More Cabin Fun

A few pictures from this Fall at the cabin:

Jeremy helped Hayley shoot a gun for the first time.  She didn't like it.  I was relieved.

More progress on the massive treehouse:

Some cabin snacks:

 

And cabin smiles:

 

And some surprise snow!

Just enough to get the snowmobiles out for the Friday evening and Saturday morning we were there.  It had all melted off by Saturday evening.

It's going to be an awfully fun winter at the cabin, especially with Hayley and me being off track for all of December. :)

Preschool Boy

These pictures are from September when I was off track.  Jackson had been going to preschool for a few weeks already at that point.

 

He looked so cute with his little Jackson-sized backpack.

 

He is still loving going to preschool.  Jeremy drops him off, and he hasn't had any tears at all.  Just lines up with his class and heads on in.

My mom picks him up most days, and he is ready to go, with a smile on his face.

Then he usually sings the songs from preschool for the rest of the day.  His favorites are Wheels on the Bus, Itsy Bitsy Spider, and the ABC song.

His teachers have also commented on how polite he is.  He does say lots of "please" and "thank you" and "no thanks."  Although lots of times it's when we tell him, "Jackson, it's time to go to bed" and he says back, "Sorry.  No thanks."  Yeah, you try telling the cute, polite boy no.  He's pretty much got life figured out.

The Treehouse

Hayley has a fantastic memory.  So when Jeremy and my stepdad Robert mentioned to her that they would possibly build her a treehouse at the cabin, she did not forget.  On the contrary, she reminded them about it each and every cabin trip.  This summer, they made good on their word.  My mom and I were thinking a cute little playhouse.  We should have known better putting our husbands in charge of the project.  It's anything but little.

 

Don't worry.  Robert has only fallen once.  And he caught himself.  With the tree trunk.  He only scraped off a bunch of the skin on his arm.  I told him it's an awful long half-hour ride to Evanston if you are needing medical attention.  Then I told Jeremy he better not do anything stupid.  And he told me he's not nearly as crazy as Robert.  I'm not sure I believe that...

 Hayley is elated about the whole project, and is out with "the boys" every chance she gets.   Up and down the ladder, passing out tools... Sometimes that girl is a little too brave for my liking.

 

It is coming along nicely though.  Jeremy said it's been good to have something for him to do until we get snow at the cabin, and can break out the $140 snowmobile we scored off of KSL that Jeremy has been restoring.

Keep your eyes peeled for pictures of the final product.  Hopefully before the snow season sets in.

Thanksgiving Point

We'd never done Thanksgiving Point's Two Buck Tuesday that they do every August, and this year it turned out I would be taking the last Tuesday in August off anyway for Jackson's preschool orientation, so I decided we better head on up!

After we were done with the preschool orientation, I checked a surprised Hayley out of school, and told her where we were headed.  I also surprised her with stopping by cousin Zekie's school.  We checked him out for part of the day also.  His mom was cool like that about an educational field trip chaperoned by a teacher playing hookey. :) These cousins were excited to spend the afternoon together.  I don't even remember what they were talking about on the way there, but I know it was cracking me up.

We headed to the dinosaur museum (Museum of Ancient History, I think?) first.  It was really fun, but also pretty crowded.  I love this picture.  They're so like, "Just take the picture already, will you Mom/Aunt!"

Hayley was sweet to help Jackson get in on the dinosaur sand table action.

Nothing like practicing your dinosaur growls.

Right before this we were waiting for some other kids to finish their picture.  The moms told them to sit on that rail.  I'm watching, thinking, "Not a good idea."  Sure enough, before they can even get their picture: "Clunk!"  One of the kids fell straight back and smacked his head on the floor.  Hard.  Not quite the photo op they intended, I'm sure.  Hayley and Zekie watched this mishap, and then Hayley turned to Zekie, and in all seriousness said, "Let's not do that." Yes, Hayley.  Let's not.

This guy was content in the stroller.  For once.  Which is good, because he is a runner, and there were a lot of people.

We did head over to Farm Country for a bit after the dinos.  It was a little bit calmer there, and I let Jackson out of his restraints, er stroller.  In this picture he's laughing at and talking to the ducks.  He kept saying, "Silly ducks! Crazy ducks!  Ducks are swimming! Ducks are walking!"  He had a lot of fun running around outside and seeing all the animals.

 

Worth the day off, and worth the two bucks a person for sure!

Jackson Turned Three!

 As I started this post, I realized it is basically brought to you by the letter P.  And, of course, by the number 3.  At Jackson's party, there was a PLAYGROUND:

And a PINATA:

Listen for the giggle in the video.  Cracks me up every time!

I love Hayley's "Evil Eye" in this one.

And PYROTECHNICS:

(Such a cute, sweet smile when he realizes that, "Yes, everyone is singing to me!")

And there were PRESENTS:

He opened these drums right after opening a kiddie guitar.  Apparently, he's very musically inclined.  I never knew. :)

 And there were PARTY GUESTS:

 And PARENTS:

And, of course, over the next few days, there was major PLAYTIME with all his new toys!

See?  Musically inclined. ;)

This happy boy also started PRESCHOOL, but that will get its own post.  As soon as Jeremy emails me the pictures he took of Jackson on his first day.  Hint, hint Husband. :)

Happy Birthday dear Jackson, Happy Birthday to YOU!

First Kid, First Day, First Grade

We have a first grader!  Crazy, right?  She is loving it so far.  Eating lunch at school is definitely a favorite. She loves her teacher.  She is becoming a great reader and speller, and was so excited when math homework started being sent home.  She tries hard to get "check pluses" on her papers.

What a difference a year makes!

 

(Hayley on the first day of Kindergarten, and the first day of First Grade.)

We are so proud of our Hayley Girl!

Like a Fish

Around here, no summer is complete without swimming lessons.  Hayley usually takes the summer off from dance, and instead we head over to the pool a couple of times a week for lessons.  This summer, she actually did two sessions.  The first round there were five other kids in her class, and she was the youngest.  She did fine, and was put in the right level, but I think having all of the other kids in her class vary in age from eight to fourteen years old was a little intimidating for her.

The second set of lessons, which was actually the same level since she didn't pass off all the requirements in June, only had her and two other girls her same age in it.  It made for a lot more one on one time with the instructor.  Especially when after two lessons, one of the other girls dropped out.  And then the other one didn't come to the last two lessons.  So basically, Hayley got two semi-private lessons and two private lessons for a bargain of a price!  Awesome!

I couldn't believe all that she was daring to do in the deep water by the last day:

Her instructor told me the price that they usually charge for private lessons.  It is the same amount as what I paid for the set of six lessons. :)

They also practiced diving.  This one is pretty good.  There were a lot of belly flops before I filmed this one.

Hayley passed off all the skills for her level this time.  She was even a little sad that lessons were over.  I told her if she wanted to in the future she could try out for a swim team and have swimming lessons every day.  She gave me a look of disbelief and asked, "Every single day?!" with her big wide eyes.  It was pretty funny.  At the rate she's going, she'll be done with the levels they usually teach for swimming lessons by next summer or the summer after.  So we'll see.  One things for sure: The "costumes" for swimming are a lot cheaper than they are for dance!