First Day of School!

This week has been one of a great milestone. Mikiya started kindergarten! We are moving in a couple weeks, and they start school a week and a half earlier than this district does, so we decided to take her out rather than having her miss the first couple weeks. She was pretty excited! I found out only a couple days before it started that they are moving to all day kindergarten this year. Mikiya goes Tues, Thurs and every other Mon. So today is her second day of school. We got her all registered last week, and the secretary told us she couldn't start the same day she registered because she wouldn't be in the system. Poor Mikiya was broken hearted and just started crying. Luckily for us, we had gone to "meet the teacher" earlier in the week and she and the principal were expecting us, so the principal let her stay. That was great for her. I thought I'd be ok until we got into the car, but as we walked down the K-1 hall, I started crying. Mikiya told me I didn't need to, and I REALLY tried not to. I kissed her goodbye, took her into class and watched her get settled at her table. She so big! I'm so excited for her, but it was a difficult day for me. I bawled off and on all day. I have known she was going to school, but somehow I still wasn't prepared, especially for the all day stuff. I decided that overprotective, emotional moms should not be pregnant when they take their oldest child to school for the first time. Quaid had a difficult time leaving her as well and asked to go get her all day.

When we went to get her she was exhausted and didn't want to talk about anything. I was worried all day was to much and she didn't like it, but after she rested and cooled down, she jabbered about everything, and has been playing school with Quaid ever since. We went to IHOP for dinner to celebrate. She was so excited! However, all day school took all her energy. She took lunch to school, had a cheese sandwich when she got home, ate all her dinner, and then ate my leftover pancakes when we got home because she was still starving. Hope she doesn't starve today!

Walton Reunion

I'm a couple weeks late in posting, but we did have a blast at the reunion! This year we stayed at Mom and Dad's rather than going to the cabin, allowing us a little more room. Mikiya was so ansy to go, she thought we'd never get there. She just wanted her Grandma! All along the trip she kept asking if we were to the big trees by Grandma's yet. Of course, she finally fell asleep the last twenty mins. of the drive and had to wake her up so she wouldn't miss the trees. Boy was she glad to get out of the car! Quaid kept busy by taking his turn "working" on Mike's laptop.



Quaid was excited from the beginning as he got to open more birthday presents. One was a little golf set that with with 3 clubs and 3 balls kept the older kids entertained until Rafe started absconding with the flags to pick his teeth. Then it was out to the pools. The kids loved sliding in and out of the alligator pool, then run over to splash in the other pool.

Millie was excited to have Grandma help her on the slide, but was startled every time she splahed in the pool.

The new game of the summer was Lasso Golf (manufacture's name, I hear it has other names as well). At any rate, as you can see it was enjoyed by every age and none of the kids wound up hog tied by the bolos.



Another favorite activity, and reunion staple, was four-wheeler rides around the yard. For Mikiya and Kaelie, the faster the better. The boys weren't as concerned with speed so much as being able to help drive. Millie didn't care about speed or control, but being able to say "Hi" to everbody as she went by; especially "her" Grandma, dog, and dad (unless he was the one giving the ride, of course).

Day two involved a trip to the zoo, a picnic in the park, and amusement rides at Funland. The camera got left in the car, so you all have to trust us that it happened. Quaid's favorite animals were the tiger and the lion. And his favorite ride was the Ferris wheel. Mikiya's favorite ride was the carousel. I don't know what Rafe's favorite animal was, but his favorite snack was the goat food.

The grandkids finally all got their soccer jerseys from Uncle Layton that were waiting for them at Grandma's. As you can see, we had a classic attempt to photograph them together. Considering this was on the last day of the festivities late in the evening after church, they actually did pretty good. Although, judging by the kids' points of focus, we may have had too many parents coaching; also typical. :)

Long post short, we thought it was a great reunion. I forgot to mention the S'mores, meals on the deck, Grandpa's outdoor movie theatre, and playing/feeding Millie's dog, Mya. We look forward to next year and the new faces and returning faces that will join us.

Birthday Boy!

Quaid turned two on the 12th of July. It was difficult for me to not be as involved as usual, but Mike did a wonderful job taking care of everything. He did the shopping, and Mikiya woke him up early on the big day so she could help wrap the presents. She was so excited you would have thought it was her birthday. I love it!

Quaid is a HUGE Mickey Mouse fan lately, so Mike made Quaid a Mickey Mouse cake. He absolutely loved it! He really wanted to help make it, and didn't even try making a mess during the helping. I thought it all turned out wonderful. I'm going to have to get better by the next birthday or I will surely be replaced permanently.

Quaid got a little race ramp and cars to go with it. He LOVES it! He and Mikiya both have played cars a ton. Quaid's favorite is to use the blue track and the blue car.

Some of Quaid's favorites!

• Reading books



• puzzles



• playing with Mikiya



• cars



• balls



• ice cream



• playing in water

Swimming?

Our neighbors got a bigger pool and so they gave Mikiya and Quaid these little ones. They have been really excited, but I'm not sure they actually count as pools. At least the kids have had a blast. The best part was watching them jump from one to the other. Unfortunately, my battery died and I didn't get pictures of it. Maybe later.

Summer Fun

Over Memorial Day weekend, we made a trip to eastern Idaho to see grandparents. We spent the first half of the weekend in Sugar helping Grandma and Grandpa plant flowers and move some of the sprinklers that had become overgrown by the growing pine trees. Mikiya was great at adding the fertilizer water to the holes before the flowers were placed. Quaid simply enjoyed riding the lawn tractor or wagon and playing in the dirt. Mikiya's garden tools were conveniently being stored at Grandma's, so she used her own tools for the project. Mikiya also learned about bees and how they use tree blossoms to make honey. And of course, they had to swing and jump on the trampoline.

On Saturday evening we continued on to Island Park to spend the rest of the holiday with Grandma and Grandpa Walton and the Gardners at the cabin. The cousins enjoyed playing together. Mikiya and Kaelie started calling the upstairs kid room their "tree house". The only downside was that Rafe wasn't allowed to follow up the stairs. He was very persistent, even climbing over a large duffel bag that was intended to block the stairs.

On the way back, we visited some of the great grandparents. Quaid was happy to see he still fit in Grandma Belnap's doll chairs. He started out dragging it to the screen door. And then we decided to go outside, and both kids had a great time sitting right by the fountain dangling their hands in the cool water. They also had fun exploring the different paths and sections of Grandma's backyard.
Since getting out of school, we have had a trip to the zoo, a Primary activity at the temple, a movie with the Mountain Home cousins, a trip to the hospital to welcome Alonzo to the family, and a visit from Lloyd, Kristin and company; which meant finally meeting Madeline. She is one smiley little girl.

Graduation!

Mike graduated on May 16. We are so thankful that he's had this opportunity to go back to school. And now I'm even more thankful that he's finished. We had good seats for the ceremony which let us see Mike periodically. We are also very thankful to both our parents, Grandma and Grandpa Gallup, Rudy and Deanna, Wayne and Natalie, and Emily for coming to help us celebrate. The kids especially enjoyed getting to play with everyone at the park afterwards.



One of the speakers told a great story I would like to share. I don't remember all the details, but it was about a lady who had cancer and was going through chemo. When she got down to three hairs left, she said , "Oh! I think I'll braid my hair today." The next day it was only two hairs, "I think I'll part it down the middle today." And the Next day with only one hair, "I fix it in a pony tail today." Then the next day, when all of her hair was gone, she cheerfully spoke, "Hurray! I don't have to do my hair today!" You can pretty well take the message right out of that one. I was just touched and reminded that attitude effects a lot of things around you.

Mikiya got a kick out of putting on Dad's silly hat.

Quaid loved being packed around by Daddy!

To play Where's Waldo or rather Where's Mike and Quaid, follow this link to a Boise State slide show of the event.

Books!

Mikiya is very excited this week to have gotten her own library card and doesn't have to share with me anymore.

OK, so it's been crazy trying to get my classes finished up and I have neglected everything else I do. However, I did finish up and am quite excited about it. The Bookmaking class was my favorite and Mikiya had a wonderful time helping me decide what to put in my final project. It's a flip book and there is something fun under each flap. Our favorite are the kids inside the school bus.

This is just another book I made with the class. I haven't decided yet what I want to put in it, but I really like the pockets and just think it's fun.