Fall Sports!

We're back to being a swimming family!  We did a couple years of rec summer league swimming, and I loved it.  The kids also liked it.  But then COVID and they closed our community pool.  But when the girls decided to do swim team I was so excited.  It's made life totally chaotic.  But worth it!  Derek drives to practice at SW.  Then Libby takes his car and drives Sarah to practice.  So then later I have to go pick him up (or drop a car for him) as he is usually done before they are.  (Their practice is from 4:30 to 6:00 pm.) And meets are before my school even gets out--at 3:00 or 3:30 pm on Tues/Thurs.  So I've got someone covering my class so I can skip out early.  I get no after school planning time on those days...so it's a bit of a mess.  But Derek can't cover it, so I'm in!  (And it's super fun to watch.)  

Our team has 50+ swimmers, so its a big team. It's reunited Sarah with one of her fav elementary school friends (whose mom works with me--and I LOVE :). Libby feels like she's getting stronger and faster (she even got into a varsity heat on Thursday.) Sarah has mixed feelings about her performance, but is enjoying it for sure.  She is only sad that she's missing some choir rehearsals for swim meets.  Can't be everywhere.  Anyway, so happy to be back poolside.  This week things get even more chaotic, as Ben starts football games at Einstein.  He's the smallest kid by far, so he'll likely be playing in the "5th" quarter, the JV time.  That's great, because I won't have to rush out of school to try and get there.

Derek is coaching at SW--he's the head C team coach (it was just freshman, now they've given him sophomores too).  They aren't having a winning year, per say, but he's enjoying it.  

So basically I'm home for dinner by myself a lot, with Ben wandering in from the activity bus before I'm done eating, the girls coming in as we're cleaning up, and me sometimes going to get Derek mid dinner.  But I'm sort of loving this chaotic season of life.  (Also, so far the weather's been nice...I'm not excited about being outdoors as the weather gets worse...even the girl's pool is outdoors.  Brrrr...)

Anyway, happy fall! 

First Week of Seminary

 You might think the first week of seminary wouldn't be blog worthy.  And normally I'd say it wasn't really.  The first few days were fun.  (And I enjoyed the lead up too--setting up a classroom is fun :).  I LOVE my co-teacher.  So amazing.  

The first two days were fun.

And then on day 3, when we got to the church, it had been broken into and ransacked.  The worst part for us was that the thief smoked in the seminary room, and also stole the 2 cell phones and 2 backpacks that we had prepared for the Thursday escape room.  UGH! They also stole all our candy (yes, we are into bribery.) 

So that was interesting.  I was scared to, but my co-teacher took kids around the building to check to see if anyone was still there.  Then they took pictures of the damage.  It wasn't too extensive because the thief broke into a lock box outside and stole a key.  So most of the doors were accessible inside.  Just the clerks office got kicked in.  The TVs were untouched.  

We did end up sneaking in a lesson after we moved to a non-smoking room.  (Thankfully the smell was gone by Thursday.)

Anyway, I am going to love this calling.  It's a fun group of kids...who I already know quite well from working in YW.  I am happy to be able to do more teaching of the gospel.

I'll be teaching on T/TH.  It'll make for very tight mornings.  But I'm excited.

Cup stacking and bonding activity on day one. 

Escape room work on Day 4. 

Some Day 3 photos...Libby said it was the best day of Seminary ever.  Haha. 

First Day of School!

5th grade...again. 

Junior Year!!

Sarah off to high school!!

Ben in 7th grade

 Yeah.  Wow. Another year.  I've got  class that seems like they are going to be great.  I'm working with a team that is new to elementary school--so I'm helping out a fair amount.  But I don't mind.  I feel like it's going to be good.

Oh yeah, and that new calling?  Seminary teacher.  Yes! I knew it.  And I'm really excited.  I get to just focus on teaching the gospel.  I did my first week of seminary still running YW.  This week the new presidency was called.  I am released!  I'll probably still go this week, as the new president is out of town.  But that is a big weight off my shoulders! 

The Rest of Summer...

 I was really excited to blog about each of our fun individual weeks this summer.  And then we were finally home.  And I had lots of time.  And I just gardened.  And did yoga.  And listened to lots and lots of books.  And somehow it didn't seem blog worthy.  Until all of a sudden a month had gone by.  And now school has started!  And I have a new calling.  And yeah.  

So here's the rest of summer in a few photos.

We went on the ward campout at Cascade Park.  It was lovely.  

Andrew participated in the talent night--following along as Ben led everyone in the Macarena. It was hilarious. 

We brought Libby's boyfriend Andrew again...he's always welcome for camping.  He's super helpful.  

We spent a lot of time doing appointments.  Ben went to the eye doctor (twice) because his vision therapy doc doesn't contacts.  So he got glasses from one doctor, and is trying contacts from another.  He hasn't been very successful at getting them in.  But he's going to try his real ones this week to see if he could do it. All 3 kids got their sports physicals updated.  

I hosted a Top Chef style YW activity.  The food was yummy!  The girls did a great job cooking! 

I should take more pics of my yard, because it was amazing this year! (Still is, so I'll try to get some this week.) 

Ben went to Roche Harbor for the last week of summer.  We really missed him!  

But he had a blast. 

Libby and Sarah started swim team practice on August 21st (7:00 am :/).  But it put them both in a really good mood, reconnected Sarah with some of her elementary school friends, and was a great end to summer.  

We had our traditional gathering with the Walkers and Stephens for Labor Day.  But we forgot to take pictures.  I had already had some teacher work days...I had just one day left to prepare for the big day...

So yeah, while this summer started with some of the hardest things I've ever been through, and hope I ever will go through...it was a summer with lots of friends, family and fun.  I wasn't ready to go back to school.  But I was ready for my kids to go back!