Back to School

What a magical week!

This was the week that saved everyones lives.

The kids were bored out of their minds and I was going a little out of mine too! But then the day came and we were all saved!!!!

Doesn't he look so excited to start High School?

Okay maybe it was a bit too early in the morning to expect excitement.

Brooke was a little more excited though. She has been dreaming of this day for many many moons!! She loves school! That's right, little Anna Banana looks way to grown up. 5th grade here she comes!

Emily was entering a new level so she gets a whole new learning environment! She was too happy to be tired!

Notice how I pick my battles with this guy. Long hair is fine but his room better be clean! We did get him to trim a couple of inches off so he could actually see his mentor and friends!!

So glad we are all back on a schedule again. I thought I wouldn't survive the summer another week. Luckily the kids are just as happy about it as I am. Social little butterflies that they are! It is all about friends and fun with a pinch of learning thrown in just for good measure!!

Tuesday was a very exciting nervous day. There was a fire by the freeway over pass.

Which is not too far away from our house.

The kids were perfectly safe and Andrew got some pictures from our balcony.

Our fire department rocks though and had it out before any structures or people were harmed!!

Thanks guys!!

Welcome to an afternoon without mom!

First up we have a swimsuit fashion show where the latest fashions are worn by the cutest girls.

Notice the rich lines and just picture the runway music!

After a long fashion show remember... Girls just want to have fun and relax. What says relaxing more than doing each others hair?!

Braids and curls are the latest fashions...all the girls are wearing them!

Martin's Cove Pioneer Trek

Well, after a 4 day adventure, Andrew is home safe and sound. He was gone with our stake to Wyoming's to have a genuine pioneer experience. Well, as genuine as it gets.

We filled a bucket with everything he would need for the 4 days and EVEN kept it under the allowed weight of 17lbs. Okay so it was a little bit of a struggle because what teenager wants to leave his comfortable home and go walk 27 miles with a handcart???

But after much persuasion Andrew was dressed in pioneer clothing and removed of all electronic devices and contacts (which may have been the hardest part for him!)

The hardest part for me was knowing he was driving on a bus for 11 hours (one way) far from home. But I knew that he had great leaders watching over him and that he would have a super experience. Of course, he IS a teenage boy, so, I may not ever actually hear about the experience without prying it out of him! Question, by grueling question.
So if you happen to talk to Andrew, ASK him some questions and maybe we can all compare notes. For example, in Testimony meeting today the people who went on the Trek talked about the women's climb. I can only piece together what that is, but if I try really hard I may get the memories of the experience out of him.
He didn't even fill out the journal they gave him. How is he ever going to remember stuff if he doesn't write it down??? I never remember anything until Cyndie reminds me of it. Seriously, I totally blanked Emily's perpetual bruise on her forehead until she reminded me.
If his memory is anything like mine he will regret not having recorded everything when he had the chance. Someday, when his kids are about to go on a trek, he'll be like "ya I did that.... " THE END because he won't remember anything else, except that he did it once.

P.S. The pictures are not actual pics from his trek.

I don't have those yet, but as soon as I have them you can be SURE I will post them.