First Day of School

A snapshot of the kids before they went out to catch the bus on the first day of school.  Carly is growing up way too fast, I cannot believe she is starting 3rd grade.  Caleb has been so excited to start school, he has been talking about it almost not stop for months.  Kindergarten here he comes!

Outside waiting for the bus.

James is 4!

James opening his presents.

He has always loved strawberries.  Every birthday cake I have ever made for him he has requested that I put strawberries on the top.  This time he wanted cars as well.  Cute boy!

We love having James in our family.  He loves to laugh, have fun, play with his siblings and of course eat strawberries.  He brings so much joy into our home.  Love you James.

You might be a redneck.....

......if you play with zucchinis in a watering trough. Caleb has always been good at entertaining himself, but I think he just took it to a whole new level.  

Tough Guy

Caleb wants to be tough like his Dad.  The other day we had the following conversation:

Caleb: "Mom, feel my hands.  Do they feel tough?"

Me: "Yeah, they do."

Caleb: "Yeah, they are....Carly wants me to punch the window, but I don't want to cause the window will break."

Mother Dear.....

James was singing this over and over one day and I had to get it on video.  He is such a sweetie.

Goofy Girls

Jayda put her swimsuit on all by herself.

Carly thought it looked like so much fun that she ran and grabbed her swimsuit and put it on the same way.

Goofy girls. That's not how you wear a swimsuit.

Conversations with James

James cannot wait to go to school.  During the day while the older two kids are at school I have little preschool lessons with him.  I thought we were making progress............

Me: "James what letter is this?" ( I had an "A" written on the paper.)

James: "Mom, I already know that one.......FOUR!!!!"

Jayda: (repeating over and over......) "A.......A.......A.......A"

..........on second thought, I think we still have some work to do.

We have really been trying to help James be successful in waking up dry every morning.

James: "Mom, I did not pee in my bed!!!!"

Me: "Good job!  You are such a big boy.  I am proud of you!"

James: "I know, it goes I pee in my bed, ...... I don't pee in my bed, ......I pee in my bed,...... I don't pee in my bed.................WAIT!  I NEED TO PEE IN MY BED!!!"

Once again, I think we still have some work to do.  

Jayda's First Horseback Ride

In the past one year old Jayda Lynn has been too nervous to ride the horses with her siblings and dad, but a few weeks ago she came out begging for a turn to ride when her dad was filling the watering trough.  So Josh grabbed a halter and lead rope and started giving her a ride.

At first she was all business:

Then she relaxed and started to have fun:

Josh and Jayda finished their ride and turned the horse loose. 

Then, about ten minutes later, Jayda was seen dragging the halter back to the pasture gate.  She wasn't ready to quit just yet.  By the look on her face, she was going to catch the horse herself and keep riding until she felt content.

Riding Horses

• Over the past little while we've been renting out our horse pasture and Josh sometimes works with the horses for the people who leave them with us.  The kids have loved it because Josh will squeeze in some riding lessons for them and let us ride some of the more gentle ones.  I have enjoyed riding them as well.  Here are a few pics of Carly, Caleb and James riding with their dad.

Family Pictures -- A Friend of Ours took Some Pics -- Thanks Janey Wheeler!