The Rest of Summer 2017

I thought after all the reunions and church-related camps that I would have that Summer Feeling - lazy, doing what we felt like doing. It never happened. We did some cool stuff, though. Let's start with Bridget.

We had to push a birthday party for Bridget to almost the middle of July! We got it done, though - an afternoon at the outdoor pool with five of her favorite people. I didn't bring a camera. Rude. Then pizza at Pizza Pie Cafe.

 These three (Bridget, Kodi, and Clara) spent a lot of time on the diving boards.

I found a cute picture of my nephew Brennan on my Instagram account and it reminded me that we watched Macey and Brennan overnight in July. I have forgotten EVERYTHING about babies. Almost everything. They were fun and Bridget was the best helper ever, so that made it easy.

 Sweetie Pie Brennan

Sami and Bridget before getting on the bus to Clear Creek.

Months ago I spent an hour on the computer and on the phone with Bridget's friend Sami's Mom, Alicia, trying to get the two of them registered for the same week at Clear Creek Camp. It was very dramatic. The two of us refreshed the page, submitting our information over and over again only to get denied at different points in the process. BAH. Each time we refreshed the page to try again, we could see how many spots were left in the weeks we were hoping to get. We finally chose the week of July 24th since they seemed not to be going as fast. Bridget and Sami were in the Pot Gut Hut at Clear Creek Camp! For MONTHS Bridget talked about Clear Creek. Sometimes she would start in the middle of the conversation in her head that Brian and I couldn't hear. I started assuming she was talking about Clear Creek when that happened. She and Sami did jobs for me and some of the neighbors to earn money for Clear Creek. Two weeks before the camp, Alicia spent EIGHT HOURS braiding Bridget's hair to look like Sami's. Getting ready for Clear Creek was not a joke.

Bridget putting the finishing touches on her critter can.

Let's get real, though, Clear Creek is a five-day camp near Scofield and Bridget has never been great at sleeping in her own bed, nevermind a bed miles away from her parents. The kids stay in cabins and do crafts and activities and go on field trips. They have no contact with their parents and the only word I got was an email from the camp director every night of the camp with a bunch of pictures. I had to find my baby in those photos and let my imagination go crazy, which it did. In the first email I had a hard time finding Bridget in the 30 or so pictures. When I did she was wearing a sweatshirt that doesn't belong to her and it was raining. "Why isn't she wearing the rain jacket she brought?" I wondered. (When I picked her up on Friday the first thing she told me was that she puked all over her jacket after getting off the bus the first day. Oh! That explains it! It's just the worst thing that could happen, nothing to worry about there.)

Bridget fresh off the bus from Clear Creek. Her brothers care.

 

On the last night of the camp I couldn't find Bridget in ANY of the photos from their field trip to a ghost mining town. I totally panicked. Bridget explained to me later that she was "crying so much" that she made sure she wasn't in any pictures so I wouldn't worry. Mission not accomplished. Even with those terrible reports, Bridget LOVED Clear Creek. She chose to focus on all the good stuff - the friends, the sparkly traps, the amazing crafts, the donuts, the awesome camp counselors who could do back flips. She even said she wants to go back and be a counselor herself. That's kind of an awesome idea - she can tell the kids who struggle, "I puked on the first day and I still loved it!"

I signed Emil and Colin up for a week-long soccer camp during the same week Bridget was at Clear Creek. It was sponsored by the Real Salt Lake soccer team. They spent the last 10 minutes every day learning the fight song.

Emil getting his shoe signed on the last day of camp.

Emil's new smile. 

We got through August by going to the outdoor pool a lot and the kids came with me on some of my newspaper assignments. School started on a Tuesday and on Monday was the Total Solar Eclipse. I had decided we could just enjoy our 85% or whatever view and that would be fine. I couldn't get my hands on any glasses, so that was lame. My Mom texted me on Saturday, "You should come." So I did! It was just me and the kids - Brian had started his new job just the week before, so he had zero time off. After church on Sunday, we packed up and headed to Pocatello, Idaho. My Dad's cousin Holly was there with her family, but they were heading to Rexburg on Monday morning so they would be in the totality zone for the eclipse. Holly, her husband and their kids ALMOST made me decide to go to Rexburg and really see the coolest part of the eclipse. The first day of school was the very next day! What if we got stuck in traffic coming home?! (And we would have - it took them almost 7 hours to get from Rexburg to Pocatello after the eclipse.) We made do with our 99% view and eclipse cookies and American Girl Dolls wearing sunglasses. :)

My Mom is the Cookie Grandma and she does not mess around!

Grandma Peggy hooked us up with eclipse glasses. She and Bridget were getting the dolls ready right up until the last minute.

We put jars of water out on the porch during the eclipse to create some magical water. I think it was black magic, though, and I gave mine to the tomatoes when we got home. 

We walked to the playground up the road from my parents' house. This is close to 99% of the eclipse - it was almost noon, but it was eerily dark and our shadows were very stark.

Weird light. 

It was only a moment at 99%, then the moon was on the other side of the sun. When Colin found out that was all we were getting he threw his eclipse glasses to the ground and stomped off. Hahahaha! Grandpa Bob applied the classic quote to that exit, "Fine eclipse this turned out to be!"

We hurried home before the eclipse was totally over and we beat the Idaho Falls/Rexburg crowd. It took us the normal amount of time to get home. I'm so glad we did it! It was weird and wonderful.

The very next day was the first day of school! Bridget started sixth grade and the boys started first grade. They're so big!

 Cutest outfit ever! After we took the braids out her hair was so thick and healthy.

Pencil earrings.

Emil is wearing a shirt that says Don't Trust Atoms, and on the back, They Make Up Everything.

Cute Colin. He is a reading machine! He was READY for first grade to start.

First day of school porch shot.

Posing with Clara and Millie at the bus stop.

Colin is very faithful with goodbye kisses.

Every truck that went by was honking at the kids and I thought it was so cute that they were wishing them luck on their first day. No, just the brothers doing the "honk your horn" gesture.

There they go. 

I miss them, but the time away from each other has been good, I think. Bridget, Emil and Colin all love school. I haven't figured out how to maximize my time yet. I'll get it!

School Days

Bridget started 5th grade this year. It is one of the only two years she'll be at the same school as her little brothers. She was so excited to ride the bus home with them and see them in the halls. Bridget may be the Greatest Big Sister of All Time. Emil and Colin have no idea.

Bridget bought gold Converse high tops with her birthday money. GOLD.

The boys, Pikachu and I walked her to the bus stop on the first day. (Emil is obsessed with yellow.)

Posing with our friends while we wait for the bus. Tradition.

There they go!

One week later it was Emil and Colin's turn. I combed through the paperwork (so very much paperwork) and couldn't find anything about when the bus showed up at our stop. I remembered seeing moms and kids out there around noon last year, so we tried that. We waited for 35 minutes. Two buses passed by and the drivers waved, but didn't stop. The three of us ran back to the house to get in the van and drive to school. (I know now that I probably missed it by 30 seconds that first day.) Of course both Emil and Colin were freaking out about this whole situation. How could they go on when what I told them was going to happen didn't end up happening?! HOW? I got them there - it was fine.

Still excited waiting for the bus.

After 25 minutes of waiting.

I snuck a picture of Colin sitting at his desk. He's next to one of his friends, Gavin, and across from his future flag football teammate, Brody.

There's Emil on the front row of the rug right next to his future flag football teammate, Duke (raising his hand). If I could go back in time and tell their teacher to not call on Duke ever, I would do it. It's a trap! He's just going to tell you he's thirsty!

We're several weeks in now. I have a lot happening, most of it is extremely temporary so I can cope knowing that. I feel like I had five and a half years of constant Go Time (aka keeping Emil and Colin alive) and now I have a greater capacity to handle a busy schedule. Give me three hours off every day and I will rule the world! Suckas.

Back to School

Bridget had her first day of 4th grade (WHAT?!) almost two weeks ago and this is the boys' second week at preschool. We started Bridget's first day in the usual way, walked her to the bus stop and took lots of photos.

She finally smiled when I reminded her that I had to put Kodi's tooth in my pocket the day before. (We were at a park when the tooth fell out and Kodi didn't have any pockets. I forgot to give it to her when we took her home, so I kept accidentally touching the tooth in my pocket because I forgot it was there. I almost puked every time. GAG.)

The boys watched Riley's bus come and go.

This is what the bus stop looks like from across the street.

Little brothers entertaining themselves while we waited.

Bridget is two less friends her age at the bus stop this year. :( Kodi moved, but she's still in town. Addy moved to Texas. Rough stuff. We're sure glad Clara is still here!

Still waiting, may as well have a foot race. Henry is dialed in. Cruz is going back to the starting line.

After we'd been standing around for 35 minutes, a neighbor from down the street stopped by to tell us there would be no bus. Everyone rushed to their vans so the kids would get to school on time. Talk about anti-climactic! That first day was long for me. The boys and I wandered around town, played at a park close to the school. I almost convinced them we should stop by and see how Bridget was doing. Some time after lunch Colin said, "Where's Bridget?" Finally it was time to go meet her at the bus stop with our sugar cookies shaped like apples (store bought, natch).

She's had to take a lot of tests in the last few weeks. Pretty stressful. Makes me glad we had such an amazing summer. 

After the craziness of having the boys in two different preschools last year, I decided to send them both to Miss Jeanna's this year. Emil's old preschool was free, but I paid for it with my nerves. Now I don't have to worry about four different car pool arrangements and I get the full 2 1/2 hours, twice a week off. I won't have to go to two holiday parties on the same day and I won't have to figure out two birthday parties on the same day. I am the winner!

We even walked to school on the first day. 

I let them pick out their own backpacks this year. 

The first day is the only day they've let me walk them to the door. Thank goodness there are two of them. 

Another major change in our life is Brian's new truck. He's been waiting for a long, long time to get a truck. After spending many hours at dealerships, over the last few months, he finally bought his truck. Brian got home so late with the new truck that the kids were in bed. The next morning Emil went out to see the truck before anything else.

Emil yelled over and over: "I WUV THIS TRUCK!" If he wasn't a 41 year-old man, Brian would have been doing the same thing.

Brian said he was surprised to feel a little sad trading in the Nissan Maxima. We took some fun trips in that car. It's totally forgotten now, though.

Now when we drive down the road and Emil sees a white Ford he'll say, "That's just like my truck!" :)

The First of the School Days

I'm behind. I am getting so much done, though! Blogging just isn't one of them at the moment. We went to the Ogden Temple Open House as a family a few Saturdays ago:

It was beautiful and bright that morning. Bridget liked the new temple so much she declared she'd like to get married there. We won't hold her to it, but I wouldn't mind being in that spectacular endowment room with the wall of stained glass windows watching my sweet girl get married. :)

A few hours later we were back in Utah County watching our nephew, Jake, go through the temple for his own endowments.

What a treat! That's Jake with his Mom, Dena (Brian's sister), and his sister, Janessa. Everyone went to dinner afterward, but I had to hurry home and relieve our babysitter. That was a big day.

The next Tuesday, August 19th, Bridget started 3rd grade! The boys and I gave her a big send-off and took pictures. Every day since Emil cries because I don't take a picture of Bridget on the porch on her way to school.

Bridget picked out and bought her own lunch box this year with her birthday money. So practical. :) She and Brian went on their annual trip to Lagoon the day before school started. Bridget made the most adorable list so far (she's had some really great lists) of which rides she wanted to go on and in what order. 

There's Emil in the background, cooperating as usual. That first day, Colin asked me 100 times, "Where Bidgie?!" The first time I reminded him that she was at school he said, "Oh. I MISS HER!" It's true.

It rained on the first day of school! What about the hair?!!

I let these guys out of the van for a minute to say goodbye.

It was a very long first day for Mama and the boys. Emil and Colin have stopped taking naps and I'm on my 12th try getting Colin totally potty trained. Colin can count to 30, he can count backwards from 10, he knows all his letters, but pooping in the potty is his white whale, y'all.

The boys and I got four cupcakes at Dippidee (one for Bridget, one for Mama, one for Colin, and one "FO MO") to welcome Bridget home from her first day of school. I also bought three balloons. What a fun mom, right?

Here's what Shannon did. As if there are a million other kids in the neighborhood. I don't think about others, see. :)

Amy brought these beauties. There were at least two other moms there with big trays of cupcakes. Sometimes I like to remind people that I live in the best neighborhood.

There they are! Cute third graders.

Attack of the little brother. :) Notice Emil has no balloon. I tied it to his wrist and he still managed to unload it 20 seconds after I gave it to him. It went up into the sky and Emil looked at me with regret and pleading, but Mama needs a barstool to get the balloon inside the house.

Awww.

Sweet Bridget made it through the first day.

Yesterday was the first day of school for Emil and Colin. It was the ultimate test of my skills because Emil's bus was supposed to pick him up at 12:15 and I had to drive Colin to his preschool at 12:26. The boys and I ate an early lunch and used the bathroom a dozen times before I took them outside for a few pictures. 

Colin is such a good boy! He wants everyone to be happy and he shares and cleans up when he's asked. I know he's going to be a perfect student at his new preschool.

Emil has been confirming with me several times a day that only he and Bridget ride a bus to school. He is bigger. Bigger than Colin, specifically. It sounds rude, but I totally get him. When you have siblings close in age, it's nice to have something of your own. Doesn't get any close than a twin brother, eh?

I asked them to look tough.

Backpacks.

We waited and waited for Emil's bus, but we didn't want Colin to be late for school, so I finally put both boys in the van and rushed Colin to his preschool. Emil came with me to drop Colin off and that came to haunt me a few minutes later. Anyway. Colin went into the room like a boss (it's the same preschool Bridget went to) and blew me kisses goodbye.

When Emil and I got back to the house, the bus wasn't there and I figured we'd missed it. I drove back out of the neighborhood and the bus drove in. Bah. We came back to the house and I put Emil on the bus. On the way back from dropping off Colin, Emil kept saying, "Fun school. Cahnin pe-school fun!" Then Emil saw his male bus driver and the new kids riding the bus and he was not having it. NOT HAVING IT. Total meltdown. I ended up putting him in the van and driving him myself.

Emil has the same teachers as last year and he's in the same school. He started calling it "Miss Kerry's House" since Colin goes to a house. Emil didn't want to be at school even with all that stuff being the same. He cried and held onto my leg and hid his face from Miss Kerry. Huh?! Emil loves school! He loves the bus! What was happening?!!! Then Micah showed up and Emil turned off the tears immediately. He had to show Micah all the toys and where to put his name. Emil was a big boy again.

By the time I left, Emil was waving to me and saying goodbye. I was sweating.

Normally that would be the day for me, but we also had visiting teaching, piano students, Activity Days for Bridget and volleyball practice for Bridget. 

My cute volleyball player. I asked her if she wanted me to hold her glasses and she took them off and said, "I can't see a thing!" So the glasses stay on for volleyball.

And that's why I haven't had a chance to blog. Also, I'm obsessed with family history right now. I got my Ancestry account! It is the most fun treasure hunt ever. I was doing some research on Sunday after the boys were in bed and Bridget came over to my side and asked, "Are those your progenitors?" AHAHAHAHAHA! That's still making me laugh. :)

Now to start all over with another day...