Boys and their cars...

 These pictures were taken back in June but I have wanted to share them on our family blog.

Anytime Derek brings home a car that needs a tire change, Thomas gets excited to help him. He loves to stand by his Daddy's side to help worl the big tools to accomplish the task.  Derek is really good at taking time to explain each step and what each tool does in the process.

Here they are in action.

 Thomas checking himself out in his reflection :) ha!

Hop, skip, and a jump.....

to FIRST GRADE!

Emma girl, her Mom and Dad had a bit of a whirlwind of emotions last week. On Tuesday, August 20th she had her kindergarten assessment with her kindergarten teacher, Mrs. McAllister.

Emma did very well. She did SO well that her teacher and I had a good talk about the results of her test. Just from her small assessment, Emma was scoring at an advanced end of year Kindergartner. She thought it would be best for my husband and I to rethink some things and consider getting her tested for first grade.

My heart sank in a way even though I knew Emma would be ready academically and socially for first grade, I just wasn't ready.

The next morning, the school psychologist called me and we set up for Emma to have more testing that afternoon.

Emma had told us that she LOVES her kindergarten teacher and would like to stay "in order" and go to Kindergarten first and then first grade next year. We told her we would make a decision together after her tests. 

We drove up to the school and she asks, "Wait, is this the same school?"After we explained it was the same school whether she went to Kindergarten or first grade, just different teachers and class.

She said, "Yeah. Ok, well I guess I can go to first grade then." :)

After an hour of testing, the psychologist came back out and invited us in her office. She gave us the test results. She graded at second grade level on almost everything and writing was at an end of year of first grade level. 

We made the decision to skip kindergarten and move on. We felt that if she stayed in Kindergarten, it would have been a third year of Preschool. She went to Kids Village last year for preschool where they taught Kindergarten curriculum. 

She was so ready last year for Kindergarten but because she missed that darn deadline by a few days, she couldn't move in to kindergarten. 

So...first grade it is. :)

She is a happy girl. She loves her teacher Miss Hull who is absolutely wonderful. 

She started the next day! :) 

 Here she is on her first day of FIRST GRADE!

 She's hilarious!

 "When I grow up I want to be a Waitress." For the longest time it was "A Doctor" but she changed her mind I guess.

 "Mom, take a picture of me like this."

 Emma brought Miss Hull some classroom goodies and wrote her a cute note :)

 We've arrived! Mommy's got more butterflies then her I think :)

 Miss Hull is SO great to her.

 And she is still one of the tallest in her class :)

 Can you tell Mom had a hard time leaving her little girl? Lump in my throat but we did it :)

She's going to do awesome!

I've eaten lots of chocolate chips.

My little reminders...

It's been a sad couple of days for me. I've noticed for quite some time that my scriptures have been missing. I haven't worried about it too much because surely they are not far. We are mostly reading out of the "Book of Mormon stories" book with the children so I haven't brought out my little scriptures much. Only take them on occasion to church since it's like carrying luggage into an airport every Sunday with my Primary calling. 

Well yesterday I was really wondering where they had gone. I've kept my eyes open at church, looked at all the "lost and founds", looked through out my house and van, and I even went to our Stake Center yesterday to see if may I had left them there after a baptism I attended a couple months ago. Nothing.

Where could they have gone?

I have been in tears. These scriptures are like a journal to me. I have pictures of loved ones from mission, letters with testimonies from my Grandparents who some have passed away now, pressed flowers from areas I've been, markings from my mission, notes, patriarchal blessing,etc...

I've had these scriptures since I was 16 years old.

Yesterday in sharing time, my friend/counselor was teaching about prayer and how Heavenly Father is mindful of us and answers our prayers.

Something she emphasized in one of her stories of a little boy who had lost something was "Jesus is watching out for it." 

We were home yesterday evening and I'm still searching and searching. Emma can tell how upset I am about this. 

She reminds me the words that were taught in sharing time in Primary, "Mom, it will be ok Jesus is watching over them. He will answer our prayers."

This is something we've tried to teach our children and now they are reminding me of this principle.

I just pray they will show up.

Happy Campers...

The Fraziers got a camping trailer and it's awesome. Derek and his Dad's business (CNG Utah) bought it to try it out and make some great family memories. I'll be honest, this is my idea of camping. :) It was very relaxing and a great bonding time with our little munchkins. They loved every minute of it.

We made our way up American Fork canyon last Thursday and found a neat spot above Tibble Fork, right by the river. 

 Here is Daddy teaching the children how to build a fire.

 "Emma started the FIRE!!"...

 Thomas threw rocks into the river about 95% of the time while camping. He has an awesome throwing arm and we were totally impressed how far he threw those rocks. We may have a baseball player on our hands.

 Little Joey Joe Joe was trying to adjust to the new environment but still had some smiles for us.

 Mama cookin' up some dinner. I made us some tin foil dinners and although they took FOREVER to cook, they were delicious.

 The family enjoyed them....YES!

 Of course this is what the kids were looking forward to the most, roasting marshmallows and making s'mores.

 Relaxing around the campfire.

 Derek cut up our old green laminate kitchen counter top to use for wood. Goodbye ugly green laminate.

 The next morning

 There were a few logs laid across the river where we walked to a little hidden camp area.

 This little girl loved every second of camping.

 Once again, Thomas throwing rocks.

 Emma was always washing her hands in the river.

 And then we started the "Nature Scavenger Hunt." (thank you Small Fry blog for the print out)

 I love his cute chubby fingers and hands :)

 Mission accomplished..except we couldn't find ANY berries. It's all good.

 We look kind of sad here, but so were not. It was so peaceful just sitting above the river observing and relaxing for about 2.5 minutes before the kids wanted to move on to something else. :)

 Time to put out the fire.

 I love this picture. Joseph had a rougher time on this trip because of the new scenery and sleeping arrangements but it is what it is :) We still had a great time. I can totally see me in him in this picture.

9 month old boy!!

It's hard to think he used to be THIS tiny. This is our little Joey Joe Joe at about 2 weeks in the NICU.

 Now he is 9 months old and is SUCH the growing boy. I look at him daily and am ALWAYS reflecting back to his earlier days of where he was and how grateful I am of where he is now.

 These are the same blocks we've used with him since his first week of life. We would hold them up to him to see his growth progress. 

Now he's holding them and chewing on them. I remember sitting there in the NICU imagining what this day must be like and here we are. For that I am eternally grateful.

Joseph had his 9 month check up and here is his growth progress...

Weight: 18 pounds=22%tile (for 9 month old)

Length: 26.7 inches long= 2.46%tile

Head circumference: 17.9 in.= 62.48%tile

DOING GREAT!

He wears 9 month old clothes

He chews on anything and everything he can get his little hands on. 

He is still rolling all over the place and is determined to get to his destination.

I love when I'm feeding him baby food, he holds his left hand into a fist and knocks on his table. It's so cute.

He still eats his toes.

Anytime I get him onto the changing table, he flips right on over to get on his tummy and holds his back and head up to check out what's going on all around him. 

Changing diapers is getting trickier and trickier with this boy.

He graduated to size 3 diapers :) YAY!

Still the best and calmest baby ever.  

Look at that long tongue, He may have his mom's long tongue. 

 I love his cute and chunky thighs and feet.

We love you our sweet Joseph boy!