First Day of Kindergarten

Today was Benji's first day of Kindergarten. He has been bugging me to go to school all week because he knows the other kids started school last week. I was surprised that he wasn't up in my room at 6:00 this morning asking me if it was time to go. We got him up at about 7:30 this morning and he quickly got dressed. He was too excited to eat so he really didn't eat any of his cereal. School starts at 8:45 so Ryan went into work a little late so he could help take him to Kindergarten. Benji was excited that Dad was going to help drop him off at school. His teacher's name is Mrs. Morton. When we got there, Ryan, Alyssa, James, and I walked him to his class. After we got into the classroom, Benji pretty much said "see you" and was fine. It was mom that was a little nervous since this is her first kindergartener.

When we picked Benji up after school, he acted like he had been doing it for a while and that it was no big deal. His preschool had 24 kids in it so I guess he just feels it's just an extension of that. He says he had fun and enjoys his teacher and the kids in his class.

Alyssa is upset that she does not get to go to Kindergarten with Benji as they were in Preschool together last year. I have to keep telling her that she can go when she's 5 which is next year. She still doesn't understand that she and Benji won't be in the same class even when she goes next year. I have to keep telling her that Benji will then be in 1st grade so they will be at the same school but not in the same class. She starts back to Preschool next Tuesday and can't wait. One of her Preschool teachers just moved into our ward a couple months ago so it's got Alyssa excited to go back, especially since she's friends with her daughter.

Oh the joys of school and it's only starting!!!!

Alyssa’s Birthday

Alyssa turns 4 on Monday, August 18th. She's so excited. Mom on the other had can't believe it. We had her birthday party on Saturday at Nanny's house. She wanted a swim party and since Nanny is the one that has a pool, she was the lucky one to have it at her house. We barbecued hamburgers and hot dogs and had salads and chips for lunch. Her cake was princess cupcakes which made it a lot easier to serve and I didn't have any leftovers which is good. Every family had someone there and the cousins all had a grand time swimming.

Alyssa made out with her presents. She got a new wardrobe for school! We are so excited since she really needed clothes. She grows taller but doesn't fill out in the waste so it's hard to find things to fit her. She also got quite a few Hannah Montana things and has loved the locket that Bre, Dan, and fam gave her. Nanny made a great collage from a photo of Alyssa and Justin Johnson (a hockey player on the Utah Grizzlies team) which we're hanging in her bedroom and started a Build-A-Bear collection since mom doesn't like Barbies. Benji was a real trooper. He's known that Alyssa was getting a bike for her birthday since last Sunday and didn't tell her. I told him if he kept it a secret I would let him give it to her for her birthday. He did great and didn't say a word. I let him bring it out when it was time to give it to her and her expression was priceless. She was excited. She's already ridden it a few times and loves it.

Happy Birthday Alyssa! We love you!

Lagoon

On Friday we went to Lagoon with the Horsley family. We were supposed to meet at 11:00 but it ended up turning into 11:20 before Ryan and I made it there. We met up with Grandma, Kim, and Easton and rode the Tidal Wave. Then Scott, Zac, and Garrett met up with us and we rode it again. Afterwards, the Hathaway clan decided to go ride some of the big kid rides and Grandma, Easton, and us decided to go ride the train. That's where Kimberly, Mollie, and Sylvia joined up with us.

Ryan and Kimberly took Benji and Easton on the White Roller Coaster. Benji didn't like it when it went down the hills. Ryan took the kids on the Lady Bug ride and the Dinosaur Egg ride. Alyssa, Mollie, and Easton loved it. Benji wasn't so sure about it. They got off and everyone wanted to go again except Benji so I asked Benji if he would go on with me. He agreed and when we got on I told him he had to scream with me when the ride went down. I told him that it tickled your tummy more. He screamed with me and loved the ride from then on out. In fact, it was the last ride the kids went on before we left at 10:00 and it was Benji begging to go on it. It was fun. I spent most of the time with the kids which was fine with me. I loved to watch them go on the rides and have fun. Ryan did have a chance to go on Wicked and absolutely loved it.

The best ride of the day was Rattlesnake Rapids. The first time down Kim, Kimberly, and the little kids were in one tube and got pretty wet. Scott, Ryan, Zac, and Alyssa were in another tube and they all ran to one side to make sure the waterfall didn't get them. Then Ryan, Kim, Zac, Garrett, Benji, Easton, and Mollie decided to do it again. When it came time for the waterfall both Ryan and Kim went diving for the side that wasn't going to get wet. Ryan accidentally pushed Mollie in the face not realizing she was there as he was scrambling and Kim took the waterfall full on with her back. It was pretty funny to watch.

James went on two rides while we were there and screamed on both of them. The first one he went on by himself and screamed his head off the whole time. The second one he went on with Benji, Alyssa, and Easton and was fine until it started moving. Then he screamed his head off again.

All in all, the day was a big success. Everyone got to hit the rides they wanted to and didn't feel like they missed out on anything. We were planning on leaving at about 9 but we were having such a good time that 10:00 rolled around way too fast.