Back to School 2012

Ready or not, it is that time of year again.  Actually, Payton and McKenzie have been super excited...it is me who has been dreading the first day of school.  I have tried not to show them just how anxious I have been about this day and how much I will miss having them around so much.  Instead I have been trying to take advantage of the fun days we still had left of SUMMER VACATION.  I don't think I will ever get used to the first day of school.  It is nice to have a schedule but I sure do miss having my kids around.

Payton's first day of 1st Grade.  His first day was August 22nd, doesn't he look handsome!

Here is an interview I had with Payton.

My name is:  Payton Mckay Swensen

I am 7 years old.

The yummiest food to eat is:  Pizza

My favorite show to watch is:  Scooby Doo 

I love when I get to read:  Super Hero Books

The best thing about school is:  Painting and Math

The worst thing about school is:  Nothing!  (Hope it stays that way)

The coolest person on earth is:  Everyone

I am really super good at:  Soccer

My favorite color is:  Red and Green

The best place in the world to be is:  The Ocean

When I grow up I want to:  be a Dentist

If I could do one thing all day long it would be:  Swim

I really, really do not like to eat:  Mushrooms

My favorite song:  I am a Child of God

My best friend is:  Everybody

Jesus is:  Nice

When I was little I used to:  Sleep a lot

3 words that tell about me:  Truthful, Nice, Helper

This year I hope to learn:  MATH

Siblings

Payton picked out his own shoes and he loves them.

He was so excited to have his own supplies this year.  (Last year the whole class shared everything.)  He is also looking forward to learning, recess, lunch, and especially MATH.  I hope this excitement for learning stays with him!!

Payton on the swings before school started.  Mckay took a little time off both mornings to help take the kids on their first days of school.

 

McKenzie's first day of Kindergarten!  She started August 23rd.

Here is an interview I had with McKenzie.

My name is: McKenzie Marie Swensen

I am 5 years old.

The yummiest food to eat is: Pot Stickers and Floating Tacos

My favorite show to watch is: Barbie Movies

I love when I get to read: Family Books

The best thing about school is: Making Stuff

The worst thing about school is: Missing my family

The coolest person on earth is: Jesus and Heavenly Father

I am really super good at: Coloring

My favorite color is: Blue

The best place in the world to be is: The Fair (she likes the rides)

When I grow up I want to: Be a Vet

If I could do one thing all day long it would be: Go to the Movies

I really, really do not like to eat: Pepperoni

My favorite song is: I am a Child of God

My best friend is: Everybody

Jesus is: Loves everyone

When I was little I used to: I don't remember

3 words that tell about me: Nice, Pretty, Sister

This year I hope to learn: how to read good

All ready for her first day of school!  McKenzie has been wanting Twinkle Toes for quite a long time and was so excited to wear them to school.  She already has a since of her own style.

Payton and McKenzie were so excited to go to school together.  McKenzie only goes to school every other day (one week she will go M, W, F and the next week she goes T, TH, with a few changes due to holidays).  It is nice having them back to back in grades.

On the way to drop the kids off at school.  (Brielle normally doesn't ride in that car seat, her other one was being cleaned, so she got to try this for a few minutes.  I think she really liked being able to look around.)

My 4 little buddies!  I still can't believe that every other day I will only have half of my kids at home all day.  It is really going to take some getting used to, even for Taylor and Brielle.  Yesterday Taylor kept asking "When is Payton gonna get back?"  and even Kenzie.  Brielle looks around for them when I ask her where they are.  Although today Kenzie is home and her and Taylor are already off playing together and having a great time.

She was so excited and not nervous at all.  This made things a little easier on me.

Saying cheese with her cute curly hair and all!

I love that Kenzie has an older brother there to look after her, help her get off the bus at the right stop (unlike his first attempt last year), and help her along the way when I am not there.  Payton is such a great Big Brother and fills this role proudly.  He is so good at looking out for his younger siblings even when I haven't asked him to do so.  I think having Payton there made it that much easier on McKenzie.

Walking in to school together.  Hand in hand!  This picture just melts my heart.  Okay, I have a confession...after running a few errands (replacing front and back breaks on the van) I stopped by the school to spy on the kids during lunch recess.  I quickly spotted McKenzie in her bright sparkly shirt, and low and behold who else was right there beside her playing as buddies...Payton and a couple of the other neighborhood kids.  Payton seemed to go where ever Kenzie went.  It was fun watching them when they had no idea I was even around.  Later when they got home I asked if Payton had a hard time finding Kenzie on the playground.  He said no because she was always at the bubble because she likes to play on it.  Sure enough, that is one of the places I saw them hanging out together as well as the swings.

Our family on McKenzie's first day of school and Payton's second day.

I already know McKenzie's teacher, it is the same one Payton had last year, we really liked her and so I know Kenzie is in good hands, especially with a brother like Payton there as well.  Payton is the oldest so I don't really know his teacher yet.  She seems really nice  and has 3 kids of her own.  So far, so good, he is loving 1st Grade.  I feel like I am getting older now that I have 2 kids in school. Even though it is hard on me to let them go, I am excited for them because they are so thrilled to be there and are ready to learn and grow. The other day I found a poem on Pinterest that described a little bit of how I was feeling on their first day:

I wonder what you're doing right now,

And if everyone is treating you kind. 

I hope there is a special person,

A nice friend that you can find.

 

I wonder if the teacher knows

Just how special you are to me.

And if the brightness of your heart

Is something she can see.

 

I wonder if you are thinking about me,

And if you need a hug.

I already miss the sound of your voice

And how you give my leg a tug.

 

I wonder if you could possibly understand

How hard it is for me to let you grow.

On this day know that my heart breaks,

For this is the first step in letting my baby go.

 

Oh being a mom is great.  It is unreal how fast time goes by.  I have so many fond memories of my little ones, and it just boggles my mind at how much they have grown up right before my eyes.  I look forward to the arrival of the bus everyday and can't wait to greet them with a hug, maybe a treat, and ask them how their day has been.

The Day Before School

The day before school started I took the kids to the Meridian Swimming Pool for another day of fun in the sun.  This has been one of the funnest summers, we have been doing a lot of fun things as a family.

These guys have become Best Friends!

All ready to go SWIMMING.

It felt so good to cool off on a hot day.

Taylor has really gotten comfortable in water this summer.  He now loves to swim/float and kick around in his float jacket and jump to me from the side.  My mom was trying to teach him a few things at Grandjean, so when Taylor was doing good in the pool he said, "Tell Grandma!"  I thought that was funny that he wanted to impress his GRANDMA!  He is so proud of his new skills.

It wasn't too bad with all 4 kids and just myself, thanks to their life jackets and the fact that they have been sticking together lately!

Payton has always loved the water and will never pass up a chance to go swimming!  (In fact he is excited to go boating with my family one last time this summer on Saturday.)

My sweet little Kenzie really loves swimming now too.  She has gone from hardly putting her face under the water, to jumping off the sides and diving board all by herself, and then swimming to the edge just to do it all over again a million times.  (With her jacket of coarse.)

Brielle always has entertainment with 3 older siblings.

She has really grown to love the water this summer too.  She will throw a huge fit when she is pulled from the bathtub.  She loves to crawl around in the water and get in and out of the pool.  Brielle also tries to squirm out of my arms and do things all by herself, she still doesn't understand what would happen if I let her go.  She now has 5 little teeth and is becoming a little toddler as she wants to experience things on her own.

After swimming it was time to head home so we could change our clothes and meet up with dad to go to the Open House at Silver Trail Elementary.  This is where the kids take their supplies, meet their teachers, and look around their new classrooms.  I think they were so excited to start school, but I don't think I'll ever be fully ready for the first day of school each year, and the end of another summer.

Living It Up!

Wow, this summer has been a fun one.  We have been doing a lot of playing and having a great time with family and friends.  Our 4 little kids have kept us busy!

On Wednesday Payton went to a trial class of Karate.  I think he thought it was fun and would love to get one of those outfits! 

Then on Thursday McKenzie and Payton both tried out a class of Gymnastics.
They both want to sign up and LOVED it!  Oh, if only money grew on trees!!

Stretching

They thought it was great and enjoyed every minute of it.

After trying out Gymnastics we headed to Eagle Island for the last time this summer.  We met up with a friend as well as my mom, sisters, and the cousins.

Getting ready to swim.

The kids were so excited!

Kenzie ready to play at the beach.

Taylor, Kaden, and Kenzie playing in the sand and water.

Taylor looks like he is having a good time.

Ashlee and Payton

Payton and Taylor

This picture of Brielle is too cute.

Kenzie and Allyssa building a sand castle.

 

Michelle and Mom

My sisters and I.  Happy Birthday Cynthia!!  She wants to have that baby and was hoping a hot day in the sun would do the trick!

The little girls were so funny crawling around in the sand and water.  Brielle was happy just exploring and cooling off on a hot day.

Brielle would find little rocks and try to eat them.  Then she would get a little cranky when I stopped her.

Having fun.

Brielle with Cynth and her blanket.

Taylor was really getting comfortable in the water this time.

Happy girl.

Looks like they are having a great time.

Then on the way home the kids were begging for a treat so we stopped by Dairy Queen.

Brielle waiting for a bite from Mom or Cynthia.

Kenzie, Payton, Taylor, Kaden, Michelle, Kaitlyn, Allyssa, and Ashlee

What a great day with the cousins before a few of them start school and it will be harder to get them all together.  It is kind of sad because they love each other so much.