Month: September 2010

Labor Day was a dream come true for the boys. Seriously.

Our good friends and neighbors went ‘mining for crystals’ last summer, and showed the boys their crystal finds. Since then the boys have talked of going to the ‘crystal mines’. And begged to go too.

Enter Labor Day.

We were up before the sun, literally pulling the children out of the bed, jammies and all. Blueberry muffins for breakfast as we drove.

We literally drove for about 3 hours to the MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. (I think over half of it was on a dirt road. Good thing I wasn’t further along in our pregnancy, or else I just might have gone into labor!)

Once we were there there was a lot of dig, dig, digging!

A four wheeler ride. Lots and Lots of Dirt.

It was such a great day, and when we finally packed the kids up to go, they were DIRTY. The pictures don’t even do it justice.




We made the long trek home, as you can see Eli fell asleep, and the others watched a movie, and we even saw some wildlife

For dinner on the way home, we stopped at Artic Circle. This video makes me smile.

Silly Boys from Emily Phillips on Vimeo.

Here’s the loot, and happy, happy children.

And a pretty one broken open.

The boys already planning on going back…

This year, Toph took the day off of work, and it was so great to spend the whole day with him, although it was mostly spent walking back and forth from the kids school!

Began with walking the kids to school…

Elliot helping Toph valet park our car into the driveway.

To breakfast with just Elliot and I, and a local greasy spoon.


Home in time to walk and pick up Truman from school.

He took a quick break to Read the newspaper, before it was time to head back to have lunch with Tucker at the Cafeteria (it was Pizza day!)

Home again for a few minutes, then off to pick up tuck from school, and later on through the day some time playing ‘Age of Empires 3’,

(sorry for the blurry pictures, I am still trying to figure out how to use my new camera)
And then Cat came down to babysit the children whilst we went to the Pizza Factory,

And then the BYU MOMA Art Museum, to walk around without children, which was delightful!
It shows what a dedicated father he is that most of his birthday day was spent with his children–Love you Toph!

We’ve had early church for the past year (we just recently changed), and although most days the kids are off to school much earlier than church begins, for some reason Sunday Mornings can be a battle (I think it’s the ties 🙂 ). So it was a sweet and pleasant surprise on our first sunday of our new later time, the older kids told me to stay in bed, just for a few minutes, as Elliot had slept in, and just to keep resting. I happily stayed in bed, to be treated to this sweet surprise:

Strawberries cut up in little pieces, cookie crisp cereal, an orange, glass of milk and yogurt. And my favorite detail? It was all served on the broiler pan.

And although the breakfast was sweet, these two boys face were even sweeter.

I am amazed at how much time we spend in our car…I have heard that this only increases as your children get older, and you’re running around to more and more lessons.

I looked back one day, and smiled. Here’s a pretty typical look in our back seat.

Elliot is almost always holding a toy, he’s usually looking out the window for ‘Trucks’. A word we currently hear about 200 times per 15 minutes. He loves all kinds of trucks. But has recently begun to recognize and verbalize about: Race Cars, Trains, Digger Trucks, Dump Trucks, Cars, Motorcycles, Bicycles, Mover Trucks, Monster Trucks, and Choo-Choos.

Truman in some crazy outfit. This day it was a good day for football gear :), he’s usually involved in trying to engage someone in conversation, telling funny stories, or wanting a adventure story told to him. He loves to talk on car rides, and can often be seen trying to convince Tucker to talk to him.

Tucker almost ALWAYS has a book in his hands whilst in the car. (and won’t let me leave the driveway on a long trip, if he doesn’t have one!) I don’t know how he does it, just the thought of it makes me car sick. But he loves to read in the car.

Sometimes Truman is in the middle, but mostly Tucker. He’s a great help at taking care of his brothers on either side. We’ve had many adventures this summer, soon they’ll be another munchkin to join the pack, and the dynamics will change as we move the older two to the back seat…

this frog costume makes me smile every time it’s put on…

And I think it looks especially cute today on this little guy.

But even more especially because he went and found his coordinating slippers…

Really? I am still 16. I promise. Well, I don’t promise, but it is hard to believe how time flies when you’re living your dreams. Honestly. Not that my life is full of rainbows and sunbeams, ’cause it isn’t. But it is a magnificent life, and I love it, and am grateful for 30 wonderful years!

It was a big year, so there was big celebrating…

a park play date and lunch



pink cherry cupcakes

mmm, candy corns

dinner out with the family at Texas Roadhouse Grill (I wanted a yummy steak, and they have one!)




Sunday happy birthday celebrations with the Greene Family (all 3 of us! Eric, Toph and I, birthday’s celebrated in one week!!)





Joe’s Crab Shack (for Erics, Toph’s and my birthday!)
Look at Tucker eyeing the crab, he just can’t wait to dig in! 🙂




and many phonecalls, cards, and emails wishing me a happy birthday! Thank you everyone~

And a fun new birthday present…a new fancy shmancy phone. Which I love especially because it can take pictures and video!

so it’s good bye to the 20’s, and hello to the 30’s!

He finally made his appearance 10 days overdue!
Congrats to Brian and Lexie who welcomed this sweet boy into the world!

We’re so glad he’s finally here, and can’t wait to get to know him better!

I know I kind of already did a back to school post, but had to record this, Details are courtesy of a bag of M and M’s and a note from his teacher.

Red: What book did you read today?
“The night before Kindergarten”, it was a silly one with a teacher who forgot that school was coming! Her calendar got all mixed up!
Orange: Tell about the kindergarten rules.
You have to always sit criss-cross applesauce, no running, no yelling, and just be nice.
Yellow: Tell about the best part of your day?
Recess. I went down the slide so many times!
Green: Tell about a new friend you met.
I don’t know his name, but it was a boy, and he was really nice. He doesn’t sit at my green table with me, but we played together at recess.
Blue: What is your teacher’s name?
Mrs. S.
Brown: What letter did you learn about today?
The letter M, and every day, we get to learn a new letter! (How exciting!)

Love any little insights I can have into my kids day!

The butterflies of anticipation in your tummy, the new school clothes and supplies, the crispness in the air…it’s fall, and Back to School time!

There are so many changes that are coming our way in the next few months. The first one began with starting school.

Hard to believe that this year I have a Kindergartner,

and a Second Grader.

They both have AMAZING teachers, which I have heard nothing but positive things about, (Truman’s we know personally from the ward), and that seemed to make the transition easier for me. (It is hard for me ‘giving’ my boys up…knowing these women will spend more waking hours with my children than I will!)

The boys were excited for the open house this year where they got to put up one of their racecars, for the art display in hall, and

see their classrooms.

The boys actual first day of school arrived, Tucker started a week before Truman. (The Kindergartners have evaluations/meeting with their teacher the first week of school) Tucker was ready.

We walked him there, and although he did look terrified when I left him at his classroom door,

He came home to brothers who missed him and made him super hero cookies,


and Tucker exclaimed he’d had a great day and was truly happy. I am happy to say that now, he has settled in nicely.

After a week of walking Tucker to school, Truman was more ready then he’d been! But was still a little bit nervous as well when his first day arrived,

(and his mother might have been a little bit nervous too, as he entered the big world of elementary school!) His nerves were mostly because he did not know anyone in his class, but has since more than rectified that situation…as we leave school everyday, pretty sure he says goodbye to over half of the class, and they all know his name and say goodbye to him. 🙂

And as we walked home, he choose McDonalds as the place to celebrate beginning kindergarten.


Now I have two happy boys who run to school bright and early every week day morning.

A wonderful start to a wonderful new school year.

We met (and picked up the big boys) at Donnetta Hot Springs for the family reunion, a place where Toph went swimming as a child–
There was plenty of family.





Plenty of Swimming.



Plenty of Sliding.





Plenty of splashing


Yummy food.

And great reconnecting with family we love!

In short, plenty of good times!

And a side note, Truman got a belated birthday present:

an Aggies Football Outfit.

He loves it, it was worn that day, that night, (we were all tired when we got home that night!)

and has been worn many days/nights since!

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!