SEPTEMBER

The first month of fall arrived and we were all looking forward to it!  I think we were all looking forward for a more consistent schedule and Ava was especially looking forward to her birthday this month.  There were lots of exciting things that happened...
LABOR DAY WEEKEND - We didn't do anything special this weekend.  Worked on a few catch-up things at home.  Jed caught up on watching football.  We went on some walks & bike rides and went over to the park and played a family game of kick ball.  Dallin continues to grow like crazy.  He is still so squishy and soft - we all can hardly ever stop giving him kisses when it is our turn to hold him.  His eyes are staying bright blue so far.  His hair is coming in more brownish-blonde so it doesn't look like we will have a red-head after all. 

He is getting stronger on his tummy, but can't roll over yet on his own.  He loves his feet and tries to chew and suck on anything he gets his hands on - except a binky!  I am constantly pulling his fingers out of his mouth - usually more than one at a time.  Kasen suggested we find a fake finger and let that be Dallin's binky. :)  He is so roly-poly that he continues to remind me of a little bear cub.  So I call him my "Little Bear". He jabbers and laughs and is the happiest baby I've ever met.

 

WEEK 1 - I thought I'd try something different this month and divide up my post by weeks instead of events.  I usually try to write about things chronologically anyway, but separating things out by weeks might make it easier.  This first week was Back To School Night where parents go and speak with teachers and find out what the classrooms will function like that year.  I think the kids will all have a great year this year in their classes.  I have already noticed a huge difference in Ava.  Her teacher is much more excited and passionate about learning than Ms Witty seemed to be. The first few days he taught the class about a "growth mindset" which is basically a person that uses positive thinking and tries their best.  So rather than saying they can't do something they say they can't do it yet.  She was so excited about it and it just clicked with her.  She came home and told all of us about it and taught it to Kasen and Kinsley.  She also hung a paper about it on the pantry door.  She has really matured this summer and told me her big goals for the year are to not have any meltdowns at school.  :) She also feels like she doesn't have the class clowns in her class this year which makes a big difference in the attitude of the classroom.  All the GT students from Willow Creek are in her class as well.  Just a lot of things seem to be flowing so much smoother for her and she has been very excited about school - which makes me very happy that her last year in elementary school will be a positive one!  Kasen has also been super happy with his teacher.  I have really seen the benefits already to having him be the older one in his class.  He leads and has gained so much confidence in the last two years.  He has started playing football wars at recess and just told me he is "coaching" a few kids on running to help them get better.  Both he and Ava have started with Creek Cruisers again.  Kinsley LOVES kindergarten and she/I have started our homeschool curriculum as well.  One thing that is different about Kinsley from her older siblings that I've already noticed when it comes to learning is that she doesn't not get frustrated when she makes mistakes.  If she says the wrong sound or answer she just laughs at herself and tries again. 

These are two drawings Kasen did this week.  They were both free-hand.  He was watching the Jungle Book driving home one night and drew Baloo in the car.  It was amazing and it is so hard to draw in the car with the bumps and stops.  His octopus he just thought up in his mind and drew it.  He definitely has a talent!

Because kindergarten is half day and Kinsley goes in the afternoon, Dallin and I get her all morning.  She is such a sweet girl and Dallin just adores her.  He sees her coming and his eyes just light up!  I was so worried about what a 5 yr age gap would be like.  It still may be interesting down the road, but for right now it is truly wonderful.  

PENDELTON ROPING - On September 10th Jed had a roping in Oregon.  We all decided to join him since it was only about 2 hours away.  Ava was not especially excited to go and spend her Saturday that way, but she had a good attitude about it.  The roping was on the outskirts of Pendelton in this little tiny arena.  There was nothing immediately around it - including trees or shade!  We were invited to sit with these people we didn't really know under their horse trailor awning.  It made the whole day so much more enjoyable.  If we would have had to sit in the burning sun on the bleachers it would have been awful.  But in the shade it was so much better.  Towards afternoon, the kids and I drove into the town and got some food and looked around.  Pendelton isn't a very big place, but we found a nice park and the kids played and had a fun time. 

It was also Dallin's 4 month birthday!  It really isn't fair how fast his little life is already flying by for me. These are some pictures I took of him that day.  He is so so happy and pleasant.  Even when he doesn't get naps he still gives plenty of smiles.  He is really getting good at grabbing and holding onto things.  This day he really liked grabbing onto his blanket and hiding under it.  We love him so much!

WEEK 2 - Dallin really became obsessed with his feet this week.  He has been grabbing them for a while now, but took it to a whole new level this week.  I couldn't keep them out of his mouth - even with shoes on.  :)

 

AVA'S 11TH BIRTHDAY was the big event this week!  She turned 11 years old and was so excited.  Monday night she got to go to her favorite restaurant - Olive Garden - for dinner.  The waitress sang her Happy Birthday and she got a lemon cake dessert.  The next morning she got breakfast in bed and we also surprised her at lunch!  She hadn't told anyone at school that it was her birthday so I had the whole class sing Happy Birthday to her in the cafeteria (other 5th grade classes joined in too.)  She was a little embarrassed by that but was a good sport.  That night Kasen and Kinsley decorated her ocean cake and we had a little party with the Ball family.  She got some itunes giftcards, a stuffed animal octopus, her ticket to swim with the Beluga Whales at Sea World, and Aunt Tresa gave her all her seashells she's collected over the years.  Ava was in heaven!!! 

Ava didn't think she was getting anything because of the Sea World thing so it was fun to see how surprised she was by her gifts.  She immediately reserved some seashell encyclopedias at the library and spent the rest of the week classifying and charting all the shells she had received.  :)  Later that Saturday afternoon she had a small party.  She invited two friends - Lily & Avery - to go to the movies.  Afterward we got some ice cream cones.  It was the easiest bday party ever.  She is such a special girl and is growing up so fast too!  I can't believe she has been around for over a decade.  Ava is silly, smart, beautiful, brave, kind, spiritual, athletic, spunky, loving, helpful, unique, brilliant, and fantastic in every way.  She is truly my right-hand girl and I ask her to help me out a lot.  She is so dependable and I can always count on her.  She is also so responsible and when given a task never has to be reminded to finish it.  She always tries her best and wants to do what is right.  She has no idea of what an incredible example she is to her siblings and how much they look up to her and want to do everything she does.  I couldn't have asked for a better 1st born child and love her with all my heart.  This is such an exciting time of her life and even though I wish she wouldn't grow up so fast and stay a kid forever, it is fun to watch her mature and grow and accomplish.

WEEK 3 - This was a very exciting week for Kinsley!  She was chosen to be the Star Student in her kindergarten class.  She was the 2nd person chosen out of her whole class (and the first girl) to be the Star Student.  We were very proud of how good she has been behaving to be chosen this early.  She was excited to take in her poster all about herself.  She said it was really hard work being the special helper to Ms. Payte all week though.  She also started a ballet class and a music class.  She has been patiently waiting her turn to try some activities and got to pick which ones she could do.  The music class is actually part of a 3 yr program and every other week I have to attend with her.  It is so fun to watch her sparkle with excitement heading off for her things.  She also got to have her eyes checked this year.  She thought that was pretty cool. Ava had a daddy-daughter date with Jed this week at Activity Days.  They had it early Saturday morning and they got to go in their pj's for breakfast & then minute-to-win-it games.  The theme was: "It only takes a minute to make a memory."  They both had a great time.  I love the relationship Jed has with his daughters.  He is such a kind & thoughtful dad and the girls love him so much and he loves them so much too.

I'm so blessed to have such awesome kids.  Kasen has been working hard in football and likes being active.  He rides his scooter all the time and even joined me on a walk one day.  I let him try out my wire-less headphones.  He thought he was pretty cool stuff.  He is such a funny kid and whenever he gets by Dallin Dallin just starts grunting and growling and trying to play with Kasen.  They already have a brotherly bond.  Kasen is a good helper and is very kind to his siblings.  Kinsley has also been an amazing helper to me.  She is so loving to Dallin.  She always wants to love, kiss, snuggle, and talk to him.  He idolizes her - although some times she is in his face just a little too long and he lets out this little yell that is like "Hey give me my space!!"  haha

Speaking of Dallin, here are some pictures I took this week.  He is just the cutest baby ever.  He is still super wiggly, but every once in a while I'll catch him sitting nice and quiet and still on my lap.  He doesn't really do it with anyone else so I think it is special.  One day he was just still on my lap with one little hand resting on my leg.  I had to take a picture.  He has started watching a Baby Einstein video each day, usually while Kinsley and I are doing school in the mornings.  He really loves them and his bouncer.  You can see in the comparison picture in his bouncer at 2 months and now 4 months how much he's grown.  His head almost reaches to the top of the bouncer and he can reach and play with his toys now. 

WEEK 4 - The last week of September came super quick.  I guess that is what happens when you are busy!  Ava has volleyball practice two night a week, Kasen has football practice once a week and games on Friday nights, Kinsley has her activities I mentioned earlier, and Wednesdays I'm busy with YWs.  Sometimes the days go by a bit slower, but we blink and another week is over.  September 25th was the primary program.  It was more than likely Ava's last primary program since she will be in YWs next year.  When we walked in to sacrament meeting her program cover was on top for us to take!  Kasen had another pack meeting this week too.  He received 3 belt loops this month.  He has set a goal to get every belt loop available before he leaves Wolves.  Ava has also set a goal to pass off every requirement in her Faith in God book rather than just the required two per year.  I love their desires to do their best and put more effort than required.

Kinsley took these two pictures this week.  I love how she caught Dallin just in his happy state.  He has brought such happiness into our home!  We were happy before he came too, but it is just different having him around. 

On September 19th, Dallin rolled over all by himself for the first time and hasn't stopped since!  He usually only stays on his back for a few seconds before he flips over to his tummy now.  I started getting really worried about how he would sleep at night.  His miracle swaddle blanket has been so wonderful and he has slept so great because of it.  I didn't know how I would ever get him to stay asleep without it.  One night I couldn't sleep because I was worried he would try to roll in his swaddle and get stuck on his tummy and suffocate.  So I started searching for something he could sleep in that would be safe.  I found this new thing called a zippy.  It keeps his arms free to help him move if he rolls over, but the starfish shape design keeps him cozy so he feels safe and keeps him from waking up from that reflex movement little babies have with their arms.  Plus it keeps his little hands warm.  It took him a couple of nights to get used to it, but has gone back to sleeping like a champ.  We find some pretty cute sleep poses too.

JOG-A-THON COLOR RUN - The last day of the month the kids had their big fundraiser at school.  This year they not only had the jog-a-thon, but it was also a color run.  So they all wore white shirts and volunteers squirted their shirts with a colored vinegar solution.  It was well organized and my kids loved it.  They raised about $200 between the three of them to go towards finishing the track at school.  I was proud of each kid and how they ran during the entire jog-a-thon, but I was really impressed with Kinsley!  She really got serious about it.  I would yell really loud when she came past me and she would alternate between trying really hard not to smile to glaring at me.  She is such a character.  I'm proud that the kids enjoy and do things that help them to be healthy and strong.