First of Many!

Yesterday the girls started school. This was Olivia's first day ever!! She is starting Kindergarten. They were both very excited. We miss them at home, Whitney has asked several times where they are, already. But they both came home happy and tired and full of stories to share. Here are a few snap shots of the day. They aren't in any kind of order, but just enjoy! Getting a picture by the School sign. We are the Hoover Hornets!

Here is the bus they ride home on.
I love that Audrey felt ok about holding Olivia's hand and making sure she made it back to the car. I doubt she'll do this forever, but it was so adorable.

Just a picture of their school.

First big day of Kindergarten.
Our big second grader!
Audrey lining up with her class. The gal in front is her teacher-Mrs. Noll-Schueler.
Mom, Whitney, and Olivia in her line with her class. (I walked her to her line again today and she informed me that she wants to do it all by herself.) I think I just need to do it for myself. Oh and I suprised myself and didn't cry. Yeah for me, but talking to my friend Nicole she mentioned that maybe it's because I still have Whitney. Maybe
Here is Olivia and her teacher, Mrs. Uthe. When Olivia came home yesterday Mrs. Uthe had sent the parents something that was thanking us for sharing our children with her and it was a card that had a tea bag inside for us to have. Olivia thought the tea was for her and she doesn't like tea. So I assured her she didn't have to drink it and that I wasn't going to drink it either we would just save it and put it in her scrapbook. But the card almost made me cry!

Happy first day of Kindergarten!! Olivia with her bookbag and lunch bag.

We are so excited we hardly slept at all last night. The first of many!

End of Summer Highlights

Here are some of our end of summer highlights. I can hardly believe that school is starting and the season is getting ready to change. I love fall-but sometimes have a hard time with change. We've had a really good summer. This last weekend I really wanted to soak up a lot of time with the kids. So on Saturday Wayne took some time for just us. We drove to Coralville and went swimming at a water park. This one was really cool because it had a fun place for Whitney to run around. But it also had some really awesome slides. I wish that I had pictures to share. But this one slide we ended up nicknaming the "toilet bowl". It was this long closed slide that shot you out in the funnel where you went around and around and then you just fell out the bottom into a pool. Audrey was scared at first, but it only took her going down once and then she loved it! While there we were also able to find a Sonic. And just so Evelyn knows, I love the "Cranilla Craze" at Sonic (even though they don't call it that) I got one after she told me what it was. They are so good, I've even gotten so good I make them at home, because Dubuque is Sonic-less Just Sprite, Cranberry juice, and Vanilla Syrup, (I found mine in the coffee isle at Hyvee and I believe you might find some at Starbucks) My new favorite summer drink and I think Audrey likes it to, along with Orange Slushies

Then today I found that I still had some items on my summer to do list with the kids and that was to take them all out to play tennis. Audrey had gotten a racket for Christmas and it never got used all summer. So we found a court and they all got to hit with Mom chasing down tennis balls till their hearts content. Olivia and Whitney burned out early, but Audrey would have stayed longer had everyone wanted too. Lots of fun! Well enjoy some of the pictures below.

Whitney and Terry on "Latte". Terry was in a horseshow and the girls and I came along to watch.
Audrey's Soccer team, what else-The purple people eaters!
Audrey and Latte, she was scared at first, but eventually got the hang of being up there.
Olivia and Latte, she really thought she could ride and wanted them to give her the reigns so she could take off. She's not afraid of anything!
That's my dear hubby being one of the boys. Wayne had the honor of going with the YM on their "High Adventure" and paintball was high on the activities list for the weekend! Yep, I had to get up there too! I use to really love horses, I guess I still do!
Some of the soldiers who put themselves in harms way everyday, no wait those are the boys that all went to play paintball. What a great group of guys, don't they look good!
Olivia's soccer team! The purple Cheeta's (Olivia's name for them)
Lots of love for Uncle Andy. Andy now resides in Minnesota! I wonder if he will talk like (menen-SOTA)

A couple of sillys in pajamas!

Okay, I know...

I know, you are all probably really tired of not seeing that my blog hasn't changed. I even have some great pictures of the girls on horses. But we can't seem to locate our camera, but when we do, I'll get them up. So stay tuned.

I've Been Tagged

My cousin Lori just tagged me and I would like to thank her and here it goes:
How To Play This Game of Tag:Post these rules on your blog. List: 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 current obsessions/collections, 3 facts about yourself.
Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog!
3 Joys:
1. My children bring me so much joy, they make me laugh the most, and I delight in everything they do, think, or say
2 My husband-not saying that we always have it easy, but I would have to say that nobody understands me better sometimes-even when I'm crazy and just weird he says he understands and I believe he does.
3. My friends and family-I'm so thankful for all my relationships-it is hard to manage them sometimes and I regret not being better, but when I get email or phone calls from anyone it brings me a lot of joy.
3. Fears:
1. That something will happen to someone I love in my family or friends (accidents)
2. Not having my food storage good enough-not being prepared for disasters
3. Money
3 Goals:
1. (this one was hard because I don't think I have to many, that's terrible) To continue to always be learning something new
2. Read
3. Learn to develop a good sense of inner peace.
3 Obsessions:
1. Movies
2. Facebook
3. "Dancing with the stars"
3 Facts about myself:
1. I love to hike and enjoy that feeling you get after you get going for a while when you feel like you can do anything.
2.I want to travel, anywhere (top three would be Italy, Greece and Australia-Indonisa maybe-and South America...) didn't I say anywhere?
3. I can recite my ABC's backwards, just ask

Okay now I tag Monica, Robin, Hilary, and Erika

Summer Fun!!!

Summer fun in the crystal lake caves, for the library reading program the girls got passes to go to some nearby caves. In this one part, it is called the chapel, apparently some weddings have been performed in this very spot. We went there with our friends, Ryan, Rebecca, and Rachel Kilburg
Everyone stuck their hand out for a "Cave Kiss" Some places were pretty narrow, we all followed our guide.

Stay Tuned

I've been thinking that my blog needs a facelift. It has been a while and I'm tired of floral. Plus, the season is changing-I guess not technically till Sept- but it is in my heart already. Today I took the girls school shopping. I have the best girls in the world. Audrey is my rock, she is quiet and observing, she is excited for school and can't wait to show her sis the ropes. The only thing she said she really wanted was a new pair of sissors. Ones that have a soft grip. Her old ones were made of plastic. Olivia begged and begged for a dress today. I told her we should be looking for school clothes and that she already had a lot of dresses. Then she said, "but mom this will be my picture taking dress". Smart kid, had to get the picture taking dress. But I stopped her when she said, she needed picture taking shoes. She's a hoot. And poor Whitney the only thing she got was diapers. She tried to sneak a Scooby Doo lunch bag in at Target. But Mom got sneaky and took it out before we hit the register. Well now I'm off for my sleepover tonight. Since this is the tax holiday in Iowa (no sales tax on clothes) My friend Rachel and I want to shop at places more exciting than Dubuque. Not that DBQ is terrible, we just know that other places are better. So we are headed to IC and some outlet malls in Williamsburg. We taking off tonight, so that we can get a head start. Tut Tut for now.