Off to school!

Sage, Zach, Quaid, Sarah

(All cousins)

Well I just dropped Zach off for his first day of second grade. It seems like just yesterday I was dropping him off at Silverado Preschool and heading to the LVAC gym, just Scott and me. Oh how I miss that gym...but anyway..I now have 4 kids and he's in second grade! Time goes by so quickly. Life seemed so in control and easy then. Now I'm trying to find the self-discipline/motivation to schedule better and fit more in a day. I think I have the motivation, it's now just finding the self-discipline to get up earlier so I can get more done.

.........

Sorry, while sitting here nursing Hailey, she had a blowout and it was getting on me. We are all cleaned up now and I'm back:) Onto what's been on my mind.

.........

How do those woman do it...clean house, meals planned AND prepared, preschool activities planned and followed through with, while getting a shower and exercise in, amongst feeding and grooming children throughout the day too. It doesn't sound too hard when I type it all out. I just need those women's schedules so I can follow them. All I can get into my day is cleaning, some laundry, feeding/nursing children, exercise, a shower before 5 if I'm lucky, and sometimes dinner, if Ethan's lucky. I would love to do better at meal planning and cooking...allrecipes.com has been helpful with ideas but I still haven't made it a priority to plan the week's meals out ahead of time. I also want to do preschool activities with Scott at least twice a week. Planned enough ahead I can get any supplies needed at the beginning of the month or the prior week even. I don't want you to think I'm complaining or trying to be super mom even. This is just what I want to fit into my day. I know that if I had a scheduled time to plan, and if I do a little each day, I can keep up and do all of this. I just don't know where to begin. I feel like I'm playing catch up instead of running the show on a schedule. So any ideas or comments on what helps you would be great. We will be moving into our own place in the next week too so I feel like I will have a fresh start on being organized & decluttered. I think schedules are great. My kids are much better when I have somewhat of one, but I also know that waivering a little sometimes is ok too. I like structure but not too much structure so that I can't throw other things in there. Ok I'm done rambling now. I enjoy so much being at home with my kids...any ideas to make it better would be great!

My funny little girl!

Ethan gets home from work today and Cheyenne runs to greet him excitedly saying "Daddyyyyy", and jumps in his arms. He gives her a big hug and then proceeds to the bathroom where he tells Chey to go out so he can pee. So she then gallops(that's how she gets around these days) to my mom and me in the living room and tells us, "Dad's peeing." We laughed. Ethan then comes out of the bathroom and Cheyenne runs back to the hall to meet him where she tells him, "Good job peeing!" You had to be here to hear her cute little voice. Can you tell she's on the verge of potty training:))

The Fam!

Here are some recent pictures. My camera's flash quit working when Hailey was about 3 days old, so I have not been very good at getting as many pictures. I am now using my mom's until I figure mine out. Takin' a bath

Sleepin'

My cousin, Rich, gave us an old bike of his to fix up. Here are Ethan and Zach working away to get it running.

This is Drago. The boys' caught this little horny toad on a Sunday ride up in the mountains. They kept him about 2 weeks and decided to let him go just before we left town last week. This is their 2nd horny toad they've brought home. They love to catch them. Here he is camoflauged in the carpet when my brother brought him inside. Zach almost stepped on him not knowing he was there. He was kept outside otherwise.

Here's Grandma Ida with the girls.

Grandma Carol with the girls.



We blessed Hailey May on August 2nd. It was a great weekend with lots of family in town. Ethan gave a beautiful blessing. She is just over a month old here.

While we were busy getting lunch ready, I had my SIL, Dani, take her in my room to get some pictures of her in her dress. All three of these were taken by her. Thanks again Dani, they turned out great! My Grandma Katie crochets all her great grandchildren's blessing outfilts. I love this one, it also had a bonnet. It was beautiful. Thanks so much Grandma!

I can't believe it! Her first smile caught on camera. She still hasn't cracked one for me, but she has repeatedly for her Aunt Dani! Anyway, I'm so glad this picture was captured.

Here is a quick snap of our family. We missed doing more family photos because we were getting lunch together for everyone. Ethan's Aunt Carol, Uncle Jim, Aunt Elaine, Aunt Barbara, and Grandpa Hull drove over that morning. How sweet that was to have them there. Grandma and Grandpa Hull, Uncle Eric & Aunt Kari, Uncle Aaron & Aunt Crystalyn & fam, Grandma and Grandpa Craner, Uncle Nate & Aunt Dani, Aunt Monica, and Rich and Dixie & fam all visited for the occasion. I'm blessed to have more family that is already in the ward that were there too. It was a really nice day. I'm so grateful to have this clan to call my own.