Russ took the kids to Sand Cove on Saturday.
They picked up dead fish.
They caught Crawdads.
They skipped rocks.
They explored and swam.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Saturday, August 18, 2012
First day of School
School started this week. I for one am excited to be back on a schedule and in a routine. I am looking forward to this year and some of the new adventures that await us...
This year, Garrett is a freshman. A freshman? Really? Wow, that makes a mom feel old. Freshman are still at the middle school. So, he will have one more year there until he attends high school. He does attend the high school for one of his honors classes. This year Garrett has a lot on his plate. We have stressed that this year school activities and classes become a major factor towards college. As a result, he is in all honors classes, a student ambassador, a member of the National Junior Honors Society, and on the football and baseball teams. We hope he can handle it all. Poor kid.
Grant is a 7th grader this year. He will attend the intermediate school for one more year. He is excited for this year and has a great schedule with really good teachers. He has decided to try orchestra this year and will be playing the bass. The instrument is twice as big as he is. His instructor is the primary president in our ward and Grant really likes her. Thus, his sudden interest in music. I am thrilled for him to try something new. Grant will continue with gymnastics this year and is also playing lacrosse with some of his friends. Hmmm that will be a new one for me.
Gracie is in 4th grade this year and is attending a new school. She has been invited to be in a GATE (gifted and talented education) program this year. Last year the district administered two tests to the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade students throughout the entire district. The tests were two grade levels above their current grade level. For instance, Gracie was a 3rd grader and took two 5th grade standard leveled tests. The students that scored 90% or above on both of the tests were invited to be in the high ability strand classes. We struggled to know what to do. The new school is about twenty minutes away from our house and there are kids from all over the district attending. Gracie was the only 4th grader from her school be invited, so she would have to make all new friends. Anyway, it seemed like a big decision. I drove Gracie up to the school at the end of last school year and let her look around the school and meet the teachers that are over the program. She loved the school and the teachers and was not worried about making new friends. Russ and I discussed the idea and felt we had somewhat of an obligation to give it a try. We are always wanting the school district to provide better education opportunities for our students. Now they were offering a program and if no one took advantage of it, they would be less likely to try and implement new programs in the future. So, after much prayer and thought, Gracie is now at a new elementary school. She rides a bus to and from school each day. Her teacher is DARLING and we are so excited to have Gracie in her class. Gracie already has two new best friends and is adjusting just fine.
Summer Slammed in One Post
I have decided I am not a good blogger anymore. There are too many other things I feel like I should be doing. As a result I have gotten too far behind and feel like it is too big of a chore to catch up. So, while each of these events deserves a post of its own, with many details, it just isn't going to happen. Instead you get the summer recap in a single post. Here goes...
Summer began with Garrett off to EFY (Especially For Youth) at BYU. He had a wonderful time. He attended his first dance, and liked it. Loved his group. Loved the Classes. Loved testimony meeting. Loved BYU. Loved the girls. And loved being on his own for a week. Sad... he is growing up.
That same week, Grant was put on team in gymnastics. He is getting so strong and developing some muscle. He is going to get pretty ripped and feels it a point to tell Garrett every day that his abs are going to be more amazing in a couple of months.
Then there was a baseball tournament in Kanab. Very fun. Garrett had one of his best tournaments. He had a triple with bases loaded, a few doubles, and a couple of singles.
Next Garrett was off to Moab for a high adventure scouting activity. They went rappelling, mountain biking, and white water rafting. He had such a good time. He came home very dirty, very sunburned, and very happy.
As soon as Garrett got home we were off to Cedar City for yet another baseball tournament. The boys won the tournament and got some big trophies. Yippee!
The next week we were off to Park City for another baseball tournament. We went up in time to watch the Stadium of Fire fireworks. The boys played okay. Not our best hitting tournament. It was a wood bat tournament and none of the boys had practiced too much with the wood bats prior to the tournament. Sad, that was our final tournament with club baseball.
The next week we were off to Cedar City again, this time for All-Stars baseball. (Can you tell which child DOMINATED our entire summer!!!)
Finally, Grant had a big moment. Grant left the next week for Scout Camp up at Thunder Ridge. He had such a good time and earned 9 merit badges. He is cruising along in the scouting program. His greatest motivation is trying to earn his Eagle at an earlier age than Garrett. Hey- what ever works!!! All I know is that he is a Star Scout and had almost all of the merit badges required to be a Life Scout... he just has to wait a certain amount of time.
Then it was Gracie's turn. Gracie attended gymnastics camp the following week. She went to camp from 8am to 2pm Monday-Friday. I was exhausted just thinking about it. She loved it. She worked really hard and developed so many new skills. The week also included nutrition classes, face and nail painting, dancing, and games.
Russ and the boys took their annual trip to Yellowstone with Chris Homer. They enjoyed all of their usual traditions, the Yellowstone River, Slough Creek, and Cook City Pizza. The boys love being with Chris and have such fun stories to tell when they get home.
In the middle of all of those events, we had two football camps, weight lifting at the high school each morning, gymnastics for 2 1/2 hours every Tuesday and Thursday for both Grant and Gracie, scout camp-outs, and more. Yet my children will say they didn't do much this summer. Hmmm- Maybe we should have planned something that one weekend in July when we weren't traveling somewhere.
Summer began with Garrett off to EFY (Especially For Youth) at BYU. He had a wonderful time. He attended his first dance, and liked it. Loved his group. Loved the Classes. Loved testimony meeting. Loved BYU. Loved the girls. And loved being on his own for a week. Sad... he is growing up.
That same week, Grant was put on team in gymnastics. He is getting so strong and developing some muscle. He is going to get pretty ripped and feels it a point to tell Garrett every day that his abs are going to be more amazing in a couple of months.
Then there was a baseball tournament in Kanab. Very fun. Garrett had one of his best tournaments. He had a triple with bases loaded, a few doubles, and a couple of singles.
Next Garrett was off to Moab for a high adventure scouting activity. They went rappelling, mountain biking, and white water rafting. He had such a good time. He came home very dirty, very sunburned, and very happy.
As soon as Garrett got home we were off to Cedar City for yet another baseball tournament. The boys won the tournament and got some big trophies. Yippee!
The next week we were off to Park City for another baseball tournament. We went up in time to watch the Stadium of Fire fireworks. The boys played okay. Not our best hitting tournament. It was a wood bat tournament and none of the boys had practiced too much with the wood bats prior to the tournament. Sad, that was our final tournament with club baseball.
The next week we were off to Cedar City again, this time for All-Stars baseball. (Can you tell which child DOMINATED our entire summer!!!)
Finally, Grant had a big moment. Grant left the next week for Scout Camp up at Thunder Ridge. He had such a good time and earned 9 merit badges. He is cruising along in the scouting program. His greatest motivation is trying to earn his Eagle at an earlier age than Garrett. Hey- what ever works!!! All I know is that he is a Star Scout and had almost all of the merit badges required to be a Life Scout... he just has to wait a certain amount of time.
Then it was Gracie's turn. Gracie attended gymnastics camp the following week. She went to camp from 8am to 2pm Monday-Friday. I was exhausted just thinking about it. She loved it. She worked really hard and developed so many new skills. The week also included nutrition classes, face and nail painting, dancing, and games.
Russ and the boys took their annual trip to Yellowstone with Chris Homer. They enjoyed all of their usual traditions, the Yellowstone River, Slough Creek, and Cook City Pizza. The boys love being with Chris and have such fun stories to tell when they get home.
The very next day, Garrett was off on the Trek. The youth in our stake traveled to Wyoming to participate in the Martins Cove pioneer trek. Garrett again had a wonderful experience. He was in a great "family" with 8 kids and a Ma and Pa. His Ma was Lana Beck, who had been his 3rd grade teacher. I think that was fun for him. He was very proud of the fact that he pulled the handcart for the entire 21 miles.
In the middle of all of those events, we had two football camps, weight lifting at the high school each morning, gymnastics for 2 1/2 hours every Tuesday and Thursday for both Grant and Gracie, scout camp-outs, and more. Yet my children will say they didn't do much this summer. Hmmm- Maybe we should have planned something that one weekend in July when we weren't traveling somewhere.
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