School Update

School is going really well for both boys! 

Ethan doesn't mind getting dropped off anymore in the mornings.  He runs quickly to the playground and climbs on top of one of the play structures to watch me drive off--he says he does this to make sure I'm safe.  What a sweetie!  A couple weeks ago, they had color week--and got to dress in a different color each day--he totally loved that and picked out each color shirt the first day of the week!  We had his first teacher conference and he is doing well.  He enjoys doing his homework each week too--hopefully he won't mind that for the next 15 years! 

Grant is also doing well in school.  He loves his teachers--Miss Denise, Miss Erin and Miss Michelle.  He has a best friend--Jonah and a girl in his class, Sophie, has a little crush on him and is always excited to see Grant get to school!  One day he told his teacher he had to do a project with paper to take home (which for Montessori they do a lot of hands on and don't often bring home "papers," but I think he saw Ethan bringing home papers from school and he didn't want to be left out!) 

Since both boys are in school, I get asked often what I do with all my time now!  Well, I have been volunteering in Ethan's classroom every Tuesday.  And I also do the usual--run errands, housework, etc.  But the way I have spent quite a bit of time in the last 2+ months is laying on the couch battling the exhaustion and nausea that is the first trimester of pregnancy!  We are thrilled to be expecting baby #3 in early May 2012!  So far things look good!

Grant's b-day party

This is 3 months late...but wanted to put pics of his b-day party up!

We had family over for a jungle/animal party this summer to celebrate Grant's 3rd b-day.  We grilled burgers and had the party out on our new patio in the backyard. 

playing with his cousins Preston and Briella

enjoying cupcakes on his actual b-day

Summer Vacation-part 2

Here's part 2 of our vacation pics (trying not to overload with too many in one post!)

After spending 4 days in Iowa visiting with grandma and grandpa, visiting a couple musuems and the Mississippi River, riding on tractors, playing countless games of Go Fish and Old Maid, we headed next to Nauvoo, Illinois.  We should have planned for more time there (than just a day and night) because they have restored many of the buildings to what they would have looked like in the 1840's.  And there are a number of hand-on activities you can participate in. 

At the printing office, we got to see how newspapes were made--we also visited the bakery, the gunsmith, the cultural hall, the brick masonry, and many houses

 Seeing the Nauvoo Temple was a highlight for me--since we had Jocie with us to babysit, Jon and I were even able to go on a session at the temple

View of the Mississippi from Nauvoo

Grant riding on a stick horse

the boys playing the stick pull

Ethan with his wheelbarrow

Next we traveled down to St. Louis--one of Jon's favorite parts of the trip was seeing all the bridges!  We stayed there a day and night.

St. Louis Arch--impressive!

this is inside (well and underground) waiting to get in the little pod that takes you up to the top

at the top of the arch--looking out the little windows

at the City Museum in St. Louis--such a fun place!  Both inside and outside they had all these structures you could climb on, slides, and so much more!  If you're ever in St. Louis (especially with kids) you have to stop here!

We were able to drive by the St. Louis temple

Then we headed west towards home--but stopped for the night in Kansas City and met up with our friends, the Leach's.  Their cute girls are the same ages as our boys and they all became fast friends.

While in KC we met our friends for dinner at the T-Rex cafe! 

And the kids got to dig for dino bones!

It was a fun trip!  And sure went by fast with all our stops! 

Summer Vacation part 1

So I realized that I've missed posting some of our summer events!  I never posted pics from our midwest roadtrip!

We drove to visit my grandparents in eastern Iowa, then we drove south to Nauvoo, Illinois (a historic site for our church--The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), then we continued south to stop in St. Louis, and then headed home stopping in Kansas City to visit some friends.  My sister Jocelyn came with us on our trip!

The boys were actually pretty good travelers!  Except they were hungry and wanted snacks all the time! 

Jocie even got to drive for a few hours through Nebraska

Our first stop--since we were driving right through Omaha, we stopped to see the Winter Quarters Temple (you can click here if you want to know more about temples)

The Winter Quarters site is dedicated to the many pioneers who passed through there on their way to Utah

At the visitor's center we saw a bronze exhibit of depictions of the Savior's life

We made it to Iowa late at night and the next day went with my grandparents to see the Mississippi River!

They took us to a farm museum with some cool tractors!

Big Bud is the largest tractor in the world

We also visited the Mississippi River museum--here they are driving tug boats

On Grandpa's "big blue" tractor!  The boys were so excited to sit in his tractor.  It was so humid out that my camera was fogging up!

Riding on another of Grandpa's tractors

Great grandma and Grant

Great grandpa and Ethan

6 years old!

Ethan celebrated his 6th b-day last week!  Can't believe he's 6 already!! 

We had a b-day party at Monkey Bizness--a jump house type place.  All the kids really liked it!  I didn't get very many pics--I was busy playing too!  (But maybe those that took pics can send them to me!)

His cake--he wanted a "bug" party!

Giving me a grumpy look b/c he doesn't want his picture taken!

Cake and drinks after we played!