the beginning and the end

This is the beginning of her elementary school years.

And, the end year of theirs.I have 3 school children now. all 3 at the same school. And, they are excited. Zachary whispered in the car (and I heard) "I am psyched to start school." Ellie didn't let a day go by this past week without mentioning her anticipation and excitement for 5th grade. Avery carried on with non-stop chit chat about Fireridge and being a "real kindergartner."

We have addressed their butterflies, bought the school supplies, chose "the" outfit, met the teachers and received a blessing. They are ready. It's much easier to send your kids out the door knowing they are happy. I am delighted and ready for them to experience new beginnings.

Ellie with her teacher Mrs. Eby Avery with her teacher Mrs. Devoe

Zachary thought it was embarrassing to have his pic taken at school...does this surprise you? His teacher is Mrs. Adamson and I know she will be terrific for him. He also has a new special ed. teacher this year. Big changes for Z.

This is what summer is made of.

It's moments like this. Childhood dreams. Refreshing lemonade. And kind neighbors who support the endeavors.

In case you were wondering...the girls brought in some serious cash. $15.oo total. All in a days work of 45 min. Pretty good, I'd say.

a picnic with a view

In Colorado, we crave fresh air, thick trees, wildflowers and all the beauty that comes from being in the mountains. Elevation. We miss it. Corn field don't have the same draw. So, we made a day trip happen. Packed a lunch and headed up the mountain with everyone. We decided on Boulder, which proved to be ideal. We found ourselves a little picnic spot just past the University and up a windy road. Perfect. Beyond our dirt trail was an awesome look out point. The kids experienced their first " climbing" excursion on a huge cluster of rocks atop the mountain. They loved it. I climbed, took a peak, enjoyed the view...and anxiously waited for my little loves to come down. I have to admit, I was nervous. Not, that is was especially dangerous...it wasn't. I am overcautious. In all things. I come by it naturally. Mom and I both rested well when everyone was down and eating lunch. Which was delicious.

How come sandwiches taste so good on a picnic?

I love summer vacations

Last week we went to Colorado. Jeff had a work meeting in Denver so, we took advantage of the timing and turned it into a family vacation. 8 hours in the car, to enjoy 8 days in sunny Colorado seemed a small price to pay. I appreciate Jeff giving up his plane ticket, carefree nights alone, and fancy dinners in order to bring the chaos to Denver with him. However, he only had to work 2 out of the 8 we were there; he had his share of play time. We enjoyed every minute of the 80 degree days. The bright sunshine called us to the pool most days while in Colorado. The kids love nothing more than swimming in the summer. Jeff and I love nothing more than... relaxing by the poolside. And, Gigi and papa, well, they love nothing more than playing with the grandkids...even in water. Win-win, I say. We can't get enough of the beautiful summer days of Colorado. Man, do we miss the bright, hot sunshine!

Avery and Zachary loved all the slides. They continually went down the slide, each time their smiles and laughter more contagious.

Avery cruised down with absolutely no inhibitions...she quickly climbed the slide and raced down fast. She would emerge from the water with the biggest smile you've ever seen. Each and every time.Zachary loved the slide with the same conviction, however he took his ride a bit slower. Always waiting up top for the lifeguard to tell him to- go, then a gentle push off and steady speed. He would also emerge from the water smiling ear to ear, however, he was always amazed that he actually did it!! Now, Papa...we are not sure if his ride down the slide screams "pure love and thrill for the slide" or "shear terror" But, c'mon how many papas do you know to crash like that for the sake of the kids. Thanks papa. Ellie also loved the slides, but mostly took advantage of the diving board. She is learning to dive and made a lot of progress. She spent the better part of her days in the deep end or lap lanes. Typically, she would make a friend and swim together for the remainder of the day. Avery enjoying her time on the lazy river. I have to say the lazy river was right up my alley. All 5 of us floated, splashed and laughed with each other all the way along the river. If I wasn't so worried about getting a picture, I could of relaxed even more....the things we do for preserving memories.
Goodbye to all the waterparks for now. More good times to come...so stay tuned.

Is it just me...

Or has Avery's hair grown a whole heck of a lot in the past year. Healthy girl.

4th of July

Jeff and the kids enjoyed the 4th of July with a party at a friends house. Where was I, you ask? I was frantically driving all over town looking for a lost dog. That's right. I am dog sitting, Bella and she ran away. She ran like the dickens! Ran so fast that I lost sight of her within 5 seconds. Lost. Lost for 5 1/2 hours. I made several calls to the Humane Society, no luck. Finally, Sunday morning I tracked her down. 3 teenage girls returned her home (to another neighbors) Sweet child, we are so thankful to the girl who went out of her way to catch, hold and return Bella!

I did however, manage to ask Jeff to capture the evening through photos. I was able to enjoy a few fireworks with the group. Boy, do the children (and men) love lighting fireworks! I don't quite understand the fascination. But,I do love the laughter, smiles and excitement of it all. 4th of July is a crazy holiday here in Omaha. Very festive and fun. I am thankful to the Fentons for hosting a fantastic night...thanks again.

Everybody loves a pinata. Ellie was the one who finally whacked it hard enough to burst it open.

Yeah, more candy.
Here's to one tired little boy...he had his fill of fun- running and playing with fire!!!!(Yikes) Look at all those fireworks...I shutter to think of all the money spent on this years display.

Until, next year.

Coldplay was hot!

I surprised Jeff with tickets to the Coldplay concert last week. We both love Coldplay and I knew he would love to go to the concert. I pulled it off. He had no idea what was in store for him. I set aside the night, telling him we had a dinner with my presidency. Booked the babysitter. Scheduled the night out in his calendar so there would be no last minute changes and voila'...we had ourselves a date. Great show, great night and worth every penny. We remembered how much we love the energy and excitement that comes from being at a concert.

Kansas City

The day after the kids got out of school we left for Kansas City for a mini vacation. Though it's certainly not the most glamorous vacation spot, it did the trick. It was the perfect family get-a-way we were looking for. We were desperate to play, laugh, snuggle, and just "be" with one another. Quality time together. I knew what I wanted. I wanted the kids to be "friends" with each other. I wanted to hear giggles instead of tattling. I wanted to hear "thank-you's" instead of bickering. I wanted us all to focus on our family and the relationships we have in each other. I wanted to witness those magical moments between siblings that happen more often than not while on vacation. Our mini vacation was only a means to an end. True compassion and love for each other, remembering best friendships are found within your family. This is exactly what I wished for...it was as if the children could read my mind. Thank you for taking care of one another.



We were busy while in K.C. We went to the "jiggle jam" ( bands playing kids music and festival.) We went to Worlds of Fun. Yep, it was fun. We went to Royals baseball game. That was a blast. On Sunday we visited some of the church's historical sites. Amazing pioneers. Of course, we shopped and ate at some awesome restaurants. We even treated the kids to the fancy "spinning" restaurant on top of the Hyatt for dinner Saturday night. A special night, indeed.
Worlds of Fun. Our favorite ride...the water ride. Avery and I came off soaked!

This is the story...

Our life the last few weeks.

Sometimes, a picture says it all...

She dazzled!

Avery had her first dance recital last month. She performed and delivered a dance that dazzled the audience. She was so excited she hardly noticed her nerves. She practiced and took her routine very serious. She liked the music, her teacher, and friends....and was simply enamored with her "sparkling and dazzling" costume!! Avie described her costume this way, adding it was shiny and glamorous ..but not in a "diva" way. Avery talked so passionately about this recital, we wondered how she would react to her nerves the day of the show. Happy to report she was amazing. She went on stage and performed without a hitch. Nerves...what nerves? Gigi flew in and could hardly wait to see the recital. We enjoyed the show, every minute. It was a delightful night! This truly was a celebration for Avery; a rewarding night and one that she will obviously cherish. We each (mom, dad, Gigi, Ellie & Zach) greeted Avery with flowers after the show. Congratulations were in order. I think the flowers may of been Avery's favorite part of the recital. She still talks about those flowers today. I still talk about my dazzling dancer and how proud I was of her.