chris.reese.girls1.2.3.4

Three different start days - three very happy girls.  Paige started first. She was so excited. This was the first year I sent her on the bus and didn't meet her at school. She said, "I know where to go mom, don't worry." She is gaining independence! She has Mrs. Miller and now that we are one month into school, all my fears about her have completely faded. She is wonderful!! At the bus stop. That side bag was the most important thing for her before she started school. She had a perfectly good bag from last year, but she soooo wanted a side bag. She had to pay for half and she gladly did!  Her awesome friend, Carys.  Five days later was Brynn's first day. They give the Kinder teachers a few days to do assessments and planning, so Brynn started the following Monday. Brynn has AM Kindergarten with Mrs. McCafferty, who is a brand new teacher at he school, straight out of college. I have some issues, but Brynn seems to be doing just fine. I a...

And, BAM, just like that school was about to start! It's crazy how fast it happens. One minute we are making our summer bucket list, and the next we are having our Back-to-School dinner. The past two years we have picked a scripture to focus on throughout the year. Last year it was about keeping the commandments - this year Chris and I chose to focus on prayer...helping our kids in their own personal habit of saying prayers and connecting with their Father in Heaven. Here is the printable I made to share with the kids at dinner: This is framed and hanging near the front door and they each got a pocket-sized one to keep in their backpack. We say this most every morning before we pray together and go off in our separate directions. We've always prayed before school, but I really feel like the kids are developing their own testimonies of the importance of prayer as we discuss and talk about it.  Before dinner that night, the girls chose rocks from the backyard and painted...

I believe it's somewhere near our 12th or 13th annual trip to the Extreme Bulls at the Ellensburg Rodeo - an evening we all look forward to every year with cowboys, angry bulls, excitement and yummy fair food.   Fin had to upgrade to a bigger hat this year. They all started with the bright pink hats (Brynn is wearing below) and now a few upgrades later all have a different one. They are so cute!  We eat dinner, visit the animals, and then head in for the big show.  We love having some of our extended family join in this tradition with us. Kenna came down to the Apken girl row for a bit. She liked sitting on Paige's lap! :)  It was so great meeting up with my amazing friend, Roxanne, who we know from our years in Ellensburg. She is a Paparazzi Jewelry consultant and runs a booth at the fair. The past two years we have hunted each other down. This year I got to see all her gorgeous kiddos and her husband. So great to catch up for a bit...