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.)

Rachel and friends at Thanksgiving Point on her B-day

Rachel her friend Bethany and Ethan playing in the dinosaur museum.
They weren't having fun at all! ;-)

That big shark doesn't scare us!

In the farm area having fun riding the ponies.
Ethan was to scared to ride. Then when he decided he wanted to, the battery in the camera was dead.

He was having so much fun. I think the farm was this little boy's favorite place. He was always smiling!
Our camera takes a long time to snap a picture off, there for, by the time it took this picture the top of Caleb's head was cut off. Oh well, I think its cute anyway.

Caleb on his pony with my friend Lori helping him for me.

Bethany having fun on her pony. I truly love this girl, she is such a cutie!

Rachel chose to ride the smallest pony. You can't see how little it is, but she has a blast!
Happy Birthday my big 6 year old girl. I love you!

Pirate Island

We decided to take the kids to Pirate Island for dinner one night, and Rachel brought her friend Bethany.

I thought they did a really good job inside.

Ethan having fun at the shooting gallery.

The girls trying their hand at shooting.

They had so much fun. We gave them each about 20 tokens, and with the tickets they won they were able to get some fun little toys. It was a very fun night for everyone.

A Friend By My Side


White, pure, peaceful, holy. A place I've been away for
too long.
Excited, scared, shaking, tears near, pounding heart,
about to turn away.
Beautiful spirit, quiet strength, soothing words, a gentle touch,
a friend by my side leading the way.
Man in white, Huge doors, legs like jell-o,
praying they hold.
Nerves raw, trembling hands, recommend shown,
mind in a whirl.
Can't breath, panic close, eyes squeezed shut, cleansing breaths taken,
time to step out.
Beautiful spirit, quiet strength, soothing words, a gentle touch,
a friend by my side leading the way.
Noise rushing in my ears, trying to clear the cobwebs
in my mind.
Most feared part now upon me, feeling sick, voice shaking,
hands trembling, praying for calm.
Spirit still, quiet, searching for a Fathers loving comfort.
Made it through.
Beautiful spirit, quiet strength, soothing words, a gentle touch,
a friend by my side leading the way.
Tears spilling free, heart overflowing, not sure how to thank,
no words perfect enough.
White, pure, peaceful, holy. A place I've been away for
too long.

Becky Ann Bradshaw
July 20, 2010

Rachel's kindergarten graduation!

Rachel had the best kindergarten teacher I could have ever asked for! Mrs. Hansen has a love for these little kids that some teachers seem to lack. Rachel was always bringing home little games that she had put together to help the kids learn. When ever I would go in for parent teacher conferences, I could literally feel how much she genuinely cared about Rachel and how she was progressing. She would always ask what else I thought she could do to help Rachel learn and succeed. Mrs. Hansen, in my opinion, always went above and beyond! She can be summed up in one word, AMAZING!

Rachel and her grandparent classroom helper, Nanna D.
Rachel really enjoyed having her there! She was GREAT!

Standing outside her classroom in her cute cap and gown. She was so excited to graduate, that that's all she talked about for weeks!

Rachel and her classmates singing in their graduation program. The last few weeks of school she would come home, we would do her homework and then she would go around the house singing her graduation songs at the top of her lungs. She told me a few days after graduation that she didn't want to go to 1st grade unless Mrs. Hansen could be her teacher. Rachel really loved her. (Rachel is in the top row on the very left.)