I'm Back Posting Again!

I have been thinking I need to post on here for a long time now.  But then once I get on the computer, I get side tracked SO easily!  And then an hour goes by, and I've done absolutely nothing.  That drives me crazy.  What got me motivated this time is that I got a deal for a free photobook from Shutterfly, and I want to use it to chronicle the adventures of our family, but I got hopelessly lost thinking of what I should put in this photobook!  I need a little more organization in my life (or a lot!), and I really would like to continue to post things here on the blog, because I'm not a great journaler and this is all I've got.  So here goes again!

Here is a rundown of what's going on at our house:

School just started a few weeks ago, and here are Ashlee and Ben on their first day of school!


Ashlee is a big 8 year old now, she just started 3rd grade and so far is loving it.  She no longer needs me to pick out her clothes and she tells ME now how she wants her hair done.  She is becoming her own little person, and it is both wonderful and frustrating to see.  When we were picking out shoes for school, I found a pair of shoes I thought were adorable, and kept trying to convince her to like them.  I, however, am never able to convince anyone of anything, and she found another pair of shoes she liked better.  It was so hard for me to buy the other pair of shoes for her that she wanted, but now I am glad that I bought the ones she liked instead of the ones I had picked out for her.  I guess I think of her as my little clone, and I like to tell her what to do so she won't make the same mistakes I did.  But she really is her own person, and I think I need to back off and let her make a few mistakes on her own.  I have realized that I am kind of a controlling person-- did not know that about myself!


Ashlee loves making otterpop slushies, yogurt popsicles, and strange concoctions in jars (or some other container).  Gabe has been teaching her how to program, and she can't get enough.  We also started her on Harry Potter, and she has been reading it whenever she has a spare minute.  She is also doing piano lessons with Sister Jensen, and Swim Team.

Ben just started kindergarten and is loving it as well.  He loves being able to ride the school bus, and in the mornings when Gabe or I take him to school (so we can drop Sam off at preschool) he begs us to ride the school bus instead.  Sorry kid!  Ben continues to be our earliest riser in the mornings, and usuallywakes up before I do.  I usually find him downstairs eating some kind of candy, which he tries to hide when he sees me.  :)  He loves to pull Lucky's legs, or tease his brother Sam.  He is a good boy, though, and is very affectionate and loving.  He is very smart, trying to do math problems in his head, and he loves playing on the Kindle.  Right now he is on a YMCA soccer team.

And now I will talk a little about Sam.  Oh my Sammy!  He is so squishable.  I just love to give him hugs and kisses every chance I get.  I also love how he talks.  It is so incredibly cute.  He just started preschool, but is not quite sure if he likes it or not.  It just melted my heart when he told me, "I don't want to go to preschool, mommy, I want to stay here with YOU."  But I think he is liking it okay now.  He also has some made up words which we he says are "bad words."  "Puccicci" and "boolala."  Those have now become bad words at our house. :)  He is also playing soccer for his very first time this fall.

By the way, those pictures are from a day fishing trip to Lake Manitou right before school started.   Here is a picture of the 3 fish we caught that day!

Well, I think I will sign off for now.  My new goal:  write on the blog every Sunday night.  We'll see if I can keep it up.