Audrey starts second grade

Well my little reader was busy with books this summer. She read over 100 books and got a lot of awards through the public library's summer reading program. At the beginning of the summer her favorite books were Junie B. Jones. Then, she moved to Babysitter's Club - Kid Sister books and read almost all in the series. Now she's starting the Harry Potter series and loves it. It was cool for her to get to put her name up on the board in the children's department of the library.


As of today, my babydoll is a second grader! (She is skipping first grade.) This is before back to school night. She wore that dress the first day of Kindergarten a year ago and it's amazing to compare the pictures. She's grown so much and looks so different!

Since she is reading Harry Potter, playing magic is something the kids are doing more of at home - hence the broom for this shot!

This is what her new school looks like. (Since we have a house currently getting built in the zone for this school, we are starting her here instead of having to transfer her during the year.)

It's an older school and very unique. It's rather big so it has a separate cafeteria and gym, and also has things like a science lab, a big computer lab and even an auditorium!

She got to "sleep in" compared to last year. I didn't have to wake her up until 7am - and that was allowing extra time to get ready (school starts at 8:45am and she catches the bus at 8:10am.) Last year at the other school she went to, school started at 7:55am so she was getting up closer to 6am to catch the bus at 6:40am!

I love to have her in my signature "tiny ponytails going up her head" hairdo that I made up many years ago. (No she doesn't have to put her head upside down for that!)

So grown up - where DID the time go?!

That backpack was love at first sight for her.

Of course she was more ready to go than I was ready to let her!

Mrs. Puckett is her teacher and I can tell she's going to be great! There's a deaf child in the class so there is a Sign Language Interpreter there all day - they are going to learn a lot of sign language this year!

I was so glad she was running to me with open arms when she got off the bus at the end of the day. I missed her so much! (I'm sure I'll get used to it though.)

And the end of the day means reading in bed - she started the first Harry Potter book last week and is only a couple chapters away from finishing!

GIRLS SEATTLE (AND FORKS) TRIP!

Kim drove us down to Star (near Boise, ID) in this little number of hers. We slept and my best Ricks College friend Allison's house that night. The next morning the three of us and Allison's friend in Star, Jessica boarded a plane at 6:30 am for Seattle, WA.

It was pretty down by the bay.


Ally and Nettie.

Pike's Place Market had so many beautiful flowers that smelled just as amazing as they looked!

The place where they throw the fish was so fun to see.

After that we split a plate of sushi (although we had to get it to go and ate it while waiting for the underground tour to begin.) It was the first time for Jessica and me.

This was very interesting.

I learned a lot.

I had no idea Seattle used to be several feet underneath where it is today!

Who would've thought!

Under downtown Seattle....

On the streets of downtown Seattle - right above the last picture!

The Space Needle.

Kim and I on the top of the Space Needle.

Gorgeous view from the Space Needle.

And another one!

One more!!

We rode the monorail back to the hotel.

This is the view from our hotel room.

And this was what the hotel room door looked like. (Ally found a great deal online - it was really cheap but nice - the only thing is it was a little to "artsy" for us mormon girls. We were glad our husbands or kids weren't there to see the "artwork")

Outside the hotel on the way to the Stephenie Meyer "Breaking Dawn" concert!

Before we entered into the concert! From left: Jessica, me, Ally and Kim.

Justin Furstenfeld (from Blue October) played the guitar and sang - he was so AWESOME!!!

Stephenie answered questions - she was so cute and funny and adorably entertaining!

I had the best time!!!

This is us waiting before we got our book signed! Jessica's shirt she made said:

"My heart belongs to my husband

My neck belongs to Edward!"

The next day we were up bright and early again to go pick up our rental car and head to the Pacific Northwest Olympic Peninsula! (If you haven't read the Twilight Series, some of these explanations won't make sense.) We stopped in Port Angeles and got a picture in front of Bella Italia where Bella and Edward eat together (well Bella eats...) in the first book.

The scenic drive was breathtaking!!!

Can we say RAINFOREST?!

Lucky for us, it never rained while we were in Seattle on Tuesday or here on Wednesday!

The scenes were awe-inspiring!

The city reminded me a little of Shelley, ID.

The writing on the 2nd window to the left in this picture says Welcome Twilight Fans.

Inside they have a Bella Burger - see it on the menu?!

With your purchase - what else?! But of course - free vampire teeth!!

Every store in town has gifts based on the books. I took a picture of this lady who worked in the visitor's center because she had a "I Love Jacob" pin and she grabbed the bumper sticker "Werewolves love La Push" for the shot!

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Right outside the Visitor's Center was Bella's truck!

I couldn't get over all of these intensely-green ferns and moss-covered trees!

First Beach in La Push was so gorgeous!

I couldn't have imagined how unbelievable it would look in person!

We wanted a shot of us with the beautiful scenery behind us but the guy who took our pictures zoomed in! We should've known he was looking at something besides the water when he said "Oh yeah, this will be great for the boys at home."

Have you ever been to the Cheesecake Factory! I hadn't until Kim and I stopped in Boise on the way home. Hello! The Godiva Chocolate Cheescake there is out of this world!

ALLISON - THANKS FOR PLANNING ALL OF THIS AND FOR INVITING ME!

KIM - THANKS FOR GOING WITH ME!

JESSICA - THANKS FOR BEING ALLY'S AWESOME FRIEND SHE BROUGHT!

ALL 3 GIRLS - THANKS FOR A ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE - YOU ARE ALL SO WONDERFUL AND BEAUTIFUL ON THE INSIDE JUST AS MUCH AS THE OUTSIDE! I HAD THE MOST AMAZING TIME!!!