Back to School 2022!

This kid was confident!  And he loves his new shoes - but won't wear them with shorts.  He says he doesn't like school, but I think secretly he does.  Walking down the halls meeting his teachers on back to school night so many people said 'hi' to him.  He may not like the schooling part, but the fun classes and time with friends I know he loves.  I can't believe this kid is a Freshman.  He's almost eye level with me and his feet are rapidly growing.  It's a love hate thing at this point.

Caleb's 9th GRADE FAVORITES

TV Show:  The Office

Movie: The Dark Knight

Song:  Venom - Eminem

Color: Red and Blue

Food:  A plain bacon cheeseburger from Warrens

Dessert:  Homemade cinnamon rolls

Activity:  Toy Photography

When he grows up:  "I want to rich when I grow up."

My bug a boo!  She started 6th grade at the intermediate school.  She acted like it was no big deal, but as it got closer and closer she voiced that she was getting a bit nervous.  Nothing specific - just nervous.  I hope she can make some new friends this year.  She's a shy bug - but dang she's funny.  I'm excited for her to find her people.

Taylor's 6th GRADE FAVORITES

TV Show:  Dive Club

Movie: Disney Jungle Cruise

Song:  Eye of the Storm - Godsmack

Color:  Blue

Food:  Chicken Parmesan

Dessert:  Ice Cream

Activity:  Camping

When she grows up:  A Zookeeper

Rylee has been so nervous all summer. What if she misses the bus?  What if Taylor misses the bus but Rylee has the cell phone, how will Taylor call me?  What if she can't find the lunch room?  What if someone makes fun of me?  She tired on her 1st day of school outfit 4 or  5 times (that I know of).  Guess what?!  She survived!  After she got off of the bus after the first day she couldn't stop smiling.  

Rylee's 6th GRADE FAVORITES

TV Show:  Camp Cretaceous 

Movie: Twilight

Song:  Wrecked - Imagine Dragons

Color:  "Purple, it always will be"

Food:  Chicken Alfredo pasta or a sunshine sushi roll

Dessert: Eclairs 

Activity:  Hiking

When she grows up:  A Marine Biologist

Off to the bus stop!  I told them to stop walking, but to pretend they were walking.  They nailed it.

Mr. Luke!  He is always ready to learn.  He has even been practicing a bit this summer on learning how to do multiplication.  He's a smarty pants and loves to go to recess so that he can play soccer with his friends.  He has Mrs. Korth this year and I hope he can listen.  As long as that happens, all will be great and he will have the best year ever!

Luke's 3rd GRADE FAVORITES

TV Show: You Tube - Minecraft 

Movie: Jurassic World - Dominion

Song:  Let it Go - Godsmack

Color:  Neon Green

Food:  A grilled cheese from Peach City

Dessert: Mint Brownie

Activity:  Fishing

When she grows up:  A Soccer Player

Little Lex is a weirdo. A wonderful one at that!  She is always making us laugh and giving us the best hugs.  She wasn't nervous or excited.  Just whatever.  Her biggest thing was deciding between 2 outfits.  She has a couple of friends in her class and Luke too of course.  All of my kids have had Mrs. Korth for 3rd Grade - she will love her!

Alexa's 3rd GRADE FAVORITES

TV Show:  Dive Club

Movie: Aladdin - the cartoon

Song:  You Belong with Me - Taylor Swift

Color:  Black

Food:  Waffles

Dessert: Fudge from golden corral 

Activity:  Family Trips

When she grows up:  A wildcat caretaker - lions, tigers and snow leopards.

We went back to school shopping with Grammy one day.  It wasn't very successful at all!  Everything was overpriced or crop tops (Rylee always accidentally says "crock tops")  We did manage to get some shoes for Lex and Ry *CONVERSE* and some tops for Tay.  Amazon was our saving grace this year.

Lunch was Red Robin.  These girls....I sure do love them!

Guess who didn't want to go shopping at all?   Luke needed shoes - we couldn't find any.  Caleb needed shirts and we won big at Ross.  When we left he said, "There sure was a lot of Mexicans in there."

Warrens for the win with these two.  A grilled cheese and a bacon cheeseburger.  I had a salad.  It was delish - but it wasn't a burger!

End of Summer Getaway

Summer was kind of blah this year.  I hated it.  My kid were always bored.  Casey's graveyard shift makes it hard to make many plans and we are saving for a trip to Disneyland, so no vacay this summer!

I decided last minute that we should go overnight somewhere to leave the mundane day to day grind and get out of the house.

We told the kids that after Luke's soccer game we were going to Idaho for a picnic.

I had packed their things the night before.  Taylor & Rylee caught me in their room and asked what I was doing and I told them I couldn't believe their room was such a mess and was organizing a little.

Taylor wasn't buying it.  She was on to my lies from the get go.  She said she even checked the stow-and-go compartment in the van for bags.  Little snoop.

They were still pretty excited.  We had the pool to ourselves for the most part, bonus.  My dad taught me in me early years how to clear a pool.  We were pros at it growing up. 

Kids and swimming.  What am I going to do when that won't keep them entertained??

And the view of the Snake River and Idaho Falls temple was so pretty!

After swimming we showered and went and got drinks and Little Ceasers pizza and ate it on a bench overlooking the falls.  Adorbs, right?

 

I was able to sneak in a surprise without Taylor knowing.  Idaho Falls has a little zoo and we went to that on Sunday morning.

I love monkeys.  I hear that they are jerks and throw their poop.  But I love them and feel like the older I get, the more I understand their mannerisms.

Flamingos are awesome.  Casey was a little shocked - he said he thought they would be bigger.  

Feeding a brushing the goats was a highlight.  

Face Painting was only $5!  I only had 2 that wanted to participate.  I wish I would've had mine done.  It's awesome!

Idaho Falls is such a pretty place.  We went by one spot where they was tons on picnic table and grassy places to relax - I want to go back !  This fountain was awesome - 

we didn't see the sign until later.  Tay and Ry were nervous after they read it.  Little angels.

Back to reality we go!  Hope they all make great friends this year in school and that next summer we have more fun things planned.  My kids are growing right up!

Here Kitty Kitty

 Our kitten had kittens!!  They kids were so excited.

I on the other hand was a nervous wreck.  Right before Katie had these 4 cute kittens I saw the ugliest cat on the planet at her food dish one night.  A couple of nights later I saw it again - and it wasn't a cat - it was an ugly mangey looking raccoon!!!

I lost way to much sleep over it.  I bugged Casey about it non-stop.  Where was my mighty hunter & trapper when I needed him?  He did set a few traps, but I wanted him to sit out side until it came around and shoot it.

This little kitten was abandoned for a couple of days.  Look at his cute forehead markings! We tried to feed it kitten formula with tiny kitten bottle.  $30 later, and Katie decided she would take it back.

We would bring them inside to try to teach them how to eat.  If we tried outside the big cats would eat it first!

And since it wasn't crazy enough with kittens - we got 6 chickens to play with too.

Luke was outside several times a day checking on and playing with these kittens.  He is the cutest.

My little ladies

 Taylor and Rylee have had an exciting end of grade school!

They had a chalk war to say goodbye to Discovery Elementary.

They had their wax museum presentation towards the end of the year.  Rylee got to sit by her friends Daphne, Traci and Macklyn.  She was Sonora Webster.  I think her favorite part of this was borrowing Angela's boots and the hat that I bought (and returned) from Amazon.

Taylor LOVED her bought (and returned) Amazon costume as she portrayed Sally Ride.  They both liked making their posters.  When Casey pressed Taylors 'button' she said that she was "Out of order".

Guess what else these fabulous girls did?!  They were recognized for their awesomeness at the 5th grade awards assembly!  They were awarded the 2 highest awards you can get.  Talk about tears of joy from their mom!  I know they are amazing, but it's pretty dang special when others recognize it too.

Taylor received the Principal's award.

Rylee received the Mayor's award.

ALSO - the pentathlon!  I remember hating the pentathlon.  My clone, Taylor, was in tears when I left after watching a few events.  I asked if she wanted to leave and she said no.  She toughed it out, which I am proud of, but cried when I left her.  We aren't very sporty.  Rylee said it was ok.  She had sore feet and ankles afterwards.

Rylee and her best friend Daphne entered an art contest for the bird refuge and they both got to have their creations hung on banners on main street!

I love this so much!

Last field trip with these cuties.  They missed a couple because of Covid, stupid I know.  I met them in Salt Lake City for a Bees game.  We packed snacks and lunch and watched some baseball.  They were bored - but I still loved the time I spent with them.

Their friends Daphne and Traci.

Luke and Lex Baptism

My littles!  Casey's cousin, Cherish, took some of the cutest pictures ever.

We met at the Brigham City temple one evening and she worked her magic.

We lucked out too!!  I think 2 days after she took these pictures they pulled out all of the flowers to get ready for winter!

Etsy is an amazing little website.  I downloaded a cute template to make their invitations.

I made A LOT of homemade cinnamon rolls.

I found the perfect flowers at Smiths (most on clearance!!).

They are sweet kids.  Luke is full of energy and Alexa is full of sugar and spice.

Casey & I got them each a set of scriptures and a scripture bag.

A lot of people missed this even - covid has made everyone weird.  I was so happy to have those who made it there.  I think it's important for my littles to know who is in their corner.

I hope they know how much they are loved and how happy they make a lot of people.