Roof

 There is a tree in our front yard that has gotten really long and anytime the wind blows, we can hear the branches on the house. It gets annoying to hear, but no way I'm getting up that high to cut them. Camden has no fear of being up high, so he got that job. I don't even like seeing the kids freely walking that high up, but he didn't mind. 

Homecoming

 Camden was asked to homecoming today in first period. He knew she was going to ask him, so he made a sign to answer her back. The one they are holding is the one they made.  Have to love Cam's... They are both excited, if you can't tell. 

First Day (and a Few Last First Day) of School

I have never really been the type of mom to dread or hate or be sad by the kids getting older. Some times you miss, and loved during, but I've been excited for each  new thing they are able to go and accomplish. Doesn't mean they don't make me sentimental, but I love seeing them grow. This year is going to be an interesting one. While 4 kid started school this year, by May, two of them will be done with High School and their time with me daily will pretty much be done. This time next year it could be first day of college, mission farewell, or just moving out.  I'm not sure how ready for them gone I am. Cam likes to remind me a lot all the 'lasts' that happen and Beckham mentioned yesterday that he only has 2 special nights left. Ugh, that one hit me the hardest.... so far. 

Here is a prospective, I lived with my parents until I was 18 and I got married. Right now Brad and I have been married 18 years (so half my life with my parents and half with the love of my life.) and only about a year of that were we alone before we had the boys. 18 years goes too quick, and I right now, don't think that's long enough for my emotions. 

Beck wanted another first day picture. First day of his last semester! He is very excited and really loving his choice to finish online. I left a semester, and while we both know things we'd miss out on, I loved it and never regretted it. He spent the day with us shopping and going out to lunch. 

Jackson is the only one not in High School. This year he has a few classes with friends, which made him very excited. He also is changing to the Bass Clearnet, which he can't wait to try out. 

Emery started seminary this year and since going to Renaissance, it's early morning with Camden. Getting up at 6 am just for a picture is 'so' much fun. Emery was nervous for the first day (she may not admit that) but is loving it so far. Camden is loving his last year in High school. He may be a twin, but how they want to spend their senior year is a little different, and I love seeing each of them doing what they love. 

Eevee got stuck in the blanket, she just had to make it onto the 'first day of school' post somehow. We had to cut the blanket to get her out. 

Beck thought that we would let him come with us to make the posters, but he did not. We did them the day before this time. There is a video from Ohio where the new cast tries to hype the kids up for testing and they say phrases that kids today use, but still sound a little out of touch. It's the best, so we did the same, along with some of their favorite things. 

"One Hundo P Chances of Success!!" Jackson's

"Be on Fleek and get that Gucci Goal" Emery (Beck said we did not use this one right)

"Senior year gonna be Turnt" Cam

"Say 'bye Felicia' to that school stress!" Beck

Cam posted on Instagram. 

We did most school clothes shopping after school started and then went to dinner this weekend. Cam brought his friend Cailey along since she hasn't been to a Hibachi grill before. We tried a new one and it was really good. 

This is going to be a different end to the school year, but it's going to be good. May or may not let out a lot of tears, both happy and sad, but still good. 

End of Summer

Another summer has come to an end. This one went by quick, mainly because school started a little earlier this year. They will get out earlier for summer next year, so that will be nice. 

We had a few chances to watch babies this summer and Emery was a huge help. She loves to babysit, but doesn't get a lot of chances to do so. Jack loved her, she defiantly was his favorite person. 

Emery had a last summer sleepover with Avery. They did their own version of girl dinner. They added coloring to the noodles as they cooked and the pasta sauce too. Colors weird, flavor is normal. 

Luna, just because all too soon, these turdy dogs will be the only ones home. 

I did get older, 3 more years and I'll have 4 in front of my age. Brad and Emery got the perfect cake. Goes with my love of Mean Girls. 

Greyson came to Boise for a day and was able to hang out with the boys. I love seeing them together, and how it seems 'just like it used to be'. They even played Minecraft for quite a bit of time. 

Beck's Trip

 For a year Beckham worked and saved to pay for a school trip to Europe. They went to Germany, Switzerland and Austria. We were proud and impressed how hard he worked to pay for the trip. Also, he pretty much went alone. He knew kids on the trip, but he was going because he wanted to go. He packed the night before they left. An international flight put off until the end. He has a calmness to him that I will never have. I would have had to be packed or have piles ready to go, at least a week beforehand. It all worked out well and he packed what he needed. 

I made Brad take him to the airport. Leading up to it I had to stop myself a few times from getting emotional, I knew I could not drop him off and cry a little. So I hugged him goodbye and cried while Brad dropped him off. Waiting for the 'we landed in Vienna' text took way to long to come, but they made it safe and he had a great time. 

A few pics the teachers sent. 

This is now Beck's account of his trip. 

"On about the 6th day we made a detour on our way to Germany to a small town on the edge of France. We were given free time and a group of about 7 kids found a cat café. I assumed it would be like a regular cat café, but instead it was a gentleman's house with 8 different Persian cats. As we were there, the man explained the names and differences between his multiple cats. After about a half hour we left to get with the rest of the group and head back to Germany."

"This was a massive statue of a lion carved into the wall of a very large cliff. It represented a group of men from WWII. The story was along the lines of a captain being away from his soldiers as they were attacked, and his sorrow for his party resulted in the statues. The lines within the cliff side are intentional to the art piece, representing arrows falling toward the sad injured lion."

"On one of the final days, we went to one of the largest churches in Europe. The place was gargantuan in comparison to everything around it. The funny thing was right next to this castle was not only a McDonalds, but a Five Guys nearly directly in front of it."

"This was on the 4th or 5th day, where we went on a tram and a train up to the top of a very large mountain. It was about 7,000 feet in the air, and there were clouds of fog surrounding the entire area. There wasn't much up the mountain except for a few hiking areas where you could go higher up the mountain."

"During one of the first days we went to Salzburg, Austria which is known because it is where The Sound of Music is set. Though I have never seen it, there was a bike tour around town that showed us the different filming and set locations for the film. This photo was in front of the abbey that the lead character left."

"For the final and most unexpected photo, it is the line for security check in the Denver airport... at 3:30 in the morning. We were there because the previous flight back home got cancelled and we needed a hotel to stay at for the night. Though it looked and was very long, I didn't have to walk through it. One of the other students on the trip needed a wheelchair accommodation and I was given the job to push the wheelchair. Because of this we were aloud to cut through lines and it only took about 1/2 and hour to traverse the entire line. But after that I got to the plane that would eventually take me back home.

Over all I really enjoyed the trip. Everywhere we went had beautiful scenery and phenomenal food to go with it. The experiences were fantastic, but I am glad to be back home for a while."

The souvenir Beck made me. I've never had anything with my name spelled correctly on it. 

Cam Anatomy

 Camden finished his anatomy class through ISU last week. He loved the class and can do it a few days a week after school during the year. He thinks he may do that. 

Jackson Camping

This past week Jackson went Camping with my brother Bryan and his family. I was a little surprised he was okay being gone 5 nights, but had a blast. 

I did not help him pack. I said I can if he wants, but he wanted to alone.

This is his week in his words: The first day was just driving there, unpacking, and setting up for the week. The drive was actually fun, everyone was talking, making jokes, and the rest was sleeping. When we arrived we set up and after that we ate something called tinfoil food which was a mixture of potatoes, vegetables, and pork. The dinner was pretty good, I ate most of it and I also tried Chick-fil-a sauce for the first time and I think its really good. Although, the first nights sleep was horrible for me, I went to bed around 12:30-1:00, I kept waking up in the middle of the night, and I woke up at 7:00. The second day was the best day! First we had waffles and pancakes for breakfast, which was delicious. Then we went to a little gift shop to get some ice, while we were there the people who owned the place had a pet baby duck and I got to pet and hold the duck. Then we went to the river and floated the river. This was really fun, it was relaxing for some of it and it was crazy for the rest. I got a few bruises from the rapids but the rapids was the best part. Through the river Jarom and I stayed together. We went back to camp after and showered. The kids tried the pool out but it we really cold and shallow, the max depth was 3ft. Then we ate taco stew which is and bowl of taco ingredients and you dip your chips into it. There was beans in it but I didn't taste or feel it because of all the other ingredients.(everyone but me, Kilie, hates beans in  my family) The second night I had an amazing sleep. I went to bed around 10:30 and I woke up around 10:00. The Third day we went to different stores and went to park. We went to a thrift store were I got a purple monkey and a frog wearing a shirt. The park was pretty good there where swings and a weird spinning thing. Also, while we were there we saw these wasp the burrow, they're called digger wasp. Then we got to the camp and had hotdogs and hamburgers. We only had white bread but it was still really good. The forth day we went to the museum and went to river to float it again. This wasn't as fun but still fun. I got more bruises and I got a scar on my foot from trying to paddle but hitting a rock. For dinner we had chicken and rice, which I thought was really good. I had a decent night sleep I went to bed around 11:00 and woke up around 8:00. The fifth day was just packing and load stuff into the car. The drive home was good because I just slept the whole way and we got ice cream.

Cam Update

 

One big school Camden was hoping and waiting to get a pamphlet from John Hopkins. This past week it finally came. He is like Brad and doesn't show over excitement with much, I may have been more excited than he was. It's cool though to see a top want school send him something.

Emery's Special Night

For a while, Emery has wanted to get her second piercing in each ear. I have wanted to do my helix, so at the beginning of the year I told her I'm going to plan a special night for her. She wanted it for the second special night which was today. We went and got eye brows done last night and then today went and got holes. We both were over thinking the pain, and well it was not bad at all. The noise of the helix was the worst part, so far, we'll see how healing goes. 

She was a little nervous.  

Isn't she beautiful? 

Lazy Paid Off

 If you know me, you know I don't cut my hair very often. I have no real reason than I just don't enjoy it or care to go. I tend to go about 2 times a year and will chop a lot off each time. I was booking Emery an appointment and noticed that the last time I went in was one year ago. I didn't realize it had been that long. I was sick of being so hot at FOB in the sun with all my hair, so I made a day off appointment and chopped it off. When I told her what I wanted she said, it may be long enough to donate. That wasn't my intention, but kind of cool to have happen. She cut off 8 inches off the bottom, then probably a little more evening it all out. It feels so much cooler and lighter now.

Emery's haircut. She knows I put random pictures up so she sent me this one of her hair.