Thursday Sept. 15

After a few errands today, I went shopping and got a couple pairs of pants, since it isn't really shorts season anymore :(

The rest of the day was cleaning and Katie Dastrup come by for some barn wood and we talked for a little while too.

Belle came home from school with Elsie today.
They had fun playing with the animals and on her swing in her room.

They also went and visited Sierra.

So that was fun.

I ran Madi to work for a couple hours and the little ones got snow cones....

After Volleyball, We took a couple more campaign picts for Cassi :)

I really really love them.

She hung up three of the posters today and she said people really like them.

She will hang three more tomorrow......I think they all turned out so cute!

Don't you think?
Oh, and apparently she goes by Cass at school.........

Wednesday Sept. 14

Crazy crazy day!

Port wanted to bad to eat breakfast at school this morning :)

He got all ready and was really good this morning, so I couldn't turn him down.

We got there at a quarter to 9 and realized it was late start :(

So I hung around with them for 15 minutes until the buses started coming and Port could get his breakfast.

So cute :)

Elsie left me to go hang out with Belle, who was also eating breakfast.

So I left for home.

Then I ran to the post office to mail a package for Elsie's cute pen pal, Kallie, who is having a big deal surgery on Friday.

After that Vern and I ran some invites for the 2nd annual block party we are having.

That took a while because we also chatted with people when we stopped by :)

I got home and it was lunch time,

Dad had been working with the sprinklers and outside stuff.

Madi told me the other day she wanted a dslr camera.

So we have been looking on craigslist.

All she needed was a body, because we can share lenses.

So we found a really nice one for $100, and I went and picked it up for her today.

She has been so excited about it.

She is taking photography....so when I tell her something or give her tips....she already knows everything :)

Teenagers!

After picking up the little ones from school, I left to watch Cass at her game.

She made some great dives and looked good out there.

They lost all games again though :(

At least she is still having fun!

When we got home, Dad just got home from football practice with Port.

Poor Max broke his finger!!!!!!!!

But that was his own Dads fault (assistant coach :)!

They got home, then I took the big girls and we headed to YW.

It was a full night!

I am looking forward to a less busy day tomorrow!

I am not a busy day kind of girl!!!!!

Tuesday Sept. 13

I helped this morning in the office and at school.

They had a lock down drill too.

They all did so good.

But I just kept thinking if a YouTube video I saw a long time ago.....how when you get all the kids together in one spot, you are making it easy for a gunman to get lots of them!

They need to spread out.....

Anyway.

You just do as you are told, right :)

It was bout 15 minutes of silence in a room full of 2nd graders.

There were some giggles and whispering close to them end....but not bad for such a long time!

I got lots of stuff done there.

Then when I got home I had lunch and then headed to the dentist.

I have an abscess :(

I knew something was wrong....It has actually always been a bad spot.

We will try and fix the root canal, but I may have to end up having it pulled :(

We will just wait and see.

Bummer though.

Brent brought Madi for her appointment.

They didn't have times close enough for us to go at the same time, and she didn't want to miss school to go to my appointment.

So Dad brought her after school and I waited with her there.

And Dad got the little ones from school too.

So tonight we have been working on campaign posters for Cass.

She is running for student council again.

I wish I would have gotten the idea for these poster earlier so she could hang them ASAP!

But they are not ready yet.

I think they will be so fun :)

I will give you a teaser.....each poster will feature one of our farm animals with Cassi.

And all animals were used :)

I just need to find a place that will print the posters quick (as in 1 hr) and CHEAP!

Monday Sept. 12

Kids got off to school good.

Cass was running a bit late.

But we got her out the door...and then I had to run after her to give her lunch and volleyball stuff to her!

Oh that girl!!!!

She didn't miss the bus though :)

Brent worked a few hours today.

Well, he is still gone, but should be home soon.

I helped a friend in the ward wipe down some walls because they are gonna put their house on the market.

I finally finished the book I was making for our girls camp leader.....

That was quite the ordeal :(

Then I got grocery shopping done.

It is good to get stuff stocked back up.

Got home and Madi helped me unload and put away.

Then we picked up the little ones and headed to Lowell Scott for Cassi's volleyball game.

Poor girls just got slaughtered!

But I was impressed with some of Cassi's moves....the other team was just too good.

Definitely not the same playing level :(

Kind of a bummer for our girls.

Better luck next time!

We grabbed pizza on the way home.

Got home and ate it then we got homework done.

Elsie was a bum at school and came home with a bunch of homework :(

I hope tomorrow will be a better day.

We did get lots of reading done today.

We read 'Little House on the Prairie' in the car to and from the game......and then I read a whole Magic tree house with Port because he has to return it for library tomorrow.

So that was a good part of the day.

I do feel like a better mom when they get their reading in :)

We went and visited Sister Capell this evening.

We took her some cookies and a thank you card for bringing us ice cream.

It was nice to sit and chat with er and she fed us some more ice cream :)

Guess we need to make another card!

Sunday Sept. 11

It was a nice Sunday today.

I got to teach with Brent's class for the classroom hour.

Then went to YW.

So that was nice.

After church we had a little down time.

Cass made some cookies....

Then we both had to go to BYC at 2.....then to choir at 3.

But we got Madi and Carley and Avery to come to choir....so that was fun :)

We had a mini thanksgiving dinner with a little turkey and some homemade stuffing....which was awesome!

I need to go shopping bad and didn't think we really had much to pull together a good dinner.....but we did it :)

We cleaned up and then the girls and I left again for a Bishop/Youth discussion.

That is always a fun little (big...with our youth) get together where they can really get  to know their leaders better.

It was a nice night.

So today is September 11, so the family dressed in red white and blue.

It is still such a weird feeling when I think about sitting on my bed with my two week old brand new baby...wondering what kind of world I brought her into.

But looking at the youth that we have out there and the testimonies they have....they are pretty amazing.

I am grateful to be able to be surrounded by so much good in this world!

So Thankful that my kids/family is part of that.

I had to swap up the way they were standing......too much blue with Madi and Elsie....

Oh and look.....Port has a missing space in his front teeth!

Cutest kids ever!

Saturday Sept. 10

It was kind of a crazy day.

One that seemed to go by fast......but also drag on.

Weird.

We all kind of slept in....until 8 :)

The big girls went for a run (Madi) and bike ride (Cass).

I got the kids going on chores.

At 10:30, Cassi and I had a stake beehive activity.

It was a fun activity about friend-shipping and also finding the good things inside yourself.

They had a lot of really fun things.

We had lunch there too......it was a long day though 10:30-2.

When we got home we got some more things done at home.

Dad is still not feeling very well so I told him he needed a nap.

I also laid down while Elsie and Cassi played outside with the cats and Mater.

These cats are so cute.

I would never believe that I would end up liking cats.

Okay....not all cats.

But these little kitties are so cute and have such fun personalities....

They were all piled up on Cass at one point......so cute!

Port went to the water park with the boys.

And Madi was getting ready for a birthday party this evening.

So it was some nice quiet time (except for Dads snoring......)  ;)

Cassi and I got her desk all fixed up to take to her room.
She cleaned it up and put on new knobs and I redid the seat cover.

It turned out really cute......I need to get a picture :)

Madi left to her party.

We had breakfast for dinner and then Port came home.

Elsie and I started reading Little House in the Big Woods.

I really hope to be able to get more reading time in with her!

She is really enjoying it so far!

Me too :)

Then the Edwards came over to talk and the boys and our kiddos played some badminton and volleyball.

Now just waiting for the teenager to get home from her super hero party :)

Friday Sept. 9

I wasn't feeling too great today.

Neither was Brent....but he had to be to work.

Later in the day he had a temp.

So he decided after the football game, he would just stay home.
I did get a lot of stuff done today.....lots of computer and picture stuff.

That is good....stuff that needed to get done.

I got a call from the school about 12:30....expecting it to be about Elsie (since she woke up at 5:30 this morning :( )

But it was Port and he had a tummy ache.

I didn't fight it....because I knew I didn't feel good.

He aid down for a bit and seemed just fine so I actually think he just needed some down time.

Anyway.....

There was a bit of a run around after school.

Went to the store to get a gift for Cassi's party tonight.

Then pick up Volleyball carpool.

Take Cass and Ellie to our house, pick up Avery, Madi and Carley....and take Elsie with me.

Take them to Ellie's house and drop the younger girls off to go to the party later.....

Then drive the big girls to the stake center to the stake YW activity.

Then Elsie and I left to the football fields.

Luckily dad was home in time to take Port and get there earlier than we did.

It all worked out.

Then we watched the boys play.

They did pretty good.

They lost by 2 points....dang :(

But it was fun to watch them.

We have Porter, Max, Cannon and Graham all on the same team.

That will make it fun for the boys....and fun for the moms :)

Afterwards, we went to A&W with Stacia, Paul, Cannon and Kyra.

We chatted a little bit and then came home and waited for the big kids to get home.

Once Cass got home at 10, I put the little ones to bed.

After the YW thing, Madi went to a bonfire for an hour.

But everyone is home now and hopefully tucked in their beds soon!

Thursday Sept. 8 (add pictures!)

I got to do Art smart for Port's class today.

It turned out to be a lot of fun!

It is for the Square 1 art project which is the fundraiser we do for Art smart.

They take the project and then you can order it as a pillow, hot pad, key chain....anything.

It is fun for the kids to see their art made into things!

I had the kids do self portraits.....with paper :)

They turned out so cute!

Port has a really good class and I was impressed with how well they listened.

It will be a fun year of art with them!

We got some stuff done at home.

Brent returned the light that we had in our bathroom that was a light that was supposed to last 12 years......

So he returned that and replaced it.

Then he also put in the can lights above the stairs!

Yay :)

We started looking at and figuring out how we can make the light that Bubbles gave us work for the entry way.......

Brent wants to just get a new one.

I say what's the harm in trying to re-do this one?!?!

Except that it is just one more project.........

Especially when it is a very large light for free!

Well, then I had to leave to get Elsie from school because she was having a hard time.

It seems to be about 2:00 that she starts to melt down.

I asked Ms. Halstead about maybe having to just pick Elsie up at 2.

Maybe she is just done with school by then.

She said that is an idea, but to maybe wait a couple weeks and see how it goes.

So we will see.

Anyway.....then the run around started.....

Picking up Port......then Dad took him with him to go to Cassi's Volleyball game in Eagle.

I took Madi to work and then Elsie and I had to deliver some pictures.

Then we came back to Mary Mac for the Back to School night.

I really am happy about the teachers my kids have this year and I think it will be a great year......if we can make it past that 2:00 hour!!!!!

Then Elsie and I worked on the homework she missed while throwing her fit at school and coming home early.

It worked pretty nicely to just have her and I and no others to distract her.

Got that done and picked Madi up from work.

When we came home, Dad and Cassi and Port were home.

After the game those two kids got to have a little daddy/daughter/son date and went to dinner at Sizzler :)

Then they bought a volleyball net so Cass can practice her serves.

I finally convinced everyone they needed to come in to get SLEEP!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday Sept. 7

Man...I think I go through this every start to the school year :(

Just the business of it all overwhelms me!

I also did not sleep good last night.

I could not get sleep and then Elsie was up from 4-5:30......so that wasn't helpful :(

I let her sleep as long as possible this morning......but I still had to be up with the big kids.

So after I got the little ones all ready for picture day today....I tried to lay back down.

I am not sure i got any sleep....but i guess i rested :)

While I did that, Brent was over at Bubble's house fixing her bridge.

While we were gone, another neighbor was visiting and he forgot to put his truck in park and it rolled down the hill and took out her bridge!

Anyway.....it is always Brent to the rescue :)

Then I headed to the school to get some supplies because I am teaching art smart tomorrow.....and ran into Michelle Burk, another art smart mom.

She was going in to do the art project with Elsie's class.

She said it was such short notice she didn't get any moms to help.

So I just went and helped her out.

While we were there, they called all the kids out to do a school picture.

The photo guy had a drone and he got a fun picture of all the school together on the playground.

Pretty fun :)

Then Madi was home when I came home.....and I had to run back to the school to get the little ones.

Port walked with the boys though.

As soon as he got home, we hopped in the car to watch Cassi's volleyball game.

She played really well today.

Still need to work on the serves.....but she is learning so much and it is fun to watch.

Her team won all their games against Lake Hazel.

We came home and had dinner.

Then homework and bed.

I really miss the down time with the kids.

Not that there was much....but I just hate running from place to place....

I know it will settle down....or we will just get used to it.

So I will try to stop complaining.......

Tuesday Sept.6

Today went pretty smooth getting everyone off to school.

Dad taught a class today, so he was gone.

I got to do laundry and edit pictures.

I also did a little grocery shopping....cause you gotta have milk!

Madi worked at 5, but I had to be home for Elsie's speech therapy at 4:30, and Dad wasn't home yet.

Oh it will be great when she can drive herself :)

So I took her to the park early and she worked on homework until the opened.

Elsie had another rough afternoon.

Darn it!

We are working on it.

I know we can pull through this.

She just needs to use words instead of shutting down.

We know she gets tired....or grumpy or sad etc.

But she has to learn how to control those emotions and explain what she is feeling.

When we got home, Joanne came and Elsie worked great.

Then Dad came home, realized he left his phone at the station, so headed back to get it.

Cass went to the park after volleyball, because we were going there for football later.....

I got the little ones fed and ready and met Dad at the park.

Dad and another coach got together so the boys could have a scrimmage.

Our boys need some work....but they are doing good :)

I got to work with Elsie doing the homework she didn't get done during her school meltdown.

Luckily, Vern was there to help me and she made it fun to study spelling words.

After the game....it was so cold, but the kids all wanted snow cones from Madi.

Fun times.....