat:

Words cannot describe how much I love this picture:

Peach Day for everyone.  Allyson has the big group picture I will have to add later.  Here are Mimi and Papa with the grandkids:

Bubbles!

Samuel the Lamanite, up on the wall:

Hot tub swimming:

I like spikey hair.  I can't help it:

Erik wanted to go swimming but didn't have a swimming suit.  He borrowed Aut's.  We're all lucky he managed to cinch them tight enough to stay on:

To Fun Trackers again after Lori and Danny's family arrived:

They loved everything about this place...with one HUGE exception.  It will be a LONG time before we go on this squirty ride.  My kids screamed as soon as they got shot in the face.  Hazards of being short:

See?

Poor Dylan:

If you didn't know better, this might pass for laughing.  Maybe:

At the river again.  With floating airplanes attached to fishing line for the kids to play with:

Autrey's 33rd birthday cake, with his baseball number 8.  This was cake #2.  Papa tried to use a bear shaped pan mold he found at the rental house and it didn't bake so well.  A rectangle is easier to frost anyway:

At the river again 4th of July morning.  Shocker:

A rodeo clown wandered to the house with fireworks for the kids.  Oh, wait.  It's just fashion-forward Jared:

Little Dodge (behind Colt) is such a doll:

Love that face:

It burned out.  Colt's expressions crack me up:

Progression of Colton deciding if he likes holding it or not.  (Remember his Utah momentary freak out I posted yesterday?):

4th of July outfits with Mimi and Papa:

Alyssa, Jared, and Nana:

At the rodeo in Capitan:

The kids joined the calf chase.  They scattered in every which way, but I got a picture of Tommy and Tyler:

We love to see Nana...and escape the Texas heat!