Michael's First day of School

IT stays at Dad's House!

So Grace and Noah convinced me that they had earned enough money between the two of them to buy a hamster! I am personally not a fan of rodents in the least and most who know me recognize that fact to the extreme. But with Verl's okay that the hamster could live at his house, I agreed to take the kids to the pet store to check out there options.
We started by visiting a couple of different pet stores and Noah and Grace walked excitedly around together checking out their options. With the agreement that a pet was not coming home with us that day, they both did an excellent job of squelching their pleas and suppressing any attempts at flat out begging. Using a pen and paper my adorable duo went around each store making a list of the items they would need and a few they just wanted along with the price tag attached to each. Returning home they sat huddled on the floor adding and subtracting with a whole lot of scheming thrown in...

Happy 24th Birthday, Beaner!

Lexis is a 10th GRADER!!

First day of School for Noah & Grace

Today was the first day of school for both Noah and Grace! Can't believe our summer is already over! Noah is in 5th grade!!!! And Grace in 3rd! Now that is something I can't believe! They both headed off to elementary school with their giant books in hand(Grace is reading "Twighlight" and Noah the 4th "Harry Potter.") They had cute outfits on courtesy of Grandma T--"Thank you, Grandma!" Both surprised me last night with brand new hair cuts. (Not sure why their dad is always cutting off all their hair but that's for another time...) I walked Grace to her classroom and she was quite nervous about going in. Back to school jitters as well as the fact that the other students were already seated and the announcements were being read. I then walked back by Noah's classroom, he is in a class with 8 boys and the rest girls!! He was busy listening to his new teacher go through class rules while picking his nose. :) --"Don't you tease him, Lexis!" Michael doesn't start pre-school until next Monday and Lexis starts 10th grade!!! tomorrow morning. They give the freshman an extra day of school to figure things out without the upper classman around, of which I think is an excellent idea. Lexis being an upper classman, for Heaven's sakes, didn't start today. Grace's comment to me after school today was, "It was just like any other first day back, Mom." Right. Makes sense. They are out at 1:30pm all week in order for SEPs. Eases us all back into it, I guess. Here's to another great school year!!

Pinch an Inch

I think Michael gained atleast 5 lbs. in Washington! He's almost too, TOO heavy for me to carry him around. I hear he ate chicken nuggets like crazy while at his Dad's and he even started drinking V8 juice!!

Moving Time

I headed to San Diego to help Carly move this past week, courtesy of Mom! ("Thank you, Mom!") Can't believe we didn't take more pictures, these are taken by one of Brandon's roommates, not Carly but Colin. :) They're neither Carly's or my favorite but what do you do. A huge part of not taking more pics was the fact that we were so crazy busy the whole time! Moving is a job and I am so glad I was able to be there to help Carly out! We packed and packed and cleaned and cleaned. Then cleaned and cleaned and unpacked and unpacked! We did get in some fun as well. BBQ at Brandon's, a Charger's baseball game V.I.P. style which was lots of fun and the whole trip I ate more awesome food than I should have... Burritos and more burritos! Super yummy Brunch, twice! Crab Crackin'Monday and amazing BBQ Ribs to name a few!
Her new landlords mentioned that she could paint the walls and I squeeled like a little girl (to take a quote from Noah.) I painted Carly's kitchen walls RED! and that was tons of fun! I think it looks great and Carly agrees. Her new place is very cute, little scary in location--"sorry, honey"--but true. I also got to see her teach her first day's Stats class at UCSD as Professor Thurston! That was really awesome! She is a fantastic teacher and it is definitely what she should be doing in life!
Here's the BEFORE kitchen and an After will be posted soon.

A long lost photograph of my three little darlings and Lisa's Sydney. I just love it!

Cool Beans, Baby!

Flynn and Krista are opening a new coffee house and the place is looking amazing! It was definitely a huge factor in our staying extra days in the Tri-Cities this past vacation. I found myself just wanting to hang out there and it helped that Flynn makes me the most wonderful white chocolate mochas I've EVER had! Really cool spot and I'm very excited for them!

We Love SOPHIE!

CAUTION! 15 Year old Driver on the Road!

It's official! The little stinker, despite my threats and warnings, went and got her DRIVER'S LICENSE PERMIT!

Happy Birthday, Michael Ethan!

Michael is 4!!!

Elayna Grace Thurston

I got to babysit ELAYNA!! Flynn and Krista went on a date and since the kids were off with their Dads, I got to go over and hold the baby for hours...she really is such a beauty and it is so fun to hold such a little one again!
Before Lisa and I raced off to Seattle Wednesday morning I just had to stop in and see her (and Flynn and Krista) and Flynn was just glowing! He had to show me her closet full of adorable clothes and he told me how when Elayna gets done with her bath her hair sticks up just exactly like his does...such a proud Daddy! So wonderful to see!

WE Love Twilight!

SO each of us girls (that meaning myself, Lexis AND Grace!) LOVE the Twilight books. We're doing a count down now to the movie...