First Day of School

1st day of school! I can't believe Ashton is old enough to be in Kindergarten. He was so ready and very excited. I still think elementary school is 2 hours too long - but he loves it so I wont complain! Also, this year both girls are in the same preschool Ashton went to last year.Through a series of very fortunate events and Ashton's preschool teacher last year the girls both got in the free AM preschool on post. I hadn't originally planned on putting Mallie in preschool at all but it has worked out perfectly and Mallie loves it. So I feel blessed that the Lord worked it out just perfectly and I am enjoying this time because I know having only 1 child home during the year may not happen again for another 5 years.

Mallie - 3 yrs old - preschool

Hannah - 4 yrs old - preschool

Ashton - 5 yrs old - Kindergarten

His awesome goose egg is from a bike crash. He was wearing a helmet but it wasn't tight enough and bam. It's a cool battle wound and at least he's young enough not to care what he looks like the first day of school.



Morning picture with Daddy

So we're 3 days into this school thing and all the kids are happy. I'm super productive for 3 hours with only Lucy and I love it. I had no idea I'd become such a huge fan of preschool but both girls are thriving and by 11:30 I get them back and don't have to stress about doing enough crafts from pinterest with to make them feel like we're doing school at home.

Ashton came home the first day of school ate his cookies and told me everything. It was one of those mothering moments I've been waiting for forever. He was wondering why I was taking pictures of him as he was talking.

Also, that same day we finished his reading book. We started it in November right after he turned 5 with the goal to finish before he started Kindergarten. We did it! He can read now and I feel super accomplished that I taught him myself with this awesome book. He doesn't love to read yet but I am glad I'm sending him to kindergarten without having to worry about having him memorize the lame lists of sight words that I think are a complete waste of time. So now Hannah has started the book and loves it. So we're pretty happy with the results of just 10 minutes a day!

 

So all in all I didn't bawl my eyes out when he started kindergarten. He's so old and independent that I didn't worry for a second. Mostly, I'm just fiercely concerned he has a good experience and loves learning. Here's to a new phase of life and school aged kids!

Lucy turns 1!

On the 19th Lucy turned 1! I know I've said it a million times but she is the best baby ever. She loves everyone, has zero stranger anxiety and puts up with a lot from her older siblings.

For her first birthday we were going to go to the pool but it was closed so we headed to the splash park.

We could hardly keep her still for a picture.

There we go. Do you love her ears? I do!

Then we had Ben and Emily up for dinner and cake.

She was concerned at first but then wrinkled her nose as all the kids gathered round and sang to her.

So while I was cutting up cake Hannah decided to try and give Lucy her first bite... on a fork.. and then scratched her under her right eye. So she cried for a few minutes before she even had a bite.

But then she was all about it for a few seconds. Just long enough to take a picture and then she was done.

Lucy at 1 year is 18 lbs and is just getting brave enough to take a step on her own. She sleeps 12 hours every night. She gets call LuLu and Goosey. Her favorite places are Mallie's bed and crawling around the sectional. And she digs her head into her muslin blankets as soon as she is tired. She never loses control or becomes inconsolable when it's naptime and I so love that about our 4th baby. She is carted everywhere and is just happy to go along for the ride. She only says Mama and Dada but loves to chase her siblings around. We love this little girl and are so glad she is ours!

Mallie turns 3

 We've been calling Mallie a 3 year old for months now. She is just so darn self sufficient that we never really felt like she was a 2 year old. She has dressed herself for at least the last 7 months. She will push a chair anywhere to get what she needs to feed herself and she is always finding trouble. She is spunky, crazy and a "free spirit". Just last week at the park Ashton poured water down the slide and not two seconds later Mallie was buck naked ready to slide down because she knows it's faster naked. I mean this girl has some serious street smarts. David and I watch her in awe.

We celebrated her birthday Sunday while David's family was here. She got lots of fun toys and her favorite thing ever. Puzzles.

 The kids associate birthdays with party hats. I think it's the cutest thing ever.

Ashton helping her unwrap.

Eating cake with the fam.

She melts my heart. Mostly because I know something very mischievous is lurking right behind that darling smile. Happy Birthday Mal!! 

Clifty Creek and the Inlaws

David's family came to visit on their way to Branson last weekend. On Saturday miraculously the high was 75 so we decided it was perfect hiking weather. We found a perfect 2 mile loop to an arch called Clifty Creek. David had a sore throat so he volunteered to stay home with Lucy and his Dad stayed home with him.

The rest of us set out. Along the trail we saw a snake and tons of little frogs that Cody and Chanelle caught.

Super scenic spots with great Missouri foliage.

 Stopped for lunch a little early when we thought we may not find the arch after all.

And then we found it! It was awesome and huge!

So we hung out for another hour.

And Cody climbed to the top of the arch which we thought was so impressive.

Let me start out by saying when I chose this hike I knew we would need sufficient backs to carry the girls. They could never do the whole 2 miles of hilly terrain. Well, as soon as we started hiking back to the car Mallie immediately said she was done. So David's Mom kept Mallie (who fell asleep) on her back for at least 30 minutes up hill as she was trying to stay hunched enough over because Mallie stopped holding on her back. As I was walking behind her, begging her to let me take a turn, I kept having visions of how I would tell David that I killed his Mom on a hike all in the name of Mallie's nap. It was so impressive. Only a grandmother would do that for a sleeping child.

This is Chanelle taking her turn with Hannah. Nothing better than awesome Aunts and Uncles!

Here's the after church shot. Can I tell you how amazing it was to have 4 adults sit with me. I didn't see Lucy or Hannah the whole sacrament meeting. Proof that David's Mom lived to tale the tell of the hike. Thank goodness. Thank you for coming Jacobsons you took the title of easiest house guests ever!

Midway

I feel like I should write an Ode to Midway poem. We spent almost 3 weeks up there and are so sad to say goodbye. Midway has been "home" for the Ashtons  for as long as David and I have been married. Which is ironic because my parents have lived in that house for almost 6 years and it's the longest they've lived in a house ever. Talk about ADD. Anyway...all my pictures are from my phone. I'm going to start taking out the real camera as soon as I see these published but hey.. it's what I have.

We had a VERY long travel day on July 3rd. Left our house in Missouri at 12:30pm and arrived in Midway about 8pm. Add an hour for the time change. It took forever but the kids were champs. They are amazing travelers. It never fails that at the end of the flight they get complimented for how well they travel and I smile proudly because they are awesome.
Then we spent the 4th of July with all the Ashton cousins.

We got the yearly picture...this one was my very favorite of the bunch.

We jammied the kids and let them stay up for fireworks.

They all sang Happy Birthday to America and waved their flags.

And then we spent lots of time enjoying the weather and family.

And we spent lots of time swinging in the hammock and eating Ice Cream.

Lots and lots of ice cream.

And then Nana and Papa brought out the water slide. And that was a big hit.

One brave day Cally, Mandy and I decided to brave Café Rio during the lunch rush with Jason being the only husband present. That's 13 kids 5 and under. We realized we were insane but totally proud of ourselves that no one was lost or run over by a car.

We of course went to the duck pond one last time.

I love Midway. I love the Utah grass and the bare feet and the mountain air. Someday when we're dropping kids off at BYU we'll make them take a nostalgic drive with us and show them these pictures. I wont mention that for the latter half of our 20 day trip there was a lot of sickness. I'll just end it and say we were so happy for another perfect Midway summer at Nana and Papa's.

Backyardigans

I love looking out my kitchen window. Usually I watch the kids play and see lots of animals. Cardinals, blue birds, squirrels, deer, rabbits. You name it, we have it. I'm starting to feel like I'm growing old because I love to talk about nature. Anyway, the last few days David and I have noticed that there are a family of groundhogs living under our neighbors stairs. We have our own set of groundhogs but they live in the forest line and they are much fatter. We've names the Henry and Wilma and the kids think they are our pets. It's pretty fun. I went out to take pictures of the new little family yesterday.

And then these two kids said, "Wait take a picture of us!" and threw their arms around each other.

Out of all our backyard creatures these are two of my very favorites.

To Dallas and a Birthday

David turned 31 on the Friday as we were leaving San Antonio. We were supposed to go to Sea World that day. We had our tickets ready and were sitting in the parking lot as it poured buckets of rain and was lightening like crazy. We were so disappointed (David and I probably more than the kids) and even prayed it would stop. After almost an hour of rain they closed the park and we headed back to Dallas. It was a bad way to turn 31. Luckily heading back to Allen to his parents house was a consolation prize full of games and David's favorite ice cream cake! Mom saved the day.

Never too old to blow out candles. Happy Birthday Babe! You're never too old to wear a ninja turtle shirt!

Smooshed faces and all, I'm determined to take more pictures of us.

We love David's siblings and so do the kids. Uncle Code and Lucy.

Aunt Boo and Hannah and Ashton photo bombing. Mallie was too busy eating my yogurt for a picture... what an unfortunate mix up that was.

I only took picture of our afternoon at Yogurtville. Staying in Dallas for a couple days on the front and back end of our San Antonio trip was the best. The kids and I were spoiled by Mom and Dad and every time I leave I can't help but feel so blessed that I can spend 3 days with David's family without him and not even flinch that he's not there. It's home to me too!