First Day of School

I know everyone goes through this, so it's not a big deal to anyone but my little family, but we finally have a kid in school! Caleb started kindergarten today and it was very exciting. He was so excited to get up and go to school, and I was excited for him to embark on this new adventure, as well as have 3 Caleb-free hours a day! Caleb could hardly sit still for me to take pictures this morning before we walked to his school. He just wanted to go! He got a haircut last night and chose a new Lego shirt to wear. Everything about the experience was very thrilling to him. This has been an exciting experience for Bryce too, so he needed to be part of the pictures, of course. Caleb couldn't wait to walk to school. He thought it was great when there was another boy walking to the school from our neighborhood. He was in fourth or fifth grade, but that didn't stop Caleb from trying to make friends! Caleb just walked with him and talked his ear off until the boy left to meet a friend at another house. Yesterday, at Caleb's screening, he met a boy who he immediately hit it off with. It turns out they are in the same class and Caleb was so excited. They stuck together the whole time and even came out of the classroom together. It looks like they'll have a lot of fun together. He still wants to go back tomorrow, and I hope he always does.

At least he's creative....

I decided to hop in the shower while Bryce was taking a nap yesterday, and I left Caleb having a "beach party" downstairs. When I got out, I could see that he didn't use the blankets and other props he got out for said party, so I called out to Caleb to make sure he was ok. He said he was, but that Horsie (stuffed animal friend) hurt his ankle on his way down the stairs and couldn't walk. Well that was fine with me as long as Caleb was ok. I came down a few minutes later to find him drawing on the seat of one of his folding chairs. I have been trying not to get mad about stuff like that, but it really irks me when my kids needlessly ruin stuff. (We have drawing paper everywhere.) And then I saw what he was doing...


Can you figure out what he was doing from the pictures? It's actually pretty darn cute. Horsie broke his legs, as you can see from the very detailed "x-ray" Caleb drew on his chair. Well, a broken leg or two is nothing a little masking tape can't fix.

I've been informed that Horsie is better today and "his legs just put back together themselves." Well, that's a relief. I would hate to think he drew on a chair for nothing.

Summer fun!

We have spent a lot of time at parks and swimming and the like this summer. It's been really fun and the kids have loved it. (Me too, because it means I get to socialize with the other moms!) Maria had a brilliant idea to bring little spray bottles for the kids to play with...it keeps them (and us) cool, without getting soaked. A big hit with Bryce!

I just love this face....it is so totally Bryce!
These 3 have had such fun together. I love that they're all friends! And such cute little bums!
Bryce has discovered the slide this summer, and he loves it!
Caleb has become brave this summer, and loves all variety of water activities. I'm so glad I don't have to get wet with him anymore!
Bryce won't go in by himself yet because he's still not quite sure about getting splashed on...though he'll do it to himself! He loved the Westland Splash Park. Even in his clothes. Not that I'm surprised by that part.

Good Day!

Well, today (almost yesterday, since I'm posting so late!) wasn't a perfect day, but it was a good day. In the most vain, trivial, self-centered sense. Today, I felt like I looked good. You know that feeling? It doesn't happen every day, for sure, but today was one of those days. And I know this sounds braggy, and I don't know why I feel the need to blog about this, but oh well. I felt like my make-up looked good, (thanks to my sister Jocie for the tips, and Costco for the makeup. Yes, Costco!) and my hair looked good, (thanks Jocie again for the haircut!) and my clothes looked good (thanks Kohl's for having a super clearance!) and it just made me feel good. It's not the best I ever looked or whatever, and it's not like anyone else noticed or anything (which doesn't really bother me at all, since I felt good about it) but I just felt put together, and it was nice. And I totally cleaned my house top to bottom yesterday, so maybe it's that sense of accomplishment that really makes me feel good, but it was just an overall pleasant feeling. Even after a rough day with the boys, and a challenge getting them in bed tonight (they usually go down really nicely...) and they screamed like we were murdering them, with the windows open of course, at the end the day, I'll still classify it as good because I looked good. (I know I'm such a nerd.) Thanks for indulging me in this very all-about-me post! I'll get back to blogging about my kids, because I know you all love to read about how talented/adorable/perfect they are! ;)

The perfect bridge...

My kids have a set of wooden trains to play with at my parents' house because they spend a lot of time there, and trains are always a favorite! One Saturday afternoon, I came into the living room to find Caleb busy constructing an elaborate track...right across my sleeping dad's lap! I guess he decided to take a break from working around the house, and didn't notice or mind that Caleb had included him in his set up. It was hilarious. So, of course, I had to take pictures...




My kids always have fun with Grandpa, even if he's not really participating!

Grandparents are great!

Especially great-grandparents! In May (yes, I'm just now blogging about it...) I went to Utah and took the boys to see my grandparents in Bountiful. It's always so much fun for everyone because of all the fun things my grandparents have at their house. Not least of which is my grandpa's train room! I enjoyed it as a child (though not nearly as much as my kids) so it's really fun for me to see my kids love visiting too!
I can't tell you how much time my siblings, cousins and I spent drawing on this giant chalkboard in the basement. My grandma has countless pictures, and now she can add a few more!
The swing set was added after I was little kid, but my siblings and kiddos sure loved it. Bryce was just as happy as could be on that swing!
Caleb had a blast on the slide. It's set up right next to a tree, so Grandpa catches kids on the way down to avoid getting accidentally scraped up.
We did several other things I didn't get pictures of, including playing with trucks, coloring, and Play-Doh! After dinner, we had to take pose for pictures for Grandma! (That's why she's not in it!)
Caleb did manage to snag one of her, and it's the only one from the trip, so I'm glad!
On the drive back to Lehi to my sister's house, my kids crashed. It was such a fun day and one I hope to be able to repeat soon!
So cute.

Why I'm not a bachelor anymore (as if you needed me to explain)

Heather and the kids have been gone to Utah since Friday and aren't returning until this upcoming Sunday night.  This is the longest I've been home alone in years.  Here are some advantages to being home alone, and some disadvantages


Advantages

• The ability to come and go when I please.  I forgot how much I loved this kind of flexibility!
• The ability to watch whatever show or movie whenever I want on TV
• I don't have to be the least bit quiet late at night
• I have completed many fix it projects around the house that have sat untouched for months and years, and I did it all in a matter of a couple of days.
• The kitchen is really easy to clean when all you have to load is a bowl and spoon once a day.
• I have the entire bed to myself, although this isn't always an advantage (see disadvantages below).
•  No children's bed-time routine (That gives me at least 30-45 more minutes every night)

Disadvantages

• No one to talk to outside of work.  
• Driving to my parents' house can get expensive when driving 30 miles one way on a nightly basis.  Sorry family in Arvada.  It's nothing personal!
• Cold cereal, scrambled eggs and turkey Sandwiches 3 meals a day can get a little boring.  I may switch to Mac and Cheese in the coming days.  I don't know how I lived off cases of Ramen for weeks at a time when I was 20.
• Sleeping alone.  I have grown accustomed to falling asleep with someone next to me.  This is probably the toughest part.  I don't sleep as well because I get cold and admittedly I really like my wife.
• The days draaaaaaaaaaaaaag on!  I was hoping today was Thursday and not Wednesday.
• I hear weird noises in the house at night that I don't hear when my family is there.  Overly paranoid?  I hope not.
• I find myself watching A LOT more TV than I used to.  ESPN's Sportcenter or 'Man vs. Food' have been watched a lot more than usual, especially at weird hours of the night.
• No one is there to wake me up when I fall asleep in front of the TV.  Fortunately, this has only happened a couple of times and for not very long.

Well, there you have it.  The thing I miss most is being close to my wife and children.  Even though there are days when my kids drive me crazy, being away from them reminds me how much I love them and really do care about them.  The same goes for my wife.  Heather is so fun to talk to, she understands me, supports me and treats me like I'm a special guy.  You can't get that in any other relationship.  It's easy to be in love with such a beautiful woman who takes such good care of you.

I have considered going to a movie or eating dinner somewhere by myself, I've never done it before.  What do you all recommend?