Back To School 2015

The big day came. It was a great day for everyone! We have no new schools this year and Eli and Emma both are enjoying not being the young ones on campus anymore:) Next year we'll have no one on at the Jr High for just that year.

Dana walked to school with us for the first day :)


I went into to the girls' school and took their teacher pictures. Sadie has Ms. Gerber who seems wonderful!


And for 5th Holly has Mrs. Kelly but they're trying a new program where they switch classes for different subjects, so she actually only has her for a few mins in the morning and AP hour in the afternoon (to finish any unfinished work). We are LOVING the 5th grade team so far! 
Holly volunteered for student council and she gets to be in ALP for the first time.

Eli and Emma both seem to have great teachers and good classes as well!
We're off to a great start for the school year.

Summer Wrap-Up

We had an awesome summer. It was hardest it's ever been for me to gear up for school and schedules again. Here are some of the reasons why:

The girls were in a fun singing group. They sang songs from musicals and put on a great performance.


We had an awesome "girls" book club. We were going to discuss "Land of Stories", when my friend found out the author, Chris Colfer, was going to be in Mesa doing a book signing the very same night our book club was planned! So the girls had pretty memorable bookclub.

We started with pizza and discussing the book.


Then we went to the venue and listened to him talk about his book and being an author.


And last, the girls got to have him sign their books and meet him!

He looks a little tired :)

We went to Sunsplash.


We had lots of playtime. And swimsuit time.

This is actually a sad picture because two of these girls moved away with their family to Idaho. They also took their mom with them (how dare they!) who was one of my favorite people :(

We ignored bedtime alot.


The kids love going running with dad when it finally cools down to 95 or so at night.


More bedtime ignoring...
Holly reading Anne of Green Gables to Sadie.


We hit a D-Backs game.

I think Emma was babysitting.


Up high but dead center :)


They were pretty excited about getting cotton candy AND kettle corn.

My best friend Hiedi came to visit :)

Love her forever.

Our kids are growing up.


Especially these two big girls.


I got to have a cute dinner helper for two whole weeks while Emma passed off a Personal Progress experience.

That was just plain awesome.

Finally, I came to terms with the fact that school was coming whether I was ready or not. The girls got to find out who their teachers were...


I spent too much on 4 pairs of converse (They were all dying for new Converse) and back to school clothes. (Okay- I admit to liking that part) (the spending no, but the shopping, yes:).



All those never-ending forms, supplies to sort out, plus 3 back to school nights! Yep- I could've done summer awhile longer.

Except- the fall weather always calls my name :)

Pioneer Day

I think this is the first year we've actually sort of celebrated Pioneer Day! First we had a family night lesson about our pioneer ancestors.
As you can see, we really dug into the pioneer spirit. That's Sadie being a boy. Haha:)


I read from my great, great, great grandfather, Mads Christensen's autobiography, and the kids acted it out :)

These are 3 brothers from Denmark migrating to America.

Then on Pioneer Day, Amy asked if we wanted to go to a celebration at the Mesa temple. She even supplied some appropriate apparel.


Love that these cousins love each other so much!

They had a lot more people show up than they had expected, so the missionaries running the show seemed a little overwhelmed. The kids were pretty much on their own to try and figure out how to use this homemade pioneer toy.

But once they did, they loved it!

Emma too :)


Of course there was a little stick-pulling competition.


Since it was Mesa in July, it was hot so we went inside the visitor's center to cool off.


Then we went to a little story time performance in the visitor's center. These cute older missionaries led the kids in a little dance.

Fun stuff!

Hopefully we'll be better about remembering the sacrifices made, and celebrating the pioneer's accomplishments each year!