The Past Month...

Uh - how is September almost over already? *SIGH*

Life has been crazy-busy this past month, which would explain my lack of posts. School started for all of us at the end of August, and then you add internships, jobs, church callings and family life into the mix and you have a whirlwind month.

This semester has been a little easier for me to handle - maybe because I'm a little more adjusted to balancing school life with family/work life. Oddly enough I have more credits this semester, but now that we've charted the uncharted territory of being a 30-something going back to school; starting my "baby" in preschool; and juggling one car with all of us going in a million different directions we seem to manage.

Honestly, I can't really remember everything that has been going on over the past month, but luckily we captured a few snapshots of our family happenings.

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In our house we like to cook, and it's usually a family affair - with everybody pitching in. This means that we try all sorts of recipes...anywhere from Chinese Cabbage Soup to French Toast for dinner!

Patrick's Chinese Cabbage Soup - Healthy and YUMMY!

Gabriel LOVES breakfast for dinner, and this was his first time eating French Toast. He loved it!

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Of course we had to get pictures of Gabriel on his first day back to preschool. Next time I think we will take pictures of all of us, since even mommy and daddy were starting back to school.

4yrs old - CHEESY smile

Ready for preschool!

Gabriel's preschool teacher, Ms. Stevi, tells me everyday how smart Gabriel is. She says he is usually the first to grasp new concepts that are being taught, and that he LOVES to learn. One of his favorite learning activites is identifying a picture/object and then figuring out what letter of the alphabet it starts with. He likes to do this by sounding out the word. So, if Ms. Stevi shows him a picture of a horse (just the image - no words) he will identify the image and then sound it out, "ha-hah-horse" and then tell her it starts with an 'H'. He does this at home ALL of the time now, and it's so fun to watch his eagerness as he figures things out.

He also wants so badly to be able to write. He will pull me into his room to show me the message he wrote on his marker board. It will usually be a bunch of letters, but there is always some method where he will write the first letter of each of the words he was trying to write (based on the "sound" they start with). He also loves to write his name and is getting better at writing his letters.

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 At some point during the rush of life we found time for crazy gun fights and quiet cuddle moments...

Be AFRAID - VERY Afraid

Wearing his "Bunny" mask from preschool. Almost everyday that I pick him up from preschool he says to me, "Mommy, can we go home and snuggle on the couch?"

Mommy and Gabriel time

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We also had some more play-time with our friends, Dominik, Alexa and Maddie

This would appear to be a priceless exchange. However, Gabriel is asking Alexa, "Why do you keep sitting by me?" Alexa tells everyone that Gabriel is her "girlfriend..." you get the jist.

Dominik and Gabriel are in the same Sunbeam Class at church, and they play really well together.

And of course, Gabriel just adores Maddie - he loves babies.

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We spent one day helping Daddy with a GPS/Mapping project - where he had to locate and map all of the surveying landmarks on the University of Akron campus. I don't think we were actually much help, but it allowed us to hang out with Daddy, explore the campus more, and enjoy some fresh air!

If that doesn't say mischief I don't know what does!

Hibiscus flower we found on campus



He ASKED me to take a picture of him making a funny face.

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Last Sunday was our church's primary program, and Gabriel's first time participating in the program. He had a part that read:
"This year our primary theme is: "I know the scriptures are true!" 2nd Nephi Chapter 32 Verse 3 says..."
He practiced his part every day until he had it completely memorized, but we weren't sure if he would actually say it when it came time to get up in front of all the people in our congregation. But, he got right up there and said his part without any help and with a HUGE smile on his face the entire time. He also sang his little heart out, and it was the sweetest thing to watch. Of course I was teary-eyed the whole time. There's just something about those sweet little children testifying of "scripture power," and "living in Heaven a long time ago," and "Heavenly Father's plan for us" that touches me every time. After the program our Bishop got up and said that with the exception of the Holy Ghost he didn't think there was anyone that could testify more of the truth with such purity and strength as our little children.

Before church on the day of Gabriel's first Primary Program

Handsome Boys!