Our Newest Addition and more.....

So I figured I better take some time and sit down to update my blog while the little one is sleeping. So much has happened since the last entry, namely the birth of our sweet little boy Walter Ethan Arce Jr. But before that we had some other things happened. The school year ended with both of the kids advancing the their next grade. Maddie was so worried about the EOG's (end of grade test) but she passed and even though she had to retake the Science one she passed it the second time. So off she goes to 6th grade and the dreaded Middle School, no she is not the one dreading it, it is me. And our little Kaden is going into 3rd grade and the start of my stress, I remember 3rd grade was quite difficult for Maddie and it is when they start taking the EOG's. The kids have enjoyed they summer. They are in the summer camp that they have attended for the last 3 summers and they have a great time.

Soon after school ended Grandpa and Grandma Hulet came to visit. My due date for Ethan was the 26th of June, so we had decided to have Kaden's baptism on the 20th since my parents would be here. Well little Ethan had different plans and decided he wanted to give his dad a Father's Day present. We ended up getting Kaden baptized on July 3rd and everything worked out just fine. Grandpa and Grandma got here at 6:00 p.m. on June 19th and at 4:00 a.m. on June 20th (Father's Day) our little Ethan decided it was time to wake mom up to go to the hospital. It all went very fast and he was born at 6:20 a.m. He has brought so much joy to our lives. His brothers and sister are elated to have him here. Kaden is just anxious for him to be able to play. Maddie loves to help out with him, and Walter and I are just enjoying every minute that we have with him. I have to say that I somewhat feel like a first time mom again. I don't remember what newborns do or if this or that is normal, but he is teaching me every day......

Don't Stop Believin'

The title of my blog comes from the song that was sung around our house for the the past 4 months. For the past 4 months, every Wednesday Maddie has had to get up at 6:00 in the morning to make it to school a hour before school starts for chorus practice. She decided she wanted to be part of the Panther Pride Chorus at her school. I was so proud of her for not complaining that she had to get up that early. It all paid off! She had her concert last night. They sang one song from each decade, but the most popular had to be Don't Stop Believin'. She was so excited and we were so glad we can be there to support her.

Day of Service

I am so grateful for the church that it gives us the opportunity, if we take it, to teach our children the things that we want them to know to be good people. We took this opportunity on Saturday, our Stake participated in a day of service in which we went to beautify the grounds around the Glenn Center in Concord. I had a lot of grumbles about not wanting to go but once we got there, they enjoyed every minute of it.

Bye Bye Elementary

Since she was born I have wanted to rush her through the milestones in life because I couldn't wait to share them with her. This is time where I want to stop, I want to freeze her in time. It has gone too fast, faster than I am ready for. I am so excited for her to make this big step in her life but I didn't know how hard it would be for me. I remember hearing moms say that the day the dropped their kids off for the first day of kindergarten that they cried. That wasn't hard for me, in fact I rejoiced I was excited for the me time, but now I think the day I send her off for the first day of middle school I will cry.

As we walked up to the parent's night last night at the middle school all my memories of school came back. I kept thinking that I can't be old enough to have a child in middle school. While we walked around the school she took my hand and it melted my heart, she wasn't afraid to still hold my hand, I thought. I know she will do great and she fits in so well wherever she goes, but the fear is still there. Will she make new friends, will she remember her locker combination, will she stay organized (oh that is a big one).

I will cherish all the times I was able to go and have lunch with her, go to classroom parties, science fairs and walking her to class on the first day from Kindergarten to 5th grade. She will do great and I am so grateful that the Lord has blessed me with such a wonderful, priceless gift, I love you Maddie!

Let's try this

Okay so I have had so much fun reading other people's blogs and have wanted to start one of my own so here I go. I tell myself that I will have more time to blog when I am able to stay at home once the baby comes......I think I am fooling myself.

Well we are on the homestretch awaiting the arrival of our little boy. I find myself wanting to rush through it, but then I realize that I need to take this time and enjoy the peace, quiet and sleep I am getting right now. We have finally started to get the nursery ready, I think I keep thinking that we have so much time, in reality we only have 10 weeks and with as busy as our lives are time flies by.

Maddie thinks that she being the big sister gets to pick out everything for the nursery. So goes our adventure to Babies "R" Us and Target. Maddie picked out a set for the nursery that she liked and because she liked it we were supposed to get it. All Kaden could say was "can we go home". I think I have realized that that maybe wasn't a family project maybe it should have been reserved for a mommy and daddy project. Hopefully the painting an decorating will be done soon and pics will be posted.