we are back on schedule

I give up on trying to catch up, our summer pictures seem to be spread among 3 different cameras so I will use what I have and catch up later.
I was dreading the begining of school because I enjoyed not having a schedule, having lazy mornings, the warm weather and I enjoyed spending time with the kids. But of course now it's great :) They were so excited and loved looking over all their outfit possibilities. They all laid out a "person", so they knew what they were wearing in the morning.


Cloe is in 3rd grade this year and that feels overwhelming to me, her homework is starting to get more challenging, more serious. But she is a smart girl and I know she can handle it :)


Brody started 2nd grade and told me his teacher is cute. Hopefully that helps him stay motivated, maybe he will want to impress her with his smarts.



and then there is Abbey. Sometimes I still see her as my baby and she started Kindergarten. I enjoy having her home when the older 2 kids are at school, she is just a joy to be around. I teared up as I dropped her off at school, she was nervous and wanted me to hang around but I knew I had to leave her. She loves school and loves when she has homework.


and she was there for it all

I love this picture.

Poor Ella

but she is so cute with the chickens, she loves them so much, a little too much.

Alright, time to finally catch up on my blogging. I shall start with Brody's Birthday. I know, shame on me, I did not post on his Birthday with a special post dedicated to him, I guess we were having too much fun.
Brody turned 7 this year and he loves attention and loves presents even more so it was a countdown to his Birthday for him.
This is the breakfast he requested face and all

I wasn't planning on doing a party for him because I don't really like doing kid parties but when he said "how come I never get to have a party with my friends?" at 10am the day of his Birthday, I called a couple friends and invited them to come along. He told me everything he wanted to do Pirate Island, bowling, Build-a-Bear workshop and Payson pool. I told him to pick one and hopefully the cheapest one. He chose Pirate Island so we bought some cupcakes and made pirate themed goodie bags. The kids had so much fun and Brody felt special.







When Ryan came home, we went to dinner at Macaroni Grill (because we had coupons... mediocre food) and made it home just in time to eat cake, sing and head to bed.

new Star Wars lego ship


bb gun, sling shot and bow and arrow were at the top of his wish list, he received the safest one, bow and arrow with arrow tips made of styrofoam.