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!

That's how we roll....

Riley: "I wished that I could have icecream. But I just put on my lipstick, so I can't."

 



 Lindsay spread out a blanket one morning and was doing something. I looked over and realized she was doing yoga poses just like Grandmummsie! Loved it!

 

 

I told Hyrum that soon we would be helping Gmummsie with bottling her green beans. Hy wasn't really excited with the idea and protested: "Mom! We don't even know when Grandma will 'hatch' her green beans!!!"

 FUN girls night out for a sad reason: Nicole is moving to Wyoming. We're going to miss her. She's Riley's "friend." L to R: Lacey Higley, Tana Christensen, Me & Kels, Jami Bingham, Cobie Holtman, Nicole Dastrup. PS- I was the oldest one there. What the??? I'm not that old am I?

 

 

Lindsay has an ear infection and was crying in the truck. After a while, Riley finally yelled, "Lindsay!" and then started singing, "Don't go cryin' to your mama" (Paramore song)

 



 The kids had their first campout on top of the club house. Lindsay came in after the popcorn. Riley came in about 5:30 because the wolves were going to eat her. Hy had so much fun he slept out there the next night! We love the clubhouse!

 



 Beautiful sunrise on my way to meet Mummsie for a bike ride!

 My covergirl. She found mascara, eyeshadow, chapstick & lipgloss. Pretty girl!

In town we were stopped for a train....with tractors on it. Hy thought it was AWESOME!

A few FIRSTS....

Riley came up to me a few weeks ago b/c her tooth hurt. Surprise, surprise her FIRST loose tooth! She lost it a week later. The bigger surprise was the permanent tooth that was poking through right behind it. Ahhh, braces!

 My FIRST cousin, Emily Banks let two of her kids, Caleb & Ila come help Aunt Vickie watch the kids while I helped with the harvest. 1-Aunt Vickie is like Mary Poppins. 2-I was grateful for the chance to work a little but, I'm even more blessed to stay at home and raise my kiddos. I love them so much and wouldn't have it any other way!

 Evan went to his FIRST broadway musical (in SLC) and I saw "Wicked" for the FIRST time. Loved it. Loved the date night, too!

 Kelsey had her FIRST swim at Grush's pool at the family swim night after the older 3 finished summer swimming lessons. She also got her FIRST ponytail....compliments of the Mummsie!!

A few more pics from 4th of July weekend that I couldnt resist!!

 

 The "quads"

 All 11 grandkids!

 Red, white, & Blue! Janeen commented from her mission that the only thing that could make this picture cuter would be.....her!

 Pinwheel!

 Cousin twins!

 I could write a million captions for what they are probably saying here. I love that they are starting to play and talk to each other.

Tenesa & Christian

MY cousin, Tenesa came from Arizona with her new baby Christian. Aunt Josie came as well and it was such a fun visit! Tenesa and I are almost a year apart...for 5 days, we are the same age. We have grown up together and have always been close. Tenesa got married a year and a half ago and had Christian just a few months ago in March. I love that she finally gets to be a mom....she's dreamed of this forever! And Christian is the oldest grandbaby on both sides of the family. That baby is gonna be spoiled! :) He better get a sister soon.

 Cute bubbies!

 On a walk. Riley loves Tenesa!

 It was fun to see Dad, Mom & Aunt Josie being grandparents :)