Preschool Pictures

I think I have written before that Madeline has begun a cooperative preschool, where I get to either teach or help in the classroom about half of the time. This week was my first time teaching and it was tons of fun. The kids are adorable! There are seven kids and I think they are going to have a great year. It is so fun to see them interact with each other and watch little friendships emerge. These are Madeline's "preschool pictures" that one of the other moms took on the first day.

A Trip to Southern Utah

Last weekend, we took a trip down South to visit our old stomping grounds. Shan and I first met in Cedar City over 14 years ago!!! After church on Sunday, we took the kids up the canyon to see Cedar Breaks and around the SUU campus and our old apartments. It was lots of fun... nothing has changed very much at all and I remember how exciting everything seemed when we were there. (There is nothing like twitterpation to make you think everything is just fantastic. I was basically living in a dump with 5 crazy girls, I was a telemarketer, and I still barely had enough money to eat, but did I care? Of course not- I had Shan.)

Cedar Breaks

This little fella came out to greet us when we pulled in. I think he was looking for treats.

I caught Shan and Madeline in a candid moment of playing "nibble the cheeks."

We told the kids to turn around and pose- notice how Ryan is totally bent forward. It's pretty much torture for a kid with anxiety to be on the edge of a very steep cliff with no guard rail, and have to sit and take a picture. Naughty parents.

We are suckers for Old Glory. Isn't she beautiful?

And our little friend came out to say good-bye when we were getting in the car. So cute. But stay your distance little guy. It's all fun and games until you bite someone's finger off.

So the real reason we went South was to visit Shan's grandparents. We love them so dearly and it was great to be able to see them again. It was apparently a pretty big weekend in Parowan, since the Fair was there, and everyone was home for the event. The kids tried to ferris wheel and only poor Madeline (who wanted to get off after it started) stayed on with Shan. Lets just say that the petting zoo is more our style. We were also able to see cousins, aunts, uncles, in-laws, and even a new boyfriend. Thanks Shelly and fam.

Summer Fun

These pictures were taken on July 24th (Utah's state holiday- Pioneer Day) when we had lots of family in town. We had a bbq in the backyard with relay races and trampoline fun for the kids. Check out how cute Mr. James is! Oooooh, he is soooo fresh and scrumptious.

I think he looks like a little old man in this one:) so sweet.

and that is the look of pure love (looking right at Amanda)!

sweetie pie Jade- don't you just LOVE the toddler body?

Caleb's look of concentration before a ladder ball throw.

We had fireworks and sparklers that night and this is the only picture I got, because shortly after it was taken, Ms. Madeline grabbed the hot end of a spent sparkler and burned her poor little hand.

Ryan's Stainless Steel Kingdom

Ryan has taken a liking to the "I Spy" books as of late. He loves to stare at the clever pictures and find every single object. This particular page of a futuristic space city (made out of kitchen gadgets) inspired him to make his own. So I got out a bunch of stainless steel items in our kitchen and he started building. It was pretty amazing what he came up with! And he had an elaborate story about what each structure did. Very cool.

laboratory/testing facility

spaceship landing pad

And these are astronauts generating power from an enormous gem inside the "bubble."

I thought this was a great way to spend an afternoon- a perfect, inexpensive, creative project for a child. It was tons of fun to watch as he kept adding and rearranging. He even let his sisters help! I let him leave it out on the kitchen table for a few days and we ate out on the balcony instead.

New School!

We've started another school year at another new school. The kids are doing great at Edgemont Elementary! (Go Eagles!) Ryan is now in third grade and Emma is in first grade. It pains me to see them grow so fast. It seems like yesterday when Ryan was just starting Pre-K and I cried the whole way home after dropping him off.

This year, Emma's class is a French immersion class, so she's learning French along with her regular studies. She has a morning teacher who is from France, and only speaks French to the children. She teaches them Math and Science. And they have an afternoon teacher who speaks English and teaches them language arts. I am amazed at how much French she has picked up in just a few short weeks! She is teaching Madeline too and it's fun.

We love all of their teachers, and they have also started piano and Hapkido (Korean Martial Arts) after school. On the first day of school, after Madeline and I had walked the kids to school, she looked at me and said, "We're all alone, huh, mom?" I tried not to laugh. She is very excited to start her cooperative preschool next week, where I will be teaching three times a month. Here's to another great year!

More Fish Lake

I can't help but add some more pictures from our reunion at Fish Lake. I downloaded the other camera and got some more great shots:

The whole gang. I took like 10 consecutive shots to get one where everyone is looking and no one's eyes are closed!
Morning Maddie

beautiful Larsen clan

Grandpa is always so dapper... even camping.

girl cousins

Emelyse and Abby

Playing School

So the other day I was playing "school" with Madeline and she was the teacher, of course. I was asking her all sorts of questions about letters and numbers and she was answering them quite well. But then it got to be her nap time, and when she asked if I had another question, I said, "Yes. Where is your blankie?" She was onto me, and she said, "That is not appropriate! That's it- everyone in the hot box." I about died laughing. What?????? So I asked her what the hotbox was and she said, "It's like time out, only hotter." Woah. You better watch out when Madeline's in charge.