Updates

I figure it's been a while since I mentioned how everyone is doing these days. It honestly took me until just last week to feel back into the routine of school, and like I had time to sit down and write a blog post. Abbie is doing really well in middle school and comes home happy every day. Her grades are wonderful and she really enjoys all her classes except for math. For some reason Abbie has a harder time with this subject, but we all have our weaknesses and strengths in different areas. She is very excited to go on a field trip to Catalina Island at the end of the month. I'm not super excited to let her go for three days on a school field trip, but considering what an awesome opportunity it is for her, I'm letting her go. She will stay at a marine biology school and be able to work with marine animals (her dream), and even dissect an octopus. How cool is that?

She left this note for me on my pillow one night a few months back. I love her dearly, and some day she won't be saying these words to me, so I'm documenting it. :)

We did cave and buy Abbie her own cell phone. I said I wouldn't do it until she was much older, but then the reality hit that with us not carpooling with anyone to school, It would be nice to be able to contact her in an emergency. So far we have been able to use it twice after school. Once when I was running late, and also when there was a huge rain storm/flash flood right when school got out. I was so thankful we had a way to communicate. It was scary not knowing where she was, and if she could make it out to the car. She basically had to walk through calf deep water to get to me, and was frightened with the huge downpour of water, but we were able to meet up thanks to her having a phone.

Avery is doing well in school also. She tried out for Student council, but didn't win. I was so very proud of her for just putting herself out there and trying. Abbie and her came up with this cute poster one day after school.

Avery started choir at school two weeks ago, and also started taking an orchestra class along with her other group violin class she has each Tuesday night. Between that and her private violin class each week she is a busy girl. Abbie and Avery will both be playing their violins this upcoming Sunday for our ward primary program. I can't wait to hear them, but am kind of sad that her grandparents or other family can't be there. That's how it goes when you live far away I suppose.

I receive cute notes from Avery sometimes too.

I finally had time last night to upload all my pictures from my phone. This is what I found. :)

I had to erase at least 200 pictures of nothing that Aliza has taken on my phone. They were hilarious because there would be several random pictures of the wall or floor, and then a silly picture of Aliza. That stinker needs to stop sneaking my phone.

This is what Aliza and I do in our free time. Not really, she was just bored one day and asked if she could give me a massage. I then had a take a picture of my cutie. She is doing well with her reading, and I find little post it notes all over the house that say cat, hat, bat, rat, and so on. She thinks it is so fun to find rhyming words and then writes them on anything and everything she can. She is a smart girl.

I signed up to volunteer for way to many things this school year. I'm room mom in Aliza's kindergarten class along with another mom. With a few years experience being a room mom I just thought it would be nice/fun to share the work. So, I asked a friend to help me out who has a son in Aliza's class too. These fun treats above are for the Student of the Month luncheons that I am now chair person for. We had our first luncheon the first Wednesday in October and it went really well. It was stressful, but now that I have done it once I kind of know what to do for next time, which is nice. All that along with volunteering, driving kids around all day, keeping up house stuff, trying to get in some exercise and Young Women's my days are full.

Micah and I were able to see Wicked in September at the new Smith Center here in Vegas. It was such a fun evening, and the play was AMAZING! It was even better than I thought it would be. Next time we will take the kids to see it too. I think they would really enjoy it.

This picture is old, but I just love our friends Kristi and Cole. They went with us to see Wicked, and Jerry Seinfeld a few months back. Jerry Seinfeld was such a great show. We were laughing the entire time, and to make it even better it was clean humor which is rare these days. I would definitely see his show again.

Lake Mead

We were invited by the Lewis family to spend a fun day on the lake last Saturday. The Sondrup family joined us, and it was a wonderful day. We got up bright and early to make sure and get a good spot on the beach. It was a beautiful day to be at Lake Mead!

When we first got there they loaded up the boat with all our supplies for the day, and left us and a few kids behind at the dock while they found us a beach. About 20 minutes later they came back for the rest of us, and we were headed out on the water for the day.

At the dock the kids enjoyed watching the fish in the water, and teasing the ducks.

Once we were on the boat I don't think Aliza stopped smiling the entire time. She was giggling when we started going faster and said "Mom, I think this is my first time in a boat." It's not, but she doesn't remember any of the other times. She loved it!

This was our camp set up for the day. It's more of just a rocky beach, but the kids enjoyed just being by the water. Aliza and her good friend Violet are in the tubes behind the boat. Again, Aliza was grinning ear to ear and yelling faster, faster. She is fearless.

Abbie and Avery got their chance at knee boarding, and Abbie also tried some wake boarding. I think it was harder than she thought it would be, but I'm so glad she tried it.

When Micah wasn't on the boat he was taking kids over for cliff diving. You can't see him well, but this is Micah jumping. Avery was loving the rock diving as much as her dad. You can see her pink lifejacket climbing up the rock.

The scenery was beautiful, and we love spending time with these two families.  It was a wonderful day, and a much needed break from our routine. Micah's birthday was the following day so we were able to sing to him after lunch, and Lindsay even brought him cupcakes with a candle for him to blow out. On the last trip out on the boat Grant hit his head on a knee board and needed stitches. So we quickly packed up camp, and headed home. Lucky for him his dad is a doctor and could just stitch him up at home. I was glad to see Grant at church the next day and it didn't look as bad as I thought it would. His dad just glued it, and he looked great. I wish I would have taken a picture of everyone together, but I didn't. These kids are such great friends, and I'm so glad we were able to spend the day together.