Hadley's Blessing day

 

Hadley Sue Viets

blessed in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Sunday June 2, 2013

 

Josh gave a beautiful blessing to Hadley, and we are excited for the wonderful life she has ahead of her. She's already a light in our family and I know her light will shine brighter as she grows into a confident young woman, influencing those around her with her example of kindness and love.

She's our perfect little angel!

First visit to Red Lodge

 

Red Lodge is a small mountain town about an hour south of Billings. It's got everything - lakes, rivers, camping, hiking, wildlife, and a ski resort in the winter. We spent a Saturday there and Josh taught the girls to fish at a little lake called Wild Bill Lake. Lydia and Claire both caught fish and reeled them in... but like their mom they were a little freaked once it got to shore!

 

 Scarlett liked to pretend she was fishing, but didn't have the attention span to wait for something to catch her line. She mostly played with the rocks and splashed the water. Lydia was the best fisherman, getting probably 3 or 4 fish, and actually holding one! Claire never wanted to touch them. "No daddy you do it! You get my hands all dirty." Claire also got her pants wet when she fell in the water and demanded a wardrobe change.

 

 

 We then went to the Montana Candy Emporium. It's full of old time candies (cinnamon bears, jellies,  taffies, etc). It reminded me of my grandma Taylor who used to always have a glass jar full of these candies for the grandkids. The real treat, however, was the homemade fudge and chocolates. Just for mom and dad of course.

Red Lodge also has a Wildlife Sanctuary, which is home to all sorts of animals that have been rescued due to injuries or were owned illegally. There were bears, wolves, elk, a mountain lion and bobcat, and the big buffalo, among others.

 My Montana girls!

Lovely Lydia

Our lovely Lydia is growing up so fast. It really is so fun. She and I talk about boys and boy bands (Big Time Rush), she likes to dress up in mom's clothes and wear lip gloss, and she loves when I straighten her hair. We have talks about modesty and language and she is not afraid to be different from her friends at school. So far so good. We just gotta stay on this track!

Lydia got a new bike...because Scarlett and Claire needed bigger bikes! Lydia is lucky to be the oldest because she always gets the "new" bike, while the others get the hand-me-downs. Fortunately Claire and Scarlett were thrilled with the change! We go on a lot of bike rides around Ironwood, and the girls are pretty fast now. Scarlett only keeps up if she has her scooter.

Lydia has now lost her TWO front teeth, just a week apart. It always happens when dad is away in North Dakota, so she gets very excited to FaceTime with him to show off her missing teeth! 

 

Lydia just finished her first season of soccer in Montana, with the Pink Panthers. It's "spring" soccer, which means its cold and windy, and sometimes it even snows during the games. The YSA league is very laid back - the coaches ref all the games, there aren't many rules enforced, and the girls just have fun. Our team wasn't that great, but they didn't know it. Lydia scored 2 or 3 goals this season and is still very good at dribbling.

 

We got to visit Lydia's class at Arrowhead for a circus! During the week they learned all about circus animals, and decorated their classroom and props to put on their own circus for their parents. Lydia was a twirler.

 

Now the school year is over and summer fun begins!

Claire's ready for Kindergarten!

Last month was Claire's preschool graduation. Yep, she's on her way to kindergarten next year! At her graduation ceremony the kids sang some songs and then they were each presented with a new book and a special folder with artwork they'd done, photos of their activities, and a nice card from her teachers.

 

Claire's friend - the other "glasses girl" in class - Alaina.

 

from Mrs Smith

" We are so glad you found our preschool for Claire, she was such a wonderful addition to our class. She was a bit slow to warm up to our loud students, but found her space and made friends very quickly. She is very well liked by her peers. She will really blossom in elementary school, she enjoys learning so much. When it is playtime Claire usually chooses to sit and write words, and is starting to read sight words. She is independent, she can take care of her own needs, and follows directions well. She also shows a strong understanding of the Bible stories, and her favorite was "How God made the world". We will miss Claire, but she will  love kindergarten and all the learning to absorb :) 

 

Claire drew this picture on her last day of preschool



 

Love her!