Karlin started first grade a few weeks ago and I wasn't prepared for all of FIRST grade things that she would start doing!



First, she learned how to ride a bike last week. She did not just learn to ride her bike, she also thought that that meant she could ride her bike to school the VERY NEXT DAY after she learned how to ride her bike. I followed her to school, but boy did it frustrate me! She started to fall a couple of times and caught herself and instead of freaking out about it, she would just get back on and start again. It makes me realize she is either going to be a hard teenager with a hard head that thinks we are always wrong. Or a very determined motivated teenager who is an over achiever! We are hoping for the latter!

Next, she gets 100% on her very first spelling test of first grade. She was very proud, and so was her mom.

Finally, she loses her two front teeth. Not exactly because they fell out, because the dentist had to take them because they were starting to get infected. But, she was amazingly brave at the dentist and the tooth fairy was very generous!



Karlin, is growing up extremely fast, so ways good, some ways a little scary to me! But we love her just the same!

Dion did some editing for me in PhotoShop, and now I love them even more! Thanks, Dion!
How cute is my little Kamren in this cute hat and blossom that I found off of one of the hair blogs I look at regularly! I am absolutely in love, with the hat and the cute girl underneath it! Dion and I ordered a few from Brynns Bows and Blossoms, here is the link: http://www.brynnsbowsandblossoms.blogspot.com/

I know this picture isn't exactly then best picture of Sisilee, but everytime I look at it I think of the Who's down in Whoville and it makes me laugh!

Two of the girls and I, after our hour and a half hike! Who knows how far we went, but my legs were sure burning!

This is some of us after we FINALLY earned all our our beads for memorization! We were so proud!

Okay, so it has been 3 weeks since girls camp and I STILL haven't had time to post about it! But, I am sitting here trying to print out pictures so Mrs Salter can do her magnificent monthly board at the church, and reliving a lot of fun memories! So, I decided it was time to post about it!

It was an amazing experience and I am so grateful and honored that I was one of the girls fearless leaders! Tony was totally making fun of the fact that their were 6 leaders going up with the girls, like we really needed that many! Like he should talk-they had far more leaders than boys at their camp! But anyways, I know that none of us were going to give up the experience because we had enough leaders! Girls camp is just as much for our own enjoyment and spiritual enlightenment as it is for those girls! The stake did an awesome job of having some amazing firesides and classes. And I was especially impressed by the stake youth leaders and the presentations they put on! Our own Kelsie was part of that!

My highlights were watching the girls bond with each other, talking them into memorize some Young women quotes by making up silly actions, and the amazing fireside and testimony meeting that Sisalee put on! The spirit was about as strong as I have ever felt it, and I am so glad I got the opportunity to experience that night! Thanks, Sis!

I think her new hair makes her look even older! By the way, Mom, we cut Kenzie's hair! Oops I just realized I never told you that! Sorry!


I had to put this picture in here just to show that her back pack is as big as her!

I'm Free! I'm Free! Okay, not really! But it sure seemed like I was missing a lot more than 2 kids all day long! You sure can get a lot accomplished when you aren't stopping every 5 seconds to stop some fight over who had which toy first! It's amazing! Enough of that, though! I was very excited for this day to come, summer seemed short, but long at the same time! I am glad I don't have to try and entertain anymore, at least between the hours of 9 and 4! I was a little teary eyed yesterday about the whole first grade thing, but this morning, as I was trying to rush everybody out the door, I didn't even have time to think about it.
And, by the time I actually got back home, I was glad to have some peace and quiet. Kamren watched Dumbo, and Daxton took a nap, and I did laundry in the peace and quiet!!!!

I am so proud of Kenzie today for how great of a big sister she is! Okay, now I am emotional!!! I had asked her to please watch out for her sister at recess and especially at lunch since this would be her first time eating in the cafeteria. So, I went to the school at about noon to help Karlin with lunch, thinking she might need it, and Kenzie meets us at the door and says to Karlin, "Where have you been?", "I have been waiting for you." She then proceeds to take Karlin through the line, helps her get her milk, and her tray and then turns around and directs her like she is an airplane, down the right row, over to some seats with all of her friends and she tells her to sit right here, that she saved a spot for her. I then stand there for a minute, talking to another mother, and see my girls get up. I ask them where they are going, and Kenzie tells me that Karlin needs some ketchup, so she is going to show her where it is. I know this is such a little thing, but to see your kids actually have enough love and respect for each other to not worry about being cool around their friends, and instead, be willing to include their sister is big to me! I try very hard to instill this in them, and I am happy to see that some of it is sinking in. It is something that I did a lousy job of with my own sister, and I regret the relationship that we never had as kids.

Anyways, Kenzie said her favorite part of the day was making name bracelets, and Karlin said lunch was her favorite part. So, we made it through the first day, we will see what tomorrow brings!

My Son figured out how to get out of the Portable Crib, last week! And, while I was gone to girls camp, he figured out how to get out of his big crib! I am so annoyed and shocked that an EIGHTEEN MONTH OLD can climb out of something so high! So, rather than visit the ER, or have something else bad happen, we purchased a Crib Cage, as I like to call it! He hates it, and this picture definitely isn't how he feels about the thing most nights when I put him in it. But, he has been trained well when a camera is pointed at him! So, little man, I really hope that this isn't a pre-cursor to things to come! I am sure it is, since he has done everything else at lightning speed! Oh Well! At least he is cute!