Allergy Lukey

Just before school started Luke's allergies hit him hard. His eyes were swollen and itchy. So when his teacher asked him to draw a self-portrait, this is what he came up with.Oh the guilt of being too frugal of a mother and thinking, "He doesn't really need nasonex. Let's see how he does without it this year." Oopps Guess I will be headed to wal-greens to get a refill!

"These are my Sketchers"

Oh the excitement....

Waking before the sun is up, preparing my very first school lunch, making sure his name is on all his belongings and his uniform is all ready to go. I don't know who was more excited about Kindergarten, me or him.

A few weeks ago we went out and got him new shoes. I wanted to get him a nice pair that would last though out the year. So we went to the sketcher outlet store and he picked out some "Z-Straps". I made him wait until the first day of school to wear them. Here is a picture of him showing off his new shoes!

Here we go... our first walk to school!

When we arrived at his classroom his teacher said
"Hi, Luke."
His reply, "These are my Sketchers."

We went in and found the table with his name on it. His school is participating in the Breakfast Express Program, so they get to eat breakfast in their classroom first thing. Nice for me. It means I don't have to yell at him "Eat faster or we are going to be late" like I did last year during pre-school.

He was so excited to be there. He didn't have any apprehensions about being away from home. So... one day down, a bazillion more to go until he has his doctorate!

PS Later that night we went over to my parents, I told Luke to get his shoes on and he put on his other pair. I told him he could wear his new ones. But he told me that he didn't want to because he didn't want them to get dirty. I wanted to squeeze him, I just love him!

LMNOX'S

Noah some how missed out on the Barney episode where they teach the ABC's. Keep an eye on the way he moves his tongue and his hands when he gets to the "LMNOP" section of the song.

Hilarious

This has got to be the cutest version of the ABC's in the history of the world!
I love this kid.

Still Vacationing

Our Arizona/Wicked trip ended a little too soon for Andrea and I. So the morning we were headed back home, Andrea impulsively decided to send Katelyn with us, so that she could finish her work week and show up with Seth a couple days later. It was fun having my Katie-Bug all to myself. I enjoyed caring for her, dressing her up and doing her hair. And Ashley was grateful to have someone to have a tea party with.

First Stop, Insights science museum to see the dinosaurs.

The two of us need psychiatric help when we get together.

Grandma giving a try at all the puzzles.

Solved this one, with a little help from John.

Next stop, we got to go out to Grandpa's work to see the "puppies in training".

We even got to see the big dogs at work.

Here is the head honcho himself.

The kids got border patrol sticker badges'.
All the grand-babies lined up in grandpa's office.

Last stop, pool party. Grandma got them some push-pops that they all enjoyed as you can see.


It was a perfect end to weeks and weeks of vacationing.

A Real Night Out

So about a year in advance we bought tickets to go see......

......Wicked!

But when the the family reunion was pushed back from June to July. We soon realized that it was going to be a problem. But it actually ended up being perfect because Eric and Andrea were not able to get time off to go to the reunion, so we brought the reunion to them! Although John was really missed.

Dad did the driving so I got to sit back and enjoy my kids.

The lucky winner of John's ticket was Emily. But she didn't win when it came to seating arrangements on the way to AZ. "All the way on the back of the bus, Em!" haha

Seriously, Eric and Andrea are such dorks.

Where there is a video game, there is a Luke and an Eric!

Andrea got us some babysitters, so we were footloose and fancy free!

Here we are arguing about which restaurant we should eat at. We ended up a Chili's. How unoriginal can you be?

Andrea all the way in the backseat.

Here we are after the show.
"Toss, Toss"

Making a mess of poor Aunt Andrea's house! She has the greatest collection of toys. My kids are always in heaven when we come to visit.

What could be finer than a "diaper dunk" on a hot afternoon. Eric got a text from his neighbor that just said,
"White trash......Nice"

If you ever get a chance to see the show, you better take it. We had such a great time.

PS Let us never forget the man with the fart machine standing outside the auditorium, that sent us all into a laughing fit.

Retun to Neverland (Cloudcroft)

John headed back to work and while the rest of us headed off to the mountains. After spending one night in our own beds it was time again to venture out on another vacation. This year's Larson reunion took place in our old stompin' grounds. Our reunions have been held in Cloudcroft, NM for as long as I can remember. Some of my most fondest of memories have taken place there. But we have not been there since 2002, due to the fact that my sister Ashley's lungs couldn't hack the altitude. So it was a bitter-sweet moment, we were excited to be back up there but it was kinda crapy without Ash. She would have loved it. But my cousin Sarah helped us remember her, by making these beautiful little charms in remembrance of her and Alexa. Alexa is my cousins daughter whose life was also taken due to cancer.

My Ash couldn't wait to test out the "sink bath". (I sat in that very sink when I was her age!)

Ashley loves her Grandma"Sisters, never were there such devoted Sisters"

No reunion is complete with out an absurdly large TV. This year Uncle Keith went the extra mile to ensure we had satellite TV coverage too! Crazy Keith!

Body for Lifers

Doodle in the Dirt

Searching for bugs with Aunty Em

Did I mention Ashley LOVES her grandma?

Bryce

Tukey Lukey

Nap time for G-ma

Noah and his "stick gun."Taylor Swift Hair by Rachel

We think we are so pretty haha

Pyramid Power

Hand and Foot anyone?

Haha Grandpa always has a stain on the front of his shirt. And yet he is still so handsome!

Drew and Aunt Rach

Melanie's first night there was our last so I made the most of it by ensuring that all the women stayed up until 4 in the morning. Whenever someone tried to inch they way towards their tent, I would strike up another conversation to keep the night going. My favorite reunion past-time is just sitting around talking and convulsing with laughter.

All in all, another successful Larson Family reunion. I'm glad my kids were able to enjoy a "Cloudcroft-style" family reunion just as I did as a child. It is a place that I will always act like a care-free child. Can't wait for our next return to my Never Neverland!