Grandma's Visit

My mom has been here the past six days visiting from Montana. She came for my nephew's homecoming report from his two-year mission to Manaus, Brazil. We kept a hectic schedule but it was nice to have the time to spend with her. Connor and Ian have enjoyed having her here. She will be back in December for Connor's baptism.

Home From Brazil

My nephew, Daniel Koehler, returned this week from a two-year mission to Manaus, Brazil. Today was he reported on his mission at Church. It was nice to have so many family and friends there. He has matured so much in two short years and has truly grown to love the people of Brazil. We are grateful for his example to our sons. Above are the "before" and "after" photos of the boys with Daniel, and a photo of the cousins on the Koehler side.

Heading to Disneyland

We are getting very excited about our trip to Disneyland next weekend! The park will be decorated for Halloween which makes Ian very happy since Halloween is his favorite holiday. It's been three years since we've taken the boys there. It will be nice not to worry about a stroller. And it's going to be nice to get away and spend time together as a family.

Bountiful Baskets

A few weeks ago we started doing Bountiful Baskets. It is a nationwide co-op that allows you to purchase fruits and vegetables at a reasonable price. Each Monday I go online and order a standard basket for $15. I get 5 fruits and 5 vegetables, which change every week. We have loved the fresh produce and introducing the boys to new foods. Here is a photo of this week's purchase. I also tried the 9-grain bread and it's delicious and low in calories. Here's the healthier eating.

Ian's First Day in First Grade

Ian started his first full day in first grade this morning. He is in the Chinese immersion program like Connor. He was so excited. He was ready 30 minutes early! It was also my first day home without either of them. ;-(

Back to School

Today was Connor's first day in second grade. He was so excited I think he finally fell asleep last night around 3 a.m. He loves school and was anxious to see his friends and get better acquainted with Miss Watts and Mrs. Engh. It was also Connor's first time riding the bus. He said it's much cooler than having me take him to school. Ian's first day is tomorrow.

Here's a quote I like that illustrates how Kim and I feel today: "Days are long but years are short in parenthood!"

A Fun Summer

Here are the last of our summer pictures. School is starting in a few weeks. It has been a great summer and we did everything on the boys' "list." It will be nice to get back into the routine of school and homework.