We went camping!

When Porter was one or so, we went on a camping trip to Moab with Kel & Josh. We had lots of fun, but it was also hard enough that we decided 'no more camping' until all of our children were sleeping through the night.

But then we changed our minds :) And this weekend we had a successful camping trip!

Jordan found us a perfect place in Logan canyon, right next to a great little pool in the river where the kids splashed in the icy water (Landon) and kayaked (Ellie and Owen) and threw shoes in (Porter).

April got back from her backpacking trip just in time to join us (which was so fun and also the difference between success and driving back home when things got a bit crazy nearing bedtime)

Despite some worries about bears and cougars, we all made it safely and happily through the night (and even Isaac did great with just his regular wake ups to eat and then quickly back to sleep). Jordan made us a delicious camp stove breakfast in the morning, and the kids got to do a little exploring and a little more playing in the water after we got things all packed up.

And then we had the rest of the weekend to recover :)

Mini vacation

Just before school started we decided to do a tiny mini vacation to celebrate the end of summer. We stayed overnight near Salt Lake, ate at some fun restaurants, had Saturday morning movie time at the hotel and played Settlers with a late checkout. And (the main event!) had an afternoon swimming at the Provo Rec Center - so fun!

Isaac was an amazing traveler and did so super great on the car ride both ways -- hooray!

Back to school

1st day of school + a funny face from Landon :)

We're into the second week of school now with these three -- 5th, 2nd and Kindergarten! A few things:

+ I'm still figuring things out but have been surprised at how smoothly things have gone so far as we've adjusted to fitting Isaac's schedule into everyone else's instead of the other way around like we've been doing (April has been a great help with this!)

+ Landon spent the first three days after school memorizing all of the states and capitals to get started towards his Great American Award-- hooray for Landon! And I'm excited for him to be learning U.S. History this year. His classroom is perfect.  U.S. History + Harry Potter = Awesome 5th grade. (A fun little thing - his class played 2 truths & a lie and one of truths was "I've visited the actual platform 9 3/4" :)

+  We've had some definite angst with the new door policy for drop off/pick up time.

+ Owen is in Mrs. Fairbank's class just like Ellie and Landon (the only teacher that both Ellie and Landon have had, and I'm so happy Owen is with her too!) He walked himself in to school yesterday and today and I was so proud of him and also a little 'ohh' for my little boy being so grown up!

+ Isaac has had some awesome naps that have given me a chance to have a little one-on-one time with Porter in the morning  (who walked around the house the first day of school with "where's everybody else?") while Owen is at school and with Owen in the afternoon while Porter naps. It's not every day but it's enough.

+ It's hard to have the kids jump into homework and after school jobs and all when they get home because it seems like they've already had a long day! But still those things have to get done... Also Jordan is already finished working when school is out, so it feels like it's just time to go play :) Still some tweaking/planning needed to figure out the right schedule/routines for our family.

+ I always love helping in the kids' classes and getting to know there friends and teachers. I've been a little more hesitant this Fall though just because I don't want to rush things or try too much and make things hard on myself. (I've felt so grateful to have had the summer months to just love and take care of this little Isaac without too much else going on! Porter was born the first week of school and it was hard jumping right in!)

New baby thoughts (a quick start)

It's hard to find a few minutes of focused time to sit and write. I so often have these little things that I want to write about and remember, but now that I have a sleeping Isaac by my side and all the kids happy in quiet time, I can't quite remember all those thoughts that have been floating around in my head for the last month! Hmm...

+ I love this little Isaac. When we were brainstorming names, I read that Isaac means "He will laugh" and something about that was jus so delightful to me. I think because all the time I was pregnant, I felt like this was kind of a serious little guy, but I loved how right it felt that he would also be one who would be happy and laugh. Landon brought out some very first almost-laughs the other day from Isaac and was as excited as can be.

(an unfinished post from a month or so ago that I still wanted to remember :)

So long sweet summer

The kids are back to school today!

This really has been such a sweet summer. Having little Isaac to love and the slow summer days to just work our schedule around him has been really wonderful.

A few favorite moments of this summer:

*   Floating in the lazy river with Porter. I'd hold on for a minute as the river floated us along. Then I'd let go and Porter's eyes would widen as he floated away just a bit in his life vest -- not worried, but watching me carefully and anticipating, what's going to happen now? Then I'd scoop him back up and he'd just laugh with such delight that I'd laugh out loud too.

*  Reading books with Owen and Porter during our school time while Landon worked on the day's activity (with his glasses taped) and Ellie practiced piano -- it's already hard to remember quite exactly what it was like with just those four!

*   Sitting at the pool during swimming lessons holding Isaac, with Owen and Landon happily inside in their classes and Ellie and Porter playing together in the pool as I watched. And just realizing this is working.

Happy Birthday Porter

In honor of Porter's birthday, here's the first minute or so from our morning walk today (Porter's side of the conversation) I sure love this three year old boy!

Mommy! Look! ("wook!") There's a tree growing!

Mommy! Look! There's another tree growing!

Look! There's another tree growing. This tree is growing up to the sky! This tree is growing up, up, up to the sky!

Who's house is this?

Yep, it's Sister Matthews house.

What's this called?

What's this sidewalk called?

Yep, just called a sidewalk.

Look at all the flowers!

I spy (fingers up to his eyes like binoculars) lots of flowers!

Yep, those are roses. Let's see if we can find some more roses.

What flowers are those?

(fingers up to eyes) I spy with my little eye... a puddle!

Swim Lessons

We all had fun with two sessions of swim lessons this summer. For the first session early in the summer (before Isaac was born), I swam with Ellie, Owen and Porter outside while just Landon had swim lessons (practicing freestyle and back stroke).

I almost canceled our second session because I couldn't figure out the logistics of how to take care of everyone (Watch Ellie's lessons to help her not feel anxious, hold/feed Isaac,  keep an eye on Porter...) But at the last minute I came up with a possible solution and it turned out really great. Landon and Owen did lessons, I held Isaac, and Ellie took care of Porter in the outside pool (with me watching). Then, Ellie got to have her own personalized swim lesson by Jordan for the last day. It was a happy way to spend these summer mornings!