Back to School 2022

Ready or not September has arrived.

Back to school is always bitter sweet.  We're ready and we're not, were excited and were nervous, we're looking forward to some things while at the same time dreading other things.  I guess that's just the way life goes.

Back to school night this year took us awhile.  Sadie is now officially a Jr. Higher so we had 4 classrooms to visit, plus waiting in line to check out text books and her chrome book.  I think it was all a bit overwhelming to her to be honest (it was to me), but I'm sure she is going to adjust quickly and will do great.  Next it was off to the 6th grade portables where we checked in with Wyatt's teachers.  He gets a locker this year and has 3 teachers covering his subjects.

Finally we headed into the main building for Cooper, Hazel, and Evie.

Oh Miss Evie Rose...

I can't believe she is headed to kindergarten this year.  She is sooooo excited!!!!  She's been working hard on her letters and sounds all summer and she is so excited to make her own friends.  We are excited that she gets to have Mrs. Lute as a teacher just like each of her older siblings and we're a little nervous about what afternoon kindergarten is going to look like.  Afternoon kindergarten is new for us and I didn't realize until tonight that I have to walk her in every day and don't have an option of sending her in with an older sibling.  Not sure how I didn't realize this.  I guess we'll see how the babies do.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

2022

Sadie is 12.  She changes classrooms this year for each class and her electives are 3D printing and Spanish.

Wyatt is 11 and his homeroom teacher is Mrs. House.

Cooper is 9 and his teacher is Mrs. Hinderks.

Hazel is 7 and her teacher is Mrs. Hemelstrand.

Evie is 5 and her teachers are Mrs. Lute and Mrs. Lytle.

Evie was a little sad sending the bigger kids off to school.  I don't think she understood that she had to come back home for a few hours before kindergarten started.  All morning she just waited and waited for her turn to go to school.  This was kind of a bummer but I think we'll adjust and I'll enjoy having time in the mornings with her.  

Time for Kindergarten!!!

It was a successful 1st week.  Everyone is adjusting, though some definitely more quickly than others.  

Sadie is LOVING volleyball.  Her classes are just okay because they give her a lot of "junk" to do.

Wyatt is thrilled to be back hanging out with his friends and in Mrs. House's class.  

Cooper is enjoying seeing friends and I can already see his wheels turning as he tells me about the math fact challenge that they'll be starting in a few weeks and as he asks if he's finally going to start getting letter grades. :)  

Hazel LOVES Mrs. H and every minute she's not at school she wishes she could be at school because then she'd be with Mrs. H. who is sooo much fun.  I'm actually thinking of asking Mrs. H. if she'd consider temporary adoption as it is SOOOOOO boring at home for Hazel right now.  

Evie... Evie loves school and has soooooooo much to say.  I mean I've never heard this girl talk so much.  She has so many words every. single. day. after school.  

Aubrey and Maddie... Well they are not loving being in the car all the time and walking them into school every day is simply not going to be an option but even they are adjusting.  

I need to remind myself next year that these the first couple of weeks are a huge adjustment but we will adjust.  We always do.

It is our tradition at the end of the first week school to celebrate with dinner out at Red Robin.  We left the twins with Grammy again this year and just took the big 5 and it was a lot of fun.  They're goofballs but we really enjoyed hearing about their weeks and hanging out with them.

Last Days of Summer

I have a love hate relationship with all the girls' little toys, especially the Barbie toys.  On the one hand they are so cute when they're playing nicely with them.  The little voices and the elaborate games as they take their Barbies on vacations and sleepovers and to school and church and the park and any other thing they can think up.  

HOWEVER, the opposite happens equally often which is fighting.  SO MUCH FIGHTING over who gets which pieces and who is in charge not to mention the days when honestly no one is playing with any of it, they are just making sure that no one else gets to play with it and that MAKES ME CRAZY!!!!!

Lately we've had more of the "make me crazy days" than we've had the playing nicely days so we made a decision to pack it all up for awhile.  I feel like I literally cannot break up another fight and I'm tired to my very core of cleaning up all this stuff so it is time for a break.

The girls were not happy about this and didn't know what to do with themselves for about an hour and then surprise surprise the found some things to do that didn't cause so much fighting.

And to my complete amazement these 2 even played nicely together for over an hour.  WINNING!!!

This girl loves her kitty!

Love this little girl's determination.

We spent a little bit of time over at Ryan and Katie's house this August helping them replace some trim before they got their house repainted.

We also enjoyed Roberts puppies whenever we got a chance.

After about a 2 week break from the Barbies we tried giving them back a few pieces at a time.  This eliminated the mess of all the little piece and made it easier to put it back away whenever it started causing too much fighting.

I love that Sadie is still willing to pretend with her little sisters.  It's their favorite thing in the world

 when she plays with them.

Hazel attended a tea party with her sweet friend Everly the last week of August.

Caldera Springs - 2022

A few weeks ago I found out that some friends from school were going to be up in Sun River the same week we were and that they were going to the Dixie Chicks concert.  It's been a really long time since I've been to a country concert and although The Chicks weren't quite what I remembered them to be it was still a fun time out with some girlfriends.

Kristin, Ashley, Sara, Karen, Lisa, and Me

PLAYGROUND

Brandon moved things around so that his Prineville day for work was the day we headed up to Caldera.  This allowed him to transport bikes and strollers which normally are not an option.  The kids loved riding around the neighborhood and to the park.

POOL TIME

We spent a lot of time at the pool.  The kids never seem to tire of swimming.

Miss Hadley

It sure wears them out though.

It will probably be a long time before these kiddos realize what great Aunts and Uncles they have.  We're so thankful that they get to grow up with and make memories with so many people who love them so much.

Auntie Kendy

Best spot in the house is wherever Grammy is.

Uncle Robert took the boys fishing one morning.

Auntie Katie brought a ton of craft supplies for the kids and spent the longest time braiding all the girls' hair.

COUSIN TIME

Mr. Mason

BOWLING

We drove into Bend one morning for a family bowling tournament.  A little crazy but most had fun!

ICE CREAM

TORTILLA SLAPPING CONTEST

Apparently there's this thing people do called a tortilla slapping contest.  You basically play rock paper scissors with a mouth full of water and the looser gets to slap the winner with a tortilla and they have to try not to spit out the water laughing.  Whoever spits their water first looses.  

BASEBALL

THE LAKE

Everyone loves getting out on the lake.  The older kids paddle board and kayak and the younger ones enjoy the canoes.  Seniorita Philips even taught Hazel to paddle board.  She got tired but she did pretty well all in all.

Pic Collage from Kendra

Tommy is 4 months younger than the twins although I think they seem even closer in age since the twins were preemies.  Fun to see how they've grown these past 3 years.