First Day of School

It's that time of year again.  First day of school pictures!

Baylee - Age 17, 11th Grade

Mrs. Tester

Jackson - Age 8, 3rd Grade

Miss. Crowe

Wyland didn't start until the next day. So this isn't his official first day.

Wyland - Age 6, 1st Grade

Mrs. Misrasi

Lastly,

Oliver - Age 3, 2nd year of Preschool

Miss. Lori

Back to School Photo's

While I only managed to get these onto Facebook in a timely manner, I did actually capture back to school photos!

Baylee

High School - Sophmore

Homeroom Teacher - Mrs. Tester

Jackson

2nd Grade

Mrs. McAllister

Oliver

Preschool - Year 1

Miss. Lori

Wyland

All Day Kindergarten

Ms. Larsen turned Mrs. Angell

Little Swimmers!

We only did one session of swimming lessons this year out at Alta Canyon.  Oh my goodness did the boys enjoy it though!  Jackson and Wyland both were in the same level of class.  Oliver did a kids class.  Baylee did a more advanced class.  Oliver wasn't exactly cooperative but boy does that kid LOVE the pool.  Falling in the water doesn't bother him at all either!

Again, here's another thing where if we made it more of a habit to get out in the pool with the kids and practice more then they would get better.  We'll just add that to our list this year too.

** Hopefully this video will play when this posts because it's really cute!

The Family Bed

Jackson is now six years old which means that for the past six years I've had a little one in my bed at night. To say we adopted the "Family Bed" method would be accurate. Or perhaps it chose us. Anyway, I have never really minded this at all. Since I've always worked full time this is when I get to snuggle with my kids.  I have always felt like this was the best opportunity for me to bond with them.  This was our time.  When I come home from work during the week it's constantly go go go.  Drive Grandma home, make dinner, clean up after dinner, do homework, Baylee's exercise, laundry, clean house, more laundry, the list goes on and on.  There isn't a ton of time just to sit and hang out.

As we went from one boy, to two boys, and now three boys it's getting crowded.  Jackson is old enough that he can be reasoned with.  Wyland is more willing to follow suit I think.  And Oliver has never really spent a ton of time in our bed (because there wasn't room for him too).  Sad.  So this week we've been working on transitioning them to their beds.

Oliver just wants to be a part of whatever they're doing.  And I've resorted to bribing.  I told Jackson if he not only slept in his bed, but actually went in there and laid down to go to sleep that I would buy him a new Skylander guy.  Wyland has decided he wants a lantern (but what he really means is a lamp .. I have no idea why he even wants a lamp but he does).  We have experienced great success with Jackson.  He's gone in there and stayed in there (after the million times of checking on what I'm doing prior to actually falling asleep).  Wyland hasn't been as successful which is kind of interesting because he hasn't gone through the whole, "I'm scared" stuff that Jackson has.  But yet it's Wyland that's up in the middle of the night and wants to get in bed with me.  Well .. all in all I figure it's progress.  We'll keep working on it. I actually think it's equally as hard on me as it is on them.  I miss having them snuggle up next to me.  But I know it's time. 

Swimming and Birthday's

Last weekend was a very busy and interesting weekend.  Let's just say we interacted with the police twice on Sunday.  We'll get to all that later thought.  We began the weekend by starting up swimming lessons again.  This time I signed up Wyland as well.  He was excited to join the big kids in the fun.  That was until he found out how cold it was, then he wasn't so sure anymore.  But he did stay in the whole time and once I got him all dressed again he was a happy camper.

That little boy in the middle there decided to take himself for his own swim while the teacher was taking one of the other kids out for some practice.  While the lifeguard slowly got out of his chair the boys mother (pictured above in soaking wet clothes) jumped in after him.  Boy was she embarrassed afterwards.  This week when they walked in I told her, "Now no jumping in the water today."  Not sure if she thought I was funny .. lol.  But I'd been there with Jackson.  I knew what that moment felt like.  I didn't have to jump in fully clothed but I definitely got soaked from him when I hauled him out of the water.  Having kids near water is scary the majority of the time.  This week I had to take all the kids by myself.  I would be lying if I didn't say I wasn't a little nervous.  It's really hard juggling that many by myself.  The challenge is that we are there for an hour and a half because there's 30 minutes in between the end of the boys lesson and the beginning of Baylee's.  This week I changed the boys into dry clothes and then we walked up the parking lot to pick up a cup of coffee and a couple cookies.  So we survived and I was very happy!

Then Saturday was Jeramie's sister, Gelasia's birthday.  So Wyland helped me make a casserole to take with us to the party that night.  He was actually really good at tearing up those tortillas.  He was also very proud that he helped make dinner.

The birthday girl and her brother.  We found out a couple weeks ago that Gelasia is pregnant with her first baby.  We're all very excited for her.  She's going to make a wonderful mama!  Secretly I think we're all hoping for a girl .. however her husband who already has two girls is definitely hoping for a boy I'm sure.  It's kind of fun because it means that her baby will come to our house during the week to be watched by Robie.  Which means I will get some newborn cuddle time most days when I come home from work.  Yay for newborns!  But I guess Oliver better prepare himself .. he's not gonna be the baby anymore.

Then as we were getting ready to have cake Grandma Robie let little Oliver stick his fingers in the cake.

He was really liking that frosting!

The next morning (last Sunday) I was set to head out for a quick 3 miles with my friend Rebecca.  It was a taper week and so we didn't have much to do.  We started this new tradition where we run out 1 mile further so that we can stop off at the new Beans & Brews on the way back.  We grab a cup of coffee and then walk the last mile back to the car.  It works out perfectly.  Well as we were on our return walk to the car all of a sudden there was this other female coming towards us in running gear and behind her about 20 feet was this guy running in jeans and a black work jacket.  Ever since that lady in Montana was kidnapped and killed a few months ago we're definitely on high alert.  And you can usually tell who seems like a bit of a creeper and who doesn't.  Well instantly Rebecca asks me whether I think the guy behind the girl looks normal.  I replied definitely no and she took my coffee as I grabbed my pepper spray out of my SpiBelt.  The girl ran straight up to us and said, "does it look like that guy is chasing me?"  Long story short she was completely freaked out and the guy was definitely a creeper.  She said to us she was going to pretend she was meeting up with us and we knew each other.  So we began chatting and the guy stopped and asked if we had seen another guy with a dog.  We said no and just started walking away.  She told us there was another guy up further ahead that was with him and equally creepy.  We talked about giving her a ride to her car or how she could go up a block and run down a road that runs parallel to the parkway.  In the end we stopped a guy that was just heading out for a run (a normal looking guy) and asked if she could run with him for awhile.  He was totally cool about it and off they went.  We then were back at our car.  We warned another lady that was just headed out on her own. She was appreciative and got back in her car to go run by her house, however she did ask if we called the cops.  Duh!  Guess that's probably a good idea and so we did.  Good 'ole Siri helped hook us up with Sandy City PD.  They had us move to the top of the parking lot and then keep an eye on the guys.  There were now three of them and a dog.  Fortunately the South Jordan PD got there before they left and stopped them for a little chat.  The police called me once I got home to get my story again while they were down there with the guys. 

So the story they gave the police was that the guy with the dog (whom I remembered later in hindsight) had taken his dog there to swim in the canal.  The three guys all worked together and the guy running had decided that they needed to leave real quick and had gone off running to find the guy with the dog.  The other guy sitting on the bench was supposedly injured with a groin pull and so he was just sitting there waiting.  The cop asked me whether I thought it was a believable story.  I told him no.  They were definitely NOT in a hurry to leave as we sat at the top describing them and their vehicle.  Plenty of time for the South Jordan PD to get there.  But I also understand that they didn't actually catch them doing anything illegal and therefore couldn't actually do anything.  It was scary and made us really grateful that we run together on the weekends.  I'm so tired of feeling like we can't just go for a run without worrying about our safety.  It's frustrating. 

As if that all wasn't enough I was driving home from work and I saw the guy with the dog in the truck we had seen only a few days before.  Turns out he lives right by me!!!!!!!  I'm sure it's just a coincidence but it's still a little unnerving.  I definitely came home feeling very grateful for my running buddy and my pepper spray.  I have added to my "defense" tools that I run with.  Just more weight for me to carry with me.  And this week we ran a different route.  It's too bad.  But I'm very grateful that we've never actually run into any real problems.  We continue to try and run very aware and smart.

Then that night as we were headed up to my parents the alarm at our house went off so we had the West Jordan PD out clearing the house.  Turns out it was just the dogs. 

Yes, we interacted with 3 different police departments all in the same day!!

All's well that ends well right?

Oops .. I swallowed a tooth.

Jackson officially lost his first tooth this week.  We were at my mum's for dinner on Thursday and all of a sudden Jackson comes running into the kitchen with a bloody mouth.  Apparently Wyland hit him in the mouth and knocked out his loose tooth.  After searching around the living room we never did find it.  So we can only assume he swallowed it.  ICK!  He was very excited that even without the tooth the Tooth Fairy still came for a visit and left him "FIVE BUCKS"!!!  Apparently another kid in his class lost her tooth too and she also got five bucks.  Is that the going rate for teeth these days I wonder?

In other, not so exciting news Wyland and Oliver LOVE to take baths together.  I love that Oliver is big enough now to hold his own in the tub with Wyland.  They have so much fun together.

They think it's the best part when I let the water run for them to play with.

Jackson gets "fauxhawks" all the time.  This is the only place Wyland gets them

because of the length of his hair of course!

Won't he looks so WEIRD when we finally cut his hair?  See it all pulled away from his face.

We have the big kids signed up to start swimming lessons next month.  We're doing them at the local rec center that doesn't have a "great" pool.  But they do lessons just on Saturday mornings and I like that a lot.  Plus I think having lessons this time last year really helped Jackson with building his confidence last summer on the boat and in the pool.  This year Wyland is old enough to join them.  Jackson and Wyland will be in the same class which I think will be fun with them.  Then we'll have a 30 minute break and Baylee gets to have hers.  One thing I do like is that they have a very small toddler pool off to the side so while we wait for Baylee's lesson to start and then have the 30 minutes to kill of her actual lesson the boys can play in the toddler pool.  I'm excited because I know the kids will love it.  But at the same time I'm NOT looking forward to giving up my only sleep in day.  Then on top of that the majority of the time I'll be taking them by myself and juggling Oliver as well.  Plus I'm kind of itching to throw in a half marathon on St. Patrick's day for fun.  I have a 9 mile training run that weekend, so I figure what's 4 more?

Speaking of running, my running buddy Rebecca is out of town for the next two weekends so I had to drag Jeramie out with me.  We had an awesome 8 mile run this morning out on the Parkway.  I usually do my long runs on Sunday's and it's pretty quiet.  But we were able to arrange for a babysitter this morning and so we headed out today instead.  There were SO many other runners out there.  Kind of neat.  Jeramie did a better job of running next to me instead of 6 paces ahead of me.  I was teaching him the ways of courteous running.  Things like:

1.  Say "good morning" or wave to people when you pass them. 

2.  Don't blow snot rockets without checking behind you first, to ensure that you don't snot rocket ON someone.  (I don't EVER blow snot rockets mind you.)

3.  Keep your music low enough that you can hear people coming up behind you when they say, "on your left" so you can move out of their way.  He failed to do this once because he has his music turned up so loud.  He almost got ran over and pissed the guy off.  Oh well, hopefully it was a learning experience.

4.  He learned about fueling.  He says, "These taste like GUMMY BEARS!!!!"  Yes, yes they do.

Then I made him push it the last mile (after we'd already run 7).  We increased our speed to about a 9.25 min mile (in my world that's fast, I am not a fast runner by any means).  He says, "That last mile was INTENSE!!"  Yes, yes it was.

We stopped for coffee at the end and walked back 1 more mile to the car.  During our walk Jeramie tells me that maybe running will become his new MMA.  Gotta love that running high!!

Happy Halloween 2011

This year I took the day off of work for Halloween.

Since we didn't go on any big vacations this year I had a little time off to spare.

It's been nice to be able to take an occasional day off just for little things.

This year since Halloween fell on a Monday I wanted to be able to go and help with Jackson's class party.

So that is how our day began.  Jackson didn't know I was coming.

He was pleased as punch to see me when I arrived and couldn't understand why I was at school.

I got to work the Bingo table.

The parent that put on the party did such a great job!

Here she was making some "witches brew".  (aka rootbeer)

Here they were heading off to parade the other Kindergarten classrooms before leaving.

Since Jackson is in morning Kindergarten they didn't get to participate in the big school parade.

 Rachel was a Peep, Grandma was a Pirate, then my kiddos.  There's Baylee in the background waiting for trick or treaters to arrive.  She LOVES handing out candy.

Oliver the Bat

Wyland .. Bubblebee

Jackson .. Optimus Prime

Yeah .. that's Jeramie in there.  Embarrassing.

They both LOVED trick or treating this year.  We never go far.  Just up the street and back.

Here was Wyland at the end of the night sharing some time with Polly.



4th Child Slacker Mom

I have done a terrible job of having Oliver's pictures taken professionally.

I guess it's the whole 4th kid thing.

Or perhaps that I take so many pictures myself that I don't feel like I'm not capturing those stages.

I'm really happy with how these pictures turned out.  I think they're wonderful.

Baylee - Age 14

Jackson - Age 5

Wyland - Age 3

Oliver - 10 months

 

My Boys