A Day in the Life...

 School: and so it starts. This year Dakota requested she and Micah be in separate classes.  Micah definitely disagreed but we're giving it a go.  Dakota has Ms. Gaudi, who happens to be a twin herself and is so kind and ready to have a good year.  Micah has Ms. Haynie, who is also the sweetest and, according to Micah, "is 25 and can do the splits." Copper is in 6th grade and has Ms. Fitting.   I wasn't very impressed with how our school handled back to school night.  They've been announcing it for weeks, then the day of emailed a video for "back to school, virtual style."  I think it's positively ridiculous.  I called the school to make sure I understood and they said they couldn't have students and parents back in the building, even one day before school officially started.  The video was a 3 minute clip of administration telling the kids lunch would be outside, they couldn't use the fountains to fill up water bottles without permissio...

We're still trying to hang onto summer, even though school started earlier this week.  We've hit pools, splash pads, and as many parks as we can.  It's been bloody hot so the more water we find, the better!  Parks and pools right now seem the most normal- no masks and just a lot of people out having a lot of fun.  "Social distancing" signs are everywhere, but who cares when we're at the park or in the pool; not us, and not the hundred other people there.  I kind of think it's nice. I wish summer lasted forever.  Not 100 degree heat, but the rest of it I wish would last and last! The Lindon City pool is one of our favorites; it has a big water slide, an extra long lazy river, shallow parts and deep swimming parts. We took our favorite friends and enjoyed something like four hours there! We also found a fun park in Vineyard.  Parks now are super, super cool. Tons of climbing nets, hammocks, zip lines, swings, and a splash pad.  So fun!  

 I'm reading this book that I've read dozens of times, but it's interesting what I've gotten out of it depending on the time of my life I've read it.  I see it differently, the characters differently, the setting, the pleas, the joys, the battles- they all shift depending on what I'm going through in my life.  I think this happens with a lot of books. This book is chock full of war, of battles, of bloodshed, of the classic good versus evil.  It's about normal people rising to high callings of heroism and leadership.   In one battle, it specifically says it's the biggest battle of the people's entire lives; yet, it was the happiest time the people have ever had.  It goes on to show, over and over again, how the division between one set of people leaves them so vulnerable to the outsider's attacks. And yet despite this, the fear it causes, the worries, and the chaos going on around them, the people found a lot of happiness in the day to day, in the...

Shandee, Amber, and I planned a camping trip for this past weekend.  We were supposed to go to Big Horn Ranch where Ty and Amber have a membership... but the mountain was on fire so we headed to Amber's grandma's property in Fruitland. Copper, Maci, and Cameron stuck together like glue, with Micah trailing along when she wasn't right by my side.  She and I are tight .  Tom came for the weekend and it was SO MUCH FUN with him there!  We don't see a lot of him, so the cousins soaked it all up.  He taught Micah and Jack how to shoot a pellet gun.  It's now on Micah's list for Christmas.  I am not surprised! Amber and Ty brought their kid-size four wheelers.  After Tim showed them how to drive it, Copper nd Micah took off.  Copper is definitely the conservative driver and Micah is a maniac!  She didn't go too fast on her own, but with Tim it couldn't have gone fast enough for this thrill seeker.  Dakota wanted absolutely nothing to do w...

Weird things right now and impacts of COVID in my life: I need to take my girls in for their yearly physicals.  We can do well-child checks in person at our pediatrician's office, but we can't go there if we're actually sick.  If we're sick, we can't go to the doctor.  She's happy to see us by video.  Weird. We can check out as many library books as we want, but not in person.  We have to reserve them online and wait a few days for them to be gathered, then only one parent can go in to pick them up. We can go to the outdoor pool but we have to reserve a slot and there's a cap of 100 people.  Actually, except for when we don't plan ahead, this is okay.  Look at this empty pool and cute kids!  We do have to all have no symptoms and get our temperature taken. We have a basement full of stuff to donate to the DI.  They were closed for awhile, but they're back open.  Donations are only accepted by reservation, and they...

Yesterday Tim and I celebrated 13 years being married.  Cool! We spent three or so hours at the marina; I thought it'd be crowded but we had the place mostly to ourselves most of the day.  Kayaking, playing in the sand, loving the sun, and loving each other- fun times! When we got home we left the girls for themselves and went chicken and yard shopping.  That night, Tim's mom and dad came over and watched the girls while we went to dinner.  They tie-dyed shirts, which they can't wait to wear.   That night we went to my dad's because he bought fireworks to show the neighborhood kids (the ones he likes, haha); we caught the last three of them and went to bed early.  It was a great day! I love being married to Tim.   Sometimes the most simple thing to say about him is that he is good.  He's a good person, a good husband, a good father, a good disciple of Christ, a good neighbor, a good son and s...

We celebrated July with the annual firework show at Ty and Amber's.  Amber's family starting a firework stand was maybe the best thing they've done for us.  🙂  They are AMAZING fireworks- way way better than any city show. Good food, good times, good fireworks.  Click  here  and  here  and  here  to see my favorites, and the girls reacting to the streamer launch! The best picture of Tom I could get (with Taryn and Kyle in the background) My parents and Ryan and Shandee The kiddos having a good time!