Lots of chances to perform

 Coleson's Kindergarten Concert was "concert" was pretty fun to watch!

And was followed by some pretty awesome amounts of sugar.

All three kids were invited to a large recital and performed their Christmas piano songs at this Dr's home. (again, too bad I can't master uploading videos).  

This Dr that Tyler works with puts together a recital for kids to perform every year in their home on his incredible grand piano.  He is an amazing pianist himself and Coleson was very impressed and enthralled!

 They all sang at the ward Christmas party as well.  Addellyn was SOO happy she got to be Mary this year.

 And I'm so happy Tyler got a shot of me behind the piano...

Is it just me or dos this sheep look a bit frazzled??

Evaleigh wasn't so sure about Santa...

 

However, for DAYS afterwards she would tell everyone that she had told Santa that she wanted a book and a kitty for Christmas (though Kinzie says she didn't say a word, so maybe she was imagining it all playing out in her head)

Children's Museum

 This was E's first time and the first time C and A had been in a VERY long time.  So they were all pretty thrilled and wide eyed by the experience!

 The scarf shooting machine was probably their favorite.

 Coleson really liked the worm presentation.  And I was surprised Addellyn was willing to hold one too.

Christmas Singers

These two are pretty adorable little dancers and singers.  I wish I could figure out how to upload their solos.

My eyes might say it all, it's not the performance, it's the getting everyone ready and there on time, and then wrestling a not so quiet 1 year old the whole time...
I did have to go to all of their performances alone this time around because Tyler was always too busy at work.  At least at this family performance he was able to meet us there and take some "lovely" pictures.

I think his aim may have been a bit low?? :)

Super-Duper

 Ally-Ooper!

 This girl is very smiley, SUPER bouncy, and full of attitude... 

 She also would LOVE to be a STAR!  So she was VERY invested in getting the perfect pose and the perfect smile--not a whole lot of her alter personalities showed through this time around...

  

 Her eyes are beautiful and always shining!

We love our Addellyn! She adds energy and spark to our lives and spreads a few sparks everywhere else she goes too!  

First Day of School

 Addellyn started 2nd grade, Coleson is FINALLY in Kindergarten, and my 9 year old Makinzie is starting 5th grade?!? Yikes!

 They were a bit excited to get to the bus stop...

 He was VERY happy to be going to school on the bus (I begged him to let me drive him to school the first week and he begged me to let him ride the bus--so he won).  However, this SUPER happy face was a bit deflated after the "really long and hot" bus ride home and the "not so great" day at school (he feels very old, very tall, and a bit annoyed by all of the material they are being presented at school--it's just too EASY. "I can tell they are giving the other kids that cry and whine about being there the most attention," "we only sang songs like twinkle, twinkle little star and traced things that I can do myself, probably so it could make the other kids feel better, but it was REALLY boring,""I just want to learn COOL stuff" )

 She is growing up WAY too fast--she proudly wore the shirt she bought with her own money on  the first day.

 Addellyn made a necklace with her name on it and a special necklace for her teacher (at least she still acts like a little girl in some respects!)  She was thrilled to have her own pair of skinny jeans.

She was excited to leave the house in the morning, she thought the bus was a wonderful thing to see,

and she couldn't wait to go see it again when they were coming home.  

I really wish I had taken pictures of them getting off of the bus too.  And video taped my conversations with them...It's sad to see them get on the bus super excited and then see them bummed as they get off.  After the first few days the bus ride got much easier and the girls had happy faces as they arrived home--but Coleson continues to come home disappointed.  Hopefully we can figure out a way to remedy that.

This girl LOVES riding in the stroller!  We go for a long walk after the kids get on the bus each day, she chants "shroller" and "go, go, GO" as the kids put their shoes on and prepare to head out the door each morning, she can't wait!

1st Grade and Field Day

Making goals with the soccer ball. Can you find the child in this 1st grade line up that is NOT even in Kindergarten yet??? He sort of blends right in!

Which is why they let him join the class for the entire field day.  He LOVED it!  He's flying rubber chickens into a hula-hoop here, who wouldn't love that?

 First grade art.  She LOVES to express herself through art.

My favorite piece of work that Addellyn brought home (I have NO idea what hey were studying and why she chose to write this as her sentence, but it makes us smile every time we look at it).

 Filling the water sponges--they always wanted to be on opposite teams so they could race each other.

Field day success!

It definitely wore her out to have me chase her away from trouble ALL day!

SINGERS!

 Kinzie's strut.

 Ally's tea party dance.

 The whole group.

 Typical: Kinzie paying attention, Evaleigh being crazy and A trying to take control :)

And of course, ice cream after the show!  She is VERY proud of her ability to hold the spoon in her mouth without any hands--and with every one else laughing it only puffs her up more!