1st 9 week awards

Kayla and Henry and Jack all received awards for perfect attendence and exemplary conduct!

Way to go!!!

Field Trip to the Zoo

Jack's preK class went to the zoo yesterday and Brinley and I tagged along.  It was so great of the teachers to plan the trip on Jack's 5th birthday!


Brinley was fascinated by the squirrels outside the zoo while we waited for the school bus to arrive.

Jack and the sea lion.

Brinley.

Our group.  Me, Brinley and 4 boys.

Drums in the new African Forest exhibit



Check out the longhorns!!

It was so bright and sunny!  Beautiful day for a trip to the zoo.

Jack and Ryan

Anthonee and Jaden

Last year Jack wouldn't even come within 20 feet of an animal off a leash.  We've made some improvements!

Jack and his best bud Anthonee

Gobble Gobble

Jack's Scottie Dog

Jack received a Scottie Dog award today at school.  He was chosen out of all the preK kids.  Kayla and Henry both got them last year and they sit on the fireplace mantel in a place of honor.  Jack was sooo excited to get his today.  It is a recognition for exemplary conduct, honesty, integrity, citizenship, respect, kindness... We are so proud of him!

Halloween 2011 (better late than never)

Jack was soooo excited to be IronMan!  I found the costume at Target, on sale!!!!!

It turned cold for our ward Trunk or Treat so we had to layer for warmth!

Halloween night we had our great friends the Woodromes over for a SPOOKY dinner!

We only got 1 pumpkin this year so the kids got to choose a feature to make thier own.

Quick Update!

So both of our computers are pretty much DEAD!  I'm afraid to even try to download a picture so here's just a quick run down...
Kayla tried out and made honor choir!!  We are so proud of her!  The choir consists of 4th and 5th graders from the entire district.  There about 20 elementary school total.  We aren't sure how big the choir is but we've heard it about 50 voices strong.  She will have practice every week and a concert in February.  It's really to just give experience for Junior High choir.  (scary that it's only 10 months away!! YIKES).  She's doing great in school and loves being in the GT (gifted and talented) classes.
Henry started soccer a couple of weeks ago.  He's doing so well!  He loves it!  We think he was made for sports and teams!  He's in a league that has a 1 hr. practice then a game to follow each Saturday.  It's heavenly not having to coordinate a week night practice!  He's getting pretty stoked to turn 8 in a few months and be baptized.  He is really doing great with his reading and is currently reading a Star Wars Clone Wars book.
Jack is lovin' preK.  Admittedly the early morning are tough on him.  He's usually an early riser anyway but waking him at 6:30 is tough.  The other morning he said, "I'm just still SLEEPY".  He will roll about of bed and lay on the floor for a few minutes then finally give up and get dressed.  Jack's favorite part of school is Fun Friday.  He gets to pick his own partner for centers.  The teacher tell me she is going to start teaching him to read since he's already trying!
Brinley is 3 and so ready to be 4 and go to school.  Although she does love her free reign of the TV to watch Dora to her hearts content.  We were reading scriptures last night and she was repeat reading with Kayla.  Kayla said, "... and Alma said..."  and Brinley said, "... and Elmo said..."  I couldn't stop laughing!!  She loves her little girlfriends and loves play dates!
A few weeks ago our ward was split and we became members of the NEW ward.  So everyone was released from their callings and we started anew!  Lars was called to be in the Elders Quorum Presidency... again.  He's the 1st counselor this time.  He's excited to work with a new president, counselor and work again with the secretary.  I (Cristi) was just called to be in the Stake Young Women's Presidency.  I'm the 2nd counselor.  My first impression that I was going to have this calling came right as the ward split and our new bishop was called.  His wife was serving in the Stake YW and I knew she couldn't continue that calling and I had a feeling that I would be serving in the Stake YW.  A couple weeks ago after I was called, Lars got a call that a member of the High Council wanted to meet with both of us.  I met with him first and he asked if I had any concerns with my husband having a calling... I said, "Well, I just got called to be in the Stake YW..."  He started fumbling with his iPad and said, "Wait a minute... let me see... I'm sure it was approved... hold on... yes... well... yeah, they did approve it.  Huh.  Well, the Stake Presidency did approve it, which surprised me. So what do you think?"  I said, "I'm sure we can work it out."    So later that day as Lars was being set apart the Stake President was asking all of the wives what our callings were.  When I told him mine he looked very surprised and said, "That's right!  We just did that!  Well, you'll be blessed!"

It's the most wonderful time of the year....

1st day of school 2011!

Kayla 5th grade... shoe size 7 1/2

Henry 2nd grade... loves that robot shirt

Jack pre K.  He's not sad, he is having an allergy bout right now!  He goes with the older kids every day at 7:30 and he's done at 10:30.

Brinley Mae mommy school!  We were all set to put her in a preschool co-op like Jack was in last year... with Jack's school hours and no buses running this year we bagged the whole idea.  We are staying busy with all sorts of projects!

Summer!!

All of us at Sea World!
Not a bad picture with the camera propped up on the rented stroller!



Kayla and Emmah catching up at the Alamo.



  



Our cute little family!  This is the last thing we did as we left the park.  Can you say "hot and sticky"?





Kayla feeding the dolphins!



Feeding the dolphins. So much fun!

 

Jack and Henry watching the dolphins.



We are having MAJOR computer problems around here so let's cross our fingers and hope I can get through the past couple of months...

Grandma and Grandpa Larsen came to visit in August.  We had a great visit here at our house then we packed up and headed to San Antonio.  We met up with Lars' sister Margene, her husband Justin and daughter Emmah.  We visited The Alamo, swam at the hotel, went to dinner and some of us visited The Riverwalk.  That was just the first day!  We spent the following day at Sea World.  It was HOT! (not the great, sexy "hot")  Thankfully there is water to play in so we stripped down to our swimsuits and tried to stay wet as we went from one thing to another.  They just opened a new attraction called Sesame Street Bay of Play... so much fun!

The pictures are totally out of order but I've been fighting with the computer for about 1 hr just to get that much done!  ENJOY!!

Shamu,,, he really does ROCK!!

 

We went to Utah one time and let the kids jump on the beds in the hotel room so now every time we stay in a hotel they love to jump on the beds!  We had 2 king size beds in San Antonio... GOOD TIMES!!



The Alamo.  When I remember the Alamo, I remember how stinking hot it was!!!



Jumping at the Alamo!