Davis Starts Kindergarten

It really happened...my little boy started kindergarten.  It was a day that I was dreading and looking forward to all at the same time. I did shed a few tears his first day.  I still have moments during the day when he is gone that I get a little sad.  It is just weird that he is gone so much and doing all these things that we aren't a part of.  It also changes our lives..we now have to plan around a school schedule and we are part of a new school community.  In the end, these are all good things and school has been great for Davis.  We worked really hard this summer learning to read and he was very ready to start school.  He was so excited, I almost felt bad being sad!  He didn't know anyone in his class which was really different for him after going to preschool with his cousin and friends but he has made friends (of course) and loves his teacher, Mrs. McClellan.  So, I guess I can say Kindergarten is great and he is loving it.

Waiting for the bus...such a handsome, big boy

  

 

Davis and our cute neighbor Lexi

Walking to class with his friend Sarah (they went to preschool together but got different teachers for kindergarten)

Sick of me taking pictures.  He wanted to get to class already.

Finally at his desk and ready to work!

Ivy 6 Months

Ivy turned 6 months old on August 2.  I just keep wondering, how can one baby be so cute?! She just continues to be the best, sweetest baby.  She always has a smile (even when she is crabby or sad, she will still smile at you-she can't help it!) and has a calming, peaceful (if that is possible with her sister around) influence on our household. I could not love her more!  Here are her 6 month stats:  

Weight:  15 pounds (36th percentile)

Length:  25.5 inches (23rd percentile)

Here are some pictures of our beautiful 6 month old girl...

 

  

August instagrams

It seems the only pictures I take these days are with my phone (I am in love with Instagram!). I thought I had better start posting them here so I have them in our family books. So, sorry if you have already seen these. Here is our month of August via Instagram.

Davis made his first pizza-he is such a great helper these days.

Davis and I went back to school shopping.  I think he hated every minute:)

Ivy started playing in the exersaucer

The girls got their ears pierced.  I had to work on Steve for awhile and he finally relented.  They look so stinking cute!

Living it up on the last of our summer nights

I just love it when babies sleep with their bums in the air.

Loving herself in the mirror

Pool party/Chatterbox meeting at my boss's house. Lets just say the kids had a good time.

The girls got hand foot mouth disease and we spent the better part of a week quarantined in the house.  Emery kept laying in Ivy's carseat.  It must have been comforting!

Still indoctrinating my children with some BYU love!

Emery has been working on learning to do her chores.  This morning she did them all by herself without me following her around begging her to do them!  I was so proud!

Night time cuddles with Dad.

We went to an outdoor movie at the zoo with some friends.  It was so much fun!

Matching sisters.  I think Emery looks so pretty in this picture!

We went to the Kentucky State Fair.  It was an adventure.  Embracing our inner redneckedness:)

Family night soccer game with friends from our ward to start off the soccer season.  The game ended when we got completely drenched by a crazy rainstorm.

Ivy learned to sit up!  I just love that she can sit.  She is getting so big way too fast, but I do like the sitting phase (the sitting before they start crawling!)

Steve completed his second sprint triathalon in August.  He improved his times a lot from last year and I think he is amazing to do all his training with the schedule he has.  Even when he traveled to Indianapolis and Atlanta for 3 weeks this summer, he took his bike and would swim laps in the hotel swimming pool to get ready for the race.  

Here he is at the finish line with his buddies Scott and Jared who also did the triathalon.  

First Solids!

Had to take some pictures of Ivy getting her first bites of solid food on her 6 month birthday (August 2).  I am writing this about 6 weeks later and she finally started actually eating food this last week.  She wanted nothing to with it until then.  She still won't take a bottle, either which makes going to work a little challenging but at least she will eat some solids now to hold her over.  Steve keeps telling her that we are not African and she can't nurse until she is 5.  She just might try.  What can I say?  The girl loves me!  

Before... Happy!

Surprised!  Most of it just came right back out:)

Utah by Instagram

Just a few instagrams to round out the pictures I took on my regular camera during our Utah trip.

Family Time

Steve came to Utah for the last 5 days of our trip.  Once he got there, there was some serious Larsen time to be had.

We had a fun afternoon having lunch at Tucanos and playing in the fountains at The Gateway.  Lunch was great, the kids had a great time and it was super hot outside.  I didn't last too long out there.   

Jon and Alivia

Grandpa and Grandma Larsen

We spent a beautiful Sunday evening in the Larsen's back yard...
Grandpa Black and Ivy...I think I see some similarities in these two! 

Emery got stung by a wasp and was understandably very upset.  The only thing that made her feel better was to keep this stash of ice and wet paper towels stuffed in her dress.  She wouldn't take it out for a couple hours.  Hilarious!  She might have enjoyed one (or ten) smores made by cousin Mylee during the entire escapade.  I think she was drowning her being stung sorrows. 

These cousins had the best time playing together.  

 Grandma Larsen stopped by my parents house to drop something off and Emery was so excited she pulled her all over the house showing her everything and then talked her into reading her a book.  Cute!

We love our Aunt Stacy.  So glad she was in Utah while we were there.  

Happy Pioneer Day!  We had a super fun BBQ at my parents house with The Larsens, ending the night of course with sparklers (left over from Steve and I's wedding!) and a few good rounds of pounce to finish off our trip!  

This was right before she burned herself on the sparkler and wanted nothing else to do with them.  

A little stink eye from the lovely lady.