Challenge!

Look at this face! It's just adorable right? Logan can be the most tender-hearted, sweet little boy. Since school has started however, he has become quite a challenge. Yesterday, for example, he had 5 major melt-downs before 2 o'clock. He throws at least 1 huge temper tantrum every day. The first happened when we are on our way to pick up Lindsay from school. He wanted to ride his bike, but sure enough he started crying almost as soon as we left. Even though I left a half hour early we were going to be late because he was going too slow. And he was going too slow because he was stopping every 3 feet to cry and scream and howl into the sky at the top of his lungs. One of the times he stopped was right in the middle of a really busy street. He wouldn't come and I tried everything! Finally I had to pick him up, but he held on to his bike with his legs. It was a nightmare! There were about 6 cars and who knows what the people inside them were thinking. I just don't know what to do. I thought I needed to spend some time one on one with him and that would help. It does a little but he still cries about EVERYTHING!!! I am just really hoping this stage leaves sooner than later!

CA-UTE!

Sophie @ 4 1/2 months

This baby is cute! Even when she is being a pain in the rear end... she is CUTE!

She's been sleeping through the night really well until about a week ago so we tried giving her cereal to see if that helped (it has). Here are pictures of her very first time taking it.

She did really well. We were expecting her to spit it all over, and she did, but it wasn't as bad as we thought it would be. I love doing all these firsts with babies. It's fun to watch them grow!

8/19/09

Brandon's first day of 3rd (eek!!!!) grad and Lindsay's first day of kindergarten (double eek!!!) went without a hitch! They were both very excited. We met their teachers the night before and had back to school night Wednesday and I am really thrilled about their teachers this year. I think Lindsay's is going to be perfect for her and same with Brandon's. It's been nice getting back into a schedule although I already miss having them home ( and under my control) all the time!

Riding to school is something Lindsay has been looking forward to since we started last year with Brandon.

This is actually Lindsay's second day.

1st day in class! She is one excited Kindergartner! I didn't think she was going let me walk her in!!! She was just ready to go. I had to call her back to me and she told me she was going to go by herself. I told her, "Oh no you're not! It's my right as your mother to walk you to class on your first day!" Thank goodness she let me!

Cool Dude! He was super excited about getting a back pack that slung over his shoulder.

2nd day of school.

Last bit of summer

Before School started we got in one last visit to the zoo for the summer. It was perfect weather and we had a lot of fun as usual. The kids really love going to the zoo and I do too. It's a great way to spend the day!

since it was a special trip we sprung for carosel rides.... does she look a little nervous or what???

We also got in a few more picnics up the canyon. This summer went by so fast! So fast! I didn't think I was going to be ready to send them to school but sure enough about a week before it was supposed to start the kids started fighting and complaining and so it was perfect timing because then EVERYONE was excited for school to start.

4 of the best kids in the world!

8 is GREAT!

I love this smile! It's even better now because he's lost the tooth on the other side of his middle bottom two.

On July 31st Brandon turned 8!!! Time is going by so fast!!! It seems like just yesterday I was at the hospital with him as a baby. We had a hard time getting him here. He was quite comfortable where he was and DID NOT want to come out, but he has brought such happiness to our lives since then! We forget too often what a great kid he is. He loves everything.... legos, sports (all of them), friends, family, drawing, fishing and anything that you would consider "boy". Sometimes we think he was born into the wrong family because of what a goer he is. He is just always asking, "what are we gonna do next?" He loves being busy and going all the time and Shane and I aren't really like that, but we are so glad to have him pull us out of our shells that we sometimes like to hide in.

He has been wanting a bike for his birthday so we got him one. He wasn't expecting it and his face was really funny when he saw it! His jaw dropped to the floor.

For his birthday he wanted to go camping so we packed up and headed up to Rainbow Lakes. We felt so luck because we got the very last camping spot. But that's where our luck ended. The weather was cold when we got there, then turned hot, then cold again then hot on our hike and then it turned cold and colder and colder! We decided to go home which Brandon was really bummed about but we decided to camp out in our family room instead and they all really like that idea so hopefully it ended up being a great night for him!

a beautiful beave pond on our hike. we got there and there was a rainbow going across the sky. Mmmmm.... perfection!

the designated fire wood cutter. He loves anything to do with fire!

camping in the familyh room with popcorn and a movie!

Of course turned eight is a huge milestone for other reasons. On August 8, 2009 Brandon was baptized! I am so proud that he made this decision. He was so excited for this day. He talked about it all the time... even at night in his room to himself. Brandon was baptized with 4 other friends from the ward and it made it extra special. The spirit was very strong and even Brandon cried a little because he felt so happy. I feel very lucky to be his mother, he has a really strong spirit and I know he's going to grow up and bless his family from the life he will lead.

grandma and grandpa shelton came

gramma cracker came

a special visit from great-grandpa! he came all the way from California to be with us!

oh the fun that is Jessica and Melinda

Frog Hunting

FROG HUNTING

We have had quite the summer for animals in the back yard. Some visits from bunnies... oh so cute at first and then a pain!!! They ate all of our produce in the garden. I was calling them little stinkers one

day because of it and LIndsay reminded me "you don't have to be rude". "What?" I asked. "Just because they got in the garden doesn't mean you have to call them rude names." Thanks Lindsay for keeping me kind! Anyways, our favorite visitors have been all the frogs. We have had SO MANY! For about a week that's

all the kids did was go frog hunting. They built habitats for the frogs, raced them in swimming pools, and just had so much fun catching them! Logan would chase after them saying "Come back here widdle (little) wascaw (rascal)" We just have enjoyed them so much! However Shane di

d mention he is getting tired to wait for them to hop out of the way while he's mowing the lawn (he still waits though, don't worry!)

Drooling

Sophie is such a drooler! Not only does all the drool come out on it's own, but she loves to spit! Time has gone by so fast. I can't believe that she is 4 months old already! She is getting really close to rolling over. She is so funny when you can get her smiling and laughing, but she is pretty stingy with those things. It takes a lot of work, but very worth it when it does happen!

Aren't slobbery smiles the best??

I can't believe how fast time has gone by. It simply has been the fastest 4 months of my entire life! She's such a sweetie and is making her place in our family just fine! She already has gotten mad a few times and yelled at whoever is bugging her. This age is just so fun because every week they are doing something new or better. She loves her rattle, her doll and her links. She is done with the pacifier, preferring to suck on her fingers (not sure how I feel about that yet). She also sleeps through most nights and usually takes at least one long nap, as long as we are home for a stretch of time. She doesn't sleep well in other places besides her bed or swing or our bed. We're just excited to see her grow up!

Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House

While in Utah this summer we went to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House! It was bliss! I was so excited to have Logan and Lindsay see the inside of a temple and they LOVED it! This temple is a smaller one and it just gorgeous! It was a really great morning!

I'm really not going to drop Sophie, I promise!

Can you believe all I did was turn around and took a shot and this was the outcome?!?!? I swear I did not pose him!

Sweet girl

Logan and Grampa.. matchy matchy!

I love to see the temple... I'm going there someday!

My first Diaper Cake

While Shane and Brandon were in Alaska we went to Utah and I was able to give my sister a baby shower with my mom and sisters and I made her a diaper cake! It was fun and easy! Definately a gift to keep in mind!

Take me out to the Ball Game!

Since the beginning of June until the last Thursday in July Brandon has been playing baseball. Every Tuesday and Thursday... not a single practice or game cancelled... even in the pouring rain! Needless to say - it was a lot! But it was really fun. Brandon absolutely loved playing this year and it was so awesome watching their team get better and better. He had a really great coach this year who never let them get comfortable. Just when they were hitting the ball pretty good, he started pitching faster. It was a really great season. Lots of fun summer nights watching games.

Their team, The Twins, was actually a very competitive team.

Here's Brandon playing third base... he's going to get that runner out!

Brandon became a pretty good hitter and no wonder... just look at his form!

Some of the team-mates... especially friends from church Jonathan and Cole. That was really fun being on the same team.

Here's to next year!!!!