Easton's first day of 1st grade!

Aug. 22nd was Easton's first day of 1st grade!  His teacher, Ms. Martinez, is amazing!  She is so upbeat, energetic, and fun!  I was really hoping he would get Ms. Martinez because I think she makes learning fun and exciting and that is exactly what Easton needs!  Her famous quote is "Happy (fill in the day of the week)!"

Easton

He wanted me to take a picture of his backpack.  It still looks big on him.

Dyer, Easton, and Blair

Easton and Alex

Alex walks to and from school with us everyday!  He is pretty good at motivating Easton to walk (unlike last year where he rode in the stroller most days) and to keep up.  

Nut Tree

The kids all completed their summer reading program at the library and each got a free book and a coupon for free ice cream.  The ice cream place is part of the Nut Tree Plaza so Valerie and I took the kids to ride the carousel and the train before we got ice cream.  I'm glad the ice cream was free because the kids only took a couple bites and decided they didn't want it anymore.  Each cup normally costs almost $4 each.  I should have made them all share one and we could have gone back two more times!

Valerie and Dyer

It was a good thing I had another adult with me because both Dyer and Blair needed an adult to ride with them.

Blair was only an inch away from riding by herself.

Easton of course was on the other side of the carousel so I wasn't able to get a picture of him.  I tried to catch him before he got off but a guy with his kid was too nice and helped Easton get down before I got there.

Video of Blair:

Riding the train

Why is it you can't seem to get a decent picture with all the kids?

Valerie and Dyer

Dyer

What else could go wrong?

I just have to document this day (8/11) because it was ridiculous how much mischief my kids got into that day.  Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures.

I had all the kids ready for church and was upstairs finishing my hair and makeup.  We had about 10-15 minutes until we needed to get into the car.  I walk down the stairs to pack some snacks and write down Easton's scripture that he was giving in Primary that day when Blair walks out of the kitchen with marker all over her face.  I'm a little angry because we are supposed to be going to church and she can't go looking like that but what irritates me the most is she did the same thing the day before and knew I wouldn't like it.  If that wasn't bad enough Dyer walks out a few seconds later with his face seriously covered with black and brown marker (which at the time I thought the black marker wasn't washable).  He also had it all over his church shirt!

Side note:  Later I found out that Dyer was trying to make his skin the same as Valerie's!  HAHA!  How cute is that?!?

I had Easton run up and get Valerie because I knew we wouldn't make it to church on time if I didn't have an extra set of hands.  Luckily the markers were all washable and actually came off pretty quickly.  Valerie came down and changed Dyer's clothes while I packed snacks and fixed Blair and Easton's hair.  Valerie wrote down Easton's scripture in the car on our way to church.  Not sure how we did it but we made it to church right on time!

Later that same day while I was making dinner all the kids were upstairs playing nicely (or so I thought)...I walk out into the living room and find Dyer coming down the stairs completely naked.  I probably should have been concerned about that but unfortunately him being naked isn't all that uncommon these days.  What I was most concerned about and got my attention very quickly was all the red nail polish I saw on his feet!  I knew exactly who to blame for this!  I grab Dyer and as I'm carrying him up the stairs I'm of course yelling Blair's name.  The closer I get to the top of the stairs the more I start smelling nail polish.  Luckily most of the nail polish was contained in the bathroom.  I walk into the bathroom to find Blair completely naked in the bathroom sink which is full of toothpaste water!?!  She is having a great o'l time splashing away.  The other sink is also full of toothpaste water.  I guess her and Dyer were trying to clean the nail polish off of themselves?  Luckily Nathan was up (he had to work the night before) and came upstairs to help clean up the many messes in the bathroom.  Such a pain!!!  

I left the house for a few minutes to drop off cookies to the Porters to thank them for watching the kids the day before.  Right when I walk in the house Blair runs up to me and tells me that Easton peed all over the trampoline.  Seriously!?!  Nathan made Easton hose off the trampoline.

I was pretty much done with the kids so I made them all go upstairs to take a bath before bed.  I made the mistake of talking on the phone outside the bathroom because when I came to check on them, there was water all over the bathroom floor!  Apparently they thought it would be fun to take turns doing cannon balls in the bathtub.

Yes, I was definitely ready for an early bedtime that night!

Bowling

We took the kids bowling on base a couple hours before Nathan had to go to work.  Blair decided it was backwards day and wore all her clothes backwards!  Not exactly sure why she decided to do this but I figured if she was dressed that was good enough.  Dyer ended up beating us all and was the only one who got over 100.  I guess it helps when Dad is good at angles and can set the ramp at the correct angle.  I set up the ramp for the first half of the game and Nathan the second half.  If you look at the score sheet you can definitely tell who got Dyer the most points!

Blair really wanted a purple ball but they were all way too heavy so she settled for a pink ball.

Dyer's first time bowling!

Easton only used the ramp for the first couple rounds and then decided to bowl like Nathan and I the rest of the game.  That is probably why he ended up losing but he actually did really well for his first time!

Blair

Dyer

Video of Easton bowling:

End results

Surprise Baby Shower!

Valerie invited me to go out to eat with her and Ms. Laurie for lunch on Aug. 10th.  She told me that I needed a little break from the kids because Nathan had been working crazy hours (leaving around 10:30 am and not getting home until midnight-1am) and I really haven't had much of a break.  She totally lied to me and told me she was going to the temple in the morning but that she would be back in time for our lunch.  She told me this because she didn't want me coming up to her house while she was setting up for the shower.  Too bad I didn't know the temple was closed for cleaning because I could have totally caught her in her lie.  I should have known better because while Nathan and I were working on getting a toy that was stuck in the toilet (Thanks Dyer!!!) Dyer kept coming into the bathroom saying, "Valerie outside!"  I kept reassuring him that Valerie wasn't home but that he would see her later.  Dyer probably thinks that I'm the biggest liar ever since he clearly saw her with his own eyes.  If I wasn't so busy helping Nathan I probably would have brought him up to her house to prove to him that she wasn't home.  Haha!  That would have been funny!     

Valerie arranged for the Porter's to watch my kids while we went out to eat.  Thanks Debbie and Sarah!  This should have been another clue that something was going on because knowing Valerie she would have went with me to drop the kids off.  Instead she told me she needed to get dressed and pick up Laurie but that she would meet me back at her house just after 12:30.  I told her that Laurie's van was parked outside her house and she quickly came up with a lie that Laurie must have gotten the van after all and that she was probably waiting outside the front door.  Sure enough Valerie "looked" out the window and there was Laurie!  

Anyways, I dropped off the kids and as I was walking towards Valerie's house she met me half way.  She told me she needed to grab something inside so I followed her and as we came inside everyone said, "Surprise!"  I was definitely surprised because I specifically told Valerie I didn't want a baby shower.  I'm not sure why I actually thought she would listen to me.

It was a last minute thing and Valerie invited a couple of women from our street (besides Laurie).  It was a nice luncheon and I definitely felt spoiled!  I'll admit it was nice to get some new things for our little girl!  Thanks Valerie!

Table setting

Cake!

Megan with baby Anna!  Baby Anna will be about 2 months older than our baby girl!  It will be fun to see them grow up together for the next two years we are here.

Some of the guests.  Laurie, Molly, Megan, Valerie, and me.

Opening gifts!

Cute outfits!

Nina and Lisa.  I think Rebel is the only one I didn't get a picture of and that is probably because she was taking the pictures.

More gifts!

Cutting the cake!  Almost 35 weeks!

Dyer after the party was over.

Air Museum and playing at the park

The first two pictures were actually taken outside the mall.  

Blair and Easton

Blair and Easton with Dad

A couple days later we went on base to visit Roger while he was in the hospital.  Afterwards, Valerie and I took the kids to the Air Museum.

Blair, Easton, and Dyer

I had to get a close up of these two.  I love it when they cuddle up next to each other.

Sitting on the plane

Inside the museum they have a couple airplanes the kids can play in.  Of course this is usually where we spend most of our time.

Dyer would not cooperate and let me take his picture.  This is the best one I got!

Park:

Dyer and I (34 weeks!)

Jack and Easton

The last couple weeks of summer Valerie started hosting Chinese Exchange Students.  This particular week she had two brothers (who named themselves Jack and Crazy!)

Easton LOVED Jack!  

I probably would have too since Jack did everything Easton asked him to do!  It was really cute to see these two together.

Blair sliding down the slide head first.

Posing!  Of course her underwear is showing!

Cute little Dyer!  

I think he has finally started to like slides again after his traumatic water slide incident. 

Dyer with Jack and Crazy!

End of Washington Trip

We met up with Shannah at a park for a couple hours.  Again, I brought my camera but only managed to take one picture...

Blair and Savannah

Valerie flew up to help me with the car ride back home!  Such a lifesaver!  

We took the kids to the library for the summer program.

Kadyn got picked to go up and help with a magic trick.

Then, Ashlyn got picked to help with another magic trick.  

I wasn't surprised that one of the kids got picked since there were 7 kids with us and the odds were pretty good but I was surprised that two got picked and they were from the same family!

Dyer was so tired he fell asleep in Valerie's arms.  I definitely had to document this because this rarely ever happens.

The rest of the pictures are from Valerie's camera.  We all know how bad I am at remembering to take pictures!

We even managed to put Dyer in the car without waking him, took him out of the car without waking him, and put him on a bed at my Dad's house without waking him.  He must have been exhausted!

Hanging out with Grandpa

One happy little guy after his long nap!

Comparing our bellies!  I should have made my dad turn sideways like me so we could have gotten a better comparison.  

Feeding the fish

Raiding Grandma's garden!

Stopping for lunch at "Old McDonald's".  The kids were pretty well behaved on the way home but I'm still glad that Valerie insisted that she ride down with me because I was so exhausted about three hours from home and could hardly keep my eyes open.  It was definitely nice to have another driver.  Plus, Dyer got car sick and Valerie cleaned him up for me!  Thanks Valerie!