School Rules

This week as Mia has told me about some of the rules that she has at school. First I got the boring ones like, raise your hand etc. Then today she said, " Mom, did you know that there is a no kissing rule at my school?" This will be a difficult one for Mia as she already has mentioned that she thinks a boy at her table is "handsome" (her exact words) and he hits her on the back (at the age of 5, that is a sure sign that he likes her). Mia also mentioned to me that she does not like her name. This made me sad, because I love it and I chose it. She said, "why didn't you just name me princess?" This is what Ryan calls her.

Tomorrow is the first BYU football game. Ryan's whole outlook on life changes this time of year. Mia is going to the game tomorrow with Ryan. She has been practicing her cheers. This morning she came down and wanted me to turn on some football for her to practice cheering. Tonight, Ella was looking at a BYU postcard with a cougar on it and the kids are sure she was saying "cougar." We start them young around here.

The First Week of School

The school year has begun! Riley started third grade last week and Mia started Kindergarten today! Riley, was not too excited about going back. Whether he knows it or not he gets bored during the summer and he enjoys the routine of school (So do I). Riley seems to like his teacher so far too. As you can see from the pictures, Riley was not so excited about the first day of school pictures.

Mia is so excited about school. She had no problem leaving me today. I have mixed feelings about being away from her. She really needs school though. She is always making things and writing in little notebooks. I hope she continues to like it. She came home and said that she liked recess. She rode the bus home with Riley today. I was so happy when I saw them getting off the bus in one piece today.

So it is just Ella and I for half of the day. I think Ella is going to be a little bit bored. It has been nice to spend some one on one time with her though. Maybe I can teach her how to walk!!!

I took Mia to McDonald's today for lunch since it was her first day. Riley found out after school and so I said that he could choose where to go for dinner. Of course he chose Tepanyaki! Tepanyaki is the restaurant where they cook the food in front of you and it is rather expensive. Riley has expensive taste. We ended up bribing him with some Webkinz cards or something and we compromised with going to Wendy's.

Summer is almost over. It will still be hot, but school is in. The summer always flies by. I have spent a lot of time thinking about family this summer. Riley turned 8 and was baptized. Mia turned 5 and is going to kindergarten. The main thing that has made me think about family was the passing of my grandma. She has had a huge impact on the way I live my life. I was able to spend a lot of time talking to grandma over the years and I can truly say she was my friend. Her service to her family and others was remarkable. I will miss having her her on this earth. However, I am so happy that she is now with grandpa again. I feel so blessed to have my own little family. I hope that I can live up to my grandma's example.

August 12-18, 2007

This week has been a blur as usual. Ella learned to go down the stairs finally. She has been having a great time going down to the play room. Riley and Mia started soccer this week. We are going to be really busy for the next couple of months. It is Mia's first time playing soccer. I am not sure that she is cut out for it. We'll see. When Riley first started soccer (he was 4 years old) he ended up laying down on the field and picking flowers when he started playing. Riley is on the team with some of his friends from school, so he is excited. Mia finally caught her spider named "Charloppe" (after Charlotte's Web). She quickly lost interest and it died the same day. Mia and I were talking while I was making a scrapbook page and she was making something with her stamps. I told her that I am excited for her to grow up a little and that we are going to be best friends. She said, "mom, I love you so much." I told her that I love her so much and she said, " I love you so much more." I do feel like we have a lot in common. I am so happy I have my little Mia. We found out who Riley and Mia's teachers will be. I have heard good things about both of them. I am starting to feel a little anxious about them being gone at school all day. They drive me crazy most of the time, but I still want to be with them. I guess that is what being a mother is all about. Ryan and I had our 10 year anniversary this week. We are going to celebrate next weekend. We are going to leave the kids overnight for the first time. I am a little nervous, but I think it will be good for all of us. Ella is learning social skills this week. She and her little friend Austin are so cute together. They fight over toys and hit each other. Today, Austin scratched and pulled out some of her hair. The weekend is here and it will be filled with soccer games, going to visit grandma in Ogden, a bridal shower and church.

Three Little Sets of Feet

My friend Jen and I decided to take pictures of our kids cute little feet. We are going to put them in a frame with the saying, "Teach me to walk in the light."

Ella

Ella is my baby. As you can see she she was born with black hair and now has blond curly locks! She is a fun and sweet little girl. She loves animals (note the picture of her with our dog). One of her first words was "stitch" (our dog). She is 16 months and is taking her time in learning how to walk. She is the most easy going of my kids. Lately, though, she is showing some signs of the terrible twos. She just learned how to say "ouch."

Mia

Mia is my sweet girl. She is growing up too fast. She reminds me a lot of myself. She loves dancing and making things. She likes to be involved in everything I do. Mia also loves her brother Riley. She wants to be just like him. They have been fighting a lot this summer and it makes me sad. Someday, I hope that they will be good friends. Mia loves Riley's friends too. She is always trying to kiss them! I am going to have my hands full in a few years. Mia is going to start Kindergarten in a couple of weeks. I am not sure if I am ready for this. I think she will love school though.

Riley

Riley is my first born. He is now a spunky 8 year old. He is smart and talented! He challenges me every day. He just has so much he wants to do and he wants to do it all now. I often say that he is my "calling" in life. If I get any grey hair, it will all be his fault.

Ella and the toilet

Ella (16 months) discovered the toilet yesterday. Ryan was downstairs watching her and she escaped. I was upstairs. I walked into the bathroom and she was putting her hands in the toilet and then trying to drink water from her hands! YUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope she doesn't try this every time she gets thirsty!

Death of a Spider

Well, the spider did not last long. Riley carried it around in a little plastic container for a few days. Ella got a hold of it and shook it up a few times. Riley took it to grandma in Ogden's house and caught some other bugs (for food of course) and put them in with the poor spider. He also put a cherry tomato in the container. Apparently, the spider did not like the food or it got trampled by the cherry tomato.

We have a new pet!

Last night while I was "helping" Riley and Mia clean the playroom Riley found a spider. He promptly decided to catch it and make it his pet. Of course he and Mia argued for the next half hour because if Riley has a pet spider, Mia needs one too. Mia wanted Riley to share because she says that she is "to scared" to catch her own. Riley told her to try to catch a Daddy Long Leg because they don't bite. A few minutes later he dared her to catch a "biting spider" like his. With all of this going on, can you guess who ended up cleaning the play room.

Riley has named his spider Spinerack. I woke this morning to them discussing what they were going to feed him. They have been searching the house to try to catch a fly for him. They have decided he is a boy (I am not sure how they came to that conclusion). Mia did try to convince Riley that if it was a girl, it could have baby spiders. Mia has informed me that if she catches a spider it will be a girl and she will call it "Charloppe."

The beginning

If I had to describe myself in one word, it would be "Mom." That is the focus of my life right now. I have three very spunky children who keep me busy all of the time. I often think that I should be writing down some of the things I experience on a daily basis. I also want to be able to share some of the funny things my kids say and do. I am hoping that blogging will be therapeutic for me and give me a chance to express myself. I feel uncomfortable even writing this because it has been so long since I have written anything.

I did once go to college and finally finished my MS degree when I was 6 months pregnant with my second child. Since then I have left the academic world behind for a very different life. Photography is my main hobby (although I dabble in many things--I have never been good at limiting my hobbies). I thought that it would be fun to also be able to share some of my favorite pictures of my kids. So that is me.