Back

It was back to school day.

I'm not sure I was ready for this.

They had their clothes, backpacks, shoes, supplies,

but I just wasn't ready for them to be gone for a majority of the day.

It's kind of strange when I think about them gone

having interactions with other kids and adults.

Having conversations, making choices, learning new things and I'm there for none of it. 

However, I fancy myself a pretty good "reader of emotion", and so

I generally know how the day has gone when I talk to them at home.

We did the traditional 1st day of school pictures and walked together.

Chloe- Grade 6

Asher- Grade 5

Aidan- Grade 2

When we got to the school they usually line up with their class, but today there were no lines.
Asher just went right in. No hug, no kiss, no "see you later Mom". Just gone.
Then I couldn't find Aidan and assumed he'd gone in too.  Chloe told me goodbye and the tears just came.  I was too easily dismissed for the next 6 + hours.  Aidan was just putting his bike away and I made sure to get my goodbye hug/kiss from him.
As we started to walk home Cole said, "Mom why are you crying?"
Me: "I'm sad the kids will be gone all day."
Cole: "But Mom, you still have me."
 That boy knows how to cheer my heart.
Happy First Day of School children.

Too fast

They grow up so fast.
No really, they do.

Him too.
Look at the detail there on the upper lip.
Yep, he tried his little five-year-old hand at shaving.
Didn't go so well.

Those who didn't go to the party...

There was a Back 2 School Party tonight.

Chloe, Asher and Aidan were all invited.

They go every year and have some good food, 

a fun D.J., and talk with friends. 

But what about those of us who didn't get to go?

Well, here is what we did from 6:30-9:30

Cole got to take a bath.
With a cookie.
After all he's "being held back" as he tells his friends.
One more year to have him all to myself. 

Located treat jar.

Reached a treat, but not the right treat.

Went in again for the starburst she was hoping for.

BINGO! Ate the starburst with the wrapper on. 

Put a new doorknob set on the front door.
Including chiseling out the wood for the proper fit.
Man I feel like  a woman.

Sisters Go Camping

What a great idea!

Sister camping.

I imagined it like girl's camp, but a bit...crazier.

And it was.

First of all I have to give big KUDOS to my husband for watching our children

AND 2 of Jen's and 1 of Wendy's.  Without him it wouldn't have been possible.

We camped up Spanish Fork Canyon in Terri's pop-up trailer. (thanks Shawn!!)

It was lovely.

You know what I love about sisters?  Everything.

*They're my best friends.

*They really know me, and really laugh at me.

* I know how to push their buttons and it can be so funny.

* They'll tell you when your feet stink.

* They'll tell you your dinner was great when you know better.

* They can give you any gift that with the right words/card will always make you cry.

* They enjoy the finer things of life. i.e. Creme brulee smores!

* They love their late night tradesies. (foot massage exchange)

* They are funny!!! We can really make each other laugh.

I'll take you through the highlights in pictures.

This was our arrival picture of all of us.
Yes it was suppose to be ALL of us, but my camera
was obviously zoomed in. So it's me and Wend. Don't hate.

The stark realization of what these hole in the ground toilets smell like was almost too much.
My eyes watered, I got the dry heaves, my quads started to burn from crouching
without touching the seat. What a good time. 

The girls collected firewood so it felt like real camping.
Shawn pampered us by having everything ready to go. 

This shot was Wendy's idea.
I like the different decisions in footwear for camping.
Skater shoes
Wedge flip-flops with diamonds
Slip-on sneakers that stink (no socks)
Tevas
Hmmm?  What does this say about us?

Let the games BEGIN!
I pre-warned them all that I would be winning all games.
Oh they rolled their eyes at me. But you'll see how it all turned out.
This game was Wendy's idea: Ninja
We had strange names and had to hit/kick each other.
Perfect game. Right?
The redheaded ninja took this game by storm with her quick moves.

On to the photoshoot. 

Here are my favorite shots.

Classic Jen

The pucker before she spat.
This reeks of supermodel.

Grr. That's all think of when I see this one.
Grrrr.

My Surprised Face.
Smacked my knee into the firepit after this one.  

Next game: Cherry Pit Spit
Goal: Spit your pit the farthest
Winner: Mwah. I really used the power in my neck to propel my pits.

We had little gifts for each other before dinner.

This was Terri's great idea.

It reminded me of secret sister during girl's camp.

We each had a little thing for each other.

I gave things that reminded me of some of my sister's favorite qualities.

A pen for Terri: She's so eloquent. So gifted with her words. This was to encourage her to continue sharing them.

A pack of thank you cards for Wendy: Since I was a little girl I remember Wendy being such a great writer. She always sent letters, cards, thank you notes to me. I have saved so many of them. Even in college she kept writing. If you could discern her flowery hand writing she said some great things. There is so much joy in receiving a thank you card, or an actual letter in the mailbox. Wendy has always been good at this. 

Some chapstick for Jen: I've always thought of her as my protector. As my older, tougher sister she protected me from bullies through grade school and anyone who would hurt her little sister through college. It was a stretch but the chapstick is a protectant for your lips. 

There were some tears, some high fives, some laughs.

Definitely a highlight. 

Does Finn look like he wears a toupee?
I think so too.
A toupee with the perm I had in 8th grade. 

Um... what can I say here.
Oh I know,
"Lookin like a fool with your pants on the ground."

This shot is so she'll forgive me for the one above.
Idn't it cute?

Another of Wendy's ideas.
Is it just me or does it look like Terri may have possibly gotten some whiplash here?

And then we went on a nice walk and posed by the campsite 

that corresponded with our age.

Another potty break.

This Target bag was my new invention to make it through the experience.
It really worked too.
As a bonus, if I puked this would keep my shoes clean.

On to the night games.
You're keeping track of wins right?

Pictionary:
Wendy and I destroy them.

Catchphrase:
Wendy & I win.
Partner switch.
Jen & I win.

We had to play the vegetable game where you can't show your teeth.
Terri and Wendy pretty much giggled throughout the game.
So much giggling there were tears.
My jaw was so sore the next day.
I think I may need to add this to my workout. 

I was the first one to bed. 

I promoted myself as a bunk buddy.

No snoring, sleep talking,

kicking, teeth grinding.

So I slept by Wendy.

She ordered my stinky shoes outside.

Terri hid hers in a cabinet.

As I slept soundly the girls got ready for bed and then

WHAM!!! the whole trailer tipped to my side.

It seems we unbalanced it by all being on one side.

It was quickly remedied but what a jolt from sleep.

This is the sweet little mousey treat I found in my shoes in the morning.

Terri made a scrumptious breakfast burrito, creamy yogurt with fresh fruit and granola, and hot chocolate so thick and creamy it was like pudding when it cooled.

This was so much fun. It felt so decadent to be without children and just enjoying every  moment with my sisters. I definitely vote for a repeat with more sisters.

Love you all.

Asher and Amy take on the Provo River

You read that right. 

I decided I should take Asher on an adventure.

He loves to take on scary rides, so I figured

a real outdoor adventure would be a good fit. 

We headed up the canyon in the afternoon.  It's about a 30 minute

ride from our house and Asher filled all 30 minutes with conversation.

He told me about friends, and the sports he likes,

school, and his goals for the new school year.

It was fun to just sit and listen.

We got ourselves

a double tube to ride down the river at High Country Adventure.

On the way up the canyon on our shuttle an employee of HCA was

telling us the "rules" of riding the Provo River.

Go around the islands in this order: Left, Right, Right

Get out before the bridge! It is dangerous. People (or a person) have died.

He was funny but serious about following the rules and repeated himself 

several times.  I could see Asher's wheels spinning.

I think he was a bit nervous about what we were about to encounter.

We were the first two in the river.

It was 50 degrees.

Our bums were numb within 5 minutes.

We also ran into the edge of the river within those first 5 minutes.

There were low branches which I tried to lift over Asher but 

my reach wasn't long enough and a branch knocked him square in the head

and took his hat off into the river.

It wasn't the best way to start our 90 minute adventure.

He was nervous and very cold.

I tried to reassure him that he was safe and made

sure to be diligent about keeping us away from the edges after that and following all the rules.

He really started to relax after we made it safely around the bridge.

And a fisherman even found his hat and gave it to us. 

I was constantly getting in and out, in and out and I was soaked

I didn't get cold until the last half hour. The sun went behind the clouds

 and there was a breeze blowing up the river. When we got back to the car it took several tries 

for me to turn the key. We sat in the parking lot for 15 minutes with the heat on high.

Then we had some Subway sandwiches and headed for home. 

It was a fun day.

 I think it was good to show Asher he could trust me to keep him safe (well, after the stick to the head thing). 

Museum...Round Two

Cole wanted to go to the Dinosaur Museum so much so that Scott decided to do back to back Museum days. That's right they hit $2 Tuesday!!! 

boo.

Crowded.

Busy. 

Moms with many children.

Difficult to maneuver a wheelchair through piles of little people.

Scott told me about women with "lot of kids" who would put their baby 

in the stroller and all the other kids would run in every direction.

I pictured myself in his stories. I AM that woman.

But today it was his day and he got educated. and frustrated.

It was a much shorter day at the Dinosaur Museum, but it still ended with a Tower Cone

and Cole was happy to have spent some time with his Dad.

To the Museum

Scott and Aidan headed out to the Dinosaur Museum on Monday.

No not $2 Tuesday.

Million Dollar Monday.

I was bummed that we were off by one day, but our schedules are packed.

I LOVED the pictures they took on their day together.

I think Million Dollar Monday has its benefits.

They pretty much had the place to themselves.

It would seem to me that the two of them had a fine time exploring Dinosaurs.

And taking some pretty hilarious pictures. 

They topped the day off with a Tower Cone and Aidan came home with some plastic animals.

That would bake 4,163 plastic animals he now has.

Perfect.