First Day of 10th, 7th, and 3rd Grade!

Monday was Kenzie's first day at the high school.  Poor girl couldn't find her locker, and she forgot that band was only on B Days and lugged her flute around for no reason.  (Already the second day was better as Kenzie found her locker and brought her instrument on the right day.)  She was super nervous and not thrilled that high school starts at 7:30!

Parker was all ready to go Monday to his 7th Grade Orientation Day.  He wore his new shirt that he thinks is hilarious (it has a pretend math equation on it and says "find x", which is then circled with "it's right there!").  Parker had worn size men's 7 shoes for only about a month, but he came out of his room wearing the size 7.5 shoes I'd found on clearance and bought ahead of time.  He claimed his size 7 shoes were too tight (he didn't say that just last week!).  I was glad we had shoes waiting!  Better find the next size up for next week...  Parker was super excited for his first day, although nervous.  He came home with a big smile on his face, though, and exclaimed, "They have pizza as a lunch choice every day!"  Glad there are some perks to middle school!

Finally, Cam Buddy started school Tuesday!  He wore one of his new Minecraft shirts and then insisted he also needed his new shoes.  I thought he just was feeling jealous that Parker had new shoes, but I was again surprised that the "next size up" fit him just fine!  Really need to stop feeding these kids.  Cameron thought everything seemed awesome - eating lunch at his desk, having the music teacher come to their room instead of going there, etc.  Even just having his own pencil box made him excited.

They are fun kids, and I hope they have a good year!

Wheeler Farm

It's tradition to wander around Wheeler Farm on the last day of summer vacation, so Friday we made a quick trip.  Totally strange each year to realize how much the kiddos have grown up and how quickly a year has gone by!

Parker has not stopped snacking all summer, and is officially in all men's clothing!

Poor Kenzers hasn't grown in several years, and she's miffed Parker is taller than her.  Cameron then always pipes up that someday he'll pass her, too.

Even though he's a big kid now, he still thinks the tractors are fun!

Not too many people were wandering around, so we only put on our masks if people walked closely by us.  Otherwise we just enjoyed some fresh air!  

Kenzie had gotten up "early" to take Parker over to the middle school at 9:00.  She helped him walk around the school and find his classes and his locker.  Then we were able to head out before it was too hot outside, so that was nice!  Parker had felt much better having Kenzie point out where everything was for him, too.

Watching the ducks, geese, and pigeons wander about.

We'll have one in elementary school, one in middle school, and one in high school!  Everything starts and ends at different times, so I guess I'll have plenty of time to read as I sit in various parking lots waiting for these kiddos!  Cameron is a little sad to realize he's the only one at the elementary school now, but he's beyond excited for third grade!

8 and 40!

Yesterday our baby turned 8!  He was so, so excited for his birthday.  We always start with a nice, healthy breakfast of powdered sugar donuts!

Parker put up signs and blew up balloons, mostly because Cameron was jealous of what Parker had made for Daddy -

- a bunch of black balloons and a sign saying "Hippy Bath Day! 40!" (earlier we had bought candles that spelled out "Happy Birthday" and we tried to find different things to spell out with them.  Hippy Bath Day was by far the funniest, so it was funny that Parker remembered that and made the sign all on his own.)  Chris pretended for the picture that this was his reaction, but he was a good sport about all the black balloons!

One spoiled little kid!

He was beyond happy about every single thing he received.  Lots of exclamations the entire time.

Playing his new pinball game with his Stitch slippers on.

In the afternoon, Cameron had a few of his little friends come over.  Parker was so incredibly helpful - he filled up the water balloons and let the kids pelt him with them.  He lined everyone up for the pinata, he organized the silly string battle, he started up a game of tag, and he kind of corralled them from one thing to the next.  It was all on his own, too!

Parker, Evie, Taylor, Ethan, and Cameron - a very goofy bunch!

Cameron's backhanded attempt at the pinata.  After everyone had a turn, we let Parker use a real metal bat, and he whacked a good sized hole in the penguin.  After that, the kids went all Lord of the Flies ripping the pinata open, but then sat quietly and picked carefully through the candy to fill their bags with what they wanted.  It was the least chaotic pinata-candy-grabbing we have ever witnessed!

Cameron wanted a Pikachu cake.  The entire time I was decorating it, he came by to check on me and then said to himself, "I just picked a great idea!"  

All ready for cake with his buddies.  We had two requests for a cheek and two requests for an ear, so that worked out well. 

Cameron was beyond zany and loud the entire time, but then the last few minutes he just disappeared into the house to change his clothes and look at his Pokemon cards... so we'll have to work on his social skills of actually saying goodbye to his friends, but thankfully they didn't seem to mind!

As his final birthday wish, Cameron got Wendy's for his dinner.  Chris went and picked up Texas Roadhouse at the same time, since the birthday buddies don't really agree on what makes up a special birthday dinner.  We watched a movie, ate homemade ice cream, and just like that, their birthdays were over!

 Happy Birthday Chris and Cameron!!

Striving for Summer

This has definitely been a bizarre year, but we have managed a few almost normal activities.  We have reserved a spot to go swimming a few times.  We wear our masks until we set down our towels, and then we can take them off to go swimming.  Kind of funny.  It is nice to have the pools not be crowded, though!

This is happening!  Kenzers has been rolling around parking lots all over town, and we've moved up to cruising the block in very quiet residential areas now.  She is very nervous, but gets better each time!

This is officially how my kitchen looks at any given moment lately.  It's been quite the undertaking to scrub out every drawer and cabinet and reorganize each drawer as I paint.   It's a little bonkers, but I'm making progress.

The pool closest to our house closed for a maintenance issue, so we made an appointment out at the West Jordan Pool instead.  It might have been more fun, actually, as the pool was slightly bigger and they were blasting '80s music, to the kids' delight.  It had a waterslide, too, which Cameron took full advantage of.  I could hear him coming down the tube by his "Woo-hoo!" and then when his head popped out of the water, he paused to give me a thumbs up before swimming to the side each time.  Kenzie and Parker were both sweet to their shorter little brother and gave him piggy back rides around the pool.

This picture amused the kids, so I had to include it.  The cat is thankfully over whatever was bothering her at the start of the pandemic, so she's back to just lounging all day in Kenzie's room in between begging the kids for treats.

Cameron got an early birthday present - a sprinkler that goes around the top of the trampoline.  He has enjoyed it quite thoroughly!

Kenzers has definitely been enjoying her summer vacation - we don't see her until past 10:00 each day, and she watches a ton of TV, but she also has been baking cookies regularly and has painted some.

Here she was the other day with her latest creations!  I thought they turned out pretty neat.  That's it for around here!