August 2017

We started August off by buying hundreds of dollars in school supplies and clothes and shoes

and more supplies and backpacks and lunch boxes and more supplies.

 Back to School night was so fun this year with all three kids so excited to start up again.  KK was sick.  We had to wake her up to get ready to go over to the school.  She, for sure wasn't herself.  She was very weepy.  We tried to accommodate her by putting her hair in a requested bun, putting on a little bit of mascara and letting her choose her outfit.  She LOVES this shirt.  And as many times as we gently tried to put her sleeves up, she would start to cry and put them back down.  We COULDN'T have tears on back to school night.  The last time I tried to put her sleeves up, I got the world's most angry DEATH STARE and then she yelled at me...  like an angry teenager...  "MOM,  THIS SHIRT IS TO BE WORN LIKE THIS"  And she violently put the sleeves back down again and then she rolled her eyes at me and added "GOSH, YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!!!"

So, as any enabling mother would, I chose to lose yet another battle and gave in to her.  

Thus....  the sexy shirt at the school event.

Which by the way, her teacher LOVED.

She said, I am going to get along just fine with this girl, I can already tell.

 Peyton got the best second grade teacher, Mrs Sandberg

 KK got the best first grade teacher, Mrs Brent.

Mr. Brent works with Raleigh, so we've got an in

 President/Mr. Staheli, the best principal in St. George

 We have an apple tree, a pear tree and a pomegranate tree.

I don't know why...  but we only pick the pomegranates.  

This year we picked some apples and tried them.

They were THE BEST green apples I have ever eaten.  And it 

made me sad that we have missed out on them all these years.

They were sweet and juicy and slightly warm.

Our next adventure was Peyton's birthday in Pine Valley.

We packed our truck full of food and people.

We drove into a downpour and had to wait in the truck while Raleigh set up camp.

 Then the clouds parted and there were nothing but blue skies.

So, I got to work cutting the potatoes for our Dutch Oven

 and Raleigh prepared the rest.  While Papa threw the football with the kids

 We had a great day.  The temperature could not have been better.  Nevermind that someone dropped the birthday cake.  And Bella stepped on Nana's cupcakes.  Everything else was spot on.  We had a wonderful day.

 We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows

The little kids each took a few hits at our traditional pinata.

This year's rainbow version was dubbed by Kami

"It's Gay to be Eight"

 We brought our hammocks

And had a fabulous time..... until.....  the downpour returned.  This time was worse than the first and we were drenched by the time we frantically broke the campsite down and packed the cars and the kids up.

Peyton's REAL un-dropped birthday cake

This month is such a special one...  it's birthday time for you

So...  here's the story...

Wilson Lund lived in England and he worked at a job that took him out of town.  He stayed with friends while he was working in the neighboring town.  While he was staying with them, the Mormon Missionaries came over to teach the family he was staying with.  He said he wasn't interested in listening to what the missionaries had to say and excused himself, but the truth is he couldn't resist listening through a closed door.  And his heart was changed by what he heard and he wanted to be a part.

He decided to go to America to be apart of the group of Saints in Nauvoo.  He was skilled in stone work and was asked to help build the Nauvoo Temple.  While there he met a fabulous woman named Eliza Brace.  They were very active in the building of the temple and were asked to travel west with the saints to settle Salt Lake City and help build the SLC temple.  

They had many children during their journeys, two of whom were Robert Charles Lund and Brigham James Lund.  

The next adventure took them to St. George to help build the temple there.  Eliza was passionately involved in temple work in the St George temple alongside Wilford Woodruff until the day she died.

Her two sons established prominent businesses in towns, a days ride, away.  Robert Charles, established the town of Lund, Utah....  a major railroad stop for the Pacific Railroad.  And Brigham James opened a Hotel and Store in nearby, Modena.  

We spent a beautiful Sunday researching them and their towns

and appreciating their contributions to the church and for 

paving the way for us to be members of the church.

We found some grass and a shade tree and had a picnic

 B.J. Lund Hotel and Store

The first day of school was as exciting as ever.  The night before, we tried on almost every single outfit.  I tried to manipulate the girls into wearing what I wanted them to wear, but no such luck...  their minds were made up.  They were so excited.  We gave them "vitamins" an hour before bedtime...  (otherwise known as Melatonin Gummy Bears... ) my new best friend.  And they were snoozing like grandpas on Thanksgiving, in no time.

 Allie is a sophomore at the high school this year.  She made arrangements to have the neighbor girl drive her to school so she wouldn't have to ride the bus.  She has to pay her $10 a week.  Which is a sensible way to spend her allowance, I guess.  I can assure you,  I am not paying for that.  I have provided a nice FREE bus for her to take.  She adjusted to the new school very quickly and loves several of her teachers.

 Peyton is the coolest second grader in her sweet Jordan's. 

These high tops are certain to catapult her rapidly into playground stardom.

Last year one of the teachers stopped us and told us she loved watching her 

beat the boys at basketball EVERY recess.  And it made Raleigh smile a lot.

She asked for a purple basketball for her birthday.

 Peyton also took cupcakes to school to celebrate her birthday with her class. 

 That poor man in the background had a child that was having a complete melt down.  This picture was taken minutes before the dad took off running down the hall with his son hysterically bawling behind him...  "dad, don't leave me here."  I felt sorry for both of them.  But, mostly the dad.  And I felt blessed that I have well adjusted children, most likely due to the fact that they were raised by 10 people in addition to their parents and none of us have ever treated them like they were children. EVER.  We have always expected them to act like adults.  And so they do.

 Quincey and Vince got Peyton a hatchimal for her birthday.

I told my girls that they would never in their lifetime own one of these.

They were SO excited.  It's cool to have big siblings with good jobs.

 Quincey also cut Ryker's hair.  He LOVES getting his hair cut.  He usually falls asleep in the chair.
This night was no exception.
Too bad he was on a stool 

The little girls begged us to let them walk all the way home from school instead of meeting dad at the church.  They wanted to show us that they were brave.  We reluctantly agreed.  They would have done just fine if a wild girl on a bike hadn't run KK over.  She wasn't watching where she was going and plowed right over the little elf.  KK was hit from behind and had no idea what was happening until she was flat on the sidewalk and scratched up in 6 different places.  A lady in our ward saw the whole thing and drove her home.  Raleigh got her all fixed up with Neosporin and kisses.  She will heal....  but probably not in time for school pictures.  Thank goodness for make up picture days.

On Fridays the kids wear their school shirts.  We bought 3 Youth XS shirts.  We really need XXXS.  These will fit them when they are in the 4th grade.

Ryker started Kindergarten on the following Monday. 

He was super excited.

He wasn't even one bit sad or scared.

We were the first family to school, so we were able to take pictures with no distractions.

But, all he wanted was to get out to the playground.

He was the only kid on the playground as we were walking away.

He didn't even care that we were leaving.  

He barely said good-bye 

I guess that's it.

No more first, very first day of school for us.

Couldn't be happier about it.

The kids got to watch the eclipse at school.

In St. George on eclipse day it was very overcast.

But at Riverside, the clouds parted nicely at precisely the right time

and the kids got to see the whole thing. 

They weren't as impressed as I thought they'd be.

KK rolled her eyes and said...  "I didn't even learn anything new."

I didn't even know she was an astrological genius.

Mrs. Sandberg's Second Grade Class

Fridays are my favorite....  EARLY OUT DAYS.
Otherwise known as "totally screw up the routine" days...
Because the teachers need to work only half days on Fridays
and they secretly hate us.

So, Nana volunteered herself to be the early out day picker upper.
AND this particular early out day, she made the HUGE mistake of
casually mentioning that she maybe could possibly take the girls
to Thunder Junction.
Unfortunately, it was 104 degrees this day.
And the girls insisted she keep her promise
(that wasn't a promise at all)

 They were as red as beets
and who dresses their kids in long pants in August?

This day was "dress like you mom" day.
We had to document

On Thursday Nights, Raleigh does yard work.
I LOVE Thursday nights for so many reasons...
1. It's almost the weekend
2.  I clean the entire inside of the house, while Raleigh spiffs up the outside.
3.  The kids play outside while he is out there.
4.  And when all the work is done, I have a huge sense of accomplishment
and walking around our house that is super clean inside and out
makes me the happiest person.

Peyton always wants to help Raleigh do "work"
She thinks everything he does outside is super cool and
she always wants to be in the middle of it.
She doesn't care if she gets dirty or sweaty.
Yard work is no exception

BYUs first game was Saturday August 26th.

We had a little party.

The Hydes were in California, but we planned the food

like they were going to be with us.  

We had so much food.

The game was so bad and we lost interest around half time.

We ended up talking instead.

And we planned our 10 year anniversary vacation for 2018 

Super fun month, August was.
I am so happy for several things that happened this month.
Mostly, for the fact that I seem to be over my EXTREME fear of
Elementary School.  I think the reason is because I have a job now where
I can leave whenever I need to,  I can bring a kid to work with me if I need to,
I can stay home with a sick kid if I need to.  And so with that anxiety gone,
I seem to not be as fearful.  That is a huge blessing.

I am happy that football is starting up again.
I love the sound of it in my house.

And I am happy that it is cooling down a bit.
September is going to be EPIC!
I am so excited for September.