September 2015

I had an old custom made clock

with a horrid last name on it

from my past life.

And it was just sitting in our storage closet.

I tried to pawn it off on Brayden and Crysti

given they are the only people in our whole family who will

have that name.

But, they wouldn't take it.

So Raleigh suggested allowing him to transform it

into something beautiful.

And he worked on it all day long

And he took his time with his masterpiece 

Pausing to watch a game or two

And this is what he created.

And given what it used to look like, I'll take it.

But,  I don't know where in the world it will go.

It's such a betrayal on my part.  Wherein is my loyalty?

I graduated from the Lord's School afterall.

Spending countless hours and dollars.

And my first rate education has catapulted me into professional heights

I never could have ever imagined.

But, the truth is....  until the dad gum university hires some marketing talent

and changes their logo and colors and clothing selection completely...  I am going to have to side 

with the better paraphernalia for now.

Besides, word on the street is Morgan is graduating a year early and has a full ride 

scholarship to the institution on the HILL and so, we as a collective family

need to start practicing now, how NOT to bash the Red U.

And that mostly means MOM is going to have to really try....  HARD!

I'm just preparing you NOW.  

She'll go to BYU Law School.

But, the undergrad is happening at that other place because the only school I can afford to send her to right now is Compton City College.

And THEIR paraphernalia BLOWS!!

September brought more hiking fun.

This trip happened on Labor Day

Which was nearly the stupidest thing we've ever done.

Going hiking at ZION'S on Labor Day.

There were SO many people, dare I say foreigners there.

And they all smelled wretched.

We had to ride bus after bus and they got progressively more crowded and progressively more stinky and I have MASSIVE claustrophobia and so my anxiety level was through the roof by the end of the day and I had to go to a happy place in my mind to keep from falling apart.

And my off-spring waded in some murky water that most likely had sickness and pathogens of all kinds, not to mention who knows what from the people from foreign lands who were frolicking upstream.  

Another September adventure was our "Walking Dead" marathons that Raleigh made me watch with him.  And it was MOST unpleasant.  I hated every minute of every episode and yet I continued to go back for more every night.  And I began secretly stockpiling water and ammunition in the event we were to ever find ourselves in unlikely similar circumstances.  That's not weird right?  It's messing with my mind, I tell you.  

This hike was fun because we were here all by ourselves and it was overcast

The kids kept stopping in various locations that they deemed good "picture spots"

and they'd say "take our picture" and then they'd pose. 

We particularly liked this pose of Walt's

And Raleigh and I mimicked him for the rest of the day as we enjoy doing regularly.
He's a fun kid to imitate because he is so animated. 

That's a good looking husband for sure

Sometimes, when Brayden needs something from me, he will stop into work and 'visit' his mother.  

Here the newlyweds are in their Alsco Uniforms

Aren't they darling?

I haven't seen them in forever.  They are quite the independent married couple.

Here are my co-workers and me messing around on the job as we often do.

Today we were having fun with an old polaroid camera

Raleigh had an end of Summer work party.   I didn't realize that it was a Luau until we'd been there for 20 minutes.  And I was inappropriately dressed for the party in my sweatshirt with NO Hawaiian prints of any kind.  And I looked like a stick in the mud wife, who was too cool to dress up like everyone else.

Kaleigh, of course participated in the hula dancing lessons they offered.  She was the cutest wahine I have ever seen in all my days.

 Football started.  And I am so happy again.  I simply love it with all my heart.  I love the sound of it filling up my house.  I love the music that the networks play in and out of commercial breaks.  I love Chris Collinsworth's voice and his commentary even more this year than year's past.  Those Broncos keep winning for unknown reasons...  because they shouldn't be winners.  BYU has been super fun to watch.  Utah even more fun.  What a great season so far.

Peyton had her beginning of the year celebration dance festival

We all went to watch her whip and nene. 

It was 2,000 degrees and we were in misery. 

I have so many problems with school...  here they are in no particular order...

1.  I have done this elementary school thing before and it wasn't fun the first time around and here I am again, having to go through it.  I don't enjoy elementary school stuff.  I had a bad attitude in the 90's and it's a whole lot worse in this decade.  I am NOT one of those mom's.  I wasn't then, I am for sure not now.  You know "the elementary moms"....  yeah, that's not me.  I was in and out of that dance event faster than a New York Minute.  "Cute dance, we're outta here"

2.  I could barf on all the homework they send home.  Why do Kindergarteners have blasted homework every blasted night?  Every night Raleigh and I diligently check her backpack for the stupid sheet of homework.  And we are already so overwhelmed and busy and exhausted... it's all we need...  homework.  Nevertheless, diligent we are in our checking.  And we read all the endless notes and newsletters and stupidity they send home.   And I don't for the life of me know how we BOTH missed the memo stating  "the children are to wear their "school shirts"  that you were supposed to have purchased on Back to School Night (that is if you are GOOD parents) to the dance festival".   And if you didn't purchase one on Back to School Night, you are first, A LOSER and second, OUT OF LUCK because we don't have any left for you to purchase.  Consequently, your child will be the  ONLY one NOT wearing a school shirt and EVERYONE will know....  You, in fact SUCK as parents.   

3.  Here's the thing...  It's entirely possible that I missed the memo...  I'm outta my mind, but there ain't no way Raleigh missed it.  Nothing gets past him.   And besides he's all gung-ho with all things school.  This being his first go-around and all and he's a newby, unscathed and unjaded by all this sh-tuff.  There was no letter, Jack.  Don't tell ME there was a misunderstanding.  What we have here is a failure to communicate.   Makes me so mad.  

4.  In two years, we will have a 2nd grader, 1st grader and a kindergartner.  We'll be doing homework after a full days work until midnight.  And I might add...  some of it is hard.  I can't for the life of me remember what equilateral triangles are.  That was useless information that I learned three decades ago that I have tucked neatly in the very back corner of my brain where all other useless information is stored.  Useless information like photosynthesis and all of the war stories and algebra.   I think that I am a fairly intelligent person, but that gets squashed the very second I find myself stumped by my Kindergartener's homework.   Thank heavens for Google.

5.  Finally, I am super excited to introduce our family to all kinds of illnesses that can only be found at the elementary school.  I can't wait for the exuberant amount of days our family will spend battling the plethora of sicknesses that are headed our way.  We have done so well for the past 6 years to stay healthy, but that is about to come to an end and I could slit my throat over it.  There's no way to avoid it, with the exception of sending them to school in a plastic bubble.  Do you think I can find one of those on eBay?  Because now that I have thought of this idea, I am SERIOUSLY considering it.  

 In spite of her parents...  she was the most darling Kindergarten Dancer in a non school shirt I have ever seen.

 And we ditched out early and had some fro-yo YO!

 And found this guy on our driveway when we got home.

Next, Quincey turned 19. 

And we had cake and ice cream to celebrate

and we were so glad she showed up to her party

  

Morgan was asked to Homecoming a few times.

She had to break some hearts.  And I told her not to tell me what she was doing and who she was going/not going with so I wouldn't feel sad for the turned down boys.  

She paid for her own dress which she purchased on a Las Vegas shopping spree that she and two of her friends ditched school for.  She bought her own boutonniere.  And she borrowed my shoes.  

What a doll.

Have to add....  here is what happens in our family during Sacrament Meeting

  

Finally....

Even though this event was in October...

We participated in our 8th annual Mayor's Walk with mom and dad

Another fun year.  Even though every year we say... as we are walking along

"why are we doing this?  This is kinda lame.  It's so early.  It's so dark."
But, we have so much fun just being together