SEPTEMBER

September was the month we have been waiting for the entire year!  We went to Disneyland!!!  I took so many pictures that I am going to do the whole trip in a separate post.  It was the most wonderful, fun, magical, happy trip ever.  I have thought in my head that people that go to Disneyland every year are crazy, but after going I could easily go every year.  There is just something special about that place.  Even Jed admitted that Disneyland was so much better than he anticipated and he even had FUN!  Drop the mic - the end of the world might be near. We went to California September 1st - 9th and are so thankful for Jed working so hard so that we could go and make such fun memories!  Once we got back September flew by.  Here are the best things that happened... 
AVA'S GOLDEN BIRTHDAY  - 13 on the 13th this year!  Of course she had school all day and then vb practice so I surprised her and brought donuts to the end of practice and her team sang Happy Birthday to her really really loud.  She was surprised to a cute poster taped to our door when we got home from the other girls in Beehives.

Jed and I took Ava to dinner at her favorite place - Olive Garden.  She was telling a joke and laughing so hard at herself in this picture.  That's one thing about Ava that I love - she can start to laugh at herself and get so cracked up that she can barely breath and then she starts crying because she is laughing so hard.  Back at home I showed her my attempt at an octopus cake.  I am still laughing about how bad it is!  Luckily it still tasted good.

Ava is actually a really hard girl to shop for.  She isn't into clothes or jewelry as gifts.  She doesn't want anything to do with a cell phone either.  We decided to get her an aquarium and a gift card to get some fish.  She was thrilled!  Our little ocean girl!

Ava couldn't decide for awhile if she wanted to have a party or not.  The night before her bday she decided she would be ok if I invited friends over for her.  So Friday night she had all the girls from church over for milkshakes and night games.  They had a blast!  Then Saturday night she had her best friends from school over for another late night party.  One friend, Ava, couldn't come over because her family was in town, but the other two came and they hung out, played games, got in the hot tub, and also had milkshakes.  We had another family party with Tresa and Tyler on Sunday.  Ava is such a special girl and we are so proud of person she is becoming. She is kind, thoughtful, encouraging, motivated, confidant, responsible, honest, faithful, obedient, happy, smart, athletic, musical, and beautiful.  She is the whole package for sure. I hope she felt special this year and felt how much those around her love her!

THE REST OF THE MONTH - Ava has been playing on the 7th grade girls volleyball team this year and having a great time.  Her team finished the season winning half their games and losing half.  Ava mostly played as a setter and was really good.  Her serving has improved a lot as well.  She is still hoping to hit 6' before she stops growing! 

Kasen has been playing flag football for another season and doing well.  Kinsley started violin lessons.  She looks so cute with this tiny violin she gets to play.  All the kids are also taking piano lessons from the same Ukrainian lady as last year and have really improved and are doing great!  I love hearing them play!

School has been going great for everyone too.  Ava has 4 classes this year with all the GT students as well as Advanced Math so this year she is basically taking 7th & 8th grade math and next year she will start getting HS credits for her math class.  Kasen's class functions as a city called Fischerville (his teacher is Mr. Fischer).  The students have to apply for jobs in the class and they get paid.  It is pretty cool.  Kasen loves talking about it.  His two best friends aren't in his class but they still get together at recess and play football and basketball.  The 3 of them do get to go to GT one day a week together too.  Kinsley loves her class too.  She didn't have any friends from last yr's class or church in her class but she has made some new friends.  She is a good student and made a poster for her class.  She is hoping she can get chosen to be the star student soon.

We've been doing some final work outside before fall sets in.  Jed and Kasen were working in the pasture cutting down some weeds and of course Dallin had to go "help" which means climbing up and down the fence.  He thinks he is as big a everyone else and never wants to be left behind. 

Toward the end of September our dishwasher stopped working.  It took a few days before a tech could come look at it and we found out that the motherboard was fried.  Then it took another 2 weeks for our home warranty to send a check for a new dishwasher.  Meanwhile we went and picked a new one out but then you have to wait for them to deliver and install it.  Long story short, we were without a dishwasher for a couple weeks and washed all the dishes by hand!  Kinsley was a rock star dishwasher and the kids were mostly ok with this extra chore, but we were all glad to get a new dishwasher again!

One day I was out with Dallin and I looked at him and thought, "ok your hair is out of control."  So I took him to get a haircut.  Our last experience at Great Clips was horrible because Dallin screamed the whole time so I thought I'd try one of the salons made for kids.  It was a hit!  He got to sit in a tractor, watch cartoons, get a sucker & balloon, and play on a slide.  Plus he looked so cute afterwards. I can't believe this kid has already had 3 haircuts and I'm so glad he hasn't lost his curls! One new thing Dallin has picked up this month is saying when he gets hurt, "Ouchie wa-wa!" He will fake fall down just so he can say it.

A couple pics from church events: Kasen went on his Webelos walk-about at Eagle Island with his troop.  His scout leaders are so awesome.  Kasen never wants to go, but always has a good time once he gets there.  Jed bought Dallin new Kyrie Irving basketball shoes.  He told Dallin they were basketball shoes and Dallin was so excited!  Kasen was so jealous too.  Jed has Dallin wear them to church, and while I think they are a little loud for church, Dallin loves them so much! This was his first time wearing them to church and I was saying to Jed that I didn't want him to wear them and Dallin came over to me and took my face in both of his chubby hands and said, "Mama Mama  - basketball shoes."  He kept saying it over and over until I repeated it and then said, "Yea" really slow like he was trying to help me understand how awesome his shoes were.  Well with that sweet face inches away from yours and his sweet little voice you can see who won that one.

For kid day this month it was Ava's turn.  Ava always has such a hard time choosing what to do when it is her turn.  Because she developed such a great love for the Guardians of the Galaxy ride at Disneyland, Jed suggested we rent the movie at Redbox and have a late night party watching it together with some treats.  Ava was ecstatic!  We had a great time and I think Jed and Ava ate an entire xl bag of sour gummy worms.  Jed of course fell asleep, but Ava and I are no quitters and we finished the movie!  Then we had to watch the 2nd one too.  We love this teenager of ours!

Jed had a roping at the end of the month, so he was outside with the horses the last week of September most nights.  The kids were excited to ride a little bit too.  Kasen is getting to be a little braver on the horse and likes to run.  He also tried roping the heel-o-matic while in motion this month.