Back to life...

Back to reality.. ( are you singing the song).. one that surely won't leave your thoughts for atleast 10 minutes.. maybe even more.. you can thank me for that later!

It's Sunday evening, and reality sets back in. The weekend has come to an end and it's time to face the clock, bathtub and backpack that still needs a snack packed inside. Weekends were just another day to me a few months ago..

We finished week 2 of Kindergarten.. Camden got 5 green cards for the week ( which means he was great in class all week).. So he was rewarded with Cold Stone icecream after school on Friday.. Way to go Cam! The carpool he is in is all girls.. 3 of them.. plus Camden. They are his little cheerleaders when he gets in the car to come home. He runs in from school so excited yelling " mom , dad.. I gotta green card". If dad is at work.. he calls him on the cellphone to tell him of his card color...This is HUGE in our house. Camden if any of you have ever met the little devil... has a hard time focusing and obeying.. Well it can be done. He has proved himself. Tonight we are deciding what his goal is for the week and what he gets on Friday night as a reward.. ( its narrowed down to movie night and staying up late or more icecream)

I was talking with a friend about this whole school thing.. and she explained it best... It's like Kindergarten is your new baby.. Need I say more? I'm tired, emotional and just feel a bit underqualified to have a kid in school. I guess my kids are growing up.. Case is loving preschool and looks so cute with his oversized backpack on his back.

So us school moms rock! That's what I've decided. If you are one.. go get a coke and drink it slowly.. I will do the same

Yellowstone..

Blades had never been to Wyoming, so we had to make a trip to Yellostone Park. The kids thought it was a park park... so when we got through the gates.. they thought it was time to get out. They didnt realize it would be a 12 hour day, stopping at sites... We had a wonderful day. There are ton's of pics.. almost an overload.. ( my computer is tired too)
stopped at a pile of snow to throw a snowball at eachother

Yellowstone Lake.. Case throwing rocks

skippin rocks.. on the yellowstone lake

Case getting some tips from dad

Cori and Blades

Camden getting some pointers from Wilford

Grandma and Case

Case taking a break

Case having fun with the rocks by the lake

You cant visit yellowstone and not pack your picnic basket.. like yogibear.. stopped for lunch

thought the reflection of the lake was amazing

good thing we didnt see any bears..

Camden and Momma

Camden and his cowboy boots..

The boys found this log and posed like this.

A beautiful park..

The boys, Grandma and Wilford.. trying really hard to stay on the path.. you can imagine sulfur smell from the steam.. yuck..

some of the thermal pools. you could see so far down into the earth..

Grandma, Camden and Cori.

Our family, with Case hiding.. or just ignoring us

Camden waiting for Old Faithful.. it was right behind his head in this picture

Old Faithful.. erupting

Case hitchin a ride on daddys back... to the car

We had looked for animals all day, and once we were leaving the park, the kids were asleep in their carseats, we saw a few of these GINORMOUS buffalo.. We didnt mention it to the kids :)

one side note: We stopped at Dairy Queen in Cody to eat some dinner after our long day. These elderly people had come in to enjoy what the Queen has to offer.. icecream that is...

All of the sudden, the stench of poop was in the whole area we were sitting. We couldnt help but blame it on the van of elderly folks and felt bad for the person who had to clean up that diaper.. People would walk in, and could smell the stench. We decided to finish our blizzards in the car and asked Case if he needed to use the potty before we rode for a few more hours. No he said. I checked his pants just making sure that that stench surely wasnt coming from my cute Case.. NO.. it was HIM... SICK!! We filled our cups with water, grabbed papertowels from the bathroom and headed outside.. out of sight from everyone.. near the dumpster. This was not an easy clean up.. It took all the wipes we had, mounds of napkins and papertowels from our picnic, and trying to clean him up as best as we could. Especially since we were in Wilfords car ( my mom had already threatened us with our lives if we embarassed her.. or messed "this" one up for her).. We threw away the nasty underoos and were on our way. We couldnt help but laugh for blaming it on those old people.. I didnt know a 3 year old could smell up a restraunt. SICK!

Great memories.. a wonderful time had by all!

Pictures, Parades and pure FUN

The kids got to go to two parades while we were there.. One for Lovell, and one for Byron. We arent used to going to them, so it was a treat for all!

Camden with some dracula teeth and an otterpop..

Great summerday treat.. an icecream sandwich and a parade. Who could ask for more?

Case just couldnt wait to check out what he had picked up

This is exciting stuff...

The Lovell Wyoming Days Parade. the kids with sacks in hand waiting for the candy to start being thrown. They actually ended up in the local paper ( because they are too cute)

Cori and the boys.. by some part that used to be at the dam..

( I should of read more about this item)

Blades and the boys by the Dam.. near Cody, Wyoming

the remnants of a good picnic lunch... oreos

playing ball with Grandma.. fighting over the ball.. and grandma in la la land

Camden posing in the tree

Case climbin trees.. ( he only fell off this one once)

The Wild Wild West (Part 1)

Our visit to Wyoming was wonderful. Here are a few pics.. and lots more to come. We visited this ranch that was up in the mountains. We walked a while to get to it, but the boys loved exploring the Wild West..
looking for flowers

Case

the biggest dandilion I had ever seen. Once the stream of air hit it, seeds went everywhere

Blades and Camden

Case found a woodpile and enjoyed manuevering on it

Camden and Case..

running down to the "ranch"

Case peeking out the window on a long dirt road.

Grandma and the boys. good thing there is a rail back there..

Visiting echo canyon.. behind us was this huge canyon that had the longest echo.. the kids enjoyed yelling and waiting for the return of thier own voices.

Theres a first time for everything

Firsts have been the event of the Whitehouse this week. Both boys started preschool and kindergarten. We sat all the clothes out, backpack packed with the listed supplies, baths done, stories read...

On Sunday, Blades gave each boy a fathers blessing for the school year. I bawled.. cause my kids are growing up. I am thankful they are healthy and strong.. entering school.. Camden wondered why I was crying.. and if I was happy or sad... Happy I said.. cause you are getting older.. but you were so little once.. As much as they are a handful, I sure love these two..

Case waiting for preschool to start.

Case.. the biggest in his preschool.. ( he is only about a half head shorter than Camden)

even buckling in the back all by himself.

Could he be more excited? I don't think so

First Day of preschool... Aug 17

Sitting at his desk for the first time

Camden, Carlie, Chloe and Abby.. all preschool friends... now kinder friends

Played on the plaything for a while.. stopping for a drink

He really was excited.. you just can't tell..

Chloe and Camden have been friends for almost 3 years. They are holding hands here.. Too cute!

Camden and Chloe.. their first day's

He couldnt wait to go.. he picked out the blue shirt for his first day

First time for uniforms... hanging up ready to go

ps.. Do we have to do this every night? homework, baths, proper bedtimes, snacks packed.. backpack ready? I'm tired... and we are only on day 3...