Lockdown Drill???

Allie came home today and told me they are having a lock down drill tomorrow. I asked her what that meant and she proceeded to tell me how the teacher locks the door, turns off the light and they all hide in case there is a bad man in the school. What in the world is going on that you have to teach kindergartners about lock downs. It honestly made me sick to think that this is the world we are bringing our kids up in. I mean fire drills and tornado drills I understand but lock down drills, it makes me sick. I pray a drill is all she will ever have but I guess if something bad were to happen she would know what to do. Such a sad statement of what little kids have to learn at such a young age. Sometimes I really worry about the world and what we are teaching our kids, but Allie acted like the lock down drill was no big deal so that is how I responded, even thought I was so sad on the inside. Sad that they have to have fear, sad that lock downs are a reality, sad that she will never be allowed to ride her bike alone all afternoon like we used to. I know this world is a different place from when I was little but sometimes things just sneak up and slap you in face.

Where does the time go.

Well, where does the time go. Can it really have been a month since I have blogged??? What has been going on in the Harper household, School, work, activities, repeat repeat. Allie is loving school, she is doing great and seems to really love her teacher. She has also started back with soccer and choir so she is a very busy little girl. She actually seem to thrive on everything and is doing great. I think once soccer is over we will start back up with Dance and gym because she is missing them, we just can't do everything with school.
Austin is still not walking although he will take a step or 2 between holding on to furniture. He is always on the go and I am constantly chasing him around. He keeps us all on our toes which is a good thing.
Heath and I have been busy with work and the kids. I have been able to do some scrapbooking with friends, although I think I will never be caught up. Some days i get alot done others i have a hard time getting a page done. I am trying to get more organized so can get up to date on Allie's so I can actually start Austin's book. Heath and i took the kids to there 1st football game last weekend with a bunch of his friends from high school. They both seemed to really like the half-time show. Austin kept clapping his little hands, it was so cute.
So I know this is not much of a blog update but we are doing good and staying busy. Life is good for the Harper's and hopefully soon I will be inspired to write a decent blog with new pictures. Until then we will keep on moving and hope you all are doing great also.

Vacation updates below

For those of you that care, I finally finished and posted my vacation updates. i kept waiting thinking we would have the computer fixed but not so much, so I finally just published them without pics, and hopefully I one fay I can ad them or just do a picture post.

Treat her well- a letter to my girl

This poem is read by a local radio station each year around this time and it always gets to me, but this year was really special. This version is slightly different than the one he reads but you get the idea. I just love it and always get a little sad. So world please treat Allie well, she is my girl but I must let go a little and pray she is taken good care of while I am not around.

I Trust You'll Treat Her Well
Author: Victor Buono

Dear World:I bequeath to you today one little girl...in a crispy dress...with two blue eyes...and a happy laugh that ripples all day long.. and a flash of blond hair that bounces in the sun when she runs.

I trust you'll treat her well.

She's slipping out of the backyard of my heart this morning...and skipping off down the street to her first day of school. And never again will she be completely mine.

Prim and proud she'll wave her young and independent hand this morning and say "Goodbye" and walk with little lady steps to the schoolhouse.

Now she'll learn to stand in lines...and wait by the alphabet for her name to be called.

She'll learn to tune her ears for the sounds of school-bells...and deadlines...and she'll learn to giggle...and gossip...and look at the ceiling in a disinterested way when the little boy 'cross the aisle sticks out his tongue at her.

And now she'll learn to be jealous.

And now she'll learn how it is to feel hurt inside.

And now she'll learn how not to cry.

No longer will she have time to sit on the front porch on a summer day and watch an ant scurry across the crack in the sidewalk.

Nor will she have time to pop out of bed with the dawn and kiss lilac blooms in the morning dew. No, now she'll worry about those important things...like grades and which dress to wear and whose best friends is whose.

And the magic of books and learning will replace the magic of her blocks and dolls.

And now she'll find new heroes.

For five full years now I've been her sage and Santa Claus and pal and playmate and mother and friend.

Now she'll learn to share her worship with her teachers ...which is only right.

But no longer will I be the smartest woman in the whole world.

Today when that school bell rings for the first time...she'll learn what it means to be a member of the group...with all its privileges and its disadvantages too.

She'll learn in time that proper young ladies do not laugh out loud...or kiss dogs...or keep frogs in pickle jars in bedrooms...or even watch ants scurry across cracks in sidewalks in the summer.

Today she'll learn for the first time that all who smile at her are not her friends.

And I'll stand on the front porch and watch her start out on the long, lonely journey to becoming a woman.

So, world, I bequeath to you today one little girl...in a crispy dress...with two blue eyes...and a flash of blond hair that bounces in the sunlight when she runs.

I trust you'll treat her well.

Allie one day when you are much older you will read this and it is my prayer that you will realize how special you are to me and how proud of you I am. You are my little girl and always will be. I pray as you grow your struggles will not be to hard and that you make friends easily. I pray for your happiness and that you always know who you can depend on. You have a family that loves you and can't believe how fast your are growing up, try and slow down at times and enjoy this stage of your life. before you know it things will get harder and you will have responsibilities not just to your parents and teacher but others too. Life can be hard but always know that I am your number one fan and supporter. I am here for you no matter what. I also pray that you will grow to love God and depend on him. Make him the center of your life, it will not always make things easy but he has never let me down or turned his back on me, and he won't on you either. I can't wait to see where life takes you, God has great plans for you and I know you can do anything you put your mind to so spread you wings Allie and soar. I love you more that you will ever know. Mommy

School Days, School Days, Dear ole golden rule days

Today was Allie's 1st day of kindergarten and over all she did great. She was not ready to wake up this morning, but honestly that is most mornings so nothing new there. I could tell she was nervous because when we got to school we had to go to the cafeteria before going to her class and she looked up at me and said "mommy are you going to leave" and when I said only if she wanted me to she said no and grabbed my hand tight. once in her room she went right to her spot at the table and just sat there very quiet. this is usually how I can tell she is nervous, she is not one to cry but she will clam up and not talk, so I helped her get settled and then left. It will be exciting to see what all she has to say when i pick her up today. I also did pretty good, no tears from me, I think yesterday I was more sad than today, today was just about getting her up and ready and being strong for her, if I got upset in front of her then she would have been upset also, so I stayed strong. I of course am sending some pictures, but hope all my other friends who had to drop there kids off are doing OK. For all of you that have not had to do this yet, you have a total range of emotions, happy, sad, scared etc. Oh well I have got let go some and know that she is in Gods hands and he will be watching out for her when i can't be. Talk to ya soon. Mer

Vacation day 5 & 6

This is the run down from Day 5, sorry for no pics but I am doing this from work since our computer is still messed up at home.

We had all decided to get up again and go hiking early that day and to pack a lunch. I had originally thought we were just going to do the 2.45 mile hike on the preserve but Angie and Matthew had hiked back that way the day before and said we could hike up to Phelps lake and then hike around the lake and there were place to picnic on the other side of the lake. I was a little worried because the park ranger had mentioned that the part that we were going up to the lake was a little steep in places and it was a hike around the lake. But off we went, the hike up was steep at times and part of it was in the sun so we had to stop a few times and I could tell Allie was struggling some she was not leading the group this time but with my mom in the back. But once we got to the lake it was nice and shady and Austin was sound asleep in the carrier. We stopped and rested to enjoy the view. My brother and dad wanted to wade out to this point to fish, so we decided we would meet them on the other side of the lake for lunch and we would take the shorter of the 2 paths (although it was not much shorter). It was a nice hike, pretty easy and almost all in the shade, the only problem is that it is narrow and when people would pass you, it was tight. We passed this rock on the way there that jets out into the water that Matthew and Angie had said they were going to jump off of after lunch. Then got to the beach area, which was nice except for the mosquitoes all over the place, we saw several deer, one saw about 5 feet from us at one point.

My family showed up and we all found a place to sit and eat lunch. Matthew and my dad decided to fish a little more and Angie and Allie got in the water. heath and I also took off our shoes and walked in it a little but the water was COLD. We even let Austin put his feet in, but he was too sure about it. I am sure between the cold and the first time feeling sand he did not know what he was standing on. After hanging out there for a while we decided to head back. As we got up to the rock where you could jump i the water several other people were also jumping in so we stopped and watched and then Matthew and Angie decided to go. Better them than me, it was a pretty high jump. (if I had my pics I would show you). Anyways after watching them we headed back. By the time we got back we were all in need of a shower and rest. We also found out the trail just around the lake was 7 miles plus the 1.2 it takes to get to that trail so we figured we walked about 9 miles that day on our end since we took the "short" route. But honestly we all said it really did not seem like it was that long. Poor Heath though had to carry Austin in backpack the whole time so that added about 30 pounds on his back . Once we got back to the house we all got in the hot tub and then got cleaned up because my family was taking us out to eat for a late birthday dinner for me. We went to a place called sweetwaters and ate outside. It was really nice and we all tried new things. Allie ate catfish for the 1st time and decided she liked it, and I have a buffalo steak, which was really good, there was also some elk which was good but the best was the bread pudding my brother ordered for dessert. I am not usually a fan but this was awesome. The we went back to the house and just hung out and started to pack back up.

Thursday (day 6) we just packed up and got the house picked up some. of course Matthew made us all breakfast again and we tried to eat up any food we had brought with us. Overall it was really a GREAT vacation and I would do it again and again. I love the mountains but it is really different up there, more secluded and peaceful than in Colorado. You just feel like you are in the old west there.

So like I said it may have taken me a while to get all these posts out but with the computer issues it is what it is. I am glad I can at least journal about them here so one day my kids can read over them. I know Austin will be to young to remember this trip but I am hopeful Allie will have some memories.

Vacation Day 4

So this day we all decided to sleep in a little and then all go out for breakfast at this little place that is supposed to have great sourdough pancakes in Jackson. The food was good, i would go again, but just hanging out with, getting to eat outside is so worth all the effort. Then we all did a little shopping in the Jackson area. we really did not have plans for the day except Allie really wanted to go fishing with poppee (my dad). So after shopping my brother and sister decided they wanted to hike again, which was completely out for us because there was no way Heath was going to carry Austin around for miles again, and honestly both kids were tiered and just needed a quite slower paced day. So we took Angie and Matthew to the drop off point and decided to stop by the a new preserve that is part of Grand Teton national Park. This is the Laurence Rockefeller preserve- and if you ever have the chance to go up to the area you need to go there. Apparently the land has been owned by the Rockefeller family for forever and a couple of years back before he passes away Laurence gave the land to the national park system, but they had like 20+ buildings on it and it was not in very good shape, so they NPS decided to do major reclamation work and build a LEED certified Platinum buildings and the who preserve would be the 1st of it's kind for any NPS building. Now I know you all not in the environmental biz do not know what a LEEDs building is but basically they have to look at everything they do and build with out effect the environment as much as possible and they get points for each of the things they do and platinum is the top level so it is a HUGE deal, and really the building is so cool architecturally that if nothing else it was worth it just to tour the building. We decided we should find out if the trails were smooth enough for strollers (they weren't) so we left but all decided that if we could find a place to rent us one of those backpack carriers for Austin we would go back.

From there we had read that in Teton village (where the ski lifts are) they have a small fishing pond for kids that is free. So we went and got a pole- the kids did not make us rent one which was good because less than 5 minutes into in Allie was done. She fished with poppee and wanted to go and see the bungee trampoline that she saw on the way in. So needless to say we were all glad we did not pay to rent the pole and no fish were caught. We did find a place to rent a backpack carrier so we were excited about that and planned started to plan out the hike for the next day. It was our night to cook so we ran to the store and got food, then back to the house. Right as we were finishing up dinner on the deck the skies opened up and and it poured but then there was the most beautiful full double rainbow. All in all it was a slower paced day but well worth it, i think we needed it.