Back to School

I have some cool stuff to blog about but I feel like I need to do a little catching up first!!!!
(sorry I skipped Tyler's 19th birthday- the camera battery was dead so I don't have any pictures but I think he had a good birthday and got some cool stuff- only one more year as a teenager! Wow that makes me feel old). I also have so many pictures from all of our travels and visiting over the summer but if I blog all of that it will be Christmas by the time I catch up!!!!!! So I am skipping it- the pictures are on Facebook if you really want to see them.

Anyway here are my cute kids on their first day of school. 

JUNIOR YEAR!!!

 I can't believe she is in 6th grade! It almost breaks my heart!!!!! And please ignore the huge pile of unfolded laundry in the background (even though I am pretty sure it is still in the same place)

we are still homeschooling- she is just taking four or five classes through a special program for homeschoolers- she goes once a week to the class and then does all the work at home.

Seattle Aquarium

12 years ago anytime I wanted to go on a field trip or just go hang out for the day I would call Tamara- we lived like 2 minutes apart in Bothel. The first weekend I was back I looked through my Stake Directory and found out that she was in my stake. And lucky for me nothing has changed- I can still call her and make plans anytime. At the beginning of the month we took a trip to the Aquarium in Seattle and then we ate lunch at Ivar's. It was a cold rainy day but we still had fun. My camera battery died right after we got there so I didn't get many pictures and the ones I did get aren't that great but I am posting them anyway. Kailyn was in a don't take my picture mood anyway lol.

Kailyn and Java (K was a tiny bit scared even through the glass)

S wasn't scared at all!



what's a trip to the aquarium without seeing Nemo and his family



I love love love Otters!

Watching the octopus eat was super cool

Watching the otters eat was fun too- there was one fat one that couldn't jump up on the dock to get the clams so a smaller one would bring enough down for two and then they would share- it was pretty adorable.

He was our favorite

This guy was our second favorite

backpacking, backtracking, basketball, barns and birthday bliss

Allias has been letting me use his camera since mine is broken. I was going to do a bunch of different posts but I got lazy and did it all in one. So pull up a chair and enjoy.



I totally forgot that Travis took Kailyn and Allias camping at Raven Rock last month- Tyler had to work so he and I stayed home. Travis ended up getting off much later then expected and so that left me in charge of getting everything together. I pretty much just threw everything in the back of the van so they could go- which ended up being a mistake because they had to hike in four or five miles just to get to their campsite. And since Travis had gotten home so late they hiked the last two or so in the dark.
Luckily the ranger had a few extra packs so they only had to make one trip. Kailyn even carried one of the packs the entire way.







Here is Kailyn posing in the kitchen this morning, sometime in early spring she and I went to the mall and they were having a MAJOR clearance sale at Hudson Belk. We got over 300 dollars worth of clothes for 56 bucks! I keep meaning to have her put on a fashion show..... This is one of the outfits- so stinkin' cute and only 8 dollars. We got the shoes later- another store another clearance sale.


Swinging at the park the other night.
Tyler and Allias after playing basketball in the rain.

Our home school group went on a field trip to the Agri-fest at the fairgrounds.





I seriously almost brought one of these home!!!
They were selling them for 50 bucks!
and oh my goodness they were the CUTEST things ever!!!!! Not to mention that at only two days old they were already only pottying in one corner of the pen. Brittney do you want me to bring you one when I come to Utah this summer???


Kailyn learning how to spin wool into yarn


My birthday weekend was pretty cool. Travis and I went out to dinner Saturday night and then we went shopping. My dad had sent me some b-day money and I wanted a new dress. I even got to speak in church Sunday. (I do enjoy it actually).
And then Monday morning in seminary I got not one,

but two chocolate cakes-

which I was happy to share with the class. A couple of the kids had a cake eating contest and finished off the big cake in a matter of minutes.

Then I went out to lunch with some of my very very favorite people.
I bought this shirt with my b-day money too!
Travis had to work late but the kids and I had strawberry shortcake.



And last but not least I took Allias to get his haircut today. Kailyn decided she wanted hers cut too. It turned out soooo precious. Even Allias told her how pretty she looked when we got in the car.
This is another picture where I go wow! Allias looks so much like my younger brother!