Back-to-School

 September positively flew by!

Brian started 1st grade!

Mom: How was your day?
Brian: A little frustrating.
Mom: Really, What happened?
Brian:  It just took so loooong!

I guess 1st grade took a little getting used to but he's doing well despite having to go to the principal's office already (He pushed a boy for wrecking his sandcastle at recess)!  We're working on communicating feelings instead of being physical when things don't go our way.  I'm pretty sure being physical as a 6-year old boy is "normal" and that Brian's communication will improve with age and practice but it's a little stressful getting phone calls from the principal and teacher about your child's behavior.  While the whole situation has made me look really hard at the way Dusty and I parent, I have to keep telling myself that we really are doing what we believe is right for our children.

Samantha started pre-school!

I'm doing an at-home preschool group with 2 other moms.  We picked our own curriculum and we've been having fun.  She's been so excited to go each week and she's done much better with getting dressed and doing hair and going potty and all that grown up stuff.  The first week, her teacher did a little interview with her.  These are her answers:

Name: Samantha Jane Allen
Age: (holds up 4 fingers)
Mom's name: Melanie
What does your mom do during the day?  Works
Dad's Name: Dusty
What does your dad do during the day? Goes to drill
Favorite color: Blue
Favorite food: Macaroni & Cheese
Favorite song:  Ring Around the Roses
Who's in your family?  Little sister, and little brother, and big brother.
Favorite place to go:  ummm..... to the store
Favorite thing to do:  Play games
What do you like about your mommy?  She let's me have a piece of candy.
What do you like about your daddy?  That he lets me go with him.
Favorite book: Horton hears a Who.
What do you want to be when you grow up?  A fire fighter!

Nathan is definitely in the thick of his terrible twos.  He can throw a tantrum!  However, he is learning more and more each day.  He can pick out a shirt and some pants (they usually don't match) and bring them to me to help him put them on.  He is also learning how to jump up things.  He tries to both-feet jump up the curb but it's just a little too high so he ends up doing a little step/hop one foot at a time.  Then he'll look up at me and wait for me to applaud.  (I found these pictures from his birthday back in July.)

Dusty started his 2nd to last semester at BYU-I and he is busy busy busy.  He is doing his internship this semester.  His 12 credits (which feels more like 18 because of his auto class and lab) his 20-hour/week internship, scout calling,  splitting firewood and the million projects he has going in the garage keep him hopping from one thing to the next and not having quite enough time to finish anything.  He did however, build some shelves in our shed for me so I was able to organize all of that stuff!

I am loving being home with my kids during the day.  I really missed Brian that first day of school!  I really enjoy being such a big part of Samantha's pre-school experience and even though Nathan drives me crazy with his repetitious mom, mom, mom, mom, or snack please, or look big tractor repeated 10 times, his innocence and joy in life bring smiles to my heart daily.  He is so quick to laugh, forgive and love.  I am enjoying being pregnant but just starting to get to that stage where some moving around is getting a little difficult.  The other day, I walked through the kitchen 4-5 times before I convinced myself to bend over and pick up the toy car that was on the floor.  hehe.  I have felt very close to the little spirit growing inside me and I just can't wait to meet her.  She is one STRONG baby and especially likes to kick and tumble about at night (right when I'm settling in to go to sleep).  She and Dusty have poking contests.  She'll kick and he'll poke her and she'll kick back and on it goes until I put a stop to it.  I have moment when I wish the end of November here right now and then remind myself that it will probably be here all too soon and I try to just enjoy the ride.

At Summer's End

Here is a recap of our amazing summer:

We survived Dusty being gone at LDAC for one month!

Samantha turned 4!

Nathan turned 2!

We found out our new little baby (due Nov. 30th) is a girl!

We had several wonderful family reunions- Junction, UT (Tolman), Midway, UT (Fillmore), Lake George, CO (Allen)  Am I forgetting any trips?

Would you believe that we didn't take a single picture while we were in Colorado?!?!  We're terrible!!!

 Nate swinging at a pinata at Samantha's birthday.

 Samantha's new cabbage patch doll and stroller.

The awesome pinata I made for the Tolman reunion with Brian swinging his heart out!

Here's a Preview of what is to come:

Dusty starts his Last year of College!  Whoot Whoot!  He's doing his internship this fall so it will be pretty busy.  He's been working on all kinds of projects in the garage including a sandrail and don't forget the many trips to the woods to cut firewood.  I keep telling him it's really okay for us to use the furnace once in a while but he really enjoys having a fire and I think he enjoys going to get the wood too.

Melanie is getting more and more pregnant every day.  I am so excited to welcome this little girl into our family!  If all goes well, I will also have gall bladder surgery soon after she's born.   Oh, how I have missed chocolate, butter, and 2% milk!  I'm still absolutely loving being at home full-time and I have been able to do so much sewing and crafting.  The other day, I made Brian a pair of pajama shorts which he though were the coolest thing ever!  (Confession:  I'm already thinking about starting on Halloween costumes for this year)

Brian is starting 1st grade!  He is excited to be able to eat lunch at school and use his new school supplies.  He is getting more and more independent and just loves to go go go!  We just got a little motorbike that Dusty is teaching him to ride.  He's not quite tall enough to straddle it yet which I'm grateful for- I'm not quite ready for him to be that grown up yet.  

Samantha is also starting preschool.  We're just doing at-home preschool on a rotation with a few other moms/kids.  She's excited and keeps asking when she gets to go to preschool.  She is still super imaginative and I find her playing all sorts of games with all sorts of things.  Did you know that colored pencils make great characters?

Nathan is growing up SO fast.  He is talking up a storm and running and jumping even more.  I have never seen a 2-year old with his muscle control and balance.  He teaches all his friends who come over how to go down the stairs on their bellies face first.  He still loves tractors and cars. He also loves going for rides with Daddy.  I've had to literally run after him a couple of times when dad had to leave him behind and he tries to run after him anyway.