Kindergarten - check!

Amazing how quickly it's gone, but just as they say, kids grow up quickly and right before your eyes! Cole is now in the first grade! I am so thankful we are able to journalize the kids activities and growth with photo and video logging; otherwise, I would have no memories to share with them! My memory fades with every passing day. This sickness has been a challenge and continues to frustrate me as well as Heath on a weekly if not daily basis. It's a learning process, I suppose; one for any to learn and cope with. I was not able to return to work with the frequency of my flare-ups, but for the same reason, I have been blessed with time with the kids. It has been a very trying time full of adjustments, sacrifices and growth, but we are thankful for what remains. Cole did well in half-day kindergarten while Alora practiced pre-school at home with me. Alora withdrew from ballet afraid of being in class with strangers while Cole moved up to blue belt in Kung Fu. He is now also in soccer and Boy Scouts; busy kid, but it seems to be necessary and beneficial to his social development. He is exhibiting more self-esteem and confidence as well as better behavior at home. Alora may have to be home-schooled with her separation anxiety, but I expect that to wear off at some point. Our trip to see family for the holidays was better than I hoped; the weather was perfect for the season! It was mild on our entire drive out to Arkansas and snowed Christmas Eve! We made it home to Las Vegas in time for Heath to return to work at the Constables office. He is now working for the Piute Tribal Police which he has hoped for since the Constable work was entirely too stressful. He continues to search for safer areas to live and work in, but for now, Vegas is home. The Stephens' family is growing with Heath's sister, Stacey, welcoming her first baby on October 21st. We met Mckinlee on Tuesday and her gift from us arrived to her yesterday. She is a sweet baby as I remember Alora was. We are certainly blessed! Photos to come...

Kids' First Train Ride

Heath knows how much Cole likes trains! Our church was getting together to experience this for the kids in Boulder, so Heath signed us up! I think the photos are pretty self-explanatory!

Alora's 4th Birthday!

I resisted as long as I could but she likes princesses, so...we did a princess cake! She had a princess theme the previous year, so I tried to incorporate a "popcorn party" idea and came up with a princess/movie star theme. Dad helped. He brought in disposable cameras for the kids to play with, chocolate covered popcorn, some keychain Ty critters for party favors, and a bunch of magic trick stuff. It worked out, the kids had fun and they LOVED the popcorn! Oh, and he paid for the food and cake! Yay, Dad! Thanks so much!

Academy Graduation

Heath had been talking about going from fire fighting in Arkansas to the police academy in Las Vegas. I asked him about it a couple of times and they were always on a hiring freeze or when he did start the interviews, something always came up with his job at the time where he couldn't finish the screening. Finally, last year he was invited to the Goodspring academy to train in becoming a deputy constable. After much deliberation on his part and a few questions to the Constable, he accepted and later resigned after graduation. The constables refused and pacified whatever reservations he had. They wanted him. He graduated Top Gun in the CAT-II academy and top scorer on the State test for the CAT-I academy in Henderson the following year. We are all very proud of him! He finally quit Stations job, he has his preferred days off and hours, vacation, and there is much, much, much less stress in our household (well, also do to me being home since then).