Bitten off more than we can chew??

So, today the "fall" officially begins in our house. It is once again back to school time. Not for the kids...yet...but for me! I started school...again...today. I have been dreading this, but feel like it is something I need to do. I am working towards my Nurse Practitioner. Ugh! Between that...work, Bren's work, Bren's school, four kids etc. I am starting to feel like maybe we have bitten off more than we can chew...again! I just need to keep reminding myself that we seem to do best under pressure and we will take it all one day at time. Everytime I go to the first day of class I feel overwhelmed. But I always make it through in the end. We can do it...just keep us in your prayers!

We hope everyone else is getting excited to kick off their own personal fall! I love, love, love fall! I get so excited for the cool, crisp nights, the pumpkin patch hunting, the holidays, the BIRTHDAYS...! Can't wait!

Why I LOVE summer....

...Because I have the cutest and most fun kids in the whole world...and I LOVE spending time with them!! We are having the best summer swimming, being silly, reading stories, playing games and of course, dancing in the family room (a family favorite!!).

Enjoy the silly dancing...and enjoy your summer!

Zach's First Tooth!

Zach has had a wiggly tooth for a while now. He has been afraid to wiggle it or let anyone else wiggle it! He has been carefully eating around it so that nothing touches it! So last night Brennon talked him into letting him "look" at it. When we looked at it we discovered that it actually wasn't attached to anything in his mouth except one little part at the front. So Brennon took it out! Zach had this complete look of terror and joy all at the same time when he discovered that it was out! He started crying and laughing at the same time! He kept saying "That didn't even hurt!!". He doesn't look too pleased in this first picture...

But look at the beautiful "window" he now has in his mouth! Plus the tooth fairy left him a golden dollar because it was his first tooth...and a paper dollar because he was sooo brave!

Way to go Zach!!

Preschool Graduation, Brownie Bridging, and Hip Dysplagia

We've had some important events this past week, so we thought we'd share some photos! Zach graduated from preschool this week! He and his best friend Owen enjoyed the refreshments!

This is Zach walking across the stage getting his diploma. Click on this picture to make it bigger...the expression on his face is priceless!!

Savannah got to attend a Girl Scout Bridging Ceremony. She bridged from Brownies to Juniors. This is them singing a brownie song.

This is Savannah crossing the Bridge!

Nathan was diagnosed with Hip dysplagia this week. We had noticed that he had been walking funny the last week or so...his right foot is turned out to the side when he walks...so we took him in! So after x-rays, blood work, and ultrasounds...they discovered that he has hip dysplagia...so now he has to sleep in this super fancy brace to try and get his hip to "remodel" into a better, more symmetrical shape on the right side! It makes it impossible for him to sit up, roll over or move around in bed. I don't think he's too crazy about it...but its better than surgery...so hopefully it will help so that we can avoid that. We started the week hoping and praying he didn't have cancer (which he doesn't...all the tests came back good), so I am honestly grateful to be ending the week with nothing but hip dysplagia!!

Bahamas Fun!!!

Thought we'd post some pictures of our trip...this is in no particular order!

Bren and Nate on the beach! Nate LOVED the sand...eventually he warmed up to the water...but he really loved the sand!!

Nan and Nate in the water at the Sand Bar beach. We loved this little beach...we were the only ones there that day and there were tons of beautiful seashells that we collected. Plus, the surf wasn't as strong as Cabbage Beach so the kids felt much more comfortable swimming here!

Jessi and Zach playing in the hammocks...she definitely got dumped out a time or two...much laughter involved!!

Savannah and Torrey feeding the birds at Ardastra. They just landed right on you and ate out of your hands! It was amazing!

Jessi at the beach by the Sand Bar Hotel. She LOVED wearing her googles and looking at everything in the ocean!!

At Ardastra (the Zoo). These are the marching flamingos. The girls got to stand in the middle of the "parade". Notice that they are holding hands....they really wanted to stand there...but were very nervous...then the drill sargeant made them stand on one leg like a flamingo!!!

Thought this sign was cute!! Great flamingo poses eh man??

At the floor show...Jessi dancing with Aunt Laurie!! She was grinning from ear to ear!!

This was in the Atlantis marketplace. We went wandering around there one night and stopped to listen to a live band. Everyone was up and dancing...so we thought we'd join in the fun too! Nathan really knows how to get down!

Brennon and the kids playing on some giant lily pads (fake ones!) in the lagoon. This was taken from the balcony in our hotel room. I was upstairs letting Nate nap!

The pirate museum! Click on this picture and look at everyone's expression...one of my favorite pictures!!!

Savannah at the pirate museum!

Zach and Uncle Ty. Zach is making his scary pirate face because they are sitting on the pirate ship at the pirate museum!! LOL!

Nathan decked out waiting for the water taxi to take us to Nassau. This was about the only time he actually kept his sunglasses on!

Thanks Laurie and Tyrel for a GREAT time!!

Nathan's First Steps!!

We are so happy that Nathan is FINALLY starting to walk! The whole family was sooo excited...which only encouraged him to keep trying over and over again! Go Nate!

In other news...we've had a couple funny conversations at our house and about lately...so we thought we'd share:

Zach and Mommy were at the hospital. We got on the elevator and there was a lady standing there holding a grocery sack in her hands. Zach stood next to her for a minute, looked her up and down and then moved all the way to the other side of the elevator. Then he pipes up: "You got a brain in there?" Even though I'm sure she was surprised, she was quick and replied "No, they don't let us carry those around!" "Oh..." Zach says "Well, my dad has a brain!" Then we quickly exited the elevator. I busted up laughing as soon as I stepped off the elevator because Brennon really DOES have a brain...a sheep brain on top of our fridge that he has been studying for Anatomy and Physiology...and guess what he brought it home in??? You got it! A grocery sack!

Jessica and Mommy were sitting at the dinner table. I asked Jessi who she was "in love" with...fully expecting the "Oh mom, I don't love anybody...gross!" But instead Jessi who is full of surprises said "Owen Larson!" "Really?" I said. "Yep", she replied "I plan to marry him!"

Then lastly, we just wanted to pay homage to the amazing blanket makers who have enriched our boys' lives! LeAnn...remember the adorable green quilt you made for Savannah when she was a baby?? Well, that is Zach's FAVORITE blankie! He can't go anywhere without it and it has turned into a well loved raggedy old thing! Mom O, Nathan can not be happy without one of your flannel blankets with the edging! He must have one to sleep, ride in the car, eat in his highchair, crawl on the floor...well, you get the idea! Luckily for me, he isn't picky as to which one yet so we rotate between three different ones because as you can guess when they go so many places, they get DIRTY! But it has to be one of Grandma O's...he won't take any other blanket!

I'm 14 months and I don't walk yet.

Nathan has been working on walking for a while. We decided to capture some of his workout on film. We hope you find it as fun to watch as we have!!!