Dear Emmi,

You are a big 2nd grader now!  School has been in for a few weeks and although you were a little teary when I left you that first day of school, no more tears have been shed and you are excited to go to school.  Your new teacher, Mrs. Barton, is so sweet and has been with APA up north for a few years.  I know you are in good hands with her and as far as I can gauge, you are doing well.  You and your brothers always come home with smiles, which I believe is because of how they teach at APA and I love how excited you all are to tell me what you are learning about.  

Me and your Dad were especially shocked to hear you recite the Preamble to the Constitution, which all of the 2nd graders have learned.  I still don't know the Preamble, but wished I did.  I love how before you leave the van in the morning at drop off that you will always say "I will call you if I need to."  I know that you are saying this to reassure yourself that I will come if you need me to, but you think you are saying this for my benefit and it makes me smile.

I love that lately you are so very polite and always apologize to me for the littlest things.  Like this morning I suggested a certain dress for church and you said that you were thinking of wearing this other dress and said "I am sorry mom, I hope that doesn't hurt your feelings."  You are just too sweet and cute.  We are still working on doing what me and your dad ask you to do the first time around and also taking "no" for an answer, but I have to remind myself that you are still so young and these things will come with time.  You certainly have a big heart.

You and Keaton wanted to play soccer this year, which I am attributing to your awesome P.E. teacher, Mr. Winget, at APA.  None of you kids have had much desire to play sports, and I have noticed that in the last year, your interest has grown and it is very fun to watch.  Your dad says you have the perfect "soccer player hair" by the way your curls bounce around when you are running and I love the way you are not afraid to go after the ball.

You also started taking piano this summer, and if I can just remember to have you practice, I think you will be a really good one if you want to be.  You already have made great progress and love to play, which is half the battle.

I love you so very much.

Love,
Mom

Before school started we met cousins at Gateways' Children Museum

Saw Cinderella with Grandma Hunsaker and girl cousins.

Boating with Grandma and Grandpa Hunsaker

Dear Jack,

I took you in for your first dental cleaning and I was so amazed at how well you did!  Maybe it was because you have seen your siblings sit in this chair for so long, that you were anxious to do it too, but you would hardly sit still when it was your turn. 

You were pretty much the same way at the first day of swimming lessons.  All you wanted to do was splash and yell. You wouldn't listen to your teacher and sit on the step and ended up about drowning until I got her attention. She had to hold you in her arms because you just could not sit still.  Thankfully, as the days went by your excitement level did taper and you paid attention a teensy bit more.  On the first day of swimming lessons, you refused to put your head in the water, but by the end you were a fish.  I have taken you kids to a couple pools and all you want to do is jump off the side and into the water.  Already you are a better swimmer than your mom, and I am so proud! 

I have to add that although you were not easy for your teacher, you won her over with your cute smile and personality.  The last day of class she walked over and asked for a big hug on the way out, telling me how cute you are.

Your buddy is still Christian down the road, and you want to play every day.  You two get along most days, but you can only play for so many hours and then I hear you guys arguing over everything.  You have learned to ride the scooter and like to ride up and down the sidewalk or down to Christian's house.  You love our next-door neighbor, Warren, who is like a Grandpa to you.  You call him "my neighbor" and will often tell me you are going over to see "my neighbor" or "what is my neighbor doing, mom?"  Him and his wife keep a freezer stocked of popsicles and he lets you follow him around when he is doing yard work, so he is your favorite. 

A day or two after my surgery, Warren came to door and pulled your Dad outside.  I guess you followed them both out the front door and in our front yard.  Warren showed your dad that one of our sprinkler heads was gone just next to his property and he was worried that when the water came on that night his yard would be flooded.  Just as Warren said "if only we could find the sprinkler head" you walked over to just behind where Warren was standing and opened his gas tank door on his car that was parked there, grabbed the sprinkler head that you had stuffed in there and showed them with a smile on your face.  Warren and your dad had a good laugh, I am sure.  You are the first one I ask when I can't find something, because you usually were the one to misplace it.

We have been working hard on your letters with the "Mr. Pencil" app because I would like you to be able to recognize some letters.  I don't think you can recognize any at this point, which is probably due to your age.  Thank goodness you have one year of preschool left, and that I switched to a little bit more structured school.  I should not be worried because you are such a little smarty.  

You were hilarious at the Scofield cabin.  The "forest fairy" (aka Grandma B) left out some bows and arrows for the boys one night as a gift.  You quickly grabbed onto as many as you could, calling them "aer-rows" and would say you were going out in the woods to shoot "ba-ers" and zombies, of course.  You had the cutest little hillbilly accent.  You fell asleep just about every afternoon up there too, right on the floor.  One of the days your dad pick you up off the floor from under the table and took a nap with you on the couch.  The next day you were halfway under an end table.  What is it with you and tables?

You are my buddy and little snuggler.  You are my Jackie-bear.  I love you so much.

Love, 
Mom

Gerry, the assistant lunch lady who was your favorite from helping with school lunches.  She loved you too.

I forced you into the picture, hence your face.

Scofield Cabin

Texas Roadhouse

Jumping off the side with cousin Brycey at the Lindon pool.

At Scofield with your bow.

Hangtime

Swimming lessons

Your face when someone jumps off the diving board

Dear Keaton,

I love this first picture of you even though I didn't take it (I am guessing Sam did), because that is a classic Keaton expression and because this is what you look like almost every day.  That is your favorite shirt and day in and day out that is what you will try to wear until I gently remind you that you wore it the day before and to please go change.  It has all the stains to prove it too. 

Your favorite buddy is still Landon, but you like to wait until mid afternoon before you ask to play, and like to spend your mornings alone on the Xbox, your iPod or on my computer.  Although you do come out of your shell around most people, I have noticed that you often leave the group and like to just be alone.  To be honest, it worries your Grandma B because she thinks that you feel left out, but I know that is not the case.  I love that you are confident by yourself and don't mind being alone at times. 

You are still crazy about Birdie and like to call her "Boo-ey" which drives me and your Dad nuts so we try not to listen, but you do take really good care of her, and try to make her sleep on your bed at night. You also love to walk into the room and say "Hello.. chumps."  I think you learned it from Landon, but me and your Dad have started saying it to you to get you to smile; however, I think you say it the best.

You did really well this summer in swimming lessons and passed off Level 5.  You have already decided to be done with taking lessons, and that is fine with me.  You are a great swimmer and I don't think any more lessons are needed unless you choose to do swim team. 

I love how you take good care of me, Keek.  After my shoulder surgery last month, you and your siblings didn't quite know what the doctor did to my shoulder because I didn't really tell you.  One day a week or so after the surgery you asked to see my shoulder underneath the ice packs, sling and bandages and I showed you and the rest of the kids.  It is just two little scars, and really didn't look to bad, but I could tell that you felt sorry for me and knew that it hurt.   All of sudden you were bringing me my drink, getting me food, asking me if you could do anything else to help you, and this lasted one whole day! I was very touched that you wanted to make me feel better.  I know you had been watching what your Dad nurse me with and tried to shadow him.  You have a big heart.  It meant a lot to see you take the initiative like that.  One day when I am very frail and old I hope that you will still want to help take of me.:)  I love you, son.

Love, 
Mom

Another cute picture taken by Sam

Found you and Birdie asleep like this..lol.

 

Four-wheeling with Grandpa Hunsaker on the day of my surgery.

Playing at Hangtime.

Texas Roadhouse

Scofield cabin

Swimming lessons