1st Day of school jitters--Part 1

Today Ellie started 1st grade. At a new school. She wasn't very nervous, but I was/am. If you've never been the new kid in school (Mark!!) than you can't relate. But for me, growing up, I was the new kid in school. 7. times. It's scary being the new kid. You worry if the kids will like you. If you'll like them. If you'll have anyone to sit with. If you'll like the teacher. Will she be mean? What if no one sits by you at lunch? What if no one plays with you on the playground. Luckily, these are all my worries. My sweet little Ellie is such a super friendly, cute little girl that last Thursday at back to school night she had already made some friends. (One of which I switched her to the same table so they could sit together. Shhhh.... But I couldn't leave my girly girl at an all boys table could I????) So here's to hoping the rest of her 1st day is wonderful....

My big beautiful 1st grader

This year she gets a backpack!

Entering Mrs. B's room

Ellie with Mrs. B

Her table--sure beats the all boy table don't you think?

Here's to a great year!!!

Jitters--Part 2

Sweet little Maddy started Preschool today. I am not so nervous for her as I am for Ellie. The reason being? 7 out of the 10 kids in her preschool class are all in Sunbeams with her at church. She already knows a bunch of her little friends. In fact, she told me she wasn't nervous because she had her good friend Risa in her class. Well, good luck anyways Maddy!

My sweet little Preschooler

(I love that she and Ellie both chose to do the same pose--independently!)

Bye, mom! I'm off to school!!

Maddy and her good friend Risa

The Preschool gang (minus 2)

A great year has begun....

First Grade here she comes!!!!

I am not sure where the time has gone, but kindergarten has flown right by!!

Ellie loved school--wonderful teacher, awesome new friends, amazing principal, fun school with tons of great activities. What a great intro to the educational system!

First day of school vs. Last day of school

Mrs. H

She has grown so much this year!

(In more ways than one!!)

YAY!!!! We are so proud of you Ellie!

Go Daddy...

go, go, GO!!!
Good luck today Mark! We love you VERY much and will be thinking of you!
Love, your family

The Grand Canyon state... here we come!!!

Soon (VERY soon in fact!) our family of five will be trading in our beach blankets and Sea World passes for pool towels and hiking shoes!! We will become Arizonans starting next month--June 7th to be exact (and YES that's less than 3 weeks away!!) Mark has received an offer--and has now officially accepted it--from Go Daddy. We are SUPER excited (and surprisingly, Ellie is too--I think maybe it's a promise of her very own pool in the backyard?!)

We will truly miss San Diego though--(who wouldn't right??) We feel we have been so blessed to consider Southern California as "home" for the past 8 years. I mean we got to LIVE in the same place where other people plan dream vacations to. I mean hey, we honeymooned here! However, we feel that this is a move forward for us and it is what is best for our little family at this time.

BUT that doesn't mean that we won't be back TONS to visit!! I mean, we still have our Sea World passes. We still have to use up our Disney get a day pass. We still have my dad and Nancy here to visit. Not to mention all our good friends who we will miss dearly and will have to come visit. And... when the temps get up to 119 in the summer, you know I will be in the car driving the kids back to visit so we can hang out at the beach! It's a measly 5 1/2 hours away--that's nothing!

So for now, it's a little CRAZY around here!! Now que the "joys" of moving! AHHH!!! Packing with 3 little ones, house hunting, saying good-byes... Yeah, and does anyone know of anyone who wants to buy a cute little house in San Diego?????

You say it's your BIRTHDAY?!

It's my birthday too--YEAH!!!
They say it's your birthday
We're gonna have a good time
I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy birthday to you!!

Will turned one on April 13th and he has has a most wonderful birthday celebration--which included 3 parties and 3 cakes!!

Decoration's that greeted Will at his pancake breakfast (his favorite!)

Happy, smiley little birthday guy

We had a full day and then had some friends over for cake and ice cream that night to celebrate

I'm one today....

I love cake!

While we were in St. George over Easter, we had a little celebration for Will and his cousin Jace who's birthday's are a day apart.

The weekend following Will's birthday, we went up to Orange County to my dad's condo to celebrate with grandma and grandpa...and to have more cake...

My mom bought him the darling shirt, prince crown and bib. He was really stylin'!

This is the best pic of Will and his crown--he wouldn't keep it on for long, but it was so cute!

Happy 1st Birthday Will!

Is it REALLY possible?!?

Will is really turning one today!? Where has the time gone....

From bouncing baby boy...

To Mr. Big Blue-Eyed Birthday Boy

Happy birthday Will! (more pics to follow....)

sT gEORGE

We decided to spend Easter (and Ellie's Spring Break) in St. George, Utah this year. We jammed 2 adults, 3 kids, our brand new kitten and ALL our gear into our mini-van and drove the 7 1/2 hour trip to spend 6 days with family. Well, all in all it was a wonderful (and much needed!) little vacation for our family.

The Easter Bunny left a bunch of fun goodies and surprises for the kids and even had a mini egg hunt in our room!

The kids after the egg hunt at the church

We attempted to watch General Conference and hear the words of our dear Prophet and his counselors--(how cool is it that conference and Easter fell on the same day--what better way to celebrate and remember the Atonement of our Savior and His sacrifice for each one of us?!)

Maddy takes on the family at the traditional egg crack...

AND WINS!!!!

We visited my mom and she had an egg hunt for the kids (Mark and I have decided that Easter is worse than Halloween in ways of candy--I mean who needs 5 egg hunts?!!)

Since Mark's parents' house is on a golf course, Mark took the kids over to the driving range a few times to hit some balls

We went and explored the fascinating Wildlife Center--Will even got to ride on a grizzly bear!

We checked out the cool dinosaur tracks at Johnson's Farm

After lots of partying with family--shopping, eating, golfing, playing, relaxing and enjoying--it was time to return to "real life"

So we again jammed all of our family, gear (and newly acquired gifts and "treasures"--Mark is the king of packing!!) and headed back home

With a stop here and there for a yummy treat or two

We are so lucky to have such great little travelers--the dvd helps...

And fortunately, Marie has gotten the family travel memo too!!

St. George is such a beautiful place to visit and we had such a very memorable trip! Thanks to everyone who made it happen!