August was a fun-filled, fast paced, don't know where the month went kind of months. We started the month off with my birthday! This was not just any birthday. I turned the BIG 3-0!! I have to admit it didn't feel any different from my other birthdays though. I don't feel older or wiser, but now I have to remember that I am 30. My wonderful grandma made me my favorite angel food cake with orange frosting and brought it over to share with my awesome hubby and kids, Grandma and Grandpa Lynn, Grandpa Don, Andy's parents, and my Aunt Donna. It was just a nice relaxed evening. I didn't really do anything all day. I didn't even feel guilty for not doing all the things I should have done. I let the kids just hang out while I read a little and just plain relaxed. It was so nice!! (My parents were in Centralia, WA, enjoying the Regional Babe Ruth tournament that Justin's team qualified for by winning State!! Awesome job, little bro!)
Just a wonderful picture, but the only one we have from the BIG day!August means the beginning of school. Which also means an end to the endless hours of fun with friends. Yes, they can still come play after school, but it isn't quite the same as hours upon end of water fights, trampoline jumping, break times for snacks, lunch bunch fun, and all the many other endless activities that kids can come up with when enjoying time with their good buddies. This particular day was one of the last hurrahs at our house. It was a fun-filled day that we all hated to see end. Joining my kids were my good friends' Deana and Cammy's kids. I don't remember where Aaron was but I am sure it was off somewhere with a friend. We are so lucky to live in beautiful Powell, Wyoming, in such a good neighborhood and ward with such wonderful friends close by.
Sidney O'Briend, Wes Preator, Meg, Aidan, Dylan Preator, Katie O'Briend and Kenna
Sweet little Ashlee had to get moved to the counter as there was no where for her to sit around the table. Someday we will have a different house with a bigger kitchen so we can have a bigger table, but for now we are grateful to have our wonderful home that provides shelter and a place for us to have fun together!On August 15, my sweet little baby girl turned 8 months old! Where has the time gone? She is such a fun little girl, but I am not sure how to cure her of her screaming. Screaming for fun, screaming to get your attention, screaming when she is mad, or just screaming cause she doesn't know what else to do. I have never had a screamer and I am going to lose my mind! We have tried everything to cure her of it, but NOTHING has worked. My mom keeps telling me that "this too shall pass." So I am trying to remember that, but in the meantime I may be taking a trip to Evanston before "it passes." BUT, she is still a lot of fun and smiles most of the time (yes, even when she is screaming or screeching or whatever that high pitched noise it). She is wanting to grown up way too fast! She pulls herself up to furniture, lets go of things and stands (which she is VERY proud of), and has even started climbing the stairs. I really don't want her to walk anytime soon. I need my last to be a baby as long as I can keep her that way.
What a sweet little look!In my June post, I had a picture of Aidan with one missing front tooth. In August I am now reporting that he lost his other top tooth, just in time for corn on the cob season. It hasn't stopped our little corn hog from eating it though. NO WAY do we cut it off the cob for him. That just ruins the fun of corn on the cob. It just doesn't taste the same (according to Aidan). You would never be able to tell from how clean he gets his cobs that he is doing it without both front teeth. Hopefully by Christmas they are grown back in so he can ask for something else besides his two front teeth.
Look at that gap!The last few months Andy and I have been considering getting a bigger vehicle. We now max out our mini-van, and it is a little crowded for the big kids in the back with Aidan and Megan still needing boosters and the little girls still in car seats. We made our trip to South Dakota just fine in it, but the boys are only getting bigger. We have gone back and forth between an Excursion and an Expedition or possibly a Suburban. We always seemed to come back to the Excursion despite the bad gas mileage. Andy has faithfully checked out different ones available close to us and far away. He called about several but nothing seemed to feel right. We had finally decided to timing was not right and that the van was still running just fine, so we were going to be grateful for what we had and wait it out a while longer. Of course, he kept checking different listings but I just kind of would nod and say "Uh huh. That is nice," and not really pay too much attention to what he was saying. For some reason when he told me about one in Burley, ID, I actually decided I would amuse him and look at the listing and the pictures. From there, it was just down hill (just kidding). Everything seemed good about it. The right price, the right mileage, the right features. YIKES!!! I didn't really want it to feel right. I am such a debt chicken. But we called about it and did some praying and some more research and it just seemed right. So, Andy and I made arrangements to drive to Burely, ID, and buy our "new to us" 2004 silver Ford Excursion. My mom was so nice and kept the kiddos for us so we didn't have to drag them along. We made it our "anniversay" trip since we were going a few days before our 11th anniversary. We left early Friday morning and drove straight through to Burley, ID, getting there in the early afternoon. After a quick test drive, we decided that, yes, we had made the right decision and bought the Excursion. We then headed back to St Anthony where we would be staying the night at Andy's brother's house - me driving the Excursion, Andy driving our car. We stopped in Idaho Falls at Applebee's to have our anniversary dinner. (I am sure it looked funny with us arriving in separate vehicles.) It was dark when we went through Rexburg, but we really wanted to stop and see the new temple. We have wonderful memories of our time in Rexburg as that was where we started dating and then lived for a year after we got married. The temple is just beautiful and we really hope to go back some day to actually go in and do a session or two. We then made it to St. Anthony and crashed for the night. The next morning we enjoyed picking raspberries from their garden and having yogurt and fresh raspberries for breakfast!! (Thanks a bunch, Tom and Cristy!! Raspberries are my ultimate favorite!) We then headed on home to get back to our kiddos and so Andy could make it to his Stake Conference meetings Saturday evening. We actually made it through Yellowstone without getting pulled over. (We were worried about driving an unlicensed vehichle through since President Obama was going to be in the park.) The kids were very excited to ride in the new "scursion" (as Kenna calls it). We were happy to see the kids and very grateful to my parents for keeping them overnight. It was a fun, fast trip and we have loved our "new" vehicle ever since!
Andy in front of the Rexburg, ID temple
me in front of the temple (it was very windy and getting chilly)One of the last events of August was saying good-bye to Aunt Darcee the night before she left to go to college at BYU. I don't have any pictures of her with the boys cause they were being stinkers about saying good-bye. I think the older kids thought it would be easier to act that way so she didn't miss them as much. Kenna and Ashlee didn't understand what was going on. I am sure it will sink in in a few weeks when Kenna can't find Aunt Darcee to follow around at Grandma's house. I know she will have tons of fun, but it was sure hard to say good-bye knowing that she won't just be stopping by in the afternoons to say hi and visit the kids. She won't be here to go run the next race with me. She won't be here to babysit for me when I am in a pinch. She won't be here to call and ask if she can come use my scrapbook stuff for her latest school project. And the list can go on and on. But this is part of life. We all must grow up and move on and find our own path in this life! She has so much ahead of her and will go so far. She is bright, beautiful young woman inside and out. BYU is lucky to have had her choose to attend their college. I can't believe she was only 6 when I left home, and now she is 18 and moving on to adulthood. I am so thankful she is a good example to my children, especially my three little girls that just adore and admire her. I can't wait to see all the fun things that life will bring for her in the next few years!! I love you, Munchie!!
Ashlee with Darcee and Justin Preator
Kenna and Darcee (two peas in a pod)
Megan trying to avoid saying good-bye
1 comment:
I can't believe Darcee is old enough to be at BYU. That really makes me old.
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