Brianna in PreK!

Brianna started PreK this week! She started the week of with a magnificent rainbow boom.

This year she is attending Flutterbugs. It is a preschool in the basement of the home of a woman I've known for years through church. We have heard really great things about it, and I tried to get the girls in there last year after the fiasco of trying to find a new school for them last minute, but the class was full. Brianna's first day was a little different than it will be other days. I got to stay and have the parent orientation while the kids played and had snack in the backyard. It was a short day, only 11-12:30, but it was a great "welcome" to the school. From what I heard described by the teacher,  Mrs. Smith, it is a great fit for Brianna and she is going to learn a lot.

One of the exciting things about this school is that we know so many people in her class already! There are two sets of twins that are both in our ward, and I know a few other parents from seeing them around church. Brianna is looking forward to a great year at Flutterbugs!

Maya started kindergarten

Our beautiful Maya started kindergarten this past week. Kindergarten! I know it's only the beginning of elementary school, but it also the end of her being a preschooler. She has grown into a smart, talented, kind, and sweet girl. She was so excited to start school!

Her first morning we all went with her to drop her off. It felt sooo early. We had to get there by 8 AM, which is what time we were eating breakfast during the summer. She seemed so big and so little all at the same time walking up to that big school.

Brianna was sad that Maya was leaving when she woke up, but at drop-off, she kept saying, "Bye, Maya!"

She gets to be in the same class as her good friend Emma! 

As the kindergartners walked into the school the older kids gave them high fives to welcome them. 

This year is going to bring a lot of changes for her, and we are all excited to watch them! 

July Joy

July seems so long ago already, but here are some fun highlights from the month!

Dallin tends to do an arm sweep that causes food massacres. 

I did this fun faux fishtail braid on Brianna.

We had some pool time! After the month of July the novelty of the pool was lost on me and we have gone far less.

Maya conquered the two wheeler! She is doing great on it, and just this morning I went on a run with her riding next to me. I love how grown up she's getting.

Family bike ride/walk. She had to stop and check out the horse, her favorite animal.

The morning of the 4th of July we attended a church breakfast and bike parade. The girls had fun decorating their bikes.

Of course, fun hair for the occasion.

I love my sweet babies!

It rained and stormed all afternoon but finally let up enough that I felt comfortable attending fireworks. This year we went to Timnath. It was great! We were glad that Papa got to join us, and we were also happy to leave Dallin asleep at Papa and Nana's house.

The kids got haircuts! It was Dallin's and Maya's first, and Brianna's second. Dallin was so cute the whole time, enjoying the sound and feel of the buzzers on his cute little head.

He was sure to thoroughly thank the hairstylist afterwards. 

Fresh haircuts look so great!

Maya drew this. She looked at a picture in one of her coloring books and was able to replicate it. It totally blew me away!

We went on a run together one morning. Maya ran about 2.5 miles at an 11 minute pace. Her little body was bookin' it! I made her get in the stroller when she was breathing so hard I felt bad for her. I love that she sees the benefits of exercise, and she always pushes herself as hard as she can.

Grandma Cindy came to visit!

The garden mid-July. Now it's way bigger (end of August) and we are harvesting a lot of vegetables. It's wonderful to see the fruits (literally) of our labors! I'm excited to do it again next year.

She fell asleep cuddling with me one day. I soaked in that moment!

This year has seemed particularly rainy. 

The kids all colored together and it was so cute. Dallin didn't really color. His book ended up on the floor very quickly, but I appreciated the adorableness of it anyway.

Dallin took his first steps! Without this toy! He's still pretty wobbly but he's getting a hang of it.

We spent the afternoon at Elitches with the Browning family. It was colder than we would have liked but overall we had a great time! 

Ryan spend 9 hours steam cleaning the grout in the tile. Dallin helped a little.

The before and after is so crazy, and it's gross that it was THAT dirty!!