Our very first chapter book

At the beginning of the school year the kids and I decided to try and read a chapter book. The one they picked was Alice's Adventures In Wonderland. This was a daunting pick for our first attempt but they loved it. When I read it as a child I remembered it being strange with difficult vocabulary at times, but it is a really weird book. Alice falls down the rabbit hole, has foot races with animals, talks with a caterpillar and a cheshire cat, grows, shrinks and grows again and has her life threatened by an unfair King and Queen. When she wakes up at the end you can't help but wonder if it was really a dream or did it actually happen.

My personal favorite part of the book is when Alice meets the Duchess who is holding a wailing baby as the cook is throwing pots and pans at them. It was so funny to picture.

Our next chapter book is going to be The Tale of Despereaux. Here's to happy reading!!!

Wuv tuwoo Wuv!!

Aren't my Mummy and Daddio so cute?!?!

Naturalists

I love that my kids love nature. They feel very at ease when it comes to mud, bugs, trees and animals. I think most kids usually do and as adults we grow out of it. Just the other day as we were leaving the Y we saw an odd insect climbing up the outside wall. We watched it trying to figure out what it was. The best I could determine was that it was a spider with only 3 legs, trying to climb up. Someone walked outside and saw what we were doing and commented, "I'm glad some people like bugs." I myself have always been squimish around spiders, but have gotten stronger the last couple years. Dropping off the kids one the days this week there was a spider in the doorway. The kids said "Ohhh, look at the spider" quickly followed by "NO MOM- Don't kill it." I didn't.

When the kids found a lump of sticks they automatically figured out that it was a birds nest fallen from the trees. They took it home, grabbed a ball that looked like an egg, assembled everything outside and used my camera to document the find. Here are their snapshots.

Not bad photography for their age.

Oh Poor Lemon Squares!!

On one of those days when there are a million things to do and a million places to be the kids had Parent Night at the preschool. Everyone was to bring a dessert and we brought lemon squares. While I finished up a couple of things I sent the kids out to the car with Brooke in charge of the dessert. It wasn't  until we got there that I realized there was something odd about the dessert. Upon closer investigation I realized that there was a sneaker print in the lemon squares. Apparently Brooke had put them down on the ground to run around and when she returned to get them she stepped on them. Luckily there was saran wrap covering them and I wasn't above serving them despite the foot print flaw.

Cam's first day of Kindergarten

Yes, Cameron has started Kindergarten. I was pretty sure that I would be able to handle it well, since I still drop him off at the same place at the same time everyday, but it was still hard imagining my little boy climbing on the school bus and traveling to Greenleaf School. In Haverhill there is full day Kindergarten, but that is only until 3:30, and I still need daycare for the kids until 5 most days, so Cam and I opted for him to go the half day program at Greenleaf. I thought I was doing well when I dropped him off at the pre-school until I went to the 3 year old room to return the blanket he has used for the last 2 1/2 years. That's when I could feel the tears burning in the back of my eyes, but with a deep breath and a comforting pat on the back from one of Cam's former teachers, I managed to make it through the day without crying.

Cam's "C" pancake

And Brookie got a "B"

Big smiles

The new backpacks

It wasn't until review of the pictures that I realized Cam's sweater was on inside out.

The Big Boy on the school bus. When he got off he ran up and gave me a hug and said "This was the best day of my life." Are kids usually this excited about Kindergarten?!

Em turned One!!

I was more than overjoyed on August 5th, 2008 when I finally became an Aunt. Emma Rose Pietal has graced us with her spunky personality and gorgeous auburn hair since. Cameron and Brooke have been enthralled with her since she was born and Brooke recently exclaimed "I can't wait til Emma is older so that we can play." A few baby pictures to look back and remind us how much she has grown.

Smiling in her sleep

One of my favorite pictures of all three kids.

After the millioneth picture the kids got a little restless,

each one is doing their own thing.

The happy cousins

Introducing the Lawrence Ward

On July 26th our family had a little surprise at church. My mom had warned me that I needed to go to the branch for church in the morning. Once there we realized that all of the Stake Presidency was there. Several things were running through our minds. When President Watson got up and released Dad as the Branch President there were audible gasps, quickly followed by sobbing from many of the members of the branch. This was resolved when President Watson declared that the Branch was now becoming a Ward and called my Dad as Bishop. It was a momentous occasion for our family, the Ward and the Stake. We are so proud of Dad and all the hard work he has put in to making the Ward what it is today. Well done Papa!

Part of the Stake Presidency and the Bishopric

Cameron with one of his idols

Proud Wife

Family Picture (minus a few)