Logan and Hailey's 1st day of school 2010

Logan 4th grade; Hailey 1st grade

Hudson's First day of (pre) school

This year, I decided to "try" to put Hudson in preschool. We "tried" putting Logan in when he was 3 and he screamed and cried for 2 whole weeks, so I pulled him out and it was the best decision!

Hudson started preschool a day before Logan and Hailey's first day. It was really weird, because usually preschool doesn't start until after the elementary does, but for some reason, it was a day before. He was so excited to take his Superhero backpack to school and be such a big kid! He did really good when I took him in and hung up his backpack and everything, but the excitement soon turned into "wait, my mom doesn't stay with me?" Then the tears and hanging-on-to-my-leg-for-dear-life began. I helped him find a "center" to play with and gave him a kiss and left. Oh my gosh, it broke my heart. After school that day, they said he just sat in the "house" center and wouldn't join the other kids for circle time. I think he did warm up enough to have snack, but it was heartbreaking for me to hear. He cried for the first 2 weeks.... but just on Tuesdays (the days that I would take him). My friend that I started carpooling with said that he never cried when she took him. He's such a little stinker! I'd been being played the whole time! LOL Anyways, he's great now. Every once in awhile, he'll still get a little emotional and grab my leg and want another hug, but for the most part, he excitedly asks if he has school tomorrow. It's hard to explain that he only goes on Tuesdays and Thursdays! :)

Summer

Since summer is so short here in Spokane, we have been out enjoying every single last bit of the hot weather! I will post pictures and videos soon!

"Nothing more important in this world..."

I came across this video tonight from a friend's Facebook post... so timely for me with the last few weeks I've had with my kids.

5 months old

Our little Berkley is 5 months old today... She is just so much fun. I hate to say too much as to not jinx ourselves. That being said, I also think it's important to document the adorable things she does now, so I can look back on them when she is say... 6 (which just happens to be how old my "other" daughter is), and I feel like she doesn't do ANYTHING fun or adorable and just gives me sass all day long.... Oh wait, this post is about Berkley, not Hailey...

So, I'm going to document the wonderful things she does at 5 months old, because I adore her that much!

She is seriously soo happy!

She rolled over from her tummy to her back 3 times a couple days ago. But once I got the video camera ready, she wouldn't do it anymore...

She sort of eats rice cereal now. Doesn't quite know how to swallow it yet.

She is so "talkative". She jibbers and jabbers and giggles. She is so ticklish. Especially on her feet. Just like daddy.

She sleeps from 10/11:00 pm until 7 am... will wake up for a bottle and go back to sleep until 9 or 9:30... have NO idea how I lucked out with this!!! This is definitely something I don't want to jinx!

She LOVES books!

She LOVES her brothers and sister! She squeals whenever they come over to talk to her and loves when they hold her.

I love that the kids love her so much. I wish they could realize how much they love each other and stop fighting already! They would be so lost without each other! How do you help kids recognize how much they love their siblings? Can you tell what is eating at me right now? LOL

So, back to Berkley. I can't believe she's 5 months old already. The time has flown. We are definitely enjoying her. She is such a tremendous blessing to our family. I love my kids so much. I remember when I was little, wanting to be a mommy soooo bad! Now that I am one, I never imagined motherhood would be like this. Sometimes I need to take a breather and grasp onto those feelings I had as a child in my anticipation of being a mommy. What a tremendous blessing and responsibility it is to raise and teach our Heavenly Father's children. I am soo very grateful to know that I have Him to help me fulfill this calling. I know that with Him, I will succeed!

4th of July

We had planned on going camping for the 4th of July, but Mother Nature decided to be mean and give us 60 degree overcast weather. Well, we showed her! We got a hotel room up at Silver Mountain and enjoyed the indoor water park for 2 days! It was so nice just to "get out of town" for a little trip!

So when we got there, we took all our stuff up to our room and were ready for fun at the water park! We were waiting for the elevator, along with another family and when the elevator door opened, the people in front of us got in, but I wasn't sure if there was enough room for our family of 6. But they said there was enough room. So as we're getting into it, I see this man that looks really familiar. So, I go, "You look REALLY familiar to me." And he just smiled and I go "Are you from California?" he goes "Yes." I go "Are you President Wood?" he said "Yes!" He was our Stake President while we lived in Folsom, and while the Sacramento Temple was being built. He and his wife were just in a fatal car accident a year ago in June. They were on their way home from Girl's Camp, when their car rolled and his wife was killed instantly. So, you can imagine my surprise to see him in northern Idaho, with a woman. He was at the resort with his fiance, for her family reunion. I am still just shocked at the chances of seeing him. I mean, what are the odds, seriously!?? Anyways, he is such a sweet man and he looked so good.... especially considering all that he's been through in the last year! It's such a small world!

Here's a short video of Hailey doing the Wave Rider. Logan's video was too long, so I thought I'd spare you! :)

Hailey's Kindergarten Graduation

Hailey graduated from Kindergarten! She had such a wonderful teacher and we are really going to miss her! Her teacher put together the CUTeST slideshow of the kids' activities throughout the year and made the most adorable scrapbook for us. It is priceless. It has Hailey's first day of school picture, along with her stats, and documents how much she grew over the year. It is something that I hope Hudson and Berkley's kindergarten teachers put together for us too, since I know I won't get around to doing it! LOL

We're so happy that Hailey loves school so much. Mrs. Helma truly gave of herself whole-heartedly and we are so grateful for her!