We are still alive!!

So, maybe it has been over a year since I have posted, but we are all still living the dream!! Kev and I are those crazy parents who have their kids doing multiple sports, dance, and wanting top scores in school. So, maybe we are unrealistic, but we won't stop trying. Tai is almost an official middle school kid. In West Valley, 5th graders go to middle school. She cannot wait. We, however, are wanting to push pause. She cannot be ready yet!! Tai Lyn is taller than me, wears a size 9.5 in womens shoes, and 3x the outfit I ever dreamed of being...I am one proud mama. She is smart, polite, hard working, and a great friend...that is to say nothing of her beauty. Love that kid... Marli is ending kindergarten and I have had the amazing opportunity to be her teacher. Marli is a love...she calls me Mrs. Brennan and has yet to call me mom at school. Mar loves school and is so proud of her ability to now read. She played soccer, again, this past fall and spring. She is a fighter...her proud moment was being told by the ref that she might get a yellow card for pushing. I was horrified, but Marli was so pleased. I think Kev loves that aggressiveness! Oh, dear...we are in for it. Zumba is another favorite of Marli's...the little kids Zumba classes. That kid can shake it!! I promise to write again before my kids enter high school. Love to all who care about out little Brennan bunch!

Miss Marli is 5!

Today she is, officially, 5 years old! What a big girl she is, even though she'd prefer to stay "teeny." I asked her this morning if she felt older, to which she replied, "No, mom. I want to be 4 still."

I wish, pumpkin. Mommy would love to push pause.

The Girls Birthdays!

So, the end of September and beginning of October are nutso in our household with Birthdays. Mine is the 25th, Marli's is the 29th, Tai's is October 6th, and my mom's is October 9th. CRAZY!!!!!

Here are pictures from their invitations to family/friends.

Marli and Macy...

Okay, so Marli got one of her birthday gifts a bit early, on accident. Her cousins from Stanwood gave her some hand-me-down American Girl items. Marli is in heaven! Every morning, she dresses Macy, the doll, combs her hair, etc. Then, at night, she does the opposite. It's hilarious! She is, for sure, a girly-girl.

Monday was Marli's first dance class and guess who came? You betcha! Macy did...

We're Back to School!

I know some of you haven't heard from me in a while, but things have been hectic the month of August. We had to prepare for back to school, get classrooms ready, and Kevin started Freshman football. To say the least, we've been swamped!

Tai just started 3rd grade at Wide Hollow and she is loving it! Tai is a social-bug, so being at school is heaven for her.

Miss Marli just started her final year in preschool. She knows that she must learn this year, so she can go to Kindergarten and she's pumped about it!

Kevin is beginning his 13th year of teaching...old man!!! Football has been taking up a majority of his time currently. He has a very talented group of Freshmen, so he's looking at an underdefeated season, maybe.

As for me, I just ended my first week of class with Kinders. They are darling, as always. It's been 12years now with this age and I'm not sure how much longer I can do this grade. I may need a change soon.

We survived the car trip!

The girls either colored, watched videos, or slept...they were amazing! Enjoy the cute photos of them...

Trip to Minnesota via...

a CAR! I know, you all probably think Kevin and I are CRAZY for attempting this 23 hour trip with our 8 yr. old and 4 yr. old, but they were troopers! We left Monday morning at 4am from Spokane and drove 10.5 hours to Miles City, Montana. The Econolodge there was disgusting, but it was okay for overnight. Tuesday morning we got up and left Miles City at 5am and got into St. Paul, Minnesota around 5:30pm.

The girls were such troopers. Beside stopping for breakfast each morning and a couple potty stops, we didn't stop. Okay, we did have to stop in North Dakota at a city called "Steele" because, as many of you know, it's my family name. Crazy!!!

We are here until Monday morning, at which we will turn around and go back. We'll be stopping at Silverwood, so that will, hopefully, give the girls something to look forward to going home.

Visiting Kevin's brother, Chris, and his family is amazing. Since the Brennan family is so large, we hardly spend "alone" time with them ever. It has been awesome to chat without ALL the family around.

Today, we went to the Mall of America and spent a majority of the day at Nickleodian Universe. Man...it was awesome and Tai Lyn -n- Marli had a BLAST! I, however, went shopping with my 4 month old niece. Kevin and his bro did the "ride thing." It was a win-win for all!!!!

I'll keep you posted on how it all goes...