First Day

 Well school has been going for about a month now, so I guess it's time to post these. :) This year Darcy started 2nd grade and Ezra started an official preschool.

Darcy had a few hard days the first couple weeks, although it wasn't nearly as bad as last year, and by now she is doing pretty well. She has finally started letting me drop her off in the morning instead of having me walk to her line with her while she holds onto me for dear life and we both separate in or nearly in tears. I feel so much better about sending her to school when she seems happy about going! She is going to computer lab this year happily which is new also. She loves art and music the most.

I hadn't really considered sending my kids to any preschool besides just a co-op before, but then I found out my friend, who I think is amazing, was running a preschool out of her home. I have not been feeling awesome and it just sounded so nice not to worry about the co-op this year. I am soo happy about this preschool! Ezra loves going and is always mad on Monday morning that he doesn't get to go to school and Darcy does (he goes Tuesday and Thursday mornings for three hours). I love his teacher and he is learning so much so quickly.

Christensen Camping Trip

For one last summer hoorah we went on a little camping trip with Drew's family. We spent two nights camping. I was really worried about how I would sleep because especially when I'm pregnant I struggle to sleep anywhere besides my own bed. I also tend to be extra nauseous when I'm too tired so all of those things had me a bit worried. In the end I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of sleep I got even despite the crazy wind the first night. It was really hot when we first got there in the middle of the first afternoon, and after a couple hours of that heat I started to feel pretty sick and I wondered if I was dealing with some kind of heat exhaustion, but I laid down for a while a while and drank lots of water and I survived. The rest of the time we were in swimming suits and had more access to the water so I didn't overheat that seriously after that first day.

 The first night after dinner we headed to the water for the kids to play a bit and cool off before bed. The sun had gone down behind the mountain and the water seemed too cold to me, but the kids were not deterred. They did come out shivering like crazy at the end though.

 Misty brought her paddleboard and gave the kids rides.

 The next day we headed to the river for some boating. Misty did her annual dive into the water from the tower.

 The kids took advantage of the breaks in tubing and wakeboarding to do some swimming.

 I don't know if Darcy has ever tubed with anyone driving but Drew and Grandpa Neil was the driver this time. He immediately started out faster than Drew has ever gone for her and she didn't last long at all. We realized we need to increase the intensity of her tube rides.

 I can't remember if this was Brayden's first or second time ever on a tube, but he loved it and was a very enthusiastic rider!

 A couple of handsome guys!

 Sharee and Grandma Becky had a turn.

 Parks and Raylee both fell asleep on the boat for a much needed, but still too short nap.

 Kevin brought this fishing boat and our kids had their first fishing experience. I wish I had been there to watch them because apparently they were pretty excited about it.

 I did some tubing with the boys. Parks cried for the first little while, calmed down for a bit and then fell asleep in my lap. 

 Tricky, tricky

 Parks fell asleep again on Grandma Becky's lap.

 Ezra almost fell asleep sitting up. Isn't camping so fun? :)

 Drew landed a 360.

Grandpa Neil and Parks

Ezra's 5th Birthday Party

Ezra is a big five year old now! He is such a fun little guy and we love having him around. He told me a few days after his birthday, "It's fun being five!" I didn't realize that much had changed. :)

 It was Ezra's turn for his first friend birthday party. He chose a construction theme, and thanks to pinterest we came up with a few fun ideas to pull that off. He was so excited that it was his turn for a party and he asked me a hundred times that morning when his friends were going to be there. I really need to remember to have these parties in the morning instead of the afternoon to cut down on the painful wait time.

 I thought this construction zone seemed like a little boy's heaven.

 I kept chuckling to myself when the boys first got there comparing this party to Darcy's fifth birthday party. It was immediately more wild and energetic. I loved the sweetness of those little girls at Darcy's party, but this boy energy was really fun too! They each walked in and happily joined the balloon war going on in the living room.

 Cupcake construction (a.k.a eat as much frosting as you can)

 I just love this little smirk that is so Ezra. This was when everyone started singing happy birthday. He was happy about it and maybe a little bit shy about being the center of attention.

 Everyone was excited to help with the present opening. I love those two little guys in the hats. They kept escaping upstairs to find different dress up accessories every now and then.

 Then it was out to the construction site! It was a hot day and I started to worry that no one would really stay out there with the hot sun blaring straight down on them, but most of them stayed out there for a long time digging in the dirt and playing in the water tables.

 I love this shot of these cute muddy boys!

We had his party on Friday because we had a family reunion on Saturday which was his real birthday. He made sure over and over that we remembered that he wanted Krispy Kreme doughnuts for his birthday breakfast like Darcy had had the year before. So on his birthday morning we delivered and he was really happy about it!

Silverwood

 At the beginning of August we met up with some of our friends at Silverwood. Darcy and the other kids in school had completed a reading challenge during the school year that got them a free ticket, so we took advantage of going without paying for that one ticket. :) It was a fun day with friends that our kids are still talking about. Ezra even asked if we could go back the next day. I was so warn out (I blame pregnancy) I couldn't even imagine how he could think that was a good idea no matter how much fun it was.

All day the dads were trying to convince the older kids to go on the roller coasters and the kids were adamantly declining. After going on a water ride that soaked us we suggested that Darcy and Marley go on the Round-Up to dry off. We were all kind of amazed when they decided that was a good idea. Drew went with them and they loved it. They went twice. While they were riding it the second time the rest of us went over to a car ride with the little kids and the next thing we knew Drew was going on the roller coaster right by us with the two girls! He had somehow convinced them that if they could do the Round-Up they could easily handle the roller coaster. I just can't believe Darcy ever agreed to that, but I was really excited that she did. Both girls cried a little during the ride and swore they would never do it again. We have made a big deal of their bravery since though and Darcy is relaxing about it a little. We have hope that she will try it again some day. Ezra was so sad that he wasn't tall enough for the roller coasters, and we're (especially Drew) looking forward to the day he can have his turn.

 I handed my camera to Steve so I could ride this ride, but he actually ended up riding in another elephant with Parks but he still had my camera. I love this picture and I'm happy that it was documented that I was actually there for the fun. 

 We passed a little stand that had these cool hats for sale.

 The airplanes were a hit.

 Marley and Andrew battling in the bumper boats. This was right after I so generously nailed Andrew in the back of the head with a big squirt gun from the sidelines. I have regretted it ever since. :)

 Tiffany and Olivia

 Steve and Kylee battling Cody

 Ezra and Olivia

 Darcy loved the little kids train roller coaster!

 I love Ezra's face in this one.

 And Steve's in this one!

 It was a really intense ride for these guys!

 We were eating when everyone else was riding bumper boats before, but our kids wanted to try it so we went later. Darcy drove her own boat but struggled in the beginning to control it. She was just spinning in crazy circles on and on. Drew had taken off the other way, but when he passed me I pointed him in her direction and he went and helped her get it figured out just as she was about to lose it from frustration.

 Parks and Allison on the helicopter.