1st Day of School

It seems quite unreal that the summer is over and that Ella is already starting 2nd grade.  She has been excited to start and only the last week of summer she started complaining that she was bored.   We did ZERO school work and reading all summer minus the first four weeks.  We signed up for the library summer reading and met our goal every week for the first four.  After that I got tired of stressing about not finding the time so we just quit.

When it was time to write her name in all the folders and school supplies, she totally messed up her last name.  I could tell she was pretty rusty in her writing.  However, she drew this amazing owl in the bottom of her folder - the eyes are the holes in the folder.  She said she drew it for Aunt Heidi because she loves owls.  I thought it was impressive.



Ella's friend McKenzie got glasses about a week ago and after seeing how cute she looks in glasses, Ella decided she wanted some too.  However, we had her eyes checked and she doesn't need glasses so after we finished Back to School night she and I went on a little adventure to the mall to find her a pair of fake ones.  She fell in love with this pair and has worn them every day since.  I love to watch her admire her reflection.   It was worth every penny.

 Oh, how time flies.  Sure do love this cute little 2nd grader!

Her teacher is Mrs. O'Rullian who we hear is the best 2nd grade teacher ever.  This is her 4th year teaching and she subsituted for 12 years while raising her kids.  Just for fun, here was the supplies she had to take this year:

1 large box of Kleenex

1 box of Ziploc bags, any size

2 dozen yellow pencils (sharpened)

2 highlighters

4 large expo brand dry erase markers

8 small glue sticks

1 4oz. bottle of Elmer's glue

1 large container of disinfectant wipes

2 reams of paper

1 ruler

1 pair of scissors

2 pkg. 3x5 cards

4 pink pearl erasers

1 school box

4 pocket folders

1 set of watercolors, Prang or Crayola

1 package of colored pencils, Crayola

1 package colored markers, Crayola

3-4 boxes of 24-count Crayola crayons

Ella has to catch the bus at 7:20am, but thankfully the bus stop is our drive way.  School goes from 8am - 2:31pm.  Ella loves to bring her own lunch every day.  She is not a fan of cafeteria food, and I don't blame her.  I'm more than happy to pack her lunches since school lunch is $2 a day and that adds up quick. 

Molly gets her ears pierced!

All the girls have got their ears pierced about 2 years old and Alissa I ended up piercing by myself.  Since I already had the little instrument I just decided to do it for Molly too.

 

Our "deal" is that they have to say, "I want earrings" before Dustin will let me pierce them which is why they are usually 2. :)

 

My mom held her for me and she did just great.   She cried which is to be expected.  She lightly touches them all the time and smiles.  It makes me happy that she likes them.

 

She is such a happy little girl.  I just love her to pieces and can't stop kissing those sweet little cheeks!

Fun to have Boys - 7th Lost Tooth

This past weekend Dustin's neice Julie brought her 2 little boys over to stay with us.  They wanted to spend some time with Dustin, but sadly he was gone most of the weekend so they got stuck with me.

Thursday night after triangle, square and star pancakes we went to grandma Carol's house to pick some vegis from her garden.  The boys have been especially excited about this since they had an adventure in our garden the last time they visited with picking beans, peas, carrots and squash.  Dustin made them think there was a lion in the corn which got all the kids excited and they ran back and forth through the rows while he growled.  They loved it!

Friday Dustin had to work so I took all 5 kids to Rigby Lake.  Thankfully my friend Farrah and her sister were able to come with us too for some company.  The kids had a great time.  There was a crazy weird pelican that kept swimming so close to the kids.  They could touch it and it wouldn't even care.  I didn't let the kids get too close - made me nervous.  However, the thing swam right by them when they weren't paying attention so I did get a picture.

We had a great time in the sun!

Some friends from Dustin's work invited us to iJump that night so we hauled all 5 kids there too and had a super fun time!

Saturday we went to our stake garden to give service and picked a row of beans - well hopefully we did more picking than stepping on beans.  With 5 kids I'm uncertain, however I know it is a blessed garden so it will be ok.  The kids thought it was neat that we were helping a family have some food.

We drove around for a minute and found the kids all a $.50 toy at a garage sale and felt pretty successful.  That night we went with my sister in law to Leos place for another fun time and dinner.  It was pretty much a complete weekend of parties.

Before the boys left they got to watch Ella pull her 7th tooth.  They thought that was pretty wrong and were sure that would never happen to them until Ella convinced them it was pretty cool to loose teeth and you get money. 

That night we had my brother's girls over for a few hours and Kailey decided to pull the same tooth out.   This is the 2nd time they have lost the same tooth in the same day.  Funny girls!

I will honestly admit it was pretty darn fun having some boys around.  They do have quite a lot less drama ingrained in them then these girls.  It was a bit of a change to me though when I asked them to get dressed.  They pulled their shirts off and their bottoms off and after a quick moment of shock I shoved my girls into their room and locked the door until the boys were dressed.  :)  I really get used to this one gender stuff.

Rigby Lake

In between my 2 days of back to school haircuts this week we have squeezed in 2 trips to Rigby Lake.  I am so sad we haven't made a trip there until now because let me tell you, IT IS FUN!

My good friend Farrah and I took the kids on Tuesday along with way too many treats and sat out on the lawn and watched the kids play.

It was especially fun because Ella got to meet her penpal - Brooklyn Davis.  I will dedicate a post about this next.

The next day I called up my sister in law, Lisa to take her 3 girls and go spend the afternoon there. 

Again, it was a great time!

It's so fun to sit and visit and watch the kids play in the sun. 

I let all the girls pick out a My Little Pony to take and play with in the sand and we had a good time building little tunnels for them to play in.

Oh how I love summer.  Only 1 more week - time to party!

Krista at the temple

We had the opportunity to go to the Idaho Falls temple with Dustin's sister Krista as she recieved her endowment on Saturday, August 11th.

It was a beautiful sight to behold to look around and realize all of Dustin's siblings have now been to the temple and hold a temple recommend.  Boone was unable to make it because he had to work, but everybody else was there along with their spouses and some family friends.  Ashley and Julie - Dustin's neices also made it.

Dustin had I sat with tears in the chapel as we looked around with a full heart so thankful for eternal families.  We are truly blessed to have the gospel and to have a temple within 15 minutes of our house.  It just brings such joy and completeness to our lives.

Krista & Nick's kids - McKenzie, Kayla, Jacob & Mason.

We had lunch at Grandma & Grandpa Braithwaites and then the party showed up at our house about 8:00 pm (which is when Braithwaite parties typically start) and ended about 2ish?  We had a great time spending the weekend with family and are especially happy for Krista and the example she set to all of our family in her dedication to make it to the temple.

Cousins Anita, Molly & Amy - all within about a year of each other.

Wheeler Electric 50th Anniversary

Wheeler Electric recently celebrated 50 years of business! 

My mom asked me to come take some pictures to hang on the wall in the office.  I do love taking pictures, but I will gladly admit this was a little stressful.  I am not a professional.

Grandpa always makes me feel like he's so proud of me.  He gave me a big hug at the end and told me how impressive it was that I would come out and do this for them and that he loves me.   It made me feel a little better.  It really was my pleasure.  (I just wish I was a little lot better at it.)

I wanted to include a few things from a paper they handed out at the celebration. 

Founded by John Richard "Dick" Wheeler a half century ago, Wheeler Electric is, in fact, Easter Idaho's largest electrical contracting firm.  A new, but talented electrician, Dick Wheeler started out in 1962 with little more than a dream and plenty of encouragement, particularly from a neighbor, friend and former Department of Energy coworker Vic Owens.  His first contract earned him a whopping $450 for wiring a small post office in Arco, Idaho and his second contract - a remodeling job for a local high school not only earned him more than $14,000 but also ignited a momentum of electrifying magnitude that continues today.

A true company business, Wheeler's wife, LaRae spend many years taking care of the company's books and both of their sons also joined their parents in the business - Doug in 1978 and Jeff just one year later. 

Today, yet a third generation of Wheelers are moving up the ranks, with Jeff's sons Jeremy and Cody and Doug's son Josh all learning the ropes.  In addition to biological family, Wheeler Electric also has an extended family of dedicated employees - a dozen office employees and approximately ninety electricians.  Many of who have worked alongside the Wheelers for more than two decades.

At the celebration there was food catered by My Half restaurant and home made rootbeer.  They also gave everybody a Wheeler hat and a gift bag with a key chain, flashlight, pencil & pen.

The girls especially loved the new hats.

Grandma and grandpa were sitting seperate while visiting with friends so we had to get 2 pictures.  I just wanted my picture with them though.  I sure do love them and appreciate everything they have done for me and my family.  The hard work they put forth starting in 1962 has sure paid dividends for our family.  I can only hope to provide that well for mine one day.

Fun in the Sun!

With temperatures in the 90s the kids refuse to play outside unless it involves water.  I did convince them to set up an obstacle course in the garage the other day, but that's the best I could do to get them outside.  So we were watching a friend's little girl on Tuesday and decided to invite 4 more little girls over that live within the block and let them all play in the water. 

They enjoyed Fudgecicles as you can see!

They played in the mini pool, in the sprinkler, our water table and on the slip n' slide.  I think they all had a good time.  I always let them bring the box of ponies outside to play with in the water table.  That table has been such a great toy!  We have used it so much and the kids just love it.

We had Ella, Alissa, Molly, Sage, Baeya, Olivia, Brennady and Samantha out there playing. 

I love to watch Alissa pretending with the toys. She does it all the time. I especially love it when she plays with ponies because she makes her "neigh" sound.

Molly chowing the watermelon.  She just hangs where the food is.  :) Love that girl!

Yesterday grandma Debbie invited us over for a little swimming party.  My cousin Chellsea came with her 2 kids: McKenna & Rome.  They are living in Canada and are up to visit because Judd just had a baby.  Cody's girlfriend Kylie also came with her cute girl, Lilly.

We had popcicles and pizza and a super great time!

Thanks Grandma!

Just for fun - here is a picture of the kids outside the other night riding their bikes.