Oh my! How FAST they grow!

Elizabeth in the kitchen... 2 1/2 months

We are still moving right along here in Cheyenne. Elizabeth is growing like a weed. At her 2 month check up she weighed in at 11 lbs. 6 oz. and was 23 in. long. She is a growin' girl. She has recently started to giggle, or chuckle. She definitely has the "Social Smile" down pat. We are loving her, but not as much as TJ loves her. We took him the other night to meet his preschool teacher and he was excited, but very concerned that we left his sister with the neighbors. He kept asking if we would get his baby after we met his teacher. He is too funny. I am looking forward to him starting school on the 2nd. Please keep him in your prayers, you all know how wild my child is. I pray that preschool will be good for him. I thought I would add a few pics from when D&D and L were here. Talk to you all soon. LOVE YOU!!!!

Tyler, TJ, and Aunt Leah in
Rocky Mountain National Park,
feeding Chipmunks!

Ben and Alex are stylin'!

Check out Ben's new haircut. What a cutie!



Here are my cuties posing in our newly rearranged living room.


And finally......their Daddy trying to make sense of all the cables in our living room. I like to call this one "A Rat in His Nest!"

Christmas Buying List

Here it is:

Tyler buys for Stephen
Stephen buys for Maria
Maria buys for Jessica
Jessica buys for Roz
Roz buys for Creighton
Creighton buys for Josh
Josh buys for Katie
Katie buys for Tyler

$50 is the limit. Happy shopping!

Bowen's 2nd Birthday Party

Bowen's birthday was a blast! We missed TJ

(and the rest of the Franklin fam).

Here are some pictures from the fun event!

Happy Birthday Son!

Click here for my birthday tribute to Bowen!

http://callcorner.blogspot.com/2008/08/happy-birthday-to-my-son.html

Dinner Disaster!

Last night I thought I would make my kids something extra special for dinner. I found these cute pasta shapes with Mickey, Pluto, and Donald. On the back was a homemade mac and cheese recipe. So, I slaved over a hot stove and made a huge batch of homemade mac and cheese. The kids were so excited. Cheers of “It smells so good!” and “When can we eat!” rang in the air. After testing a little bite, I thought it was wonderful. I proudly served up nice big helpings! As soon as the prayer was said, my kids dug in. I was busy in the kitchen when I realized not much eating was going on.

Here is how the conversation went…
Me – “Clair eat your dinner!”
Clair – “I don’t really want it.”
Me – “But Clair mac and cheese is one of your favorites!”
Clair – “Mom this isn’t the right kind of mac and cheese.”
Me – “I know this is different, it is special mac and cheese. I made it special for tonight!
It tastes good I tried it!”
Clair – “Mom, it tastes like vomit in the back of my mouth!”
(I promise this is what she said...I can't make this stuff up people!)
Me – “Clair it tastes GOOD!”
Kate – (with hesitation) “Mom, it isn’t good.”
Me – (with desperation) “Doesn’t anyone like it?”
Bowen – “NODDLES!” (…while eating a big fistful)

So, Bowen was the only one to eat it and Kate & Clair only like that fake cheese stuff! So much for my special meal! :( Hungry kids at the Bright house last night!

Kate's new school in the NEWS!

Kate isn't in this article...but one of my neighbors is shown shelving books in the library with her little girl in her lap! It is a beautiful school :) ...all be it without a playground! :(

http://www.wyff4.com/video/17236724/index.html

Back to School - 1st Grade

Kate went back to school today...and officially started 1st Grade.
She looked darling and was excited. (She's holding a little "good luck" pig Mrs. Manuela gave her.)

Her teacher is Mrs. Smith (13 years experience!). Her classroom looks like a fun magical place where lots of great learning will occur!
This year we get a brand new school...Rodolph G. Gordon Elementary - the gators!

Clair really wanted to help me take Kate to school!
(Bowen went down the street and played with Mrs. Manuela and Katharina.)
This is Clair with one of Mrs. Smith's "Smith's Super Kids"! Kate got right to work! Good luck in 1st grade my little Kate Kate Super Kate!

Ain't they purrr-tee!

I know I am biased....
but ain't my kids purr-tee!

Miss Elizabeth and Mr TJ

We have really been enjoying having Oma all to ourselves. Although, I think TJ missed his Opa. We have had a great time and Oma has been snapping pictures left and right and since I haven't posted in a while I figured I should. Elizabeth is doing okay, we had a slight scare when we found blood in her stool and we spent 2 1/2 hours at the ER, but she is doing fine... sounds like it was an anal fissure ( a small tear in the anal area inside) no one seemed alarmed. She is eating, sleeping, playing, pooping, and peeing so we know she is good. She now weighs a whopping 10 lbs 7 oz. She is really packing on the ponds. TJ is doing well still with potty training and loving his baby sister. He is such a big helper to me. We can't wait to see everyone at Christmas. Please plan to visit in Aiken for a few days so that the cousins can spend some time together. Love you all.

Maria, Tyler, TJ, and Elizabeth

O - R - E - O

Do you know exactly how to eat an Oreo?

Kate Says the Funniest Things...Still

So the other day I told Kate she really needed to practice the piano. She has been kind of slack this summer during her break and she starts back next week.

She said to me..."Mom, I will practice but I really need your help! I am working on something new and it is so hard. I tell you, that trouble cleft really causes trouble. I guess that is why they call it the trouble cleft!"

I nearly choked to keep from laughing and told her it was actually called the treble cleft!