Wendy and Mishael's dinner party

Doug's sister Wendy got married on the 13th. On the evening of the 12th his parents had a big dinner party at their house for all the adults of the family.

The girls spent the night at my parents house.

The backyard was set up so beautifully.

It was honestly weird to be without kids but we had a great time seeing family members we hadn't seen in years. And the Jacksons, the couple we lived with in Illinois when we first moved, were there. It was so great to see them.

Doug and Wendy

There are the Jacksons sitting at a table with Doug's brother Mark and his wife Callie. Melinda is standing there by them too. 

Mishael is from Mexico and they had this guy singing some of his favorite Mexican songs while we ate.

First day of preschool

A couple of weeks ago I started preschool with Maddy. 

I won't be posting pictures of everything we do this year because I am not teaching other children. But occasionally I will post things that we do.

This was the morning before starting school. She was very excited.

After breakfast she got dressed and I tried to get a first day photo... but she was having too much fun making goofy faces and moving around so the pictures would be blurry. As usual.

I think they are all pretty cute though. Here are some of the attempts.

This one is actually cuter than I thought when I was taking it. It is a little blurry but that doesn't show up as much as I thought it would.

This was the one I finally used as the official first day photo.

We did a little test to see what she could do and she thought it was fun hopping around and stacking blocks.

One of my new favorite activities is using these number and letter patterns.

After a lot of hard work she went outside for recess.

Little Maddy

I went to Walmart to get some new contacts last week. Maddy just had to have her picture taken by the big Barbie.

BYU

As I mentioned I spent the week at Education Week. I loved it. I went Monday - Friday. My mom was able to join me for classes on Wednesday and Thursday and enjoyed herself so much that she came again on Friday. 

I really had a great time and went to so many awesome classes. 

I think BYU is a beautiful campus!

First day of Second Grade

Abi started school on the 20th of August. It came way too soon. 

I was kind of sad because it was a very different first week of school than it normally is because I went to Education Week at BYU and it just happened to be the same week.

Monday I went to a few classes but had to hurry home for the open house at her school at 2:30. I was a little sad that it was so early because I had to miss a few classes... but I wanted to be there for her. 

She was having a rough time leading up to school starting. She was crying at night because she didn't want to go back to school.

I was seriously considering starting homeschooling but Doug wanted me to wait another year to see how it went.

After the open house we got dinner out and then the girls had baths and the traditional fathers blessing. She was nervous and unsure and decided to hide under all her stuffed animals.

On the 20th I didn't go to my first two classes so that I could see her off. I was really torn about not being there when she got home from her first day though!

Here she is: 

First day of Second Grade

A bunch of the teachers were lined up outside the front door yelling and cheering with balloons and a school mascot (hawk). It was really cool and I think it made the kids feel really special.

Abi's teacher from last year was there and yelled her name which was cool.

Abi had a hard time last year but not from her teacher. Her teacher was very sweet and kind and Abi loved her.

100 books!

At the beginning of the summer I gave Abi a challenge to read 100 books over the summer. They had to be chapter books over 60 pages. I bought some book journals in the dollar section at Target and after reading each book she had to fill out a page about it.

Then we would hang a piece of paper with the book title onto our book chain. 

Every ten books she got to pick a small prize out of a basket. They were usually pencils, stickers, 

When she reached 100 she was able to pick out a bigger prize. 

Here she is (the day after the art show) with her book chain of 100 books and her prize. She picked the My Little Pony Equestria Girl Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer doll set.

Art show: part two

This is "The Sprinkle Shop" ( watercolor on canvas and then glue and salt)

and  "Minnie Doopdy's First day of School" (glue and salt and then food coloring)

by Maddy

Abi's mosaics...

Abi's " The Sprinkles" and "The Heart Sprinkles"

Abi's "Sugar and Spice" drawing of the Power Puff Girls

and  "Pinkie and Opal"

"Sparkly Paint Drops" by Abi

inspired by Jackson Pollack

favorite of Grandpa

"The Sunflower" by Maddy

pencil

"Strawberry Field" by Maddy

inspired by Jackson Pollack

favorite of Wendy

"The Park of the Magical Fairy Garden" by Abi

melted crayon dots

favorite of Dan

"Orchard by the Golden River" by Maddy and Me

melted crayon dots

"Rainbow Explosion" by Maddy

inspired by Henry Mattise

favorite of Grammy

"The Collage Mountain" by Abi

inspired by Henry Mattise

"The Alicorn" by Abi

watercolor

" Happy Flowers" by Maddy

watercolor

We played a game of Simon Says with drawing and the girls had to draw the same things to see how different their drawings would be.

Abi's:

Maddy's:

The refreshments: Lemonade and cupcakes

This is the sign we put on the front door..

The girls modeling by some of their art work. It is so hard nowadays to get a picture where both of them are smiling, looking at the camera, and not moving. Well, it's always hard to take one of Maddy that doesn't end up blurry because she is always in motion.

Aunt Wendy and Mishael

They brought the girls each one single pink sparkly rose.

Doug's mom (Grammy) brought them each a cute little basket. Abi's had a pack of pencils and a watercolor set in it.

Maddy's had a pencil set and a package of twistable crayons..

Doug, my sister Steph, Doug's sister Wendy..

my niece Courtney, Doug and his mom in the back...

It was SO much fun!! One of the highlights of the summer!