Snowflake

In the midst of my class-taking, we made a quick trip to AZ. It was a L.O.N.G. drive. Especially now that we have kids. It would be a whole lot easier if Utah just didn't exist!!

Apparently, we like to play "chew your toenails on the way to Gpa & Gma's house."

 Fun in the "Grandkid Corral." They have the perfect fenced off yard to play in on the side of their house.

 Can you see Hy?

 Linz & Poppa Bernie petting Mack.

 Frisbee!

 The horny toad.

 Riding horses with Poppa. Riley on Dun, Ev riding the horny toad, Hy on Kelly Bear/Whiskey, Poppa Bernie on Rusty.

 Aunt George!!! She was driving by on her way to Phoenix and was like, "Hey, there are kids there! It's Evan & Jen!!!!!" So fun to get to see her.

 Linz & Poppa had a serious discussion about the mules, Harry and Nancy.

 Kelsey loves Grandma!

 LOVE this last shot! Those are some happy grandkids with their Grandma & Grandpa! Thank you for the wonderful weekend! Love you guys :)

Sunday drive

One Sunday, we convinced Ev to go on a drive. The favorite part was when we "hiked" for a little bit up 6-mile canyon southeast of our home.



 (Ev, some kids, some corgis)

 (The kids and I found "weapons". I believe we were fighting wild animals. Hyrum said we couldn't fight the Indians because they were friendly. Hmmmm)

 Hyrum ran into a door. Seriously.

We have had a chilly, WET August. It has been crazy weather. But it sure made a pretty view!

Answered Prayers

Because of procrastination on my part, midway through the summer, I confessed to Evan that I was 3 credits short of my 6 credits to recertify as an elementary teacher. I told him I didn't see any way that I could recertify. He encouraged me to at least look into and try and I agreed, warning him that I may never use my teaching degree. He thought it was worth it. So I did. And I prayed that if there was any way for me to get 3 teaching credits, in one month, with 3 kids and a nursing baby--that I'd be able to find a way to do it. And  I did.

 

BSU offered 3 classes over a 3-week period of time, over 2 days and each worth one credit.

 

Between Evan, Decca, Hailey Smith, Elizabeth and I believe the mummsie, my 3 older kids were taken care of. And Aunt Vickie came to help with Kelsey and stay in the hotel room with her. What life savers they were!!

 

With the travel, hotel rooms, babysitters, eating out, etc. these were the most expensive credits I have ever taken!!!! But they were enjoyable and I got them done!

 

1st class-EQuIP Training in Rexburg--how to use a rubric to judge if lesson plans were Common Core qualified. (*And I got to visit my good friend from high school, Lisa Winward McKenzie)

 



 This is in Rexburg where my old "shanty" Stadium Vu was. It turned into a castle!!! Evan's old shanty at the livestock center was burned and buried in a hole in the ground!!!

 

Class 2- Communication for Educators-Meridian. I enjoyed this class quite a bit.

 

Class 3-Common Core in Physical Education--Boise. I enjoyed it, but I felt intimidated being around a herd of athletic people.

 

 At the last minute, Aunt Vickie said it'd be ok to bring Riley (she was crying as we were leaving), so we brought her, too. We had sooo much fun together. We also got to have Uncle Justin come visit us--he was looking for a place to live at his new job in Nampa!!! 

 Riley and I at the pool. She went swimming at least 4 times!

 So, here is the teacher. I was going for his list of websites and got his head, instead. His son plays football for BSU. He reminds me of a wannabe Tom Seleck/guy from Steele Magnolias & Top Gun

 Aunt Vickie, Riley, & Kels at the BSU football stadium.

So, in this last picture, we were heading home and we got into the worst rainstorm I had ever experienced. It was bad enough, that we pulled off the exit to wait it out. Suddenly it turned into hail. Enough that I was concerned. I asked Aunt Vickie if I could say a prayer and as soon as I uttered the words "Please bless that the hail will stop..." it stopped! It was amazing!

The other miracle is that Aunt Vickie has been looking for a job for a while now. She helped out during harvest watching the kids and then had applied as a teller (what she used to do), but wasn't hired. She helped me out those three weeks with the kids and on the way home, she got a call from a lady at the bank offering her a temp job as a teller. Today, she told me she got the job!! I'm so excited for her. But if it hadn't been for her help with Kelsey (and Riley) I wouldn't have been able to recertify!

It was a miracle that I was able to recertify!