First Grade

 We had an awesome summer and hopefully I will get those pictures up here! I can't believe how quick it went. At the end of school last year I remember being nervous thinking about what we would do everyday all summer long but it went so quick and I wasn't quite ready for them to go back. Now it is time for school again and here we go with the first day of school for Rachel and Livy! First grade here we come!

They girls are in the same class this year and their teachers name is Mrs. Austin.

Neither of them wanted summer to end or to go back to school but since it has started they have totally loved it!

 

First Graders

Of course Colt and Ellie wanted in on theses school pictures! It has been great having them home all summer and we are going to miss these happy, fun, sweet girls in the house all day.

Their teacher was absent the first week of school and they had a substitute that they were so happy with. Now she is back and school is still great they tell me.  

Livy was more excited and less nervous to go to school. She loves the challenge and has been doing amazing in her class so far with her work and behavior. We are so proud of you Liv!

Rachel was a little scared and nervous the first day but when she got home she said she wanted to stay all day there, she loved it! She loves being in school and socializing with so many kids her age. I love watching you love it Rachel! We are so proud of you sweetie!

Icecream faces. We went and got some icecream after meet the teacher and the girls were pretty happy to go without the little kids :)

They are ready for 1st grade!!

"Ye-Key" and "El-Ye"

(Copied from Erin's blog but I saw it just the same way!! Thanks Erin!)

Zeke and Ellie are just 3 months apart.  And they are two peas in a pod!  They both have great personalities, so full of life and laughter!  They are crazy, rambunctious, silly and goofy and are even more so when they are together!  They egg each other on and feed off of each other!  They are quite entertaining to watch!  They LOVE to laugh with each other!

Always full of mischief together!  They were partners in crime!

There was always a "my" that proceeded their names when talking about each other.  It was "my El-Ye"  or "my Ye-Key".  They would ask for each other first thing in the morning or when waking up from naps

They usually did great at sharing with each other and would have each others back

Always together

If one starting doing something, the other would quickly follow

Eating shredded cheese by the handfuls!  Zeke was so sweet most of the time, making sure Ellie had some too, of whatever he was eating

I'm sure there were a few rough times between them, but I honestly can't remember any. I just remember them always together, smiling, laughing and playing great!

Bothering Poppy while he was trying to clean out the hot tub!  

If one of them was missing, they both were missing!  Always sneaking off together to play

Enjoying their ice cream together

Playing in the club house

And they loved swinging together.  And if you gave one of them a treat, don't even think about not giving it to the other one too!  They would make sure each other got all the treats they each got.  Always looking out for each other!

This was a very common scene.  They would just look at each other and crack up in this crazy laughter!  I think laughing together was their favorite activity!

The conversations between these two were pretty hilarious.  They seemed to totally understand each other, they have their own little 2 year old language!

Trampoline time with Grammy

They had a lot of dance parties together every night before bed, and many times throughout the day

They were just so cute together!  Acting silly and copying each other, then falling over onto each other, laughing hysterically! 

I LOVE Zeke and Ellie's relationship!!   They are totally twin cousins!  Makes me sad that they don't live near each other!  I wish they could grow up together and go to school together!  I know they would always have each others back and help each other out!  We will just have to try to get them together as often as possible!

Summer 2013 in New York Continued

A Family of Swingers 

(Again borrowed from Erin's blog, she rescues me when I just can't get these long long posts about our family trips done! Thank you!)

This family loves swinging.  It's pretty hard not to love the swings when there are 3 of them right in the house!  Lots of good times had on these swings!  Lots of cousin bonding time

And sibling bonding time.  Ezra's face in this picture cracks me up!

Not only are there swings inside the house, but, naturally, there are more in the back yard too!!  A homemade swing set built by Poppy!  Baby seat swings, recliner swings, a horse swing and regular swings....something for everyone!

The master swinger of all though is Uncle Dan!  He is the original swinger!

We all love hearing Uncle Dan sing while he's on a swing!

We just load the kids on the swings, wherever we can fit them and start pushing.  

You'd be hard pressed to find a kid on a swing alone.  If one kid is swinging, another one wants to join in as well.   Always two kids per swing

And then it gets really fun when Grammy comes in with treats!

Because that makes all the kids happy and puts them in the mood to dance!!

Cousins

This is the best part about being home, all the time with family!  They got along great and played so nicely together!  It really is a shame that we all live far apart.  I love watching them building relationships with each other. 

Took a few pictures at church one Sunday of all the kids, except Cora who was at her own ward

And with Grammy and Poppy too

Then the last day we did a little photo shoot of all the kids in their matching swimsuits from Grammy!

In age order: Hannah (11), Livy (6), Rachel (6), Colt (3.5), Zeke (2.5), Ellie (2), Cora (1), Ezra (7.5 mos)

I think this one is my favorite

Then I guess Ezra was just over it! haha.  Love how Zeke and Ellie are looking at him

But Grammy jumped in to make him feel better

Thanks Grammy for the suits and just for being a really great Grammy!  You've got some adorable grandkids and they all adore you!!

I really love all these kids!!  They are such great little people, with unique personalities and qualities.  

It's always great to see how each of them have grown since we saw them last.  I love seeing them interact with each other and care for one another.  They are all so special in different ways.  They are just a great group of cousins!  Excited to see their relationships develop and grow even more throughout the years!!