August 19-31, 2012

The rest of the month was total chaos but we managed to get (mostly) settled in our new home and kids off to a good start at school... whew!

Our new (and LAST) home!!

 

Kayla loves to sit and look out the front door.  It's starting to feel like home to her too.

A couple of weeks after school started it was time to go have lunch with the kids and meet some of their friends.  This is always so much fun!!

 

Moving back to America also meant keeping my promise to get lizards for the boys.  Connor got a bearded dragon, Boa and Aiden got a Chinese Water Dragon, Hunter.  Learning how to care for reptiles is a whole new experience for all of us.  How do I let them talk me into these things???!?

 

Boa

August 12-18, 2012

Cates Cousins

Jeremy's cousins were visiting from New York and spent a couple of days with us.  Whitney absolutely adores these 2 girls!!

Noodle wars with the boys

The boys talked me into setting up the tent.  We made s'mores (in the microwave) and watched movies.  (The s'mores turned out to be more trouble than they were worth... but delicious and fun!

The night before the first day of school.  We made a cake and the kids decorated it.
They are so excited!

First day of School!!!

The first and ONLY year all 3 kids will be attending the same school

My last baby is starting kindergarten.  Such a strange feeling.

Whitney's teacher, Mrs. Graff.

We're so proud of you Whitney!!

August 5-11, 2012

Home Sweet Home

It was SO NICE to get back to Jeremy and see all the work he did at our new home.  When we left the entire place was so full of boxes that you could barely move.  He unpacked the entire house.  It looked great!  There was still some work to be done that only I could do, so this week we were busy organizing and also unpacking from our trip.  We were also busy buying school supplies and getting the kids ready to start school NEXT WEEK!  We were so busy I didn't even take one, single picture!

This was the busiest, most eventful summer we have ever had.  Even the kids are anxious to start school and let things fall back into normalcy again.  I wouldn't change anything about this summer though.  Every bit of it was wonderful!!  

Now... looking forward to starting our new lives.

July 29 - August 4, 2012

Church with the cousins!

All the cousins with their Grandma and Great Grandma and Aunt Deana

Playing in my parents basement.  They are eating cry baby gum!  :)

We had a potluck and get together with all of our family in the area.  It was great to see everyone!

Making s'mores

Before heading to the airport to go home we all went out for breakfast at AJ's

Saying Goodbye

Had to stop at a Maverik for Jeremy

Waiting for our flight

My Mom made a quiet book for Whitney and it really works!!!  She played with that book on the entire trip home.  Thanks Mom!

July 22-28, 2012

Seattle Science Center

So appropriate... Aiden's nickname is 'naked mole rat'!

Looking at butterflies

My beautiful niece!

Very interesting IMAX movie about mummies!

Tacoma Zoo

Mt. Rainier is in the background

Right when I went to take a picture Whitney tries this move and gets in trouble!

The best part of the day: the kids got to throw the frisbee to their show dog

As the kids say "party rockin in the living room!"

Alki beach

Looking for treasures

The coldest water I have ever felt in my LIFE!!

We didn't even bring suits, I thought it was too cold.  I thought we would just sit on our blanket and have a nice quiet (clean) lunch... ha!  I was sooooo wrong!!

Connor is AWESOME!!

We really lucked out...  it was almost 80 degrees and sunny. A beautiful day in Seattle!

In the rental car driving from Seattle to Moscow to see the rest of the family!

Had to stop to take a picture... it was beautiful!  Connor was the only one that would get out with me.

We brought Tamara with us so all the cousins could be together

Moscow

As soon as we got there all the kids went straight to the trampoline

I finally got to meet my new niece who was born while we were in Germany

It was fun to have so many cousins.  Everyone has grown up so much since we last saw them!

Sleeping on the trampoline

They love guitar hero!!

We spent the day at the waterpark

Heather and her family came with a new nephew who was also born while we were gone

Priest River

After spending a couple of days in Moscow we drove to Priest River to spend time at my parent's house.  It was also Timber days, which is the annual fest for Priest River.

We ran into a little boy who Connor played with when he was in my Mom's kindergarten class for a couple of months.  

After the fest we spent the rest of the day at Riley Creek.  It was a nice day!