Spirit Week

Spirit Week at Haley Elementary!!!

Taylor's class for Sport Team Day

Taylor's class for Pajama Day

Taylor's class for Hawaiian Day

Taylor's class for Neon Day

Hawaiian Day

Sports Team Day

Last year v. this year
And what a difference a year makes!!!

Neon Day

Flagstaff day trip

Yeah, we did that... We drove 3 hours, spend about 3 hours in Flagstaff, exploring nature, and drove back 3 hours. It was fun, though. A spur of the moment day trip away from people and technology. This is what life is all about: my amazing family and this beautiful earth God created for us.

September pictures

What a fun month! We have found our groove, school is going well, Alexis is fun, I don't feel too overwhelmed with after-school activities and home chores, and life is good!!! Here's what we've been up to lately:

Playdates with Taylor's friend, Mira; although she has now become everyone's friend. Here they made zombie boogers.

Alexis looking cute, happy, and smiley.

Matching in red, white, and blue for Labor Day.

Labor Day at the pool.

Getting matching Halloween jammies.

Alexis looking cute and messy.

Taylor thinking that's where headlights go. For realz.

Alexis getting her first sucker because that was the only thing keeping her still during the older kids' swim lesson. No worries, we brushed her pearly-white teeth as soon as we got home!

Our pool FINALLY getting filled it. Just in time for cooler weather. Ha.

Alexis looking cute and nerdy.

Alexis looking cute and spunky.

The boys matching for school. Their idea, entirely.

Alexis falling asleep during movie night and while mommy was away at a church activity.

The Scorpions celebrating their win.

3rd place and happy to be getting a trophy.

Kendall and her gymnastics bestie, Stella.

Alexis looking cute with her pumpkin.

Picture day at school, and at home with the pumpkins.

Alexis looking cute and reverent during family prayer.

Family spa night.

Alexis looking cute but not happy that mommy isn't letting her run onto the basketball court during practice.

Alexis looking cute in that outfit. Just because.

August pictures

Because she's just so stinking cute. And because this month, Alexis learned to blow kisses and it totally melts my heart.

Alexis got her ears pierced. She was super tough and only cried for 2 seconds.

Mommy and Daddy went on their first date without Alexis in over a year. We missed her a lot, but she did great at Uncle Paul and Aunt LeiLani. She even cuddled up to them.

Some kids have comfort blankets. Alexis has my boobs. Even though we're all done with this business, she still likes to stick her hand in my cleavage when she's tired or shy. We're working on breaking that habit.

The boys insisted on wearing the same clothes to school. Haha.

Alexis had her first playdate. Two days earlier she went to Cora's house while I helped a friend pack up boxes for her move. Meanwhile Alexis cried until she was too tired to cry and fell asleep. Then Cora came to our house while her mommy volunteered at the school. Cora hung out, played and chewed on toys, and was just a happy baby. 

We went to Lake Saguaro and picked some cool shells.

Kendall sharing her apple with Alexis. Once she'd tasted it, she didn't want to give it back.

Bon-Papa and Bonne-Maman's visit

Bon-Papa and Bonne-Maman came out for Logan and Taylor's baptisms. It's always fun having them here, even if this time the kids were in school during their visit. We made the best of the after school hours and weekend. And Alexis enjoyed having Bon-Papa and Bonne-Maman all to herself for 6-7 hours each day.

Oh, how I wish we still lived close enough to hop in the car and spend time with them for a long weekend. The funny thing is that we didn't do anything super spectacular. I mean, of course, there was the baptism, and Alexis' birthday party. But the rest of the time, we just hung out at home, played chess, read books, and had laser gun battles. We had a great time, but as always, it is hard to say goodbye. Things are not looking good for the United States right now, and I am afraid that traveling (by plane) will become tricky in the near future. I don't know... I hope I'm wrong. But I would feel much better knowing that they're close by; them as well as my brother and his family. But right now, it's something I can't change. It's out of my hands. All I can do is pray and hope that President Trump will make decisions that will keep the Americans safe.

And I didn't think this post was going to get political. It did. Oops.