Taxi Mama

Jason and I both believe really strongly in encouraging our kids to develop their talents and pursue the things they're interested in.  If there's something they want to try, we will find a way for them to do it!  For this reason, our kids are involved in A LOT of activities . . . soccer, cheerleading, pre-school, cub scouts, knowledge bowl, talent shows, lego club, school musicals . . . and more recently Joshua has decided to join a little league track team.  Our lives are CA-RAZY, but we have so much fun cheering everybody on and watching them grow.

I have entered this new stage of motherhood that I've heard so many moms talk about before me, but never really understood until now . . . The "Taxi Mom" stage.  Seriously, I live in my car.  In fact, two days of the week I am in my car for 4 and a half hours straight driving back and forth between practices.  (There's a park I stop at to stretch my legs and use the restroom!)

We have mastered the skill of doing just about everything in the car- changing clothes, doing homework, eating dinner . . . we even do scripture study in the car sometimes.  Chewbie is such a little trooper.  He doesn't have any activities to go to yet, but he's just happy to tag along.  (Sometimes I worry he's going to look back on his childhood and think he was raised in the car!)

It all takes an insane amount of planning.  The kids have learned to set everything out the night before so we're ready.  My bedroom floor usually looks something like this . . .

My life is busy, but I wouldn't trade what I do for anything.  Look out!  Crazy Taxi Mama coming through!

The Ethanator Starts Preschool!

The Ethanator is now officially a preschooler!  A week after the kids started school, he had his first day.  He was SO excited to have a school of his own to go to.  On the way to preschool, I told him how much I was going to miss him while he was away.  I asked him if he was going to miss me.  "No, Mom," he stated.  Well then . . .

He loves his teachers.  They go by their first names . . . Miss Cathy, Miss Summer, Miss Amy, etc.  It doesn't matter how many times I've corrected him, he still insists on calling them SISTER Cathy, SISTER Summer . . . it's a good thing we live in Utah!

Everyday when they enter the classroom, the kids get to choose a center to play at.  Ethan always hopes for the cars or the blocks.

Oh Ethan . . . I just love that kid!  It isn't the same without his overly-loud Boston accent around the house.  (For those who don't know Ethan well . . . he sounds like he has a Boston accent when he talks.  Seriously, we don't know where it comes from!)

I'm so proud of my little preschooler!

Back to School!

"Back to Life, Back to Reality!" . . . that's the song I've been singing the last few weeks.  My kiddos are back in school!  We all had mixed emotions about going back.  Joshua and Livi were ready to see their friends again, and I was ready to do grocery shopping without four crazies tagging along . . . but we also enjoy our summers together hanging out at the splash park and staying up late.

For the first time, there really weren't a lot of nerves on the first day.  Joshua and Livi both got awesome teachers, and they both had lots of friends in their classes.  They didn't even want me to walk them to their classrooms (They're growing up! sniff, sniff).  Here they are in all their "first day of school" glory!  

Olivia:  

2nd Grade

Mrs. Adams

Favorite thing about school: crafts and recess

Joshua:

4th Grade

Mrs. Phillips

Favorite thing about school: P.E. and art

It sure is quiet around the house with these two gone!  Happy Back to School!!

I'm 32 Y'all!

On July 24, I turned 32.  I'll skip all the "Oh my gosh, I'm getting so old!" stuff, and focus on the fun we had that day.  It was seriously a great day!  Last year, my parents took us to the Spanish Fork Rodeo for my birthday.  We decided it was so much fun that we want to make it a tradition and go every year.  The rodeo was a blast again . . .   kids riding sheep, some clown stuck in a barrel, giant bags of cotton candy . . . what more could a girl want on her birthday?  Here are some pictures of our fabulous night:

Jason also surprised me with a custom Birthday cake . . . 2 loaves of my favorite cinnamon bread from Kneaders stuck together.  The random Hawaiian flower lei was a nice touch too.  It was seriously the best. cake. ever!

Happy Birthday to me!

Check Out These Moves!

We were at one of Olivia's cheer competitions this summer when I caught Ethan on video.  If you know Ethan very well, he's actually a pretty reserved kid.  We were all in shock when he suddenly started busting out the moves.  I kept saying, "Where in the world did THAT come from?"  Hilarious!

Davis Reunion!

Several of Jason's siblings were planning to come to Utah to celebrate the 4th of July.  The ball started rolling and it turned into an impromptu Davis Reunion, with almost the entire family coming to town!  We spent a week just being together . . . talking, laughing, and playing.  My kids said it was the best week of their entire summer.  They couldn't get enough of their cousins.  Here are some pictures of our busy week together:

The Freedom Festival parade in Provo . . .

BBQ fun at Steve and Alyse's house . . .

Trafalga . . .

Four-wheeling at the Bitner Ranch . . .

Seven Peaks . . .

Fun at the park . . .

It was so great to be together.  What a blessing to be part of such an amazing family!

Father and Son's (Sort Of)

Our ward had their Father and Son's campout in June.  We didn't think the boys would be able to go this year because we had family in town.  At the last minute, Joshua and Ethan begged Jason to take them up just for the evening.  After about an hour of driving around, unable to find the campsite, they decided to have their own Father and Son's.  They went on a hike, ate a bunch of snacks, saw some dead fish . . . all the makings of a perfect outing!

Gotta love these boys!!