Carter's 4th Birthday

Good morning birthday boy!!!!
Smile it's your birthday and you are going to have a party!!

A waterslide party at Grandpa Morgan's house!!

You are going to invite all of your friends over to play and have pizza.

You get to open lots and lots of presents!!

And don't forget about decorating your own ice cream cone cupcake. Yummy!

You are all gonna have such a blast.

And it will all end at Sunday dinner when the whole family sings happy birthday to you!!

We love you Carter and hope that you had a wonderful 4th birthday.

Porter's First Day of Kindergarten

I can't believe it but the day finally came for Porter to start Kindergarten!!

YAY!!! He was so happy to go to school that first morning.

Porter was definately looking very cool for school!

We got to stay in class with him for a little while and this is a picture of me putting

his name tag on him.

All the kids waving goodbye to their mom's and dad's.

Since this blog serves as a journal for our little family there are a few things that I want to include about Porter's first few weeks as a kindergartner.

The first day home from school, all day long he was saying "I can't believe I'm a kindergartner!" and "Can you believe I started kindergarten already?" It was so cute and I was so happy to see how excited he was to start school. Then the following morning when it was time to get ready for school he said that he wasn't feeling good, and I realized that he didn't really want to go. I convinced him that he should and did and he got out that day and everyday very excited about the days events and very happy to see us. He has struggled a little bit with having to leave and it has really been hard on my pregnant emotions.

One day last week Porter and I were talking and he asked if I had ever cried when I went to kindergarten. I told him that I did, that I cried a lot because I was very shy and didn't know how to talk to people very well. I told him that I knew that wasn't a problem for him, that he makes friends very easily. He told me that he worries while he is at school that we aren't going to pick him up. I then told him that while he is at school I think about him the whole time and wonder what he's doing. I assured him that when he is not with me I am always thinking about him. He then went upstairs and got ready for bed. When he came back down quite a few minutes later he said "Mom, thanks for telling me that stuff that you told me...it really helps."

Sending Porter off to school those next couple days went a lot better and although we are still trying to work through some other anxious feelings that come about we are getting through this little adjustment period. It is funny how I always thought that Porter was SO ready for this time in his life and never would've imagined that he would have a hard time leaving home it makes me feel as though I really need to be sure that the time that he spends at home with us is positive and that I should be thankful that he should love us so much and feel like he might be missing out a little bit while he is away. Now, if only he still felt a little of this ten years from years I will probably be the happiest mom ever!!!

The Wild Animal Park with the Roberts

Our last fun activity for the summer was going to the Wild Animal Park with the Roberts.

We were really excited to go and were very thankful for the opportunity.

Joseph, Porter and Carter standing with the Meerkat.

The boys loved the dinosaur expedition that they had going on there at the park!

Carter, Reby, Porter and Joseph on the Rhino.

Thanks Marybel and Kevin for inviting us to go with you guys.

We really had a blast...and boy were we beat by the end of the day!!

Our Trip to Spanish Fork

Every summer I grew up spending a couple weeks on my mom's parents farm in Spanish Fork, UT. I told Sam early on this summer that I wanted to somehow get the boys up to the farm for Pioneer Day and Spanish Fork Fiesta Days. I think my mom was happy to know that I had such fond memories of those vacations that she told my dad that they should take me and the boys up for a week. I think she would've stayed even longer if the boys and I could have handled being away from Sam for so long but there was no way that was even possible. My parents stayed at the farm in Leland and the boys and I stayed with my cousin Karalee in Payson. I appreciate all the driving that my parents and cousin did driving us back and forth.

Monday as soon as we got to Karalee's we made plans to go to Santaquin to the Family Tree Restaurant where we ate their gigantic yummy scones and honeybutter. Then we went back to the house and hung out for the rest of the night which was perfect after our long drive.

Tuesday the Porter and Carter played with Karalee's kids and we decided to go to the dollar movie in Provo and say Monsters vs. Aliens. Then we met up with my parents and Aunt Jolene on the farm and decided to go to the Pizza Factory to celebrate Russell's (Karalee's husband) birthday. Thanks Russell for picking the Pizza Factory because it was so yummy!

Wedenesday my parents planned to take us to Provo to meet up with the Smith's but when we got up there Joanna called and told me that Grace had a fever. We ended up just hanging out at BYU. We went to the museum there on campus which the boys loved, we played games at the Wilkinson Center, and we had lunch at the Creamery. We also drove by the Provo Temple and pointed out all the missionaries that were walking between there and the MTC. Then I had the boys take a picture in front of the MTC cause I thought Sam might like that since he is always talking about them being future missionaries.

Then we headed back to the farm for a little rest before going out to see the stock parade and to have a picnic and then we were off to the rodeo.

Aaron and Michael joined us for the rodeo.

Don't tell anyone but I think Michael thought it was pretty fun!

We took a picture of ourselves while waiting for the rodeo to start.

Katelyn and Samantha sat next to us and loved helping me keep the boys entertained.

Carter really took to Samantha -- it was so cute to see him with her.

My cousin's wife, Wendy, did such a great job trying to keep Porter awake for the last and most exciting part of the night--

the Bull Riding.

You can tell by the look on Porter and Carter's faces that they ABSOLUTELY loved it!

Thursday we went to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House. It was beautiful and I couldn't help but get a little choked up when I got to be with Porter and Carter in the sealing room. What a great experience, I only wish Sam could've been there to share it with us.

Porter, Carter and Logan waiting patiently to go inside.

Friday we were so excited to celebrate Pioneer Day, well atleast I was.

We got to see the parade down Main Street in Spanish Fork.

I got the boys snowcones to eat while they watched.

Then we took the boys over to the carnival to ride rides.

Carter and Katelynn on the boats...don't you love Carter's pageant wave?

We finally made it over to visit the Smith's. The kids played together so well and it gave Joanna and I plenty of time to catch up. We miss them so much.

Aaron and Michael picked us up and we went back to the farm to finish off the Pioneer Day festivities. The boys got to feed the cows some hay.

I love this picture of the boys. They had so much fun together on our trip.

With the look on his face, you'd think he got bit by one of those cows or something.

I think Porter could have spent the whole entire time feeding those cows and would have been perfectly content.

We had a great dinner at my cousin Reid's house there on the farm and then drove over to Salem to watch the fireworks!

The next morning we were up and on the road by seven and Porter and Carter were so good the whole, except for Carter kicking Michael's seat...sorry about that Michael.

The only thing that would've made our trip any better was if Sam had been able to go with us. Next time there is no way we will go without him.

Thanks Mom and Dad for the whole trip...it was just the way I had hoped it would be and I know that they boys loved it.

Thanks Karalee and Russell for letting us stay with you guys, we miss you and your family.