Sweet Moments

I put Ali down for a nap, and while singing to her actually watched her fall asleep as she was looking at her book. It was about the cutest thing I've ever seen; I just had to capture it.

"Wow, that was a long time ago!"

The CEU Volleyball team has an Alumni Game each year where old player get to come back and take on the current team. It is so fun to reconnect with friends and be able to go out and play a competitive game. Don't get me wrong, the recreation league/pick up games are fun and all, but there is nothing like having a team that knows what they're doing. My favorite part of this year's game was that Britta and I got to play together.




One side note: I don't feel it, but I think I'm getting old... While on the bench, I was chatting with some other Alum, and we were talking about when we played. A girl who played on the team the year before asked when I played. After I told her she said, "Wow, that was a long time ago!" What could I say, "Yeah, I guess it was" ... Naw, eight years is nothin';)

Half Marathon

Saturday, August 23rd was the Top of Utah Half Marathon! Britta convinced me a couple of months ago to run it with her. I'd been pretty unfocused in the training, but I picked it up the last month with a couple of long runs and more consistent weekday workouts. I actually did better than I thought I would and finished at 1:45:. There's nothing quite like running and the feeling of finishing a race. Endorphins are definitely real! Maybe I'll try a triathlon












I didn't have many (any) pictures from the race, so I stole some from my mom's camera. Thanks Mom.

The kids waiting for Mom and Auntie Britta.
















Just finishing the 13th mile!



















Not my favorite to have a close up of myself, but such a cute picture of Ali.

She's Four!

We celebrated Emma's birthday on Friday in Logan. My mom and Britta had spent the week at Education Days and met us there that night. Keenan, who had been a bachelor all week, had decorated for the occasion:) We had a fun evening, and after her birthday dinner, Emma was finally able to open her presents. She had been asking for a bike with training wheels for weeks (with some encouragement from Bentley). On the morning of her special day we let her open a couple of presents, and she was very sweet about them but asked if there were more. She didn't say it, but I could tell she was still hoping for a bike. I reassured her that there would be some at Britta and Keenan's, and she wasn't disappointed. She is such a sweetheart and was so excited about everything. My favorite comment of the day however, was when she opened up a cute dress from Britta and Keenan. It was a halter style with undershirt. She held it up and said, "Its not modest!" We had to explain that there is a shirt that goes under. After some coaxing she was OK with it.

Birthday bonus

Ali thought the birthday balloons should be for more than just decor.

Such a boy

Trying to get a cute picture of after the first day of first grade...

Smile, Bentley...














Bentley!














C'mon, Bud, smile...















Alright... (threaten to take away his most prized possession, his sling shot) ...smile.















Nice

First day of Schooll

This has got to have been the fastest summer on record! I can not believe that school is starting again. After back to school night on Monday, Bentley headed off for "six whole hours" (the amount he figured out himself and has been talking about for weeks) of first grade on Tuesday morning. It has been strange to not have him home all day, but the time with the girls has been sweet. The couple of hours in the afternoon when Ali is napping and it's just me and Emma are really different. Still it's kind of nice to have some Emma/Mommy time. Of all the kids, she, being the middle child, has probably had the least of it. It's hard to let Bentley go, but I guess I can't hold on forever although I wish I could.

Thrice in one month?

The kids and I headed to Price for a few days last week to get the school year underway. I work at PCA in Price a few days each month, so frequent trips are often necessary. However, I was thinking about how much we've traveled that road lately. This was the second trip down in the last two weeks, but we're not finished yet. This weekend we're heading to Logan for the Top of Utah Half-Marathon, and then the next weekend we're heading back to Price for the CEU Alumni game. Go Eagles! That's right, before the month is over we will have made the trip to Price three times, and with gas at four dollars a gallon... ouch.

Catch the Reading Bug

The library had a really cute theme this summer, "Catch the Reading Bug". On Wednesday, they had their end of summer party with fun activities for the kids. Ali enjoyed a very blue sucker, and B and Em did their best at the mosquito relay among all the other fun activities: an obstacle course, making hats, caterpillars, bugs, playing bingo, pin the dot on the ladybug and more.

Bad news; good news

The bad news:
Ali apparently likes to get into the desitin.


The good news:
She is very careful about where she puts it.

I was amazed that the only places the desitin ended up were on her face, hands, and feet. Not a smudge was found on her clothes, the dresser, or the carpet.

Traumatic Trip

Should a trip to the orthodontist really take all day? Well, it does. On Wednesday, I went in to get x-rays and my retainers checked. After an hour and a half ride, we arrived at the office at which time I realized I had left my retainers on the counter at home! Ahhhh! I did get the x-rays taken, but I hate forgetting things.

After the orthodontist, we went to Costco to stalk up on... everything! By the time we were finished, Ali had had enough. She was tired and decided she wanted to hold some fruit snacks. The packages at Costco are of course huge, so when she pulled the box to her it bonked her head and she started crying. She has what we think is a hypersensitive gag reflex, so while waiting in line she not only started crying but started throwing up. Luckily they have paper towels near the check out, so I was able to catch most of the mess in my hands and in the paper towels. Meanwhile, the checker didn't miss a beat. Bentley helped unload our cart but didn't put up a divider, so the checker not only rang up our items but also the lady in back of us. Then he was all upset that there hadn't been a divider. All the while I'm thinking, "don't mind me, I'm just over here catching throw up in my hands..." Well, after getting the recipe all straighten out we made it out, so we could drive over to fill up with gas. Then with bank account drained and the smell of vomit in the car, we set out for home. The picture is after leaving the store. The kids aren't crying (although I felt like doing so); it was just bright outside.