Family pics!

It is quite possible that our family is the most UNphotogenic family on earth. None of us have natural smiles and I seriously dread getting family pictures taken. Perhaps that's why I haven't done it in over 3 years.

I just kept looking at our old photo and think "someday" we should get a new one taken. I have been bugging my friend, Kris, to humor me and take some family photos of us for at least six months. She is quite talented and very good in the editing department (a big key for the unphotogenic type). It was her idea to take them at the ballfield. What a great background for us! I'm very excited to go print some of these to fill some frames with some badly needed updates!

And they're off!

What a morning. The combination of nerves and energy around here made our whole house buzz. We set our alarm for 6:20 this morning and told Cooper we would wake him up at 6:30, which still gave him an hour to do nothing more than get dressed and eat breakfast. He was in our door at 6:18 and paced for an hour. He decided it was OK to let Doug walk him in this morning, but as soon as the necessary forms were dropped off at the office, he was gone.

Middle school, here I come!

Kaiya was the least nervous. She has some of her best friends in her class and gets to use the same classroom this year for 3rd grade that she did for 2nd. She is happy about her teacher and was pretty cute helping get Kinley ready this morning.

Ready for 3rd grade

I, of course, bawled as Kinley waved goodbye this morning as she headed into her Kindergarten classroom. She was the one comforting me telling me , "It's OK mom. I will be home before you know it. Please don't bake anything or make jam or anything like that while I'm gone." She has been my buddy at home for the last 2 years. Preschool was only a couple hours, so it will be very strange having her gone all day. I think I will be able to get over it when I realize how much I can get done and how nice a little time to myself will be!!

The baby goes to Kindergarten

It's all over but the cryin'

I'm not really sure who is more depressed about school starting in two days--me or the kids. I'm usually ready for them to go back to school, but for some reason, this summer has gone too fast. I love the warm weather, the sleeping in, the lazy days at the pool, trips to the lake with my mom, sitting in the baseball bleachers and no homework!

Fun in the sun with Aunt Erika

We had a great trip to Utah and then turned around and headed to Grand Lake last weekend with my mom's side of the family for a couple nights. Both trips involved being crammed in small places with lots of people--good thing we like both families!!

Grandma's Cafe a/k/a kitchen

Hanging with Lori's kids

Ice skating in Logan with the cousins

At the end of the Grand Lake trip, we bid farewell to Bennett, who headed off to college in Tulsa, OK. It was an incredibly tearful goodbye and watching my kids cry was not much fun.

Sibling separated by 18 years

Siblings separated by 27 years (all of my mom's siblings)

Bennett and I gave the kayak a try . . . fun!

Walking to the village at Grand Lake with Hamma (grandma)

Quality time with Uncle B

Cooper played in a 3-day golf tournament last week and didn't play his best golf, but had a good time. Doug, my dad and I all took turns being his caddy. He is looking forward to playing lots this fall as time permits as he embarks on middle school. Coop also got his pacemaker "tuned up" last week. They continue to make some adjustments and we are hopeful they will last. We lost 4 kids at work in one week (none while I was there, thankfully), which always puts things in perspective for me. I love my job, but losing patients is something that never gets easy.

Reflecting on his tee shot

We have enjoyed several Rockies games this season and took some friends with us this last week to enjoy my dad's awesome season ticket seats. With any luck, we will be able to go watch them in the post-season!

Kaiya and Kinley have squeezed in several play dates with their buddies over the last week and yesterday, we spent the day on the lake with my mom. All the kids skied and rode the tube until they could do it no more.

Making brownies with friends

Kinley and Ellie--ready to start Kindergarten together

Summer memories are made at Seeley Lake

I think I can safely say that we crammed about as much as possible into this summer as we could have. I guess reality had to come back to bite us eventually.