Karissa finally lost a tooth....

OR FOUR!

Karissa will be 8 in just a few weeks and has never had a loose tooth. Her two bottom front permanent teeth were coming in behind her baby teeth. So, while we were in Utah I took the girls for checkups at the dentist. Dr. Dave looked over Karissa's teeth and suggested it would be best to pull all four front bottom teeth to make room for the new ones. Usually going to the dentist and getting teethed pulled is not that exciting for kids, but when Karissa heard she was getting four pulled she got really excited. Finally after seeing friends loose their teeth several years earlier, she was going to be loosing some of hers. She was so brave and let Dr. Dave do what he needed to to get the teeth out. After prying and twisting all four teeth were removed. HOLY COW! The roots on those babies were longer than the tooth was. They could have been used as weapons. They weren't coming out on their own anytime soon.

Crazy how it changes their appearance and even how they talk when they loose those baby teeth. I was telling Karissa how she wasn't my same Karissa. Lexie tells me, "She is still the same Karissa, she just got her teeth pulled."

Memorial Day

WARNING!!!! LOT'S OF PICTURES!!

This is the first Memorial Day that we have not spent with extended family. We usually have a picnic with family or go camping. We are still trying to get used to not having family around.

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Our holiday turned out to be better than we thought it would. We started out with going on a short hike to a waterfall. It was very rocky and steep.

Jim, Karissa and Lexie climbed further past the waterfall. Yes, my girls braved the rocks.

My little poser.

After the hike we filled the car with gas, got lunch, stocked up on treats and headed up to Lake Tahoe. When Ron and Mindy were visiting they found a neat place to visit by the lake, so we headed that directions. (Why is it the out of town visitors show us the fun spots to go?)

Emerald Bay

We hiked a mile down in the trees to the shoreline. This is Vikingsholm Castle which is next to the shore. Very interested, neat looking building/castle.

From the shore we continued our hike to another waterfall.

The girls once again did very good on the hike. Climbing back up was grueling, but they endured and made it!

It was a great day spent with Jim and our girls. I love them and enjoy spending time with them.

Last Day of School

Because I some how missed the memo and didn't know an extra day of school had been scheduled, Brindley and Karissa actually missed the last day of school. I didn't realize that when you have a snow day you just add another day onto the school year. I had already planned our trip to Utah and we were leaving the day after (so I thought) the kids got out of school.

On Brindley and Karissa's last day of school the parents were invited to have lunch with their child. It was fun for me to see my girls at school with their friends.

Brindley's 4th grade teacher, Mrs Hagen.

Brindley with her friends.

Karissa with her 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Maguire.

Playing with Cousins

I have some catching up to do. These are pictures of when Ron, Mindy, and their boys came to visit. We enjoyed having them here. We tried to do some site seeing while they were here. With Brindley and Karissa still in school it made it difficult to do everything we wanted to do. We did visit Virginia City, spent a few evenings in Reno, visited the Children's Museum, and spent one night and a day in Sacramento.

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Kids posing in Virginia City

Loved seeing them all lined up, watching TV. Even Samantha on the floor.

Best Buddies!

Best Buddies II!

Swimming at the Motel in Sacramento

Riding the rides at Funderland

Jim and Samantha hanging out at Funderland

Waiting in Line....They had so much fun!

Ron and the girls on the Tea Cups.....I forgot how sick my girls get.

Thanks for coming Ron, Mindy, Jace, and Jayden! We Love You and Miss You!

Schools Out

Today is the last day of school for Brindley and Karissa. It snuck up on me so fast. Usually I am counting down the days. Brindley and Karissa have enjoyed and adjusted well to school here in Nevada. They have experienced new things and learned alot.....academically and socially. I am proud of them and their accomplishments.

We got a phone call yesterday telling us that Lexie was chosen to be in the pre-k program. She is so excited to go to school also (next fall). She did inform me though that she doesn't want to go if they have homework.

So, now that school is out, I am not prepared for summer and having all 4 girls home all day long. I definately need to put together some kind of summer schedule/activity plan. We are looking forward to trips to Utah this summer along with Karissa's baptism. Hopefully we can get some camping in too. I am also looking forward to hopefully getting to know some of the sisters in my ward better....whether that be at playdates at the park with the kids or Girls' Night Out.

It's hard to believe that it was a year ago that we loaded up the trailor and hauled it to Carson City. How time flies. Also, 2 years ago this month Jim was informed about not having a job anymore and we found out we were expecting Samantha. It's crazy to see where we are at now and how things have changed in those 2 years. We've experienced lots of ups and downs. Looking back on it all, we have needed those experiences to be who we are today. Our family has grown closer together. I think all of our testimonies have become stonger as we have turned to our Heavenly Father for strength to deal with everything. I can't deny feeling the spirit and knowing I am being helped through this time. I am trying to remember to "Find Joy in My Journey".

So, here is to a great summer.....and no packing school lunches for a few months!

Cousins

Just a sneak peak of what we have been enjoying this week. Even though they are cousins they could be twins.......or atleast partners in crime!

My Brave Big/Little Girls

My sweethearts got shots today. :'( Yes, I think it hurt me more than them. Samantha was having her 15 month checkup so I decided to get Lexie her last shots before Pre-School. I debated for a few days whether I should tell her she was going to get them today. I had told her in the past that she needed a few shots before school. So, this morning I told her that while Samantha was getting her shots, she would get them too. Lexie said, "Ok, then I can go to school!" She was so brave. I asked the nurse if we could do Lexie's first. The only nervousness I heard from Lexie was just before the doctor came in. She said, "Mom, I'm tired. I think we should go home right now."

She stuck it out though. The nurse came in with the 5 needles. 3 for Lexie and 2 for Samantha. Lexie then became more nervous about the nurses seeing her cinderella underwear than the shots. I put her up on the table and she pulled her shirt down over her undies and smiled the whole time. I wish I was as brave as her.

Samantha's checkup went well. The doctor was glad that she gained some weight. She weighed in at 19 lbs 8 oz and is 30 inches long. Yes, she is small, but that's how my kids are. She ofcourse screamed when she got her shots, but as soon as the shots were over she was fine. She is a busy girl and keeps the whole family on there toes trying to keep up with her. She really likes to color on walls....which isn't good when you are renting the place. She loves her dad and sisters and loves Rocky, the dog.
When ever we go out with Rocky he is jumping all over us and excited to have someone to play with. When Samantha is around him he sits still and just lets her play with him. She pokes his eyes, grabs his tongue, pulls his tail, feeds him treats and gives him hugs.

Lexie was playing under the laundry basket. Samantha trapped her in!

Samantha is always pulling things out of the cupboards. I found her having her bottle with the collander covering her face.

So you all saw Samantha doing the squats a while back. Here she is working out on the WII. I can't play on it by myself anymore, she gets on it and does her workout too.