The other day Nate agreed to grill hamburgers for dinner. What he didn't know was that a monsoon would hit right as he headed out to get the grill started. Poor guy, by the time the burgers were done, he was soaked and the storm was pretty much done. Good thing he was in his swimsuit - he'd tried to take Kiersten and Tanner swimming that afternoon, but the pool closed right as they got there because of the coming storm. We have so many false alarms that even that wasn't enough to warn us that it might not be the best night for grilling outside! (Too bad rain doesn't photograph well; this doesn't do justice to the high winds and sheets of rain.)
30 August 2010
More than He Bargained For!
The other day Nate agreed to grill hamburgers for dinner. What he didn't know was that a monsoon would hit right as he headed out to get the grill started. Poor guy, by the time the burgers were done, he was soaked and the storm was pretty much done. Good thing he was in his swimsuit - he'd tried to take Kiersten and Tanner swimming that afternoon, but the pool closed right as they got there because of the coming storm. We have so many false alarms that even that wasn't enough to warn us that it might not be the best night for grilling outside! (Too bad rain doesn't photograph well; this doesn't do justice to the high winds and sheets of rain.)
04 August 2010
Kiersten's First Day of School
Yesterday was Kiersten's first day of kindergarten, and I'm not sure who was more excited - me or her! Since the bus picks her up at 6:50 am, we'd spent the week before school started practicing getting up at 6:00. Well, she'd gotten up every morning about 6, and I usually rolled out of bed at 6:30 to the lovely sounds of her and Tanner fighting over something! So I think she was a little worried that I wouldn't be up to get her off to school on time that first morning. Such little faith in her mom!
She's had a closet full of school clothes all summer long that she's been dying to wear. She was always disappointed when I told her she had to wait, so yesterday morning was like Christmas, a closet full of brand new clothes that she could choose from! (Of all her clothes, this was not what I expected her to pick. Oh well, she never fails to amaze me.)
We decided that first morning I would take her and then after that she'd ride the bus. At first she wanted to ride the bus that first morning, then she decided that me taking her and just dropping her off would be good, then it was take her and park and help her find the kindergarten playground and then go, then it was park and help her find the playground and then wait until she was settled in her class. I was getting a little worried with how shy and clingy she can be great.
(We were later leaving than I had planned on or I would have tried for better pictures in front of the house!) By the time we got to the school (I hadn't planned on quite so many other parents taking their kids to school too!) her teacher, Ms. Guerrero, had already brought everyone in from the playground and was getting everyone settled. Kiersten walked in, found her seat, smiled for this picture and then started coloring and didn't look back at me. So Tanner and I left. It was much easier than I was expecting!
Tanner and I spent the day grocery shopping, doing the laundry, cleaning house and getting dinner made. Even though Tanner missed Kiersten, I think he enjoyed not having her there to boss him around! At 2:30 (yes, we have all day kindergarten here, and I think I'm going to love it!) we headed out to meet her buss. She was SO excited to be able to ride the school bus. Ever since she was 2 1/2 or 3 she's been asking how much longer before she was a big kid that got to ride the school bus to school every day. And now her dream had finally came true! She told me how nice and cool and comfortable the buss is because there are 2 fans going (maybe so, but there is no air conditioning, so I certainly wouldn't want to be on them in this 100 degree heat!). 
She had a wonderful day and couldn't stop talking about all the fun things that she did that day, and all the things that she would start doing, and how she's now ready to ride the bus to and from school every day. 
She can't wait to go back tomorrow, and I am absolutely delighted that she's so excited about it! Especially, since I can't wait for her to go back tomorrow!
She's had a closet full of school clothes all summer long that she's been dying to wear. She was always disappointed when I told her she had to wait, so yesterday morning was like Christmas, a closet full of brand new clothes that she could choose from! (Of all her clothes, this was not what I expected her to pick. Oh well, she never fails to amaze me.)
We decided that first morning I would take her and then after that she'd ride the bus. At first she wanted to ride the bus that first morning, then she decided that me taking her and just dropping her off would be good, then it was take her and park and help her find the kindergarten playground and then go, then it was park and help her find the playground and then wait until she was settled in her class. I was getting a little worried with how shy and clingy she can be great.
(We were later leaving than I had planned on or I would have tried for better pictures in front of the house!) By the time we got to the school (I hadn't planned on quite so many other parents taking their kids to school too!) her teacher, Ms. Guerrero, had already brought everyone in from the playground and was getting everyone settled. Kiersten walked in, found her seat, smiled for this picture and then started coloring and didn't look back at me. So Tanner and I left. It was much easier than I was expecting!
Tanner and I spent the day grocery shopping, doing the laundry, cleaning house and getting dinner made. Even though Tanner missed Kiersten, I think he enjoyed not having her there to boss him around! At 2:30 (yes, we have all day kindergarten here, and I think I'm going to love it!) we headed out to meet her buss. She was SO excited to be able to ride the school bus. Ever since she was 2 1/2 or 3 she's been asking how much longer before she was a big kid that got to ride the school bus to school every day. And now her dream had finally came true! She told me how nice and cool and comfortable the buss is because there are 2 fans going (maybe so, but there is no air conditioning, so I certainly wouldn't want to be on them in this 100 degree heat!). 
She had a wonderful day and couldn't stop talking about all the fun things that she did that day, and all the things that she would start doing, and how she's now ready to ride the bus to and from school every day. 
She can't wait to go back tomorrow, and I am absolutely delighted that she's so excited about it! Especially, since I can't wait for her to go back tomorrow!
06 July 2010
Our First Monsoon of the Season
Last week we had our first monsoon of the season . . . Tanner was outside "helping" Nate cook dinner on the grill when it started raining. Next thing we knew, Tanner was darting out in the rain and then running back to the safety of the covered porch.
Once Kiersten saw what Tanner was doing, she wanted to join him. We had to laugh - Tanner would run out and get completely drenched where as Kiersten would only stick her hands out in the rain, not willing to leave the safety of the covered porch.
Once again, Nate and I wondered why we spend so much money on toys and entertainment when they have just as much fun in a rainstorm! And then I remember, this is Arizona, and even though it is monsoon season we sure can't count on rain!
Once Kiersten saw what Tanner was doing, she wanted to join him. We had to laugh - Tanner would run out and get completely drenched where as Kiersten would only stick her hands out in the rain, not willing to leave the safety of the covered porch.
Once again, Nate and I wondered why we spend so much money on toys and entertainment when they have just as much fun in a rainstorm! And then I remember, this is Arizona, and even though it is monsoon season we sure can't count on rain!
Splishin' and a'Splashin!
I've been meaning to sign Kiersten up for swimming lessons for the last few years, but never seemed to get around to doing it. This year I finally got her signed up (well, actually my friend got her signed up since we were out of town the day of swim lesson sign ups) - I figured that she's 5 and really ought to know something about swimming! And I figured that I should get Tanner going as well. I was hoping that, if nothing else, having Tanner learn to swim might help encourage Kiersten learn to swim! However, Tanner was so young I had to sign up with him - it was a mommy and me class.
Tanner and I spent the two weeks doing "up-downs" where I would let him go farther and farther in the water each time he went up then down. It would have worked much better if Tanner would have stopped laughing and shut his mouth!
We also spent a lot of time trying to get Tanner to kick. He's quite stubborn and refused to do most of what we asked. Usually when I asked him to do anything he would say, "Tanner all done," and move to get out of the pool. While he didn't really want to kick, he'd walk around all the time saying, "kick, kick, kick," and "splash mommy's nose."
Tanner and I were supposed to work on floating on his back and kicking. He wasn't willing to even try if he didn't have a racket in hand and a ball near his feet that moved with every kick.
I had warned Kiersten's swim teacher (who also happened to be in our ward) that I would be really pleased if, at the end of two weeks, Kiersten would put her face in the water. (I was trying to not set my sights too high!) Kiersten loved "doing the monkey bars" around the pool.
Kiersten and her friend, Macy, were the only two girls in their class, which was nice - almost private lessons! (Thankfully Macy is as timid as Kiersten is, so they were pretty much on the same level!) They had a great time learning to float on their backs and kick their legs.
However, Morgan (her teacher) worked wonders and Kiersten actually put her face in the water, even if it was only for a split second at a time. Now Kiersten thinks she's quite the swimmer!
Neither of my kids passed their levels, so we'll be repeating them next summer! For now, we head to the pool at least once a week and practice the things they learned (even though Kiersten cries and tells me she doesn't want to) so we don't have to start at square one again next year! I am just grateful that it's now only once or twice a week, and not every day!
Tanner and I spent the two weeks doing "up-downs" where I would let him go farther and farther in the water each time he went up then down. It would have worked much better if Tanner would have stopped laughing and shut his mouth!
We also spent a lot of time trying to get Tanner to kick. He's quite stubborn and refused to do most of what we asked. Usually when I asked him to do anything he would say, "Tanner all done," and move to get out of the pool. While he didn't really want to kick, he'd walk around all the time saying, "kick, kick, kick," and "splash mommy's nose."
Tanner and I were supposed to work on floating on his back and kicking. He wasn't willing to even try if he didn't have a racket in hand and a ball near his feet that moved with every kick.
I had warned Kiersten's swim teacher (who also happened to be in our ward) that I would be really pleased if, at the end of two weeks, Kiersten would put her face in the water. (I was trying to not set my sights too high!) Kiersten loved "doing the monkey bars" around the pool.
Kiersten and her friend, Macy, were the only two girls in their class, which was nice - almost private lessons! (Thankfully Macy is as timid as Kiersten is, so they were pretty much on the same level!) They had a great time learning to float on their backs and kick their legs.
However, Morgan (her teacher) worked wonders and Kiersten actually put her face in the water, even if it was only for a split second at a time. Now Kiersten thinks she's quite the swimmer!
Neither of my kids passed their levels, so we'll be repeating them next summer! For now, we head to the pool at least once a week and practice the things they learned (even though Kiersten cries and tells me she doesn't want to) so we don't have to start at square one again next year! I am just grateful that it's now only once or twice a week, and not every day!
29 June 2010
She's Graduated!
Kiersten has done a co-op preschool for the last 2 years (well, really Kiersten and I have done a co-op preschool!), and just last month she graduated. She'll start kindergarten on August 3rd, and I'm not sure who is more excited - Kiersten or mom!
Here she is with the other 2 girls in the group,Hailey Walton and Macy Husted.
Here is Kiersten receiving her diploma. She graduated "with honors" (as did all of the kids!).
(With at least 3 moms in the group who are avid scrapbookers, you would think that one of us would think to close the shades behind the kids so we could get decent pictures, but unfortunately none of us did!)
Kiersten's graduating class included:(back row) Kiersten, Carter Burns, Macy Husted,
(front row) Jonah Carlson, Hailey Walton, Wyatt Burns.
One of the other moms was in charge of graduation. She played Pomp & Circumstance as each child marched down the stairs, carrying a rose for their mom/teacher. Another mom read a poem to you, and had a small gift for you. Then I read “I Knew You Could” and had a candy train for each of you. After that Sister Walton presented each of you with your diplomas, and then we ended with lunch. All too soon it was time to go home and preschool was officially over. And now it is off to kindergarten for you!
18 May 2010
24 June 2010
My Rugged Outdoorsmen
Mother's Day weekend our ward held it's annual Fathers and Sons Camping Trip (officially called the Aaronic Priesthood Restoration Commemoration ). Nate and Tanner had a blast, of course!
Nate will have to come back later and fill in the details, since I wasn't there. All I know is that when he came home and I was looking at the pictures on the camera I started to freak out when I came to this first picture. I couldn't figure out what on earth had possessed Nate to give Tanner a rifle. Then I looked a little closer, and realized that it was nothing to worry about; it was just the tent poles. Nate was offended that I would assume he let Tanner play with a gun.
Even though I wasn't there, I could still tell Tanner had a great time , especially when it came to setting up the tent. He was right there in the middle of all the action, and I'm sure he was a great "help" to Nate; just like he is to me every day at home when I'm trying to get things done!
I just love sleeping children!
Nate will have to come back later and fill in the details, since I wasn't there. All I know is that when he came home and I was looking at the pictures on the camera I started to freak out when I came to this first picture. I couldn't figure out what on earth had possessed Nate to give Tanner a rifle. Then I looked a little closer, and realized that it was nothing to worry about; it was just the tent poles. Nate was offended that I would assume he let Tanner play with a gun.
Even though I wasn't there, I could still tell Tanner had a great time , especially when it came to setting up the tent. He was right there in the middle of all the action, and I'm sure he was a great "help" to Nate; just like he is to me every day at home when I'm trying to get things done!
I just love sleeping children!
Just Say "Hi"
A few weeks ago I was in the kitchen doing the dishes and I looked over the counter and saw Kiersten in the family room playing church with her dolls. I'm not sure what she was doing - she was either giving a talk, giving a lesson, or reading a scripture, but she said, "Jesus said, love everyone. If you can't do that, (pause), well, just say "hi." Then she got embarrassed because she realized I was listening and didn't say anything else. That constantly runs through my head, and I try to remember her advice. When I don't feel like being nice, I try to at least smile and say hi.
(The picture doesn't have anything to do with the story - it is from when we took the kids to the Gila Valley Temple Open House. I just happened to like it, and it looks like my kids like each other!)
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