My First Fruitful Garden

Somehow, magically, my garden produced better than it ever has.  We had veggies coming out our ears.  And I got to buy my own pressure canner this year too.  I just have to put these pictures on here because I'm so proud of my first solo canning experiences!  YAY ME!  I did so very, very much more than this, but these are the only pictures I have.  I'm feeling all Martha Stewarty!

And Some More Fishing!

Does it ever seem like all our family does together is fish?  Sometimes it feels that way.  But what do you do when that's what Daddy loves?!

We went to Strawberry on Labor Day just before going to meet G-Ma at Golden Corral.  Needless to say, we had to bring an extra pair of clothes for everyone.

Dad has high hopes for Kent to become his little fishing buddy. Kent will fish all day, even if he doesn't get a bite.  He just keeps trying.  For days before fishing trips, he'll take his rod out into the back yard and practice casting.

And a cute little movie just because:

This picture is from a different time at Strawberry, but really, it all seems the same!

And I'll just throw in another of Tony's quick fishing trips in Montana.  I've always teased him about not being able to see the "BIG" fish he catches, so he sent me proof!

Birthday Celebrations

I woke up on my birthday to "THE BIRTHDAY CHAIR!"  My kids set this chair up for me so that they could each perform something for me for my birthday.  I got magic shows, songs, and power ranger replays. It was the best B-Day ever!

My favorite present was Tony sending me out with my mom and sisters to the Shakespearean Festival.  We always have so much fun together. 

When we came home, it was time to celebrate G-ma Smith's B-Day.  They took us all out to Golden Corral, and we got to stuff ourselves silly! 

Desserted!

My babies started school again.  Every single one of them!  I'm not quite sure how I feel about it.  The first day was miserable.  I missed them so much and felt like I had completely lost my purpose in life.  I'm learning to deal with it, but sheesh, I love my kids!

 The first set of my kiddos on their first day

And next went my baby!  I never imagined that I would be one of "those moms" that cried at the school.  But I about died.  My last baby left for kindergarten, and I'm not kidding, my heart broke! So here comes all of my pictures of the last moment I had as a mother with a small child at home...because that's not me any more.  BOOOOOO!

Ready to Go

Do you see my tiny little man? Yeah, he's too little for school.  I think I should bring him home!

I walked with the kids from school the first day that he walked home...and the second, and the third.  I just needed to make sure he knew what to do, okay!  He's still a baby :)

 Home from his first day of school, and he loved it!  He was a little worried about it, and still has trouble when I drop him off, but he's doing better.  Honestly, he's my first child that didn't WANT to leave me and go to school. So I'll just go ahead and soak that right up :)

Tackle Football

We finally relented and allowed Jace to put on the real football pads this year.  It kind of gave me a heart attack to see it all on him.  I didn't want to imagine him actually having to have protection to play a game where there was a big possibility of him getting hurt.  I'm thinking we're going to really need to push something like, say, ping pong or golf!  Golf is fun, right Jace?

Jace's Great Team

-He's down in front, second player from the left-

...and his first big tackle! He's the one taking down the big dude in the purple.  YEAH!

Go JACE!

P.G. Pond

Somehow, one of our last outings of the summer is always a day out at the Pleasant Grove Pond.  This times we had TONS of friends with us.  We had our friends from Park Group, and all of the Chandler cousins!

My Alice in Wonderland

Erica's life has been so consumed with gymnastics up to this point, that we were so excited to be able to fit in a musical workshop over the summer.  Erica was in her very first play.  She was one of the cards in Alice in Wonderland.

Tony and I brought the kids to one of the performances, Grandma and Grandpa Smith came to one, Grandma Chandler and Jim came, the Everetts came, and Aunt Trudy and Ellery came too.  

Here's to many more in the future!