Jeans from a skirt

Here is an idea for you and your old jeans

My sissy lu lu

So far today has been Graci's roughest day. Poor little thing never complains that anything hurts, but we sure can tell it does. She has taken two naps today, just wants snuggles, and refuses to eat. At least she is drinking pretty well but she has no appetite. I hate seeing her this way. Makes me sad. However, it was the best thing we ever did for the other girls and pretty soon she won't remember it at all. It sure will be nice to see her dancing around like a butterfly again.

I don't think I wrote about the cute thing Kenni said before she started school. When I was telling her what her kindergarten assessment meant, I told her that the teacher was going to ask her things about what she knew. A day or so later she told me " When my teacher asks me what I know, I am going to tell her I know that Jesus loves me". I thought that was so sweet.

Graci

Graci got her tonsils out this morning. I sure am glad it is over. It is always scary when you have to send a child in for surgery. Even though I knew what to expect from when Rian and Kenni got theirs out, I was still very nervous and worried. She did great. It was hard for her to wake up and her throat and nose and hand from IV hurt, but after two doses of morphine, (she kept spitting out any medicine we tried to give her) she came out of it and was just fine. Ate a popscicle and drank some juice then we came home. Now the hard part is trying to get her to rest. She wants to play and run around and she can't. You would never know she had surgery this morning. It is a relief to have over though. She seems fine but I know will be hurting in a couple days when the scabs come off.

Here are some pictures of Shelby. I love those feet! My beautiful baby.

A week ago Sunday we all got together at Casey and Jenn's for a bar b q.

All the grandkids. We had a hard time convincing a few they wanted their pictures taken.

Casey likes to make fun of anyone with a camera. Yet, he has his own.

Rian dressin up. The girls love to be "onstage" with their cousins and perform in plays the older girls write.

Their delicious tomatos that were sooo yummy.

Casey is an excellent chef. I dont' know where that came from cuz the most I remember him cooking when we all lived at home was blueberry muffins and he let me eat the batter.

I told him I am going to have my girls weddings in his yard and he will be my caterer.

He game me a mean look when I took his picture. I took it anyway.

I had to post a picture of their family painting. LOVE IT. want one.

Kenni, soccer, and the river

Here are some pictures of my sweet little Kenni on her first day of Kindergarten. She gets to ride the bus with Rian and she loves, loves, loves her teacher. She has been having so much fun. Both Rian and Kenni are playing soccer again. I haven't gotten any pictures of Rian yet, but some of Kenni. She even scored a goal her first game! We were so happy. Last spring she would just stand on the field watching everyone run past her. She has made a huge improvement.
My parents live near the river so we took the kids down to play in the water last weekend.

Happy Birthday Winny

So last weekend in St. George I had my first real photography job. My sisters mother in law Winny, turned 90 years old and they had me for a photographer. It was fun and taught me a lot and I hope I can just keep improving. I thought this family picture turned out pretty good.
Not perfect, but good.

My Goal

I just made a goal for myself. Thanks to my awesome hubby who inspires me and my good friend Kim who inspires me, I have decided that sometime in the next 12 months, I will be training for my very first half marathon. I am not even going to consider a full marathon right now. I need to prove to myself I can do a half first. So, that is the one and only reason I am excited for cooler weather. I can do really good runs in cold air for some reason. So, that is my goal. I am writing it in here so I will make myself do it and not feel stupid knowing a lot of people would know if I don't do it.

Just stuff

Rians first day of 2nd grade. I Love this picture. Kenni was sad that Rian was leaving and she isn't able to start kindergarten till Wednesday. Graci and Kenni sure miss Rian when she isn't around. I switched Rian to a new school and they both have to ride the bus. A first for us. Rian loves it and Kenni is very excited. Graci starts preschool this Tuesday. It sure makes me sad seeing my babies all go to school. But I am happy because they are happy.

And off she goes.

My sweetie after a bath. See those cute little toothies?

This is what the sky looked like about a week ago.

My ladies and a couple others

I thought the lake was pretty the other morning.
Brian is training for the St. George marathon and the past 2 fridays has gone on 20 milers. We tag along being Gatorade caddies. The girls like it cuz I buy them doughnuts for breakfast since we have to get up so early.

I LOVE my new camera. The more pictures I take, the more I want to take. Since I want to be a photographer I have to practice and learn and build up my portfolio. Hopefully I can learn some tricks of the trade from Brian's co worker who is a pro photographer. Anway, here are just some cute ones of my sweeties. We had fun playing around.

Just a fun one of Kenni jumping of the "Diving board"

Last night

Yesterday Brian spent the day with the horses and I spent the day doing laundry. So last night we wanted to do something fun so we went to dinner then decided to go find a place we have been wanting to find for a long time. Brian remembers going there but couldn't remember how to get there. Thanks to our gps on our phones however, we found it. It is where the SF river meets up with Utah Lake. It was so pretty and I CAN'T wait to go back and take more pictures when I get my new camera this week. I finally decided to take the plunge and I ordered it. I have been waiting and Brian spoils me so much and let me get it. (Even though I probably don't deserve it) It should be here by Friday then I will start trying to learn how to take great pictures.

all the pictures were taken with my phone that is why the kids are so dark.

Finally............

It is about time. Before this week, my girls loved water. As long as it was no higher than their chest. They would cry every time they were in the bathtub if water got in their faces. Since they started swimming lessons this past week, they have made a HUGE improvement. They (well, Rian and Kenni at least) are not at all afraid to stick their faces in and Rian LOVES going all the way under now. I am so proud of them. It will be a lot more fun now for them to go swimming. I am glad they are doing good in their lessons especially since we have to drive about 40 min. to get there. It has been nice as well because they are private lessons. Her kids are there but they know how to swim now so she is able to just focus on my girls.


Rian learning how to float on her back

Rian either going down or coming up

Kenni jumping in

It sure has been a busy month. Kim and her kids were here for soccer camp 3 weeks ago. The following week was the Torgersen family reunion. Then Christian, Matthew, and Camille came home with us for a week. We attended the Oquirrh Hills Temple Open house, rode horses, went to a movie, and took them all to Boondocks. Then it was Orchard Days. We went to the rodeo Friday night and sat. morning the girls were in the parade for dance. The girls saw some toads at the rodeo so they wanted to go catch some. So Sunday night we went toad hunting, caught two and brought them home and put them in our window well. Yesterday I scheduled Graci to get her tonsils out in September. She thinks that she already got them out because the doctor looked in her throat. We have to keep telling her that she gets to get them out twice.

Now that Shelby is a little older, and can sit and be entertained for a few minutes, we have really been enjoying taking the horses to the arena. It is so fun! The girls are getting a lot more brave and really good on them. They want to be rodeo princesses someday. I ride Missy most the time and I just love her.

Brian's co workers wife is trading us horseback riding lessons for her kids, and our girls get swimming lessons. They start tomorrow.