Are You Ready For Some Football?

This year Cole and Josh are playing flag football.  They practice each week and their games are on Saturday  morning at the sports park right next to their school - about two blocks away from our house, which we love!!

This week they both of their teams won!

Josh is a Running Back on the Cleveland Browns.

 This past game Josh ran in an extra point as well as a full field touchdown! We are so proud!

His Coaches are Mike Pizzi and Dad!

Cole is playing Quarterback for the Jets!

Set, Hike!

 

His Coach calls his arm "The Cannon".  He throws a perfect spiral with amazing aim!

 

11th Anniversary

In August we celebrated our 11th Anniversary.  The kids stayed at the Horton's for a couple of nights and we had a blast! We went out to eat, went shopping, shot guns at Orem Rec Gun Range, Finished season 2 of The Walking Dead, went to City Creek and went to see Wicked!  I was so excited that we decided to get tickets and we absolutely loved it! 

It is wonderful being married to your best friend!

Cole came downstairs all dressed up and in his deep "dad" voice announced: "See ya honey. I am going to church now, er to my meetings. Get the kids ready and bring them over at 4". Then I went up stairs and Josh was actually wearing church pants and shoes and after a few minutes Cole comes up, ruffles Josh's hair and says "kiddo, why aren't you getting rady for church". IT was

Kennecott Copper Mine

 This summer we decided to take the kids up to see the Kennecott Copper Mine. They had never been there and couldn't believe how big it was! They loved watching the trucks and tractors drive around.  Cole and Josh were able to get pocket knives (which they have been dying for) with their names on and Alaria got to fill a bag of pretty rocks.  It was fun to explore Utah a little bit!

Labor Day

This year we were able to celebrate the Studies Weekly Summer Party at Lagoon!  (Yes, we had to wear matching company shirts) The Romans decided to join us, which was so much fun!  We left Claire home with a babysittter and we were shocked at how brave the others were.  Cole and Josh rode everything - including Wicked, Colossus, Samurai, The Rocket, and so many more! They loved it! Alaria's first ride was The Bat and every ride she got off of she asked to go on again.

We had such a fun day!  The kids are already talking about when we go next time!

And Then There Was One...

Poor Claire...now that school has started she sure is missing her siblings! She keeps standing at the stairs yelling out "Ali...Cole...Josh...Boys..."  She is so cute! Her new favorite thing is to climb up on the kitchen table.  She is full of mischief lately - constantly unloading the pantry, the lazy susan, any and all cupboards or the kids art boxes.  She could not be sweeter though - she is the best snuggler ever - she is growing up so fast!

Kindergarten

Yesterday was Alaria's first day of Kindergarten.  She has been counting down since she graduated preschool last spring, and it did not disappoint! She was in heaven to find out that she was in Mrs. Lamb's class!  She is also in the same class as Sophie Riggs, Kennedi Robinson, Garret Rasmusson, Sicily Pedler, Vivia Fitch, Linus Harker, Tate Pizzi and Linkin Jeide!

 It feels so surreal to have all three of these cuties in school now! They are so excited that they all get to walk home together!

Yesterday I told Alaria since it was her last day before school started, I wanted to make her a special lunch. I told her she could pick anything she wanted and I would get it for her.  She thought for a minute and responded with "you know that pink medicine you get at smith's? (Amoxicillin) I really want that. It is so yummy!"  After a good laugh, I made her tomato soup!

Back to School

School started on August 21st this year. Josh is in the first grade and his teacher is Miss Richards. She is super nice and he is happy to be in her class. It is a long day for him now that he's at school all day, but he is doing great - loving extra recesses and eating lunch at school! 

 Cole is in the 3rd grade and was thrilled to find out Mr. Morley was his teacher. He is reading "Holes" right now. He also got 100% on his first pre-spelling test today which means he doesn't have to do any spelling homework for the week. Cole and Josh walk to school together in the morning and will pick up Alaria after kindergarten and all three of them will walk home together. They are all so big and we are so very proud of each one of them!

Such a Blessing

Yesterday was Claire's Blessing Day.  She looked beautiful and was such a good baby.  She received a beautiful blessing by her Dad.  We had a great day! Thank you to all who were able to come out and be with us.  We sure love little Claire, she is a wonderful blessing to our family.



She was blessed in the same blanket that I was blessed in as a baby



It's great to have a big sister to help you get ready!





Grandma and Grandpa Gamber and Uncle Jerry



Grandma and Grandpa Gillespie



Grandma and Grandpa Bellows

The Gillespie Fam

Re-Naming Party

Do you remember when we announced 5 weeks ago that we had a baby girl named Mariella that was 6 lbs. 10 oz. and 19” long?

Well, most of that information was correct...

We realized that we got the name wrong. We love that name, but after spending some time with her, we’ve come to the realization that it just isn’t her name.

We are happy to announce that she is
Claire Christine Gillespie!

                   We had a little "re-naming party" last night to help make it an easier transition for the kids. 

We are all very excited about Claire!