September review

Since I can't seem to keep up with blogging I am doing a recap of the months to catch things up. September was busy with Mackenzie starting school, piano, and soccer for the first time. We requested she be on a team with one of our friends with hopes of her not being so shy and timid. That friend then asked Brandon to help coach. She was right at home and did great! The herd around the ball was so funny to watch. She got called for hands ( I think) one time and she just broke down in tears. This picture is Brandon trying to keep her calm after that!


There were actually some pretty good kids on some of the teams which was good for her to see and get a better idea of how the game goes.

Then there is Brooklyn who is a nut. As you can see she is fully potty trained well before the baby and after only a little bit of persistence on my part when school started. Thank goodness for that!
Aren't they a little young? I thought the same thing and look at her smile! What do I have to look forward to. Yikes! This is the coaches son who she plays with in nursery at church.
All she wanted me to do was take her picture. Just open your eyes! She loved going to Mackenzie's soccer games, not to watch but to run around and play with the other kids. Go figure!

We gave her the same incentive as Mackenzie but she didn't take it as seriously. If she could keep her undies dry she could get a fish. Well, she did so we got a fish. mackenzie got to pick one too. Thank goodness the adults feed the poor things or they would have been dead a long time ago!
Mackenzie is such a good big sister. Now that she can read they curl up on each others beds and she reads to Brooklyn. Since we are mean parents and tell them to stay in there room on Saturdays until it is light outside, this fills the time.
Brooklyn loves to be in the middle of everything. I don't know if I call her my big helper or my bit mess maker. She runs the bosch when I make bread and she is so excited when I let her.
The girls loved the Osprey baseball game and Ollie. Well, that was from a distance because Brooklyn freaked when he actually got close to us. she usually has no fear so this made us laugh to think something scared her.

September in a nutshell. Mackenzie wasn't so sure of her school teacher but quickly learned to like her. She is a great teacher and keeps the kids on track.

More updates to come in the next few days.

Mackenzie R. 1st Grader

Okay so it doesn't have the same ring as Junie B. First Grader but oh well. Mackenzie started 1st grade today! It seemed like yesterday she started kindergarten, then she was done, and now first grade. The summer went by way to fast. Mackenzie was very excited to go back to school and only shed a few quick tears. I could have kept her here for much longer because she is such a good helper and playmate for Brooklyn. After one day, Brooklyn is missing her sister. She asked all day if it was time to pick up Mackenzie from school. She was thrilled when she finally got home. Hopefully we have another great year ahead!

Mackenzie on the last day of Kindergarten

First day of kindergarten 2008
She looks so little. I hate kids growing up!

Mackenzie's Big Recital

Mackenzie has been taking piano for about 8 months. She had her 2nd recital and did great. It is funny how particular and precise she is. She plays a little soft but it was awesome. She was very brave and played all by herself. She is the youngest of all the kids that played. We are very proud of her.

Tball 2

I forgot to add this one of her running home. The rules are everybody hits and advances one base. The last batter hits a grand slam and hits everyone in. There are no outs of course. Mackenzie loved to run the bases. That is if she was paying attention or if she had to be yelled at to run. Most kids had to be yelled at from parents in the stands and obviously the coaches would kindly push then along. They were too busy talking to friends or daydreaming or something to pay attention to when the ball was hit. Mackenzie would always be running with a smile on her face.
The first video was the beginning of the season. Brooklyn loved to say "hit that ball Mackenzie." I never got her on video saying it. The second video was at the end of the season. Brandon was recording and Mackenzie knew it so she was running and smiling at him the whole way. Goof ball! The last two games was coach pitch and for some reason I don't have that video. That is how we practiced at home so she did well. It was a fun season although I am glad it is over because of I was tired of chasing Brooklyn and trying to keep her off the field and away from her dad or favorite sister!

T-ball

I am just a little behind on posting since tball is now over! Whoops! Mackenzie played on the Lolo Dental Clinic Team with Brandon and our neighbor as coaches. She really had a good time and improved quite a bit. After the first game all I could do is laugh because it really was a mess. The kids got better every game though. We'll see if she plays baseball again next year.

I was trying to get a candid shot of her team on the bench. Well, she saw the camera and shot me a smile. Notice she is the ONLY one looking at me!

Brandon taught her to squish the bug with her back foot and she listened.

The action!!

Wright's visit

Brandon's parents came to visit the beginning of April. We took them to Lolo hot springs (definitely not Fairmont), then to Lolo pass. I don't know how many feet of snow there was at the pass but a ton and it is only 25 miles from our house! Thankfully we don't get that kind of snow at our house. Since we really didn't much snow at the house this year the girls loved all of it there. Unfortunately we weren't prepared to play in it and the girls were disappointed. we also went geocaching. A favorite activity with them, that is if Ed can figure out his GPS!!!!! Good times anyway.

If Mackenzie has sunglasses on Brooklyn has to also. She loves showing off her gum!

We probably shouldn't have climbed on top of the visitors center but it was closed anyway. Too much snow for me!

Easter fun

These are all out of order but oh well at least I am getting them up. We ended the day with the Wright family tradition of egg rolling. Our neighbors joined us and the kids had fun racing their eggs. Because the ground is so rocky most of the eggs were destroyed by the end. The last time we did it we used a concrete driveway and that was worse!

Before our egg roll we had a small egg hunt outside with our neighbors again. We had lots of good spots to hide. Of course none too obvious! This one was probably the best because the kids got candy!

Brooklyn only lasted about 10 minutes decorating eggs.

Mackenzie could have spent hours decorating them!

Easter morning was fun. Brooklyn was still confused this year until she figured out there was candy in her basket and the eggs the Easter bunny hid. I think the eggs with money were the favorites. The girls love to "feed" their pigs!

We actually had very nice weather which made the day all the more enjoyable. Mackenzie is getting old enough now she is starting to figure out and ask if the Easter bunny is real, and all the others too. It is kind of sad. She is still a believer for now and hopefully we can keep it that way for a few more years!