First Day of School - 1st & 3rd Grade

Monday was the first day of school for the kiddos! It was bitter sweet. I was excited for them because they were sooo excited to go to their new school, but I sure will miss having them around during the day. They got transferred to a new school this year, so that only added to the excitement. We went last Thursday to tour the building and I must say, it is a pretty sweet school...very impressive! From the amazing art room, massive library filled with tons of books and bean bags, to the science lab and music room, it almost made me wish I could start school again. They both got such great people for teachers and are going to have so much fun learning...very hands on. I really like both teachers alot. I think they are going to have an amazing year.

Here are our annual pics of the first day of school...

Maddie is ready to take first grade by storm. Just look at that determination and confidence exuding out of her. :) (notice Kensi in the background. She was trying to find a way to get out and get in on the photo shoot).

She looks so grown up! Even from last year at this time, she just looks like a little lady now. (I know you are wondering what that huge spot on her shirt is, so let me go ahead and tell ya. She got carried away brushing her teeth and got some on her shirt. We did a little scrubbing action and she was good as new...except for the big wet spot. :) Not to worry though, she was all dried out by the time they left. )

Just look at those two! They are some kinda precious. Can't you tell how much Kobe is enjoying this little photo shoot?!

Mr. Cool, Calm and Collected ready to see what 3rd grade has to offer.(meanwhile, Kensi is still trying to push that door open. Poor girl. :) ).

Backpacks on and ready to go, but I had to get one last picture of these two. They look like they are ready to get this party started...


So after a nice breakfast together and a time of prayer, Aaron took them to school.

So far they are really having a great time. They both have kids they know from last year in their class as well as some from church! So thats a bonus. We have definitely slipped back into 'school' mode around here. From packing lunches to doing homework to the house being completely quiet by 8:30 every night, we are definitely back in the swing of things. :)

Grandmother

Aaron's grandmother went home to be with Jesus a few weeks ago. She was 93 years old. What an amazing woman she was. She was one of the kindest, sweetest spirited people I have ever met. Until just 2 or 3 years ago she lived on her own in a house wayyy back in WV. I am pretty sure she was more independant at 90 than I am at 30. :) She lived such a good, full life. She will be dearly missed, but its so great to think of her with Jesus and reunited with her husband.

After the funeral service, we were able to go back to her house one last time. For memory's sake here are the photos of our last trip there....

The church she attended her whole life and is just down the road from her house. This is where we also went every Father's Day for the Johnson family reunion. Many memories there.

Some of the cousins piled into the back of Robbie's truck to ride up to her house...

And some of us chose to walk. It truely is such a beautiful place. You really feel like you are a million miles from civilazation. Its just so peaceful to be there, totally surrounded by nature.

Part of the Johnson crew that went back up to the house. One last picture on the front steps. ( Every Father's day they would take a big family picture on the front steps).

Just hanging out!

Maddie and Lexi flashing the peace sign...hahaha...what cute girls!

Aaron walking down memory lane. This is the woodshed in the backyard that he used to make maple syrup in with his grandparents and cousins.

Remembering all the good times in grandmother's back yard. Isn't it so beatiful here? A little piece of heaven.

Kensi enjoying the views while riding on daddy's shoulders.

We took one last hike up the trail beside grandmother's house to Aunt Edna's house.

The beautiful Maddie excited to hike thru the woods...

And then she changed her mind. Kobe had to run her back to the house because she had had enough about 5 minutes into it. ;)

Kobe came back and joined the hike and was all too happy to explore the creek with Rachel & Doug.

These poor little feet hiked the trail to Aunt Edna's house in high heels!! Not to mention, this little hike did quite a number on my pedicure. :) All for the love of my sweet hubber!

Grandma and the girls swinging at the house. While we were sitting on the porch waiting for the others to get back, 3 deer kept coming right up to the side yard. It was really neat and Maddie was pretty excited to see them so up close.


It was a great day remembering and celebrating her life. What a godly woman she was, with such a stong, yet gentle spirit. She will always be remembered and missed.

Summer Wrap -up

I cannot believe that this summer is coming to an end. This summer was definitely a great, relaxing summer for us...just what we needed after our doozy of a year last year with Aaron gone to the Academy. I loved not having a routine or schedule or really having anything that we HAD to get done. Just played hard all day, stayed up late, slept in late and just enjoyed each other!

For memory's sake, here are some random pics of this summer...

Look, here is something unusual...Maddie striking a pose ;)

Kobe & Kensi playing. I love how he is such a good, fun brother to her and how he loves her so much. (note the sad little bear paw...so sad looking and strangely cute all at once).

My little boy is starting to look so old. You are so precious, sweet Kobe.

And just because I love this pouty face she has.....

Kensi looking all grown up and ready for some pool time!

Kensi and her best pal Bri....doing a little swimming at a friend's pool. *check out the tum-tum on Kensi! I love it!!!

Kobe & Maddie having fun playing in the pool. Or maybe a more accurate description would be, 'Kobe having fun torturing his sister as he sprays her in the face and feels sweet victory as he hears her screams.' The joys of big brothers! hahaha
And cool, calm and collected papa just supervising the situation with his ultra cool goggles. Too bad I didn't get a pic of him with them on and wearing his sweet nose plug...Its a sight to behold!

Kensi enjoying some swinging at the park in our neighborhood...

Meanwhile Aaron & Kobe were practicing their swing. :)

Some of the neighborhood crew & my beautiful nieces on the first day of summer break!


Maddie and her neighbor buddies enjoying a cool popcycle on a hot, summer day.

These pics are from when we went out to our good friend Colleen's house. The kids loved it as she gave them a tour of the field with the goats and playing on all the cool things there. She is pretty much hailed as a rockstar around her now. :)

I love all these pics of Kensi so much I had to put them all in here. She was so cute. She waddled all around and loved watching the cows in the field thru the fence.

Look at all those rolls in those sweet, chubby legs! I love every last one of them.

Just taking a much needed break from all that waddling around.


Doing a little relaxing after a hard day's work of watching the cows

See. Just look at all this fun that is to be had at Colleen's house. And check out those beautiful views! They kids loved every last minute of it!



Colleen teaching Maddie the ways of the pogo stick...

Whoa, hang on Maddie....

She got it down! She was a professional 'pogo-er' by the time we left :)


At the county fair this year they had an elephant show. This little girl here is sweet Cora who weighs an impressive 9,000 lbs. Wow. That made me feel like maybe I don't weight that much after all. :) It was really cool to see these elephants up close and personal and Kobe even got to go for a ride on her after the show. Before Kobe got on, she decided it was a good time for her to 'take a bathroom break'. Kobe was laughing so hard and in total awe at the size of this girl's poopy....what can I say...he is all boy! It was a cool experience, but I still feel sad for this girl to have to live a life like this instead of galloping the bush of Africa.



A huge part of our summer was swim team. This is the first year the kids joined a local swim team. They had practice every single day and loved it. We actually all went every night to the pool. It was so great and we all really started to love the sport of swimming. The kids learned so many things and are so much better at swimming and even learned a couple new strokes! I really, really hope they keep with this sport. Its such fun to watch the competitions and I like it that they can do it together and be on the same team. It was such a great group....Go Waves! :)




Such a great summer together and precious memories. But now, we are getting back into 'school life'....a little more of a routine & earlier bed times. I am sure we will be back in the swing of things before long, but I sure am going to miss these lazy days of summer.