Field Trips, Birthdays and Wisdom Teeth

As a 5th grader, Nate was able to go on a field trip to BizTown.

BizTown is a little mock community where the kids run the 

businesses, earn paychecks, and get to spend their money

 Nate was a banker

Nate has had a busy soccer season and it's always

more fun when one of your best friends is on the same team

  Our birthday boy turned 11 

He and his friends went to Lazer Blaze.

I had a lot of fun watching them from the observation deck.

Jer might have been the most competitive one of all.

Nate and I made this ice cream cake together

he knew just what he wanted

Just a little bit happy :)

I was looking through old pictures the other day

and this boy has so many expressions

The kindergartners went to the fire station

I didn't get to go with Drew this time.

One of Sam's wisdom teeth started to come in

and it ended up becoming infected,

So Sam had his wisdom teeth taken out that day.

He had just had them checked the month before

and we knew he would need them out in a year or so,

but we didn't expect it to be so soon.

He was in a lot of pain and it was no small miracle 

that they were able to get him in so quickly.  

It was nice having him home that week,

he has been so busy this school year and 

I just don't get to spend time with him like that anymore.

He started marching band this year and has a 

heavy course load and very little free time.

In addition to marching band,

Sam auditioned for the Louisville Youth Orchestra

and made the Symphony Orchestra as a Bassoonist

The other day I walked in after he had gotten home

I had to snap a picture of his "load"

He has muscles, and it's from carrying all of this around everyday.

Sam and I missed the church campout,

he wasn't up to it yet, but Jer took the other kids

And this girl here is the new 

9TH GRADE CLASS PRESIDENT!!!

She ran against some tough competition

and had to put a lot of work into her campaign.

She did things that I could never imagine doing at that age.

Her courage amazes me.

I took the boys to the Mother Son Bonfire.

 We enjoyed Smore's, the big playground and the corn maze.  

Drew and I almost didn't make it out

He wrote about it in his journal

Andrew Grayson and mom in the corn field

(apparently he has now changed his middle name to Grayson.

Grayson is a friend from school).

And since my zoo pass expired the last day of the month,

Drew and I had to squeeze in a last minute trip to the zoo.  

 Yes, his favorite pose is still the dab.

Back to School

BACK TO SCHOOL...

We went back to school a little earlier this year.  

Our school district started earlier in the summer to 

try having longer breaks throughout the school year.

(But it's starting to feel a bit like year round school)

Junior this year

Freshman and 1st year of seminary

5th Grade

  And my baby is a kindergartner.

He is so ready.  I took him to school and 

it didn't upset him at all when I left.

He sat right down and started coloring.  

I said goodbye twice, 

I wanted to make sure he know I was leaving.

He was super happy when he got off the bus that afternoon,

but that night when I asked what he would 

like for lunch the next day,

he told me he was going to stay home with me.

Apparently, he didn't realize he had to go 

back the next day :)

We had a visit from one of our favorite people, Nettie. 

I love this girl, she is beautiful inside and out.

Her parents moved to Colorado a few years ago, 

they were very much our Kentucky family

and we miss them all very much.

Funny what motivates kids...

I told the boys they could ride their scooters 

until the bus comes if they were ready in time.

Now every morning it's a race to get out the door. 

Drew definitely knows how to tease me...

Liv went to a church dance in Indiana with her friends

It was super fun watching them get ready

It was an 80's throwback

I'm glad she has such fun friends

September Review

We started off the month by going to visit some friends in Owensboro, KY.

In addition, to great friends, we enjoyed great food 

and enjoyed the new park at the waterfront

 

Drew is enjoying his Joy School group.

They went on their first field trip to Salato.

Cross Country season is keeping us busy.

The kids have had a meet pretty much every weekend.

Sam was off to a rough start, 

he has been dealing with some sore shins

and hasn't been able to race or practice much

Your Young Women did a fun 

daddy/daughter selfie scavenger hunt

at Clifty Falls.

These are some of my favorites

Sam started band this year.

He is learning the bassoon and is loving it.

And Olivia had a great time at Western Kentucky University

where she sang with the KY Jr. High All State Choir

We had one weekend this month free of kids activities

Luckily is was the weekend of the ward campout.

We enjoyed camping at General Butler Stake Park

and stopped to sight see on our way home

And Just Like That, He Is 10!

This crazy kid turned 10 years old this week.  

It wasn't his year for a friend party,

but we celebrated with yummy enchiladas & Jarritos.

Nate loves things spicy, just like his dad.

When he was only 18 months old, we went to lunch with his grandparents.

I was deep in conversation and didn't notice

that Nate had picked up a carafe of salsa and was drinking it.

This kid has always been full of spice and character.

Nate also loves nature.  He collects rocks and fossils,

and on the mornings when he doesn't have to hurry off to school,

we find him watching nature documentaries bright and early

(he is still not one to sleep in - or go to bed early).

Some of his favorite gifts included his new pocket knife, 

his compass and camping utensils

 (which he used immediately on his enchiladas).

He also loved his new box of geodes.

Nate also earned his Bear rank advancement this month.

I Love this curious energetic boy of mine!

He keeps us smiling, laughing ,

(and is sure to turn his mother gray before his 18th birthday)