{Annual back to school dinner}

 Another school year!

And NO SCHOOL UNIFORMS this year! 

I miss the uniforms, but the kids are so happy! I thought they were so easy plus knee socks are cute!

Each year seems to go by faster than the last. We have a high school-er now and all I can think is...4 more precious years. Four more years to make memories, laugh at dinner, to cheer him on as he heads off to seminary in the morning.  I already miss having him home. The void will be huge. 

We love Tre and all he brings to our family. 

This year we have a 1st grader, 4th grader, 5th grader, 7th grader & 9th grader. I know I was much more nervous about this fresh start then they were. This time was different then our previous new school beginnings. This time we are staying, & so my prayer for the children is that they will find friends that they can count on & that will bring the best out of them. The schools are just the sweetest. Much smaller than Vegas & have a really warm feeling when you enter through the doors. 

For our back to school dinner we did a nautical theme since we are near water now (& loving it!) We focused on attitude and actions. We are in complete control of our attitude. We can choose to be happy and obedient in all seasons of life whether good or bad.  We had our traditional spaghetti & meatballs and opened our yearly challenges and bookmarks. Rod offered Father's blessings for back to school after church. I love watching the children's faces light up after hugging their dad after a blessing. Rod is a true man of God and is showing our children how a father & husband should be. I feel so incredibly blessed that he chose me!

so far the kids are loving their new schools. Britt eats lunch with his buddy Dax and has made some sweet friends. Cooper has a cute friend named Lincoln and Cooper has mastered all the reading levels in 1st grade already. such a smarty pants. Maddox & Tal are in the same class and Tal has introduced Madds to some fun friends. & Presley! oh sweet Presley! She found her other 1/2. She has not had a best friend since Texas...and she found her best friend in her class, Shannon. She is such a sweet and fun girl with a really nice mom. I am so grateful for Shannon! Tre is just the best. He is busy! He is doing cross country in the off season from Lacrosse. He is making friends from lacrosse, cross country and school, and church too. he gets some church friends together now & again to go have salt & straw and go to the park or river. They are such a good bunch of kids. One of them is a neighbor & church friend. Reese and I just think his family is so great.
Academically all the kids are thriving! Its been the easiest start after a move we have ever had! I know Heavenly Father has sent all these wonderful kids into our lives to help! 

{Last Hurrah}

The summer was perfect. It felt like a vacation as we stalled into our new town. Before school started we wanted to do one last hurrah. We decided to keep it simple as we had just returned a week earlier from our long trip. We went to the coast and played all day with our friends...oh yeah, & we had a funeral for a bird that was just drifting lifelessly around in the tide pools. it was pretty yucky to see but the kids wanted to give "Becky" a proper burial. That was something I was not anticipating when I woke up that morning, but a silly memory was made.  it was really a beautiful day with lots of laughing and castle building. I feel so blessed to be here in this beautiful place with my family.