Cousin Pictures and First Week Adventures!

Since my sister Jane had her baby Athena last month, and their visit here overlapped for one day with my brother Matt's son Collin's visit, Grandma decided to take the opportunity to get grandchildren photos taken.

Chad and Aaron were pretty good sports about the whole affair.  They only whined for about 20 minutes that this appointment was taking up valuable hang-out time on their first Friday afternoon of the school year.  I bribed them with Baja Blasts from Taco Bell.  Works every time!

 Three cute little blondies!

If you only knew the nightmare that it was to get this picture.  Less than thirty seconds before it was taken, both babies and Sam were sobbing.  Grandma says she will never do it again.  She may change her mind when Chance and Athena get a little bigger.

And here are the other new baby cousins that I mentioned in a previous post.  Above is Athena and below is Rex.  We are pretty lucky to have these cuties in our family.

And now a report on the first week of school.  Chad has been spending his mornings studying and his afternoons running, lifting weights and rehabbing his elbow.  He considers school a "necessary evil" but at least he included "necesary". Baby steps.  Aaron has already been tardy twice this week.  (What is up with that?)  His Aaron being Aaron story of the week occured Monday in drama class when his teacher told the students to gather on either the left, right or middle side of the stage depending on whether they were sure what they wanted to do for a career (right), had a vague idea (middle) or didn't know at all (left).  Only a couple of kids went to the right side and Aaron was one of them.  The drama teacher asked Aaron what his chosen career was and he replied "male prostitute".  Oh boy.  Bethany seems to be enjoying middle school.  She switched band instruments and is now a tuba player like her father and her brother Chad before her.  The best part of that, of course, is not having to carry her instrument to and from school.  Score!  Bethany has already lost her math book so that's her first catastrophe of the school year.  Boo!  Miranda has three girls from our ward in her class this year and she absolutely loves her teacher.  So this week was a big win for her.  Also, about  four of her friends have August birthdays so it's party central around here.  Good times for Miranda!  Amber seems to enjoy the first grade.  Her best friend Kate is in the class with her and she claims Kate is her only friend this year because Kate's older sister Hannah has been spreading rumors that Amber is crazy.  So there you have it.  Pretty much business as usual at the Smith house.