My Little Princess

So Kaitlyn was given a couple of dresses by a friend of our family. So loved this dress and carried herself like a princess from the time she put it on. Morgan was only too glad to jump into the picture.

Morgan's first day of Kindergarten

Okay here is a picture of Morgan in line for his first day of kindergarten. Yeah Morgan you are so brave. I forgot to take pictures before he left the house and got on the bus so I rode my bike over to the school and snapped a couple of pictures there. Boy was the house quiet when I got back home.

Kaitlyn's first Daddy Daughter Date

Here is a picture of Kaitlyn and Earnie ready for their first Daddy daughter date. Can you see Morgan trying to sneek into the picture?

Morgan and I at Thanksgiving Point

Thanksgiving Point does something during the Month of August called $2.00 dollar Tuesdays. Since Kaitlyn started school on Monday and Morgan loves dinosaurs, Morgan and I had an adventure on the Tuesday after Kaitlyn started school. And let me tell you in the state of Utah where there are so many little children there was a line around the parking lot just to get into the museum. It was a fun little Mother Son outing.

Kaitlyn's first Day of 3rd grade

Yeah, summer is at an end and Kaitlyn gets to start 3rd grade. She was so excited about the start of school she was up early every day. At least two of the days I had to tell her she could not go to the bus stop an hour early.

Family in town

So this past week has been crazy busy. Morgans 5th birthday was last Wednesday. My sister Krissy and her family, My Mother and my Brother came into town on Thursday. We met up with my sister Karyn and her family at the parade on the 24th of July. We ate lunch at the Lions House down on temple square then walked around the temple grounds for a bit until Morgan dipped himself in one of the reflection fountains there and we headed back home so we could go to the hotel and go swimming. We wore ourselves out swimming so much so that Morgan was the best behaved little boy at Sizzler that evening (see picture of him asleep at table). We had tickets to go to the Oquirrah Mountain Temple open house at 10:30 on Saturday the 25th. We took a couple hours break from eachother then met up again at Wheeler Farm. We had fun walking around there. We were a little bummed we missed the last hayride but the kids were able to milk the cows which they seemed to like. I love my family but boy is it a production to move 23 people from place to place. I love you guys will miss you. I am now looking forward to the quiet uncomplicated end of summer.

Morgan's FIVE

Morgan turned 5 on July 22nd we spent his 5th birthday at the Hogle Zoo. We had a blast although it was really hot and my kids and their cousins soon became tired of having their pictures taken. I told them we had to keep taking their pictures so we could prove to them that we actually do fun things. We were able to see a lot. We rode on the Carousel and saw the monkeys, elephants, cougars, zebras, bears, penguins, giraffes, cheetas, snow leopards, aligators, camels, gorillas, and fossas. Morgan was excited about holding the map. He was a little bummed that we missed the Bighorn Sheep and the Wolves but I think that overall he had a fun time. And now we have those to look forward to the next time we go.

Morgan my bike mechanic

Morgan Wanting his time in the spotlight

Kaitlyn and her new bike

At the beginning of the school year I made a chart and promised Kaitlyn if she read everyday at least 20 minutes and at least 600 minutes a month at the end of the year I would buy her a bike. This bike is the result of all her hard work. And guess what the hard work is just beginning because now she has to learn to ride it. YOU CAN DO IT KAITLYN!!!!!! KAITLYN SKINNER IS A WINNER!!!!!!

Eight Year Old wisdom on Boyfriends

Let me start by saying that Morgan shot a video and Kaitlyn was acting crazy in it. I told her that we were going to save the video until she was older and show it to potential boyfriends. Apparently she listens to me and today she said she didn't want boyfriends and that this is how she is going to get rid of her boyfriends. At least I have a few years before the crazy teen years.

Ashley's Dance Recital with Cousins and Autumn Braiden's Special Friend

Let's see can I fit my fist in my mouth?

Kaitlyn Lips Glossed up Puckered up Should I Be Worried

Father's & Son's Campout

Happy Birthday to my sister Kami

Happy Birthday Earnie

Father's & Son's campout. Mother daughter date

Okay no pictures to post this week but I was looking and realized it has been a couple of weeks since I posted anything. June is busy for our family because of fathers day and Earnie's birthday and my sister's birthday are both on the 27th of the month. Plus there was girl's camp which I was able to go for a day while my husband took the day off of work. I can't say that we have done an aweful lot. We had our Washing Machine go out on us a couple of weeks ago so that added stopping at the laundromat to the list of things to do (which is really fun with kids who keep asking for quarters to play the video games they have there). We were lucky and someone sold us a replacement one for $50.00. And so far it has worked great for us. Cross your fingers it keeps on going. I had wanted to try to go the the Mormon Miracle Pagent this year in Manti but things did't work out to go this year. So it will be at the top of my list for next year.
Earnie and Morgan went to the father's and son's campout last night and it rained but I was proud of them and they stuck it out.
Kaitlyn and I had our mother daughter date. It seems like a tradition of ours to go up to Sugarhouse and go to a dollar movie and then to ToysRus. I usually have a coupon from Kaitlyn's birthday to spend. This year Kaitlyn had me write out a list. So on a small post it we had see Hannah Montana Movie (which was at the dollar movies for the first time). Shop for Morgan's Birthday present, Watch TV, Eat Candy. Everytime we did something from the list she would cross it off. While we were there, I saw a Training Table restaurant and asked Kaitlyn if she would like to stop which she did. We went last December and she was so excited. ( It is a fast food restaurant but you sit down at tables look at the menu and when you are ready to order you pick up the phone and place your order and they call you back when your order is ready to come pick up. ) Kaitlyn was like "I know what to do let me place the order." When we left Training Table Kaitlyn said "I can't cross this off the list."
Last year we bought matching gray flag shirts for Morgan and Earnie and this year Kaitlyn and I bought matching pink flag shirts. Then we went home watched Princess Protection Program and slept on the Futon. The only problem is that the sun comes in through the window awefully early.
All and all it was a fun Friday night.

Kaitlyn as Mopsey in with the chorus

Kaitlyn, Morgan, Braiden and Ashley

Kaitlyn and good friend

Peter Rabbit

The last week of school Kaitlyn's 2nd Grade class performed Peter Rabbit. It was so cute. I didn't go last year to the Peter Rabbit play so I had no idea what to expect. There were so many kids they divided up into two casts. While one cast was playing their parts the other cast was in the chorus. This picture was taken the day Kaitlyn played Mopsey. Her father took off work early and came. Along with Aunt Kami, Braiden and Ashley (who were off track last week) She was so nervous but she did a great job along with the rest of the class. And after the play we ate muffins with cream and blackberries on them.

Morgan's Sense of Style

So here is my son who has his own style. He loves to wear those rain boots and will be heartbroken when he grows out of them. I loved it when he ran into the room with the boots on and the goggles.

Morgan Reading his Golden Plates

The Golden Plates

Okay so a couple of weeks ago my son comes running into Young Women and interrupting the class saying "Mom look I have the golden plates!" He was given a present wrapped in Gold paper. When we got it home he unwrapped the present and there was a Book of Mormon. He carried it around for a couple of days and if it was not in his had he would say, "Mom where are my Golden Plates?" He is holding the Book of Mormon in this picture although it maybe hard to pick out. He went and grabbed some reading glasses and was reading it. Moving his finger and telling the story in his own words.

Happy Mother's Day 2009

Okay so yesterday was Mother's Day and I decided to torture my children. I made them stay in their church clothes 10 minutes after we got home from church, can you believe that? I tend to lose the precious things they make for me so I wanted to take a picture of them with them before they changed out of their clothes.

Kaitlyn's Baptism Day

Kaitlyn was baptized in Saturday May 2, 2009. She was so excited the night before she kept calling it "Baptism Eve". Before her baptism she was so happy she had a permament smile on her face. Her Grandma and Grandpa Carter flew in from California the Day before and we went out to lunch with them and did a little shopping for last minute things we needed to pick up. Her Grandma and Grandpa Skinner came in from Saint George Friday night so they were in town for the 9:00am Baptism. Both Grandmother were willing to help out with talks. Grandma Skinner gave the baptism talk and Grandma Carter did the Holy Ghost talk. Both did excellent jobs and we are so grateful that they were willing to do them. Both Grandfathers were witnesses at her baptism. When I went into help Kaitlyn change, She said, "I did it" It was then that she let me know she was a little nervous but was excited to finally be a member of the church. Kaitlyn's Aunt Kami gave the opening prayer Thank you Kami. Her Primary teachers are a cute little couple named the Johnsons (Jen and Troy) Jen helped out with leading the music and Troy was willing to say the closing prayer. Although, we took pictures that morning I forgot to bring out the camera later. The room was full of people who helped out THANK YOU All FOR EVERYTHING YOU DID.I am sure there is someone that I am forgetting to mention. We love you all Thanks for the support

Kaitlyn's Baptism Day

Kaitlyn's Birthday Slide

Morgan's Graduation Day from Waterford

Morgan has gone this year to a computer Learning class sponsered by the Waterford Institute. Today they had a graduation for the kids it was so cute. The Kids got to walk down a red carpet to a step ladder and there they were given some books and their graduation caps. It was so cute to watch. I didn't happen to have my camera with me so as soon as I got home I told Morgan we had to take his picture. He told me I had one shot at the picture. Here is what we got.

Happy Birthday Kaitlyn My 8 year old

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday Dear Kaitlyn, Happy Birthday to you.

Kaitlyn Lost Another Tooth

I think I might save this picture for when she is a teenager. She lost another tooth. Cute as she is it makes her look a little like a hillbilly.

Kaitlyns Scripture bag

Since mine was so cute I wanted to see Kaitlyn's. I let her open her birthday present from her Aunt Krissy early just so I could see them. Sorry Krissy Oh wait! You understand opening presents early don't you? Thank you sister. Love you

My New Scripture Bag

This just arrived today it was so cute. My sister Krissy made it for me wasn't that nice.

Morgan's New Haircut

This is Morgan posing to show off his new haircut. Any ideas as to why my kids are not models?(I think I will save this one for blackmail later)

Front tooth lost March 27 2009

Posing with a recently lost tooth. Now the tooth fairy has to visit.

Oh Sissy is getting her picture taken let me get in on this

Naturally you cannot take pictures of one kid and not have the other one try to get in on the attention. I was taking this picture to give my sister an idea of what to make as far as a scripture cover and Morgan wanted his time in the spotlight shirtless or not.

Kaitlyn's Scriptures

Kaitlyn's birthday is next month and because it is her 8th birthday. I thought it would be fun to get her a nice set of scripture with her name on them. When we got them home after having them engraved, my husband realized that my idea did not match what he thought I was going to buy (think seminary scriptures) So we are still debating in our house if we save them for later or let an 8 year old have them with the understanding that she takes real good care of them. She loves them. I let her pick out the color and everything.

What are your thoughts?

Morgan

Morgan he is actually posing for this picture.

2008 Kaitlyn by Christmas tree

Kaitlyn sitting in front of our one of a kind Christmas Tree.