good question...school started for 5 members of our family in the month of august! that's a lot of pencils and notebooks and glue sticks, by the way. but my favorite is seeing those 5 lunchbags all lined up on the counter. or the backpacks all hung in a row. it's just...i don't know. happy.
joseph is in middle school?! yep, 5th grade. it's been a big adjustment, mostly about being the new kid. there are 2 middle schools in nixa and we moved across the boundary line...so everyone he has known for 5 years is at the other school. it actually has made time at home and scouts that much for fun for him, yay! :)
aubrey is in 3rd grade and growing up! she loves walking to school, being on the 'green team'--the recycling club--and making new friends. she has the coolest teacher ever, mr. brockmeyer. he's all about rock 'n roll, so they have lots of fun in class.
gracie likes meeting boys. and older girls. she also likes walking to school, and 1st grade is proving to be a fun time for her. awesome aunt ashley has been tutoring her and her reading is really improving. her favorite thing is having a home lunch. she even packs her own sometimes!
spencer has hit the big world of pre-school...i love to listen to him talk about his classmates, it's the cutest thing ever. he takes his snack in a lunchbag like the big kids, pretty much makes his day to drink a capri sun. he refuses to wear any of his old play clothes to school...only the new clothes will do!
and dave...ta da! full-time this semester in the ota program. it's really happening!!! he's doing great, everyone loves him (duh) and he loves what he is learning. he already has to put in requests for internship places next year, so he's busy figuring out what he wants to check out. this is sooooo his thing!
ellie and i are the loners at home :) she's so much fun to hang out with, i will miss her in 2 years when she goes to preschool...and i'm not wishing the time away, i just know it's going to be here before i know it! lots of hugging and snuggling and dancing and giggling, that's what we do all day!
so there you have it!
Joseph was fascinated with Grandma Cluff's house and all her family history...his favorite was the actual wooden leg of Marshall Hunt, the father of Jefferson Hunt (captain in the Mormon Battalion)...very cool :)
Me, Grandma Cluff, Coco, Joseph, Luke, Spencer
Ellie, Me, Grandma Cluff, Coco, Aubrey, and Gracie
I know Aubrey will hate me one day for posting this picture with her belly hanging out...but it's the only shot we have of her on this hike!
Just about 2 minutes after this shot she met the cactus...
Spencer-dundee
Little Mermaid?
Our family...plus Tammy's finger :)
Aubrey had a blast milking the cow...it was harder than she thought!
Gracie's even a poser on a wooden horse!
Joe's only disappointment was that this wasn't a real kimodo dragon!
Goofy Gang
He was actually a little scared to touch this gorilla hand at first :)
Wow!!
I wish you could tell from this picture how HUGE this guy was...the biggest thing I've ever seen!
Tammy & Graham...we love them!
The monkey house was really cool...these little guys were just running around free and we got to walk around in the place with them. Cute!
The 9-and-under crowd
Me, Meg, and Ellie
Posing again...see the rhino's?
Spencer wanted to ride this thing so bad!
Can you tell the difference between the giraffe's and the palm trees?
