Christmas Day 2011

Tae-kwon-do

Drake and Cooper started taking tae-kwon-do. Drake absolutely LOVES it!! Finally, something other than video games that he likes. I am so glad and he is really good at it. :)

First Day of Preschool

Ava started preschool at our much loved Creative School today. She is in the Red Room with some wonderful teachers, Mrs. Armstrong and Mrs. Graves. I cannot believe that she is old enough to be in preschool. I better enjoy these years of Creative School. She is my last one to be in this school.

Ava knows the drill. We always take the kids' pictures on the first day of school at the end of the driveway, in the same spot each year. She went directly to the spot and started posing. Even holding out her dress for me to see.



At the Red Room. She's excited and nervous.
Mrs. Armstrong with Ava.

Ava starts gymnastics

Today, Ava started taking gymnastics for the first time. She was hesitant to go out on the floor without me, but once she got out there, she LOVED it! It is right up her ally. She gets to move and run and jump and play. Perfect!

We did NOT get into your makeup!

First Day of School 2011

Well, it another "first day of school". Drake is starting Middle School and is in the 6th grade. Cooper is in 2nd grade and Sophie is starting Kindergarten. They were all excited and nervous.

I gave Sophie a necklace on the first day of Kindergarten that had charms that said "Kindergarten Rocks" and "Sophie". It is fun to have a girl and be able to buy things like that :)


Ava didn't start school today, but insisted on being in the pictures too!
This was the only picture of Drake getting out and going into Middle School that he would let me get. :(

I had to beg Cooper to let me take his picture in front of the school.
Unfortunately, I hit some setting on my camera that made all the inside pictures almost black. But, in this picture you can kinda see the typical Sophie "frown". She was SO nervous about going into the class. She was not about to give me a smile.

The Murphy's came back to Arkansas to visit. We ALL loved having them here. We got to spend some much needed time with them and the kids went right back to playing like they had never moved away.

This is Ava and her "beft fend Halle". Let me translate, her "best friend Ali" :) Oh how we miss you guys!



While here, the "big" kids went to a clay class and made some really neat totem poles out of clay. They really enjoyed going to this class and spending time together.

Just like "old times". Ian, Hayden and Cooper

Playing outside this summer.

I wonder where they get it....



Oh, that's where.

Stop in the name of love!
Backyard buddies :)
Ava imitating Macy.

New Life Ranch - Drake

Bunk Buddies! Drake and Hogan are rooming at camp. They were excited but SO nervous. If I would've let Drake back out at this point, he would've. He kept saying "I want to go home.". His nerves were just getting to him. This is a new experience and I know they will have a great time. We will miss him while he is gone this week!



Drake and Hogan with all the boys in his cabin plus his 2 councelors.

Getting ready for the swimming test.
Looks like the fun is already underway! (pictures off the website of what happened on Sunday night at camp)