Updates on Clifton -
Week two of school and still going great!  He is making friends and still enjoying being there.  I am feeling very blessed that this transition has gone so smooth.

Updates on McKay -
She is loving being home with me and loving preschool.  Her favorite thing to do with me these days is bake.  Which might be bad for me but we are trying to make it healthier.

Snickerdoodles just cause she begged all day to bake.  

 Making chicken pot pie (with whole wheat flour and coconut oil for the crust) and banana muffins (with whole wheat flour.  On our new tradition Sunday bake day.

Updates on Stanley -
Well he is officially a crawler and pulling himself up (all in one week).

He is quite happy about it except when he falls over and bonks his head.  Which seems to happen a lot.

Its been a fun week with just two kiddos at home.  Trying to find a new groove of things.

 Hide and seek.  Can you guess where McKay is hiding? :)

 Park fun.

 Preschool.

Hiking at Manchester Park.  We have never adventured on the trails at the park and decide to venture out.  It was fun and had beautiful views.

Saturday we had a day full of birthday parties.

Stanley's first invites to a party.  And he partied like an animal:)

Fun pictures this week...

 Batman and Catwoman's child.

 After bath time she insisted she did her towel like Moms.

Don't worry its not a real frog!

Clifton Starts Kindergaten

Updates on Clifton -
Well he did it!  He started school.  And boom he is all the sudden super grown up.

How did that happen?

He woke up the first day of school with confidence I have never seen him have before.  Me... I couldn't sleep the night before, full of worry.

But I did not need a reason to worry.  He was so ready!  He was so brave.  He didn't really want me to go but also was ready to be a big boy.  No tears (well from him)!  And the huge hugs I get when I pick him up are so wonderful, best hugs ever.  He loved school.  I hope this keeps up all school year long.  He had a great first week.  I am so dang proud of him and can't believe how grown up he is.

Updates on McKay - 

McKay started preschool.  She will be doing it with me and a couple friends, Madi and Gwen.

We had so much fun!  I love preschool it is so much fun and this group of girls are so cute.  Its going to be a great year.

This week has been good for McKay and I.  Now that Clifton is in school she gets more mom time.  And we need to work on our relationship, less screaming and attitude from both of us.  

Updates on Stanley - 

He is still so cute!  He finally started moving.  Not quite crawling but getting up on his hands and knees and rocking.  We are getting close to crawling!

This week was so busy with school!  It has made life different for sure.  I feel like I don't have enough time in the day now.  Clifton comes home and we only get a few hours before its bed time.  It's just not enough time with him.  He loves going to school and has not complained (yet, knock on wood) but does say he just doesn't have time to play anymore.  And gives up phone or tv time to play.  Its nice!  McKay is so much better without Clifton around.  A lot less screaming, but she is bored.  It has been good building a better relationship with her and am excited to spend more time with her.  

After a long first week of school we went out with Evan to celebrate that they made it.  We decided to try a new place.  Indoor mini golf!

When we pulled up it looked a little sketchy from the outside but we were happy with what was inside.  The kids loved the waterfall and all the bright colors.  It was a great night out with friends!

Saturday was our Stake day of service.  We were cleaning up parks in our neighborhood.  We choose to help at Evergreen park because its one we go to a lot and our favorite park around here.

Our task... pick up liter.  And what a good task for our little family.  Our kids went to work for an hour and half picking up trash.  They were so into the job they didn't even ask to play at the play ground.  "Litter it will hurt!"

And picking up trash lead to picking up dentures!  Yep someone managed to lose their dentures in the bushes.  Not sure how you do that?  Wins weirdest find of the day.  A great day working together as a family to make the communities around us better.

Just a cute bath time video of McKay and Stanley.

Love those giggles!

Labor Day 2015

Updates on Clifton -
He is getting ready for Kindergarten and decided to actually get a real hair cut and not just have me buzz it.

I was a little nervous because he still fights me when I buzz his hair but he did great at the salon.  And he looks mighty handsome!

Updates on McKay -
She has a melt down before bed time every night these days.  Refusing to sleep and claiming that she hates sleep.  I am not sure where this is coming from if she is just extra tired/growing right now or if she is having bad dreams or something that makes her hate it.  I ask why she hates it and she just says cause she does.  I hope this passes soon.

Updates on Stanley -
He has decided to try and get moving this week.  And oh how it has changed things.  He can now get to things he shouldn't play with, falls over and onto things, and gets mad when he gets stuck trying to move.  But we are excited he has decided its time to get moving.

Monday was Labor Day and Alex had the whole day off!  So we spent the day at Zion's camp with friends.

Fishing and boating.  I thought it was going to be a pretty chilly day so we didn't come prepared to swim.  Next time I will bring swim suits for sure!

Playing at the play ground and obstacle/ropes course.

Dinner by the fire and s'mores for dessert!  Such a wonderful wonderful day together as a family.  Every Monday should be a holiday.

We had Evan and Bella again a couple times this week enjoying the last few days we get to play together before school starts.

Bug museum!

Soccer was super fun again this week and we got our team pictures.

We are having so much fun this season and love our team so much.

Friday was Clifton's last weekday before school starts so we got out and explored.

Tacoma Narrows Park.  What a view!  Another wonderful time together as a family.  I am sure one lucky lady to have all these wonderful people in my life.

Saturday the kids and I went to ride the trains at Jackson Park.

Then we had a picnic at the park and finished by getting frozen yogurt.  I love love love playing with my kids.  They are the best!

Sunday we have decided is bake day.

I might gain some weight but it is so worth it cooking with these two cuties.  Plus we do try to make healthier substitutes while baking.

Sunday was also my last day with Clifton before he starts Kindergarten.  I was kind of overly sensitive and knowing I am going to miss having him around.

So we made sure to get a lot of cuddles in.  I love him!

Seattle Trip

Updates on Clifton -

Still loving soccer!

Updates on McKay -
I decided to do preschool with her and her friend Madi at home.  So we are getting excited for that in a couple weeks.

Updates on Stanley -

8 months old and still the cutest thing ever.  He has two teeth poking through and showing little desire to crawl or move.  He is just happy sitting and playing.

Monday and Tuesday this week we had soccer and it rained.  Soccer in the rain is the best!  Last season we didn't get a rainy day during soccer so we were happy to have it.

McKay was over the moon that she got to hold her umbrella.  Stanley was happy as usual cheering from the sidelines.

We had Evan and Bella again a couple days this week.

Slug hunting in the back yard.  They were busy for hours hunting away.  They found 27 slugs!!!  They had a blast.

Bowling!  McKay decided she would prefer just to watch.

The kids and I are making sure to enjoy the last couple weeks we have before Clifton goes to school.

So we had a blast this week playing.  Swimming at the Y!

 And a whole day playing in Seattle.  One of Clifton's favorite things to do.

 Our first time at the gum wall.  I have lived in Washington for 6+ years and this is the first time I have visited it.  The kids were amazed and excited to add gum to the wall.

 Ferris Wheel ride.

Just walking the streets of Seattle is always fun.  Always things to look at and play with.  Seriously a perfect day!  I love love love days I can just play and adventure with my children.  They are pretty fun.

Saturday morning the kids and I got to help clean the church.  What a great opportunity for the kids to learn that we need to take care of our church building.

Later that day Alex and I got to go to the temple thanks to wonderful young ladies who offered to watch our kids while we went.

Oh what a wonderful day at the temple.  It was stake temple day so we had friends there which was so nice to see their faces. And we ran into one of the boys we did Trek with a couple years ago.  He was getting ready to leave on his mission this next week.  We had the opportunity to do ordinances with him and his family.  My heart was overflowing with love and joy that I felt.