me boom bad guys

 Every time since Nathan has been born that we have taken the boys shooting Nathan's been asleep when we get to the range & stayed asleep in his carseat the whole time! That all changed this weekend....Nathan stayed awake!  He was SO excited to go "booommm". 

 Nathan loved wearing his blue ears

 Thomas & Nathan cleaned up the brass in the waiting area while David shot

 They were both excited when David was finally done shooting!  Their turn!!

Thomas actually wanted to shoot!!  Usually when we go shooting he doesn't like to shoot and doesn't want a turn.  He just likes to dig & play in the dirt and pick up as much brass off the ground as he can.  He had a lot of fun shooting this time though,  he didn't like the .22 handgun but loved the .22 rifle. 

Then it was Nathan's turn.  Nathan LOVED it!!  He kept saying he was "booming the bad guys"!  He  got so excited everytime he shot.

 Happy little boy!!

In case you can't understand him in the video, he is saying "mommy me boom bad guys"

Swiss Days

This weekend David's baseball team, Las Vegas Rebels, had a tournament in St. George.  So, we headed up there Friday after school for a weekend full of baseball.

Nathan in the hotel room before the games Saturday.

My stroller, with 2 ice chests, 2 backpacks full of toys, a bag of snacks, a scooter and a bike

David at bat, he hit the ball well and got on base & eventually made it home

 While we were watching the games we had to have a snow cone! (these were the smalls!)

the boys found friends to play with at the games, and spent most of the day playing in the dirt and riding bikes/scooters with the other kids

David on 1st base after hitting the ball

 Uncle Rhys came to one of David's games & it was fun to see him and his puppies!   After David's last game we went to Uncle Rhys's house and swam (or rinsed off...either way) for a little bit and then headed to McDonalds to eat & play the last of our energy out.  

And this.... is what the boys looked like before we made it out of Utah! AND they stayed that way until they woke up Sunday morning!!

six

As I sit here, all the kids are in bed, the only noise is from the washing machine and the sound of the keyboard. I am thinking back to six years ago, I was at Southern Hills hospital at this time.  Just a few hours from now I was delivering Gabe.  That was still, hands down the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I am so thankful for my loving doctor that insisted I take the emotionally harder way, knowing that it would be better for me.  I am so thankful for him, and my family and friends that have helped me so much and have literally carried me through.

I have decided this year that I am not a fan of the month of September.  This year it seems that September has been so much harder than it has in years past.  I always think about Gabe and how he has changed our lives.  But it's different this year, I don't think I have not cried at least once a day these last few weeks.  

I still feel so grateful for the lessons and blessings that he has brought into my life and for the lessons that I still am learning.  I was able to spend this weekend at the temple, both Friday & Saturday night.  It was amazing.  I am really glad that I decided to continue the tradition and to spend time there during the weekend of the 17th.  

I found this song not to long ago & really like it.  

I just sit in amazement at how one little life can cause such mighty changes and can teach so much.  

survived

We have survived our first week of middle school & kindergarten!! 

David got his class assignments and so far really likes his teachers, especially the ones that let them eat in class!  He got his locker situation figured out and no longer needs to beat it up :)  

Thomas still tells me that school was dumb.  For the first time Friday he initiated conversation with his teacher!  He was trying to figure out the way he can get the most points so he can shop for more things in the treasure chest!  Thomas was really hard to wake up for school today until I reminded him that he needs to go to school or he won't get points to be able to shop with, that got him up & dressed pretty quick.  Thomas got his first progress report sent home today, he got a "good" on keeping his hands to himself and "on occasion" for being on task, listening to directions and trying his best!  Not to bad for his first week! 

Nathan loves to go to the school to pick Tommy up, he longingly looks at the playground every day and says mommy I playground, and every day I have to tell him not today.  Three more years buddy!  He loves to find Thomas in the line of kids and runs to him and gives him the biggest hug and kiss.  Nathan misses his brothers while they are at school but is loving being the center of attention and not being told how to play.  

First Day of School x 2

Today David started Junior High!!!  He is in 6th grade!  He has Mr. McCarthy as his advisory teacher this year & has a lot of his friends from last year in his class.  He was a little nervous this morning, the school didn't send home any class info before school & didn't have an open house for the older kids, but once we figured out who he had & he got in the gate he was good.  His favorite thing about 6th grade is everything, his most unfavorite thing, his locker!  He couldn't figure it out and had to have a 7th grader help him today.  

 And Thomas started Kindergarten!!  And yes, as I pulled out of the driveway to go to school I had to put my sunglasses on because I was starting to cry & didn't want to upset Thomas.  I had to wake him up this morning really early (for him) as I was waking him up he looked out the window and told me that it still looks like dark morning and he can't wake up this early in the day unless he's going to Disneyland!  He has been very nervous for school & will tell me that he wants to be 4 again so he can go to preschool instead.  I was very nervous and worried about how he would do today but was & am SO proud of him!  David walked him to his classroom door and Thomas went in like a champ!  No tears or fighting, just walked right in!!  After school I asked Thomas how his day was and he told me it was dumb!  I asked him if he made any new friends today and his response, no there is no one in my class worth being friends with!!  I think he had a good time at school today, he has been slowly opening up about his day at school throughout the afternoon/evening.  And he does want to go back since he packed his lunch box this afternoon with 7 granola bars and a package of poptarts!  

I love the nervousness on Tommy's face!!

 Both boys before we left for school!

here we grow again!!

hahaha!!  made you look!

The boys got new pets today! 

 Thomas & Nathan got 3 fish today, 1 dalmatian fish (boy) and 2 white fish (both female)

and David got a hermit crab! 

growing

Today David & Thomas had their 11 and 5 year old well checks.  Thomas was VERY grateful to not need any shots, David wasn't so lucky.  

David is weighing in at a very proud 99.0 pounds and is exactly 60 inches tall.  He is in (of course) the 90th percentile. David has also grown 2 inches since his last well check last summer.  And he is excited about the doctor's prediction of him being 6'1"

Thomas is weighing in at a nice 39.4 pounds and is 42.5 inches tall (another 1 1/2 inches till the next round of Disney rides) Thomas is in the 25th percentile. The doctor's prediction for Tommy's height is 5'11"  Thomas is a full inch above where he was on the growth charts last year!  It's amazing what happens when you finally figure out food allergies & get rid of some tonsils!