So BEHIND

I am so behind on this thing, that I am almost to the point of just DELETING IT ALL! But I won't yet and I will try. Its sad when you haven't even blogged about the last day of kindergarten for your daughter and she is starting FIRST GRADE in the morning. You know you are behind for sure.

None the less I am going to make this a marathon of a post and put some stuff from all of this summer and what not, so I am sorry if it is so LONG and BORING.  Just leave a comment, and maybe I will get better at this blog stuff.

ELISE

Elise finished of Kindergarten and had a great time with Ms. Lambson, who was amazing. They had a graduation program and she still sings the song she learned. She made some fun friends in Kindergarten and I am hoping First grade is as wonderful. She also lost her two bottom teeth at the end of the year. Crazy at how fast it all goes.

Here is the missing tooth picture, I had to use all my Mom courage that day and pull it out, we were both in tears. I hate pulling teeth!

This summer Elise also learned to ride her bike with out training wheels. She loved to do this all the time, and anytime there was some one at our house she asked if they wanted to see her. Brycen and Elise put on many endless hours of Talent Shows for Nathan and I.  Elise loves her bike for sure, and has gotten quite good with all the practise.

BRYCEN

Finished preschool and had a great time with a fun class of BOYS! I don't know how Ms. Sarah did it, she was amazing though.  We loved seeing all the fun projects Brycen came home with and all he learned. One day I got him to school a little late and he didn't want me to walk him downstairs so I stood at the top of the stairs as he went in, I heard the door open and all these little boys scream out BRYCEN, I loved it and just had to laugh.

Brycen also had a birthday and turned 5.  Brycen loves anything MARIO so we had a huge Mario party with about 10 of his little friends, I had a blast getting all together and planning it all. The only down fall was that the cake fell over minutes before the party.  The boys didn't mind and it was easy to scoop up and serve when you didn't care what it looked like.  Here are some fun photos on it all:

 The birthday boy and some of the guest.

 Chocolate mustaches, the loot, and the pinata....

Games and Invitations...

A Luigi and Elise with a mustache

The cutest Baby Luigi EVER....

Brycen also got a scooter for his birthday which he preformed his many talent shows on with Elise.

KAYLA

Our littlest Beans just seemed to keep growing and keeping us entertained and on our toes. She loves her Grandpa Miller and loves to be carried around by him.

She finally started getting some bottom teeth at about 9 months, her favorite teething item has been a golf ball luckily we have almost 7 THOUSAND of them. (Which is what her Dad and Grandpa have been doing this summer)....

Kayla has also gotten in on the being outside and being on at least a Tricycle, and enjoying the summer weather.

 We also got to spend some time with family around the 4th of July my grandparents had their 60th wedding anniversary.  We had a good time just spending time eating and visiting with relatives. 

 We also got to spend sometime shooting and enjoying being in Tremonton that weekend, and having Tess and Kelly stay with us which is always fun.

For the 24th of July we got to have our annual King Benjamin Night with Nathan's family. It always includes wonderful food, lots of cousins running around together, and great memories.  Nathan's Dad has done a wonderful job of keeping the tradition going since having lost Nathan's mom.  I know she is proud and so pleased with all of his efforts that he has continued the great legacy they built together. I don't know how I didn't manage to get one photo that weekend, probably because I was just having to much fun.  We know its one thing to always look forward to. 

As for me I have just tried to keep up with it all, and enjoy the adventure. Hopefully I can embrace this Back to School thing as well...

Now hopefully I will stay a bit more up to date. I still need to post about Island Park, but hey at least that happened this MONTH!

San Francisco

These are old but it was a marvelous trip.  I love San Fran and any chance I get to go there.  Nathan usually has to go at least once a year and two of my fun cousin Kelly and her sister Brooke live there.  Its always includes good times, beautiful view, wonderful memories, and good food.  San Francisco is just one of those cities you have to experience.

On our way driving into San Francisco we stopped by one of our family favorites the Jelly Belly Factory. We had to take our own little Jelly Bean to the Jelly Belly Factory. Plus its so fun for the kids to see how they are made and get a few to many treats for the road.

On this trip we decided to go down to Monterey and do some sight seeing.  I had never been down that way and loved it.  It was the first time I have seen artichokes growing, we saw fields and fields of strawberries, it was hard not to get out of the car a go eat a few or a bunch.  It was amazing. Then we were able to drive through the city of Monterey.  It was kids day at the Aquarium so we decided to go, the kids got in free, but the downside was it was so so so crowded. It was fun anyway. My favorite was the jelly fish exhibit, one of the best I have ever seen, they are so stunning and intriguing.  I had so many of the ladies tell me Kayla looked just like a little doll, they couldn't get over her. One lady in Chinatown told me she looked like a little doll from Target, I don't know if that was a compliment or not, I just laughed.

Out on the balcony of the aquarium and the kiddos in a clam shell

In San Francisco we got to stay right down town by Union Square which was a lot of fun.  Driving around down town was pretty crazy, but we survived.  We were at the Marriott on the 17th floor in a junior suite and had amazing views of the city, the congeries lounge was on the 26th floor so the views were even better from their, it was quite an experience.  I felt like the country mouse who went to visit his cousin the city mouse.  I would just lay their in bed at night and here all the sounds of the city.

Even though we have been to San Francisco quite a few times as a family, for a first we went to a ball game.  It was fun to see the Giants play it is one of my favorite stadiums to see on TV, so it was exciting to actually get to be there.  It was freezing and Kayla lost her sock in the cab ride over there, so I just tried to keep her and the kids bundled, we didn't stay long but we still enjoyed it.  The kids loved that the Coca-Cola bottle that you see along the back of the park has a slide that goes down the middle of it.

Cold little Kayla Beans

The kids and I while Nathan was in classes one day went to the Exploritorium down by the Golden Gate Bridge with Brook and Kelly and had a blast. It was all this fun science stuff for the kids to interact with. Here are some of the fun photos.

Kids in a huge chair, Kelly and I in a mirror hall, and Elise getting a huge bubble over her whole body.

Me smaller than my kids, the musical bench you had to hold hands on, and Kelly teaching my kids how to drink out of the toilet.

One of our favorite things to do is go to Pier 39 and see the sea lions and visit a favorite sea food restaurant.  Nathan and I also got to sneak off and go see Wicked, for our 9th Anniversary.  Kelly so happily babysat our kids in our hotel and put them to bed while we got to enjoy ourselves. It was my second time seeing Wicked and it was even more fantastic then I ever. I can't stop listening to the music, even now months later. 

 All and all a wonderful trip for Elise's Spring Break and a lot of fun memories.  Hopefully next time is just as good.  Thanks to Kelly, Jim, Brooke and Christian and their cute kiddos for the food, the fun and the help with the kids. 

Funny things

I know I am not trying to hard to get my blog updated.  One day I will....
Anyway for today I want to record a few funny things I have heard my kiddos say so I don't forget since I forget things all the time

Kayla was shrieking like normal and Elise says "That sounds like a racket"
I laughed knowing what she meant was "whats all that racket about" which is something Grandpa Miller asks Kayla quite often...

Other things we have learned from Grandpa Miller is counting our carbs, we are always checking to see if Grandpa can eat it or not.

Brycen also learned to say "Holy Mackerel" another Grandpa Miller favorite

I also had another experience with Brycen were he got dressed and came down stairs I told him he need to go change his pants into some shorts since its July.
So I went up stairs after him to help him find some and I hear him say "Every time I take off my pants its a disaster!"  I have no idea what that means or where he got that from.

So enJOY and I am glad my kids keep me laughing, I love you both and all the fun things we learn from Grandpa Miller

Trying...

Not sure where my motivation has been but I am trying to get back into the swing of things.  I have a million things to post and I don't even know where to start.  Which is probably why I haven't even attempted it but tonight I am going to give it a shot and start blogging...

April we had Easter and had a great time home with the kids.  We were sick all winter and most of the spring.  Looking back at it I never thought we would feel better, on the flip side of June I am so glad we are.  Here as some photos from Easter.  I have tons of pictures of my kids when they are babies with their Easter baskets so there is a few more of Kayla.

Here are Elise and Brycen, Bryce wasn't feeling so well, I think we were all on antibiotics or something no fun!

Elise also had a read-a-thon for school and she did so well reading with me at night.  When it was all over she got a book and a medal she couldn't of been happier.  Her favorite is that the book has a snail in it, she was in heaven.

After Easter we got to head down to Zion's for our niece Aubree's Baptism.  It was such a fun weekend and so special to be there and be apart of it.  The kids loved being with their cousins.  Nathan and I just couldn't believe Aubree was old enough to be baptised, eight came to quick.  We were so glad to be with family and enjoy some St. George sunshine. We went hiking and shopping and enjoyed every minute of it.  Here are some of the fun photos, or you can go to my sis-in-laws Jess blog and see some of the awesome photos she took she is amazing.  I was glad to see how beautiful Aubree looked in her baptism dress and the great example she was of getting baptised and that our kids got to see and experience being apart of it. 

The Cousins

The Beautiful St.George View

Kayla in the car on the drive and her toes- such entertainment!

Beautiful Aubree in her baptism dress, I had other pictures of her but LOVE this one and how happy and peaceful she looks, maybe I should learn to edit me and Kayla out of the corner though.

Anyway I guess that's a start...More to come I PROMISE!

Like the Marvelous Mario Party and Kindergarten Graduation!