Rachel's first day of school

Rachel was so excited about starting first grade! A few weeks before school started she was nervous because she said she couldn't remember what her kindergarten teacher had taught her. She was also afraid her first grade teacher was going to be mean. When we went in to meat her teacher we learned that her teachers name is also Rachel. That made Rachel smile, and to also see that her teacher was nice, put her as ease.

My beautiful little girl is now a  FIRST GRADER!

She feels so big having her very own desk.

Ooops! I'm getting into trouble for taking to many pictures. 

Have fun in first grade Rachel.

Matt's work party and last days of summer

On August 14th We went to the zoo for Matt's work party. It was nice to walk around and not be pregnant this year! Caleb was too little to remember going last year. It was funny to watch him point at all the animals and jabber away.  When we saw the tigers we realized he was sitting in the stroller meowing at them. It was so stinking cute!  When the company BBQ was over we took the kids to have their faces painted. I decided to have Caleb done as a tiger since that seemed to be his favorite animal there. The line was very long and Ethan fell asleep in the stroller while we waited, so needless to say his face didn't get done. He wasn't that struck on the idea anyway.

Rachel decided she wanted to have a rainbow butterfly done over her eye. She was so excited that they put glitter all over it to make it sparkle. You can't see the glitter in this picture but it is there.

Rachel and Bethany having fun playing in our tunnels on one of the last days of summer vacation. They were coloring and reading books inside and being silly. I was upstairs folding laundry and all I could hear was these two just giggling and giggling! It was so contagious and made me feel so good that I couldn't help but chuckle to myself! They are such good friends.

My two cute girls! Yes, I could steel Bethany. She fits in nicely. So much so that if she is with me and I take them all to the store, I've been stopped and told by a few people what a cute family I have. I just smile and say thank you!

The kids wanted to have their faces drawn on with the dry erase markers. Ethan didn't want me to do his face. He did his own and then told me he was Wolverine from X-men.

I never claimed to be an artist! But they seemed to love it.

for some reason none of the pictures of Rachel turned out. This was the only one that wasn't to blurry to put on here.

Happy graffiti-ed kids!

Rachel's 6th and Caleb's 2nd birthday party

Rachel and her friend Abby. They just got done playing on the slip and slide and having hot dogs and watermelon when they were called in for presents and cake and ice cream. We couldn't get a picture with Abby hugging Rachel without her thumb in her mouth.

Rachel opening the pillow pet she got from Grandma! She was so excited that she got the one she really wanted. How are Grandma's so magic?!

She got the barbie and the mermaid tale that was on her list.

The first present Caleb opened was a ball from Nanny and Paka ( Grandpa). He didn't put it down for the rest of the evening!

He couldn't believe his luck in getting a pillow pet too.
That was almost worthy of putting his ball down.

Little watermelon face and tummy, still with his ball, and new broom broom!

Sadie and Nanny. Mom would blow the noise maker then put it up to Sadie's mouth, she would grab it and mimic the same noise. It was too CUTE! She thought she was a clever girl.

Rachel and her cake. I usually turn the cakes out, but this time I was lazy and left them in the pan. My ankle hurt too much to take the extra time. Nobody seemed to care, thank goodness.

Blowing out her candles and making a wish.

Caleb trying to figure out what to do.
( Caleb's birthday isn't until the 4th of August, but we decided to combine their birthdays together.)