Since we are now over half-way through the school year....

Here are the first day of school pictures!!

The boys started school on Sept. 3 - new city, new house, and new schools.  Joshua had had a new student/welcome to middle school BBQ the week before, so I took pictures of him opening his locker and in front of the school then so we didn't embarrass him his first day :) Hard to believe that he's already in sixth grade (OK, now he's half way through it)...it doesn't seem like that long ago we took him to his first day of kindergarten in Winters.

 

Nathaniel was so excited to start second grade at a new school and meet new friends. Unfortunately, he got sick within the first couple of weeks (strep, double ear infection) and has had a hard time adjusting since then, though he loves his teacher and has some friends.

Almost every day he doesn't want to go to school, yet every day when we pick him up he says he had the best day ever and likes school :)

It has been quite a difference for both boys to go to schools that each have more people in the school than the populations of either of the towns we've lived in the past five years! But now, over half-way through the school year, we're kinda' getting used to things, though we miss all the friendly faces, smiles, hellos, etc. that greeted any of us in the halls of Etna Elementary.

And then of course, there's Miss Grace. She has been dying to start preschool at home with Mommy like the boys did. I put her off until the first of October - in hopes I'd be done unpacking and organized by then...I wasn't, and Nathaniel was sick - in the middle of about ten days of being home -which didn't help preschool much at all. Once he was finally totally healthy it was November and holidays and now it's mid-February and we're trying to get back on track. But she's been working really hard when we do have preschool and loves it.

 

With her birthday being mid/late September, she gets to spend another year at home with Mommy since the cut off date is September 1st.

Neither of us are sure how we feel about that, she wants to go to school when she turns five like the boys did, and so do I. But I think we'll enjoy another year of just us...and hopefully Mommy will be better organized by then!

Retro post...Grace's 4th birthday in September!!

I call this a retro post because it's been 4 1/2 months and I reailze that I never posted pictures of Grace's birthday. In my defense, we'd moved in barely a month prior and were "kind" of settled...and the week following this is when Nathaniel got really sick with his ears and throat...and then it was the holidays it seems like - craziness!!

So, here is Grace's brithday...at our new house in Grants Pass.

Both great-grandmas came up with Grandpa Bruce and Grandma Lorrayne.

We had lasagne for dinner - as per Grace's request - which was odd because she's never cared for it all that much.

Nathaniel was very attentive and helpful as Grace opened her presents - he read her every card.

Being oh so serious

Big Brother Joshua gets a hug

Her Sofia the First dress-up dress (to go with the shoes Aunt Theresa had gotten her in the summer when we were visiting)

Grandma Darlene brought her this ceramic kitty cat doll that Grace loved to play with at Grandma's house...Grace was so happy. She is very careful with it, but it always gets its turn taking a ride in her stroller.

Wearing her new birthday sweater

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Tangled doll and movie



She was so excited that Grandma had brought back this teddy bear!  Grandma had been at our house a few nights before while Grandpa had gone to a class at Home Depot and she'd been working on this cute crocheted bear. Grace had tried to take off with it (though it was missing arms and legs and face, I think)
 

The Birthday Girl and her Cake!!

Worn out birthday girl and her new baby, Sweetie.

Happy 2014 - Part Two!!!

I just realized that I didn't post the pictures I took of them on January first - whoops!

Being silly...nathaniel is pretending to pick his nose...Grace and Joshua are yelling "Deer!" - if you are familiar with Studio C on BYUTV, you'll get that...

Joshua just finished a unit in social dance/swing dance in PE and Grace would practice with him :)

Happy 2014!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brian worked on New Year's Eve as well, so we had a little camp out in the living room (the kids had the floor, I had the couch :))

We didn't do a whole lot...watched several episodes of Studio C and eventually watched the ball drop...Brian was able to call us from work then so we could all wish each other a Happy 2014!

We didn't watch any of the pre-ball dropping stuff  - every time we'd switch over it was another musician being inappropriate...

Big year coming up...Joshua turns 12 in April and Nathaniel 8 in August.

And Grace will be five in September, but due to the Oregon cut-off date being September First, she'll get another year at home with Mom!