School Days

Here's pictures from the first day of school.  We moved to Phoenix a week before school started, but the kids adjusted well.  We still weren't in our house at the time, which was kind of a pain cuz we had to drive about 20 minutes in rush hour to get to school.  But, it was only for a week so it was doable. 

Claire started first grade and Cole started Pre-K (half-days in the afternoon) at the elementary school.  Claire's first day was a little rough.  She was so hot and hungry.  They don't have snacks in first grade, like she was used to in Kindergarten.  And, of course, she wasn't used to the Arizona heat, either.  She's such a little perfectionist that she was trying to work so hard all day long that she was worn out by the end, poor thing.  Cole had a great time, though.  His comment when I picked him up was "I had no idea it was going to be so much fun!"  

This is the Place

Ok, so I've decided the best way to approach my blogging right now is to randomly play catch-up with things that happened this summer.  So, I might do a post about something recent and then a post about something that happened this summer.  Just to warn you.

These are some pictures from our trip to Utah this past summer when we went to This is the Place.  I'd never been there before.  We actually didn't see a whole lot of it because of sweaty and whiny kids (and husbands).  But, I had fun taking pictures.

A cousin, Charlotte:
The whiny husbands:

A cousin, Evja:




A cousin, Jane:

A cousin, Alice: 

More Charlotte:

More Alice:

Kerstin and Charlotte:

An Addition

We are pregnant!  I'm only about 8 weeks along.  I'm due at the end of June.  We haven't told the kids yet, only because when we told them I was pregnant with Ava nine months seemed way too long for them to wait!  We'll probably tell them around Christmas.  I've been feeling fine so far, just really, really tired!

Dastardly Decor - Part I

It's dastardly because it takes way too much of my time and brain space and yet the pictures don't seem to do it justice!  I feel like everything looks better in real life and the pictures don't portray how much time and effort I've put into all of this!  Sigh.  Anyway, here's the first round of pictures of our decorated home.  These are the rooms that are pretty much finished.  And that were clean.  :)  The loft is finished but is a horrible mess right now (go figure) and the office is pretty much done, I just have to hang up some shelves.  There's still some final touches in each of these rooms, but like I said before, I know none of you care or want to wait!  So, here they are!

This is the dining room:

This is the family room:

The kitchen:

Cole's Bedroom (Ava's and Claire's aren't totally finished yet):

Master Bedroom: