That time again

School, blessed school, has begun again. Heavenly Father has been watching out for us this year as we transition to a new school. Savanna miraculously was put in Mrs. Coyle's class, who was her teacher for third grade in Bonneville and who transfered to Lindon unbeknownst to us and happens to be teaching 5th grade this year! We were all delighted, we love her and Savanna had one thing to look forward to amidst many scary things. Fiora and Weston were put in with great teachers too, it was by the luck of the draw, but I never hear anything but great praise for both Mrs. Rolph and Mrs. Clouse and so far they are doing wonderfully well in these classes. Fiora continues to read and spell two grade levels above her grade, but in other subjects she is at her grade level. At Lindon Elementary they offer an Accelerated Learning Lab that I may see if Fiora qualifies for next year. Fiora has two friends she knows in her class, Carston Roberts from Orem and Lydia Nolte who lives across the street, so she feels comfortable at school. Weston had a rough first couple days at a new school trying to learn new rules in a different setting. Each day after school Weston's report got progressively more positive though, and I think he is doing great now. I knew my clever kids would adapt well! I was fortunate enough to have a lady in the ward approach me about a carpool so I don't have to drive and pick up the kids every day from school (its 7 blocks down and 4 blocks over and I'm a little nervous about having them walk that far, maybe on occassion but not yet). This is also nice in case I have a client scheduled right at the time I need to get the kids so I can call on the carpool ladies to cover for me. Jared, like every year, stayed to take the kids to school on the first day and took pictures. I love that about him! He's fun like that and I'd probably never do it, and miss these cute pictures.









Pros and Cons of School vs Summer
Pro: I have 6 hours of time to work, clean, rest, organize, and regroup
Con: I have 1 hour 20 minutes of scurring and keeping kids on task every morning geting ready to go
Pro: My kids are learning and having educational experiences daily
Con: I have to make sure they read every evening and sign every reading log and keep up with homework assignments
Pro: I don't have to enforce chores
Con: I have to do most of the house chores myself now
Pro: I don't have to worry about making everyone lunch
Con: I have to pay for school lunches
Pro: Kids need structure and schedules
Con: I have to be structured and watch the schedule
Pro: I don't have to be watching over them constantly, and I know I don't have to worry because I trust the Lord and have faith everything will be alright
Con: I still have a pang of worry and a little sadness each time I drop the kids off at the school, they are growing so fast and I just pray they are well and happy at school while I'm not there to watch over them.

Run down on the kids

The girls overruled me and decided to get a hair cut before school starts. I prefer long hair, and it takes a LONG time for my girls' hairs to grow long, so I pleaded with them to not cut it. But its their heads and they wanted it cut, so we got Aunt Holly over here to cut their hairs. They look gorgeous both ways.

Weston bravely pulled out his other bottom tooth, so he has a cute smile with gaps on the bottom row. Weston has been trying to save his money so he can buy a Nijago Dragon, it costs a little over $20 and he has earned $6.51 so far losing teeth and doing extra chores.

Weston also finished his summer karate course and earned a yellow stripe belt. After soccer is over (if we survive) we will get him enrolled in a permanent Karate course because he LOVES it and shows much talent. Weston is also quite the acrobat on the trampoline. Jared taught him how to do a back flip and he has been flipping ever since. Now he can go forwards, backwards, sidewards, and any other wards you can think of.

Yes we enrolled all three children in Orem soccer this year before realizing that we would be moving to Lindon. So we have 9 soccer committments every week that involve traveling a significant distance. We discovered Fiora has a huge fear of playing organized sports, and she has been terified about soccer. But she had first game Saturday and says, "Well um, it was fine, I guess. I just wasn't in shape that day, but I didn't get frustrated. But I did get kicked in the stomach with the ball." I suppose that is a better response than she gave her coach at the first practice, which was tears and hiding her face in my shirt. Hopefully she will be able to overcome her fear of playing soccer, anyway she is so cute in her tangerine uniform!

Savanna did very well on her first soccer game. She is becoming a fearless goalie. She grabs the ball regardless of the risk of being kicked in the face several times and then directs her defenders down the field to throw it back in the game quickly before the other team can regroup. She is also tangerine, her team name is Orange CRUSH!

On the last day of the last week of summer we finally checked out the Lindon Aquatics Center that is just down the road. Its a nice place, but Savanna was sorely disappointed there were no diving boards. The kids had fun but I think they prefer the Orem Scera pool.

I have been looking forward to school starting, but one thing I do like about the summer is having all the time I want in the morning to make fun breakfasts, or any breakfast for that matter, for my family in the morning. I got this idea from my cousin Rachelle to make watermelon waffles and that was a huge hit! They begged me to make it again a couple days later. (Green and red food coloring and chocolate chips for the seeds, they really are so fun!)

Aloha!

We are back from Oahu! What a wonderful vacation!!! The trip went well and the kids did great at home. Guess we will have to go again...just kidding, at least this year. Here is a run down from our stay in paradise (I'm going to be very brief on the description because I know the pictures will take at least an hour to download, the pictures say it all anyway right?)...

Day 1
Arrive in Honolulu and spend hours on congested highways trying to get checked in and get grocereies at Costco for the week, the crash at 9:00 PM Hawaii time 1:00 Utah time in our little hotel room.

Day 2
Hike Diamond Head early in the morning, then shopped at the stadium swap meet, then visited the Byodo-In Buddha temple, which was really gorgeous, and then hiked Waihee falls, then visited Kuaola beach, that was a packed full day!

Day 3
Visited Pearl Harbor memorial in the morning. Church at the Honolulu tabernacle in the afternoon, sunset on the beach in the evening.

Day 4
Hanama bay early morning (got in free because we got there before 7!), hiked to Maunawili falls and Jared jumped off some mild cliffs, went to Kailua beach, hiked Manoa falls (really high and cool!)

Day 5
Went to 8:30 session at the Laie Temple. Drove to Hale'iwa to get Matsumoto's Hawaiian shave ice. Stayed the rest of the day at the Polynesian Cultural Center, complete with Luau and amazing dance show.

Day 6
Scuba Diving (Snows) and parasailing (Schauers), Waikiki beach, and Honolulu zoo with live music concert.

Day 7
Laie Falls hike (took 6 hours of the day!), Ted's Bakery for shrimp, sharks cove (best snorkling of all!) turtle beach for the sunset, back to Matsumotos for more shave ice!

Day 8
Snows leave for Kawaii, Schauers stay one more day in Oahu, went back to Sharks cove, checked out of hotel, went to Dole Plantation and did the maze, the train ride and got pineapple whips, visited Honolulu acquarium, dinner at Zippy's, and made our way to the airport to go home.
























































































We really saved on food by having sandwiches for lunch and making breakfast and dinner every day at the hotel. We only had one weather issue on our Manoa Falls hike, we were soaked and muddy but the hike was still worth it. So beautiful! We liked the hiking excursions a lot and they were the cheapest thing to do! We kept covered in sunscreen and bug spray and slept well every night, so it was a pleasant and fast trip. And when we came home the kids were happy and the house was clean! We are so blessed!