What We've Been Up To

We've been busy! I love being busy! Weston started preschool twice a week (the only downside is that every 5th week it is my turn to teach). Cicialy turned 6, got a new bike, and learned how to ride without training wheels. I am shuttling William, Cicialy, and other neighborhood kids to and from the elementary school frequently. Since the weather has finally cooled down a tad we are biking, and I love it! Cicialy started taking soccer and is really quite good for a beginner. She has scored several goals but is even better at assisting other players in getting goals. Whenever her best friend Kara makes a goal she runs over to her to give her a hug. It is so sweet. William is loving Kung Fu. I have starting running with friends 3 mornings a week after dropping the big kids off at school and doing toning/cardio videos together the other 2 days. I never thought I would say this but I am actually enjoying running! My Stake encouraged the sisters at the General Relief Society Broadcast to read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year. They passed out a schedule that included scriptures to mark each day, relevant quotes, and thought questions. I am really enjoying this as well. Below are some random pictures from the last few months.

Hogwarts Invasion

I have spent the last year reading the Harry Potter series to the kids from start to finish, so for Halloween all the kids wanted to be characters from Harry Potter. William was Harry (which was great since that was his costume last year), Cicialy was Hermoine, and Weston (in his own words) was Draco "Moufboy". They looked great, especially thanks to the homemade wands whittled and carved by Dan. I was a little sad that Cicialy wasn't something a little more spectacular (I pushed for Sacajawea with William and Weston being the explorers Lois and Clark) but realized I needed to set my own feelings aside and let her make the choice. The kids had a great holiday!!

First Day of School

School has been in session for three weeks now. Cicialy is loving kindergarten! She has the best teacher, and two of her very best friends are in her class as well. William also has an amazing teacher. I am excited for the growth both kids will experience this school year. Cicialy will keep busy with hip hop, jazz, ballet and soccer while William has started martial arts. Here are a few pictures from thier first day of school.

The Wedding We Had All Been Waiting For

The main reason for going to Utah this summer was for Andrew and Tawni's wedding. We were so excited when they finally got engaged on Christmas Eve! Tawni loves bright colors and so she had all the boys in bright colored ties (our family's color was orange) and all the girls in pillow case design dresses that her mother made. The kids loved dressing up and feeling like a special part of the day. The night before the wedding we had a fun BBQ in the Packer's back yard! Here are some pictures from the two day extravaganza.

Packer Family Reunion

We had to leave my family reunion a day early : ( in order to make it up to Utah in time for Dan's family reunion at Heber Valley Camp. The weather was so beautiful and such a nice break from the Texas heat (we even had to wear sweatshirts at night and in the mornings : ). We always look forward to this reunion that takes place near the 4th of July every other year. Since Dan's brother Andrew was getting married a week later we made sure we arrived in time for all the family fun. We participated in a COPE course, ate all the soft serve ice cream we could (thanks Uncle Spencer!), told campfire stories, played games with all the cousins and uncles, had a family fireside with Dan's grandparents, and went canoeing on the lake. It was so much fun!

Weston riding the mechanical horse Uncle Spencer brought. All of the kids rode this more times than I could count!

Bleu, Kenzli, and Cicialy in age order (only 5 months separates them)

Kaul, Tanner, and William

Weston and "his Sophie"

Cicialy with her great grandma!

4 generations - our kids, Dan, Bompa, and great grandpa

Weston loving his soon to be new Aunt Tawni and Uncle Andrew

Uncle Jake, William, Bleu, and Tanner

Kenzli and Cicialy in a canoe with me!

Dan's cousin, Weston, and Dan

Freeman Family Reunion

This summer has flown by! Only three more weeks until its over : ( We have had an amazing time (the highlight being our 3 week adventure to San Antonio, TX and Utah), and I am sad to see it coming to an end. If you ask my kids whether they liked our family vacation to Disney World back in September or this summer where they have been able to see all of thier 25 cousins they will without question answer COUSINS!!!

The last week of June all of my siblings (Tiffany, Beth, me, Ken, Matt, and Mark), along with our families, and my parents got together near San Antonio, TX for a few days full of fun. My parents have moved to Scotland for a few years and wanted the family to get together one last time before they left. We spent a day at Schlitterbahn (an amazing waterpark), went tubing down the Guadalupe River, ate dinner one night at Salt Lick (the most amazing BBQ in the middle of nowhere TX), played hard at Six Flags, and spent all our free time playing Just Dance 2 on the Wii and just hanging out. Below are some pictures from the Freeman Family Reunion:

Weston and his cousin Kruize at Grandma's house in Houston before we left

Maddie, Devri, and Cicialy ready for Schlitterbahn

Dallin, Aden, and William in the boys car
Our stop at Buc-cee's

Sadly I have no pictures from Schlitterbahn or Six Flags but here is Daegon, Aubri, Cicialy, and William playing Just Dance 2

All of us that went tubing down the Guadalupe River minus Dan and Jeff who were taking the pictures. All the kids under 6 went with my mom, grandpa, Beth, and Matt and Miya to the San Antonio Zoo.

Daegon and Cicialy getting Hana to laugh, which is no small task. She never gives me the time of day but boy did she love her cousin Daegon!

The guys (Daegon, William, Aden, and Papagator) eating amazing BBQ!

Maddie, Aubri, Devri, and Cicialy enjoying thier dinner as well!

We hope its not too long until we get to see all my family again!

The Bluebird Solo

Cicialy's year end ballet recital was held this past Saturday, and she was amazing!!! Not only did she do great in her group dance (they were Spanish Roses), but she performed a solo as well.

Cicialy performed the bluebird solo from the ballet Sleeping Beauty. She was the only girl in her age group to do a solo and has been working so hard on it since January. She did amazing, and I was so proud of her! Cici is often very shy but you would not have known that watching her dance.

After taking a few pictures her face clearly conveys "ENOUGH ALREADY!"

After the performance Cicialy received roses from Grandma Freeman and her brothers like every ballerina should. Can't you tell that was her favorite part of the event! Cicialy's bluebird costume was so cute! My friend Christa made the feathered headpiece, and I spent two and a half hours Friday night cutting out and handstitching on the fabric feathers along with sequins and beads. It was worth it!