Picture Day!

It was stressful at our house this morning. If you have a preteen girl - you know what I mean...picture day is VERY important!!!!

Friends and Fun!

Just havin' some fun...

Sleepover / Photoshoot

Abbey and her friend, Megan, had lots of fun taking these (along with about 150 more!!) pictures during a sleepover last weekend...silly girls!!

Open House

Here is Eli at our school's Open House. In his classroom we had a scavenger hunt to show us all the stations around the room. His favorite place is the writing station...he loves to write and draw.

Here is Tori in Mrs. Trapp's 3rd grade classroom. Tori is my quiet one...but don't let her fool you...she isn't shy! She likes to sit back and take in what everyone else is doing.

Here is Abbey showing me around one of her classrooms. She has 5 core class teachers, as well as, band (she plays the clarinet), music, art, pe, bal-a-vis-ics, and computer lab.

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We've been introduced to a new program at our school in Marion. It is called Bal-A-Vis-Ics. The program teaches the children to focus using their mind and body together. They begin in kindergarten by tossing a bean bag from one hand to the other. As they get older, they start bouncing balls. One, then two, while standing on a balancing board. Some of the kids in Abbey's class that have been in the program since kindergarten, can bounce 4 balls. It is pretty amazing to watch. They are seeing this program help many kids with their concentration during tests and it is also helpful with children that have ADD or ADHD. Every child in the school attends this class at least once a week.

My baby is growing up!!

Eli had a great first day in kindergarten. Mom's day was not so good! It hit me a lot harder than I expected. He really likes his new teacher and has already asked the little girl "with the pink shirt and yellow hair" who sits next to him if she will marry him :) . He is so adorable.

8-16-07...3rd grade!!!

Here is my silly girl, Tori Ann, on her first day of 3rd grade!

Big Sixth Graders!

Here is Abbey with her friend, Alyssa. They are enjoying the fact that they "rule" the school this year as big 6th graders. Abbey's last year of grade school...she's growing up so fast!!

7-27-07 Mallory Jade has arrived!

My sister, Jamie, got a wonderful 30th birthday present...a baby girl!!!

7-7-07 Bryson and Stacie's Wedding

Stacie and Bryson's Wedding Day!

Here's a picture of Stacie with my beautiful girls. Abbey was a candlelighter and Tori was the flowergirl.

Waterpark fun!

To end our summer fun, we spent the day at a waterpark in McPherson, KS. Abbey brought a friend along...and Tori was surprised to see a few of her friends there as well. It was a very fun afternoon!

Tori with her friends, Kennedy and Kaitlin. Kennedy found a dollar at the bottom of the pool...they were so excited!!!

At the end of July, the kids had their cousins, Brady and Kaitlin come up to stay with us for a week.

We spent part of our vacation in Parsons for Eli's birthday and a wedding. This is Eli with his newest cousin and "Guitar Hero" buddy, Bryson at his FIFTH birthday celebration!!

Those of you who know us very well are aware of Eli's LONG obession (the past 3 years) with Spiderman. Imagine his excitement when first we found face painting and then Daddy won this for him!!! There wasn't any room in the trunk, so spidey had to ride across his lap in the backseat...Eli didn't seem to mind, but his sister's weren't very happy about it!!

On our summer vacation, we spent a day at Worlds of Fun. The kids had a blast and the girls got brave enough to ride "The Mamba"!!

This picture is hilarious...look at our faces!!

Abbey and Dad enjoying the game together! Go SOX!!!

We had a great time at the Royals/White Sox game! The kids had hot dogs, cotton candy...and had fun yelling for Grandma Lynn's favorite player, Paul Konerko. "GO, PAULY!!!" THe Sox won...YAH, but didn't have much of a season (maybe next year).