Fall-in Back

Fall means Back To School!!  It also means getting into a routine and extra curricular activities.  So, here are the pic of our start to 7th, 5th, 2nd grades and preschool year 1. 

Grant started a new school this year!  He was anxious and excited to be going to the same junior high as his neighborhood friends, but leaving the charter he had been at for 7 years was a big deal.  Of course, he misses the dress code (ha! yea, right).  He has adjusted so well and is doing great.  He probably roams those halls with a smooth presence, as perfectly displayed here.  

Another season of soccer was started with Grant's team.  These kids have been playing together for years, but they had some additions to the group.  Grant has decided he would rather not play goalie, so he was out there running with the other Gold Rush teammates.

Scouts keeps Grant busy as well.  His troop worked on this huge tower-built it and put it up...

Jason, the scout master, left it up all week at his house, so all of us went to climb it.  It was pretty impressive.  Grant was awarded his star ranking and is getting really close to wrapping up the required merit badges and moving towards his eagle project. 


Fall means football (viewing only, not so much playing at our house).  Dave and Grant went to Louisiana to watch a BYU game.  The game was supposed to take place in Houston, but Hurricane Harvey changed those plans.  We were just glad that Serena, while evacuated from Houston, had no damage or danger from the hurricane. 

While in New Orleans, Grant dined on beignets

walked Bourbon Street (pretty much a street of sin),

had some VIP treatment at a posh hotel,

and watched BYU get creamed.  Game aside, I think the boys had fun. 

Dave and Grant stayed in Pensacola as well and were able to visit Grandma, Grandpa and Grandpa Church.  Grant also wrapped up his fishing merit badge with a handy net on the beach... way easier than using a pole out here!  Ha!



Beautiful Katelee Lyn started 5th grade and was busy right away.  She auditioned for Seussical Jr and had rehearsals right when school started. 



She worked very hard as a BIRD GIRL and boy did she flip her hair around on that stage. 

There were 3 of them as bird girls.  It was such a fun musical.  The kids all had a blast. 

There were 11 kids from our neighborhood, I believe.  This was convenient for carpooling and extra exciting to see so many familiar faces on stage.  One of the moms made all the kids in our hood Dr Seuss pillowcases.  Katelee uses hers every night. 



We loved going to see the performances and Katelee had tons of support. 


She just loves theatre.  It is fun to see her shine up there.  Katelee has also started taking tap dancing lessons.

 She is an excellent performing, but I think she better leave the stage makeup to someone else!


We already miss her teacher from last year, but Katelee is doing so well in 5th grade.  She has been given the opportunity for an extra science class which she is enjoying.  She won the school Reflections competitions in two categories-Music Composition and Photography.  So, I'm pretty excited to use those movie coupons!

It is one of my favorite things to watch Katelee and Brenna walk out the door and go to the bus stop.  I try and implant the image in my brain because I think it is so adorable.  I am so glad they have each other to go to school with.  I took a cute and deceptive picture of them on the first day.  Someday, just someday, they may be best friends!


Brenna, the second grade firecracker is a busy little lady.  She claims that 'dance is life' and I would almost believe it because it seems like she lives at the studio.  I can only imagine how much time we will be investing in this love of hers.  

She is loving school and dance and combined the two to win her Reflections competition in Dance choreography.  I went to pick up Brenna's little dance carpool and walked into the studio to hear random dancers telling their parents that someone tried to burn down the studio.  Sounded like a dangerous and eventful evening there.  We get in the car and start driving home, when one of Brenna's little buddies exclaims, "Kara, do you know what Brenna did today?"  Oh dear...I started putting two and two together and gently coaxed Brenna to explain what her friend may be discussing.  Brenna, not so gentle little Brenna, with a voice I can only describe as demonic, yelled at her friend and said 'thanks a lot, I was never going to tell my mom.'  Again, I am persuading to be informed, again Brenna is getting angry at her friend.  Finally, it comes out that Brenna stuck bobby pins in the electrical socket and experienced a mild shocking, as well as sparks shooting up the studio wall.  Luckily everyone was ok.  Brenna's other friend tried to explain to her that 'we want to tell our parents everything.'  She told Brenna, 'that's what they are there for, to help us and teach us so we don't make those mistakes again.'  Yea, Brenna wasn't buying it and insisted I was never going to be in the loop, if she had a say.  Great.  Happy parenting to me! Love this little spark!

Then, there is Harrison.  Harry started his first year of preschool and he couldn't love it more!

He also started soccer and he could love that more, like a lot more.  I am fairly certain he kicked the ball once.  But he did get a lot of time on the field kicking the dirt, flapping his wings, and hugging every player (to which his coach would firmly respond with 'Stop hugging, there is no hugging').  He also spent a fair amount of time yelling at players from opposing teams for being rude and getting the ball or pushing him.  Lets just say we are going to hold off on soccer for awhile...or ever...with this one.  But, hey, he sure loved those after the game treats!

I couldn't be mad at him long though, the games were hilarious.  We lost every one, terribly.  Good thing we always love our family despite of near studio burnings, masculine stage makeup, inappropriate displays of affection during competitive sports, etc.  Harrison tells me all the time how I am the best ever.    In fact, he recently said, "You are the best mom in the land.  You know who is next?  Mary, Jesus' mom."  So, I would say he has me on quite a pedestal, but it's good company for sure.  

Harrison's Happy Birthday and other Heavenly Occurences

Just before the end of summer, these four decided to ascend towards the heavens and hike the Y.  As you can tell from the red faces, it was a hot day and a a great workout.  We did a bit of hiking this summer, but not enough!  We think that every year.  

August 21 was a monumental occasion around the world-a solar eclipse.  We had 90% visibility of it and the view wowed us all!  

Our glasses were a bet sketchy, so we are just glad we had an awe inspiring experience and also kept our vision!  We decided to walk to the park to view it, so if anyone was bored, they could slide or run through the water and then run over for a quick peek through the solar glasses.  I loved the shadows on the ground.  

After we had time to stare into the heavens, we had to bring it back down to the more seedy of the earth-the pirates.  Harrison had requested a pirate party for his birthday, so we had a scurvy crew come over. 

Katelee and Brenna had worked for weeks assembling a pirate ship to hold all the mates.  Their labor of love was greatly appreciated.  Each pirate guest was assigned a pirate name, 

given a tattoo, a spy glass, chocolate coins and a cupcake.  They had cardboard swords to pop the bubbles we would blow which was tricky with eye patches on!

Here ARRRGH the swashbucklers: Cash Wardle, Sam Blackham, Brenna, Austin Staples, Harry, Katelee, Charlotte Burgoyne, Maddox Allred and Paxton Mortenson.  

The treasure hunt was a big success as well as pin the eye patch on the parrot.  We were thrilled Harrison loved it.  But, I do not feel bad that it will be another year before pirates board our ship again! 

Two days later was Mr Harrison's actual birthday.  This boy.  What to say about the new four year old, who still thinks he is a baby at times?  He loves me the most (he tells me that!) but, he always wants his dad to put him to bed.  I love when he tells me how much he loves me-he does it a lot.  He says, "Mom, I just love you so much.  I'm going to keep you forever and ever." He has a special place in his heart for weapons.  

He takes one nearly everywhere we go.  So, those were a couple of his gifts.  The other day in Costco, we were standing behind a gentleman and Harrison, rather loudly, told me to touch the man's butt in front of me.  I was trying to shush him and tell him that's not a nice thing to do or say; however, the command was repeated a few times, each time getting louder.  "Touch his butt!" Harrison would say.  I was embarrassed, but so glad he didn't have a plastic sword with him to reach out and tap that man's hiney.  I'm sure that male customer ran as fast as he could out the door and away from us!

Harrison has a new-ish found love for pirates.  We draw treasure maps and go on hunts for treasure constantly.  So, a treasure chest cake was perfect for him.  

We had gone out to lunch to McDonald's on his birthday and he pretty much eats none of the typical dinner cuisine, so Shannon and grandma joined us for a pancake dinner.  The birthday boy was pleased with that arrangement.  

Harrison is so great.  He still has quite a temper and it flares up in particular when being teased by an older brother.  But, he also will be found riding around on that brother's back laughing his head off a little while later.  Harry has the best laugh and sense of humor.  He gut chuckles a lot and gets the rest of us cracking up.  He loves to say the play Mario games with his siblings and is growing up with a heavy influence of our technological age.  This is apparent in his constant use of the word 'pause.'  He tells us to 'pause the game,' 'pause the prayer,' or 'pause the talking.'  It never gets old...until he starts screaming it because we aren't listening.  Ha!  

He is a VERY important person in our family and on his VIP day at school, we took a little picture.  His poster says he is four, his favorite animal is a lion, his favorite color is green, his favorite food is toast.  He has a pic of himself, our family, the zoo (which he declares is his favorite place).  He claims his favorite thing to do is work.  I have yet to see him ever work...just helping clean his room is a huge ordeal.  He must like watching other people work for him! If he could wish for something it would be a Mario game, so we have a pic of Mario and Luigi.  

Finally, when he grows up, Harrison says he wants to be a pirate or a Muppet.  He is very ambitious and we hope to be able to support him in his career goals!  Love this little buddy!!

Jammin in Jamaica

Dave's President's Club for ADP was in Jamaica this year.  As in most years, his journey to reach the President's Club status was a roller coaster ride.  We didn't know if we were definitely going until past the deadline this go around.  It was an emotional few weeks waiting.  Dave always puts in his best honest effort and by that and some divine intervention he made it!  It was a bit more of a juggle this year as we had kids who had stuff going on.  

We flew down to Arizona with the bottom 3 little people, leaving Grant in Utah with grandma so he could attend a scout backpacking trip.  When that wrapped up, he flew solo to AZ.  Katelee flew out from Arizona the next day to come home for an Activity Days camp.  We were very impressed with our kids stepping up and having the confidence to take on a flight sans parental figures.  Of course, they had support from fabulous family up to the gate and immediately after they deplaned.  But still, kudos to them. 

As for Dave and I, we started out with a pit stop to visit our favorite Georgians...

We got to spend an evening at dinner with Curt and Anna.  We loved seeing them for a few hours before we went tropic.  

I was in heaven with our hotel room.  We stayed at an all inclusive resort in Jamaica and our room was a swim up. We could just walk out of our sliding doors right to the patio and the lounge chairs in the water.  Heavenly.  

Our evenings were filled with events with fabulous food on the beach, tarot card reading, 

hotel "Michael Jackson" entertainment.  Wow.  that was special. There was a great Bob Marley cover artist at the awards dinner.  Dave was honored with his 8th President's Club.  He his awesome!

We spent our days relaxing in the water, sitting on the beach, running a 5k that was only 1.1 miles-that's the kind of 5k I am all about!  We got to go zip lining through the jungle, but we couldn't take our phone to take pictures.  The crazy tour guide had us rappelling straight down, which I had never done.  It was freaky fun.  And, super highlight for us was swimming with dolphins!! Dave says it was his favorite activity ever.  I can't get the photos to load to put on the blog, but his expression of love as the dolphin kisses his cheek says it all.  hahaha

We always look forward to going to the local branch or ward of the church where we visit.  Jamaica was no exception.  We had plans to attend the worship service, had it all researched where to go, when to leave and we had to get written approval before.  However, the morning we were to go, we got a phone call saying it was not going to work out.  ADP security, for our safety, wouldn't let us leave the hotel property.  We were disappointed, one of the people in our party in particular.  After some time, we got another phone call.  This time, the head of security told us that "God moves in mysterious ways," and that we were now being allowed to go.  We would have a security detail escort us and take the taxi service they arranged.  We were thrilled.  

We walked into the church property and were immediately welcomed and loved.  The people were passionate about the gospel, extremely humble and fun!  They taught with with power and sang with enthusiasm and I evaluated my worship as I attended.  My testimony was strengthened, particularly when a woman came up and asked me if I attended the temple and if I would take her name to the temple.  I have done that and thought of her many times.  

We were on a spiritual high coming back and then we got ready to watch a concert where people very well may have been high!  literally.  ADP hired Pitbull to throw a private concert.  

He is quite the showman!! It was crazy energy from the minute he came out.  We had a great time!!

The next morning, we went to the airport so we could spend a couple of days in Grand Cayman.  

Um...that water was unlike anything I had ever seen/felt before.  We got checked into our hotel and zipped right out to a tour at Stingray City.  I told Dave he should go by himself.  It freaked me out. But "somehow" he had already paid for both of us and couldn't get his money refunded.  So, I decided I would at least just ride on the boat.  Next thing I know I am in the water...AHHH...UGH...next thing I know, the stingrays are swirling all around me.  

 

Please note how I wouldn't even put my hands in, and then...

I was gently holding one of those slimy creatures.  

As we learned from his dolphin swim, Dave has an affinity for slick sea creatures, so they were taken with him immediately.  

The feeling was mutual.  

We had Marriott points that we saved up to stay at the Ritz Carlton.  Dave was digging it big time, I was almost overwhelmed with the fanciness.  It was eerie how staff I didn't recall every seeing or talking to were attending to my every need and addressing me by name.  They would turn down the beach chairs, bring us chocolates, drinks and see to every detail.  We both walked through the spa and I had a massage.  It was chic and swanky.  

We spent two lovely evenings going to dinner and enjoying the ocean.   Our childless trip flew by and we went back to collect our babies.  We missed them lots, but I wouldn't turn down another chance to go on a getaway alone with this guy, just sayin!