I am sure as I am writing this the blogging world is being inundated with posts which include cute smiling pictures of children in freshly purchased clothes with shiny new school supplies and backpacks heading off to their first day of school.  Well, we are one of them because Lincoln just started first grade today. He was a little nervous but starting feeling better once he saw some familiar faces from his old kindergarten class.  I think he’ll love having a full day of school and I will love not having him ask me every 5 minutes, “what are we doing next…what are we doing next?”  

This is how Lincoln laid out his clothes last night. (The legs are light sabers)

On the way to school.  Note the missing tooth :).

A little nervous to go inside….

Feeling a little better once inside and behind his desk.

I suppose it is more of a faux hawk but nonetheless in the hawk family.  I told him he could keep it for a week but it was being shaved off before school starts on Tuesday.  I can’t believe I am even having these discussions with my six-year-old!  What a funny kid….

Lincoln playing air guitar

We celebrated Rulon’s 4th Birthday on Tuesday.  It was a fun day!  Rulon isn’t much for fanfare and just wanted to go bowling and have pizza with the family (including Aunt Lisa and Aunt Kirsten).  We had a great time.  Thank you, Rulon for providing us 4 years full of random and funny behavior.  We love you!

New shirt from Aunt Lisa and art easel from Aunt Kirsten & Uncle Dallas!

So Rulon is a pretty funny kid.  He is definitly a marching-by-the beat-of his-own-drummer kind of guy.  I ran across a few scraps of paper that I had jotted down some of my favorite Rulon sayings:

When asked on Mother’s Day what his favorite thing about mom was he said, “I love her when I go potty in the toilet and she wipes my brown bum.”  Too descriptive?  Maybe…but I’ll have to agree, that is true love, my little friend.

A couple of weeks ago Lincoln came running in from outside in a rage and said, “Rulon threw a rock at my head!”  Rulon shrugged his little shoulders and said,“I told him to duck.”  Seems reasonable enough….

Some of you may know that our sweet little niece, Mara Adams was diagnosed with a brain tumor in her brain stem this past October.  She is 6 years old, just finished her first year of Kindergarden, cute, fun, a talented artist and overall just a sweet wonderful little girl.  Her school made shirts for everyone to wear in support of her.  I finally had my camera ready this past evening when the kids were wearing them.  Rulon asked me if the shirts made Mara “not sick anymore.”  I told him I wasn’t sure but it couldn’t hurt and I know they make her happy.  If you’d like to visit Mara’s site and leave some words of encouragement for her you can go to www.maraadams.com.  Go Mara’s Team!!

We got back last friday from the our rockin’  Gilbert family reunion (my mom’s side of the family).  Erik couldn’t come so Lisa and I loaded up the kids in the mini van and headed off for an adventure.  The reunion was in Eastern Utah at a place called Reid Ranch.  It was about a 14 hour road trip and really out in the middle of nowhere.  They don’t even have an address, just coordinates on a map.  This all sounds a bit shady (as if they are luring us there to snuff us out or something) but it was actually a very cool place.  We stayed in a huge lodge, had great meals and got to enjoy tons of fun activities.  Gotta love that family bonding.  I’ve included some pics from our adventure!

So Lincoln is a rocker at heart.  He is obsessed with Guitar Hero (which he scams off his Uncle Matt and Uncle Dallas anytime they come for a visit).  He has his own personal list of favorite music on my ipod which include artists such as the Beastie Boys, The Bravery, Led Zepplin and Daft Punk.  I know, I know, he is 6 but when you have a father that is obsessed with collecting music and plays it constantly around the house it tends to rub off…..

So besides Lincoln being an aspiring musician he also is a bit emotional.  He woke up yesterday in a rotten mood.  Who knew what the problem was but he was determined to have a bad day. I racked my brain trying to think of how we might change the grouchy course he was on and asked him what he’d like to listen to on my ipod.  He looked up at me with a thoughtful expression on his face and said, “Around the World” (by Daft Punk) chases the tears from my eyes but “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” (by Pat Benatar) chases the tears from my brain.”  Very poetic and oh, so true.  So, thank you Miss Benetar for chasing the tears from Lincoln’s brain..