New

New experience for Marshall at the dentist. He thought it was pretty cool and he got prizes. He walked around the house looking like this all day.


New year of school

Marshall is having home preschool with mom. He is all business as he has watched Zachary doing his work with mom at home before. I hope I can keep up with him.


Zachary is in 1st grade and loves his teacher, and is lucky to have friends he knows in his class.

Emma loves her teacher as well. She came home beaming on the first day. I think it will be a good year for them both.


Marshall's newly discovered "mom all by myself" time


New park discovery in Renton. This place had a sandy beachy swimming area. We'll definately check it out on a warm day next summer.




Zachary's new Jedi Robe. He went to a birthday and the birthday boys' totally awesome mom MADE robes for all the boys that "completed the training." Zach has worn it nonstop for the last week. He IS a true Jedi now. He can't hardly stand how cool it is.


Zachary's new adventures without training wheels!!!



Emma's new haircut




New eggs from the hens. One of them is laying really big ones.

Our best guess of what Mia will look like

Don't tell Ryan I posted this. Emma has gotten into wearing headbands so naturally the boys like to follow after her. Marshall thought this was pretty cool. Ryan was mortified and he told me I had to pay for therapy.

Emma's Baptism

Where has time gone?
Emma had the chance to be baptized on the Fourth of July! Not only is that pretty cool, but it is also Grandma Johnston's birthday and the same day she was baptized. I got home Friday evening and got to wish her a happy birthday. Her choice for her birthday meal was Izzy's. It was pretty cute, she didn't have to think about it. Anyways...We normally go to fireworks on the 3rd, but we wanted everyone to be rested for the big day. She got up at 7 and was ready to go, she knew exactly how she wanted her hair. We got everyone ready and when she put on her little white dress you could feel the excitement bounding off her.

It was a stake baptism with 3 kids from our ward and one other from a different ward. The speakers were really great. She had Papa talk, both grandma's did the prayers, and Pops did a testimony. All of them had great messages for the kids. What a blessing it is to have family near and able to participate and reinforce the good things in our children's lives. We were able to have family prayer before and the whole experience was very peaceful and wonderful. After Emma got baptized she said just that it was really wet, but later she was a little more reflective and talked about how she felt. Emma's grandparents were there and her uncle Andrew, and Mema (Ryan's Grandma from Texas) and Ryan's cousin, as well as people from the ward. It is amazing to see the growth in an 8 year old even from 6 months ago. Heavenly Father knows his children. I am very proud of her and her preparation she made to be baptized.


After the baptism we had a lunch for everyone. Emma and Grandma had birthday cake and we had Walla Walla onion rings. Emma found an "8" one.





We were sad to see our Mema go. The kids loved getting to know her and enjoyed her company.