While They Are Young

Over the Thanksgiving break family from Idaho and Illinois came to town. My sister, Heather, and her husband, Joe, blessed their newest member, Jordan. My brother, Christian, wrestling with the kids, just returned from serving his mission in Hawaii. We had a fun filled week with activities and many memories.

I'm so excited!!!
Water break

Cheerleader posing for picture

Nathan started soccer a few weeks before school started and will end the last day in Oct..
This is his first time playing a sport and has done as well as could be expected. Only the future can tell if he will be signed up for any other sports in the next couple of years :) Love ya Nate!!

Girl Fearing For Life Gets Injured- During Nathan's soccer practice, at an elementary playground, Kayla and Garrett meet up with some kids at the playground. They were playing a game of tag and apparently Kayla was the one being pursued. She was in the process of escaping down the slide(the old school ones where they are 9 ft high) when a pursuer starts to climb up the slide. She turns around only to find another pursuer climbing up the ladder. She does the only logical thing and jumps from half way up the slide. On impact of landing she fractured the left foot bone just behind the big toe. While this is going on I was watching Nathan's practice. I look up to see Elsie walking toward me with Kayla hobbling behind. After about 6ft she goes down onto her hands and knees. I am then trotting over to her and when I get to her she is crying and saying that she feels like throwing up. After 10 minutes of nothing happening I decided that soccer practice would have to be shortened and we take a risk of Kayla throwing up in the car. We do carry extra baggies for such an occasion for it is not rare in our household to have a sick child in the car. We made it home with nothing happening and I was able to get around to asking what happened. When Kayla hit the ground her foot was under her, between the legs, hence the upset stomach. Well, 3 days later and many ice packs she was still hobbling, but able to move we decided to have her foot x-rayed. Three days after that we had an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon and a pink cast on her foot with strict guidelines. She could only walk, talk, color, read, and participate in hand games for the next three weeks. All of this happened one week before school started. Since then the cast is off and she has a slight limp which will take anywhere from 3-6 weeks to work its way to a complete recovery.

Kayla started piano lessons over the summer with a 6 month contract. She has a desire to learn and I would like it to be worth it, so we made an agreement and shall see if she would like to continue after January.

First day of school for 3 out of 4!! Elsie gets to hang out with mom for 31/2 hrs. each day and 4 hrs. on Wednesday's.

The school crew. (Explanation to Pink cast will follow)

Nathan's first writing and coloring pictures in class. Everyone is enjoying their days at school. Garrett is in the musical program and is learning to play the viola. Kayla was nervous about not doing well in class, but has proven that she can handle 2nd grade. Nathan has surpassed all expectations! The teachers say that he could be a TA. He is above in writing and reading as well as word recognition. I just respond that he picks up on info. really quickly and that he is self motivated as well. I can honestly say that I had nothing to do with it, almost :) Paul and I feel that Nathan now feels that he is a part of the big kids, he is among his peers, and he can be more of himself, even outside of our home.