More Wedding Pictures...

Because we just can't get enough of being together. Although Dave likes to say, we are going to be together forever, let's not cram it all in at once. (jokingly of course mom!)

These are from the reception held here in my parents backyard. We were lucky enough to have our good friends the Larsens come down from Puyallup to take all the wedding photos (which turned out so beautiful of course!)

As a side note, it is so fun to see good friends, whether you run into them randomly in the Salt Lake Airport or you plan a visit together. Whether your visit is a few minutes or a few hours, it is like getting the best hug and keeps you feeling good for days afterwards. I love hearing that my friends that I don't see anymore are doing well, that they are happy.

So back to the wonderful wedding...

Ben, Reilyn, James & Bella waiting to be directed where to go.

The Dyer grandkids with grandma & grandpa...don't the girls look like little white fairies in their dresses.

Dave & James

Our handsome RM Trav and little mis tab...he's single ladies...

The blushing bride & her brother

Adyson & Savannah BFF's

Little fairies waiting for the food to make it's appearance

My lovely mother

Miss Avery is always so cute, especially when she is sneaking into the pail of gummy worms grandma is using to bribe the kids to smile...hee hee

And she's not the only sneaky one in the family, miss gabby & miss bella

Ben was in heaven, free reign in grandma's backyard, plus a table full of food he can reach without anyone noticing. He came home with drips running down his shirt.

running girlies

This is my wonderful grandpa, who is in the hospital right now. It was so good to see him and visit with him.

Poor little David didn't feel good this weekend, he crashed inside on the couch.

First Day of School, First day of school....

Wake up wake up wake up!

This is our mini version of the german first day of school tradition. I will probably spell it wrong, but they are these GIANT funnels full of school supplies & treats that you can buy at the stores for the kids and parents give to their kids in Germany. I think it is spelled schulle tutte?? (Kristin correct me if I'm way off). I've made them for the kids the last few years with a special pen or pencil and some treats in them. This goes along with our back to school dinner which I let the kids pick out (pizza big surprise) and then of course fathers blessings to start off the year.

So...of course of first day of school can't start off without a story & excitement. David & Savannah started today, but Isabella's kindergarten doesn't start until tomorrow. She did not want to be left out of the fun of getting her hair fixed and getting pictures taken in her new outfit. And she wanted to have her pictures taken with Savannah since their outfits kind of matched. (I swear I do not match them on purpose all the time, usually they CHOOSE to match-which of course I LOVE).

So here are the gorgous kiddos all ready and excited for the first day of school. This was about 30 minutes before the bus comes...

Now with shades to add some hollywood glam...she poses everyone herself too-little miss bossy bossy!

David on the other hand is not excited about being taken away from his last few minutes of freedom for lame pictures...

So then Isabella says to everyone, okay get your backpacks so we can pretend to walk to the bus so mom can take pictures of all of us walking to the bus. The kindergarteners aren't even taking the bus to school this week and we still had about 20 minutes to go at this point but it is all about the perfect picture...

Definitely not happy...

la la la, she's bossing them around telling them which way to walk to get the perfect shot...

And now we actually do walk to the bus

They don't even turn around to wave goodbye anymore...

So then she goes in the house and changes so she can save her first day of school outfit for her real first day of school which is tomorrow...

Afternoon snacks must be grandma van cookies, the most divine cookies in the world.

I have to say, I love the excitement of fall and knowing my kids are growing and learning and having fun. But I always feel like a piece of my heart is missing when I see them walk on the bus that first morning and spend the first quiet day of the school year at home with the littles.

Double ear infection, prednizone, lots of tylenol & advil...and I am still such a good mom that I take my kids to the fair! Yep the fair is a long honored tradition at our house. When we visited we never missed and so far we haven't missed yet. One of the first things Dave did with my family was go to the fair.

But this summer our family mantra has been "we can't do that because we're saving our money for Hawaii". So the kids have had to make hard choices, burgerville or hawaii fun money, movies or hawaii fun money. This year they forfeited rides at the fair for fun in Hawaii. We're trying to teach them the value of money and that we can't do or pay for everything. But even with just visiting animals, peeking at the jausting and doing the free stuff they still had a fabulous time.

The girls made little purses at the sewing booth

I think David took this picture when we weren't paying attention

We LoVe the fair!!