back at it

I'm a little late getting this post up. For some reason, the start of the school year has been a bit unceremonious around here. We have had a lot of other things going on, I guess. But Grace and Grant are super happy being back at school.

Grant started school two weeks ago, one week before Grace. He picked out his clothes, got himself dressed and made his bed. He confidently rode with his carpool (not his mama) to his first class. He was so happy and confident - we are so very grateful he gets this additional year in preschool.

Grace's school started last week. Earlier in the month, we went to Back to School night. Later we visited her new classroom and met with her teacher. Grace was in ecstasy. She could not wait to get back. I was glad for opportunities to meet with her teacher. Grace missed the first week of school for our final summer trip and I was pretty concerned about it turning into an ordeal. But her teacher was super great about it, and we enjoyed our extra week of vacation worry free.

Here she is on her first day of first grade. ("Actually mom, its more like my sixth day, only I missed the first five...") We are really excited for her. Grace qualified to be in an experimental program they are doing at her school called APEX (APplication and EXploration). She will be in a class of 1st graders who were selected based on standardized test scores. Her class isn't designed to move more quickly through the curriculum, rather it is designed to cover the curriculum in greater depth. We think the challenge will be great for Gracie, as she is constantly on the look out for additional projects and things to work on.

summer wrap

School is getting started all over the place in Phoenix. Grant starts his final year of preschool next Monday, and Grace will begin after our reunion trip with my family. Some days, I'm so glad, for me and for Grace and Grant, that school and regular schedules are right around the corner. Other days, I'm so glad it is still summer break. Here is a peek at what our summer days have looked like. 

Swimming is a nearly daily occurance. Consequently, many of our other summer activities are done in our swimmies - or our pjs, as we mostly change from pjs to swim suits back into pjs during the week.

We did summer movie club this year. 10 viewings of pre-released films swimming in gloriously air conditioned theater seats for $7 a person? Yes please! We rarely go to the theater anyway, so the movies were all new to us and going to the movie theater was completely exciting for the kids. 

These three love a good project. They spent the better part of a day turning these boxes into race cars. I never did get good pictures of the final results. Many games of Mario Cart were played from these front seats afterwords. So many random things around the house were turned into art projects ...

One Saturday, Cori and I drove down south to attend the baptism of one of his cousin's children, and then to go to the Mesa Temple. We got caught in a decent haboob while on the road. The dust storms tend to blow south to north and by the time they reach our house they have lost a lot of their juice. So it was entertaining for us to be in the midst of one so strong! The raindrops were more like mud drops and the car was filthy afterwords.

We (mostly ME) have tried very hard to have quiet time everyday. It is meant to take place during the first chunk of Eden's nap time. I tried unsuccessfully to separate Grace and Grant for this. Thought they might like a break from each other. But it really ended up working better for them to be together. The G's will read for a while and then are allowed to play a game (non-video) or create quietly with items from the art cabinet. I set the kitchen timer for 40-60 minutes and they know they need to give Mommy some space until they hear the timer go off. Invariably, there are squables in need of refereeing, paper cuts in need of band-aiding, and (my favorite) poopy bums in need of assistance (seriously, every. single. day. It's like they hold it until quiet time) and my quiet time is anything but. At the very least, it has given some structure to our days at home.

Once the timer sounds, I try to wrap up whatever I'm in the middle of to go swimming with them before Eden wakes up. It is just easier to swim without that little daredevil.

One rule of summer Phoenix living is to limit the amount of cooking that gets done in the kitchen. We have made good use of the grill this year. Also, Cori got this sweet dutch oven set up for Father's day and we tried a few back yard recipes - mostly in preparation for our recent camping trip where we weren't even allowed to use them. 

We finally got a little basket ball hoop in the back yard, and Grant has worked diligently on his free throw. 

Many, many workbook pages have been completed and then transformed into other art projects. 

 Oh, this baby girl. My heart could pop.

We have had a couple of swim parties. This picture is from an FHE we had with a couple of families in our neighborhood. I was sure to delegate the lesson. :) Thanks again, Minds!

 We saw a bit more monsoon action this year. It has been incredibly refreshing. 

Every morning before the G's can do anything else, we have morning chores. Morning chores include getting neat and ready for the day (or for swimming), making beds, eating breakfast, and doing a chore as assigned by me. They've been pretty good about it.

Piano lessons have been a bit sporadic, but we've done our best to keep up with it. I love how Grace is still dripping wet with goggles on. 

We don't have to be too sad about the vacation part of summer ending as the hot weather part of summer will stick around until Halloween. Still plenty of swim time ahead. In any case, summer 2012 has been a good one! 

In our NP Passports: Bryce Canyon

Like I mentioned, we spent a day (my birthday:)) at Bryce Canyon National Park. There are some pretty spectacular things to see in there. We drove the route, took a little hike, and ate our picnic lunch just in time to run to the car. The afternoon storms rolled in right on cue. 

Looking down then up the trail on our way to Wall Street.

We hiked the hoodoos! This was the picture I was meant to show the park ranger at the visitors' center to get the kids some Jr. Ranger badges. Our camera died as I was getting the picture up. Fortunately, he took my scout's honor promise of the picture's existence and everyone got a shiny badge to take home.

The clouds rolling in made for an impressive view. They also made for a great hiking incentive.

The drive had several gorgeous lookouts. The grown ups took advantage of the scenery...

... and the cousins took advantage of the time out of the car to be silly. Papa Ray always had one or two hanging off of him.

It's okay Grace. We know you didn't do it.

The best view of all! 

camping at panguitch lake

The good and faithful people in Utah have been praying and fasting and praying and then praying some more for rain. So we were cautious not to complain too much about the weather that came. It poured every afternoon and every night. We did our best to keep children and supplies from getting too soggy. All the cousins didn't mind the storms at all. And, despite the inconveniences, it was a lovely change for us Phoenicians to have cool, rainy weather. For all that, the camp hosts were holding fast to the fire restrictions. So, no campfires and no charcoal. Thank goodness Grammie and Papa brought their trailer. Without their oven, we wouldn't have had much to eat!

Eden and I had some good times in the tent. She was a sport about staying out of the rain. 

The kids got to play a couple rounds of Go Fish in Grammie and Papa's truck whilst waiting for some clouds to clear out.

A few fishing outings were made. There was a lot of smack talk amongst the men folk regarding fishing prowess.

Cori, Grace, Ashton and Papa Ray booked it to shore just in time to get some shelter from a deluge. Grace ended up having the only snag of the trip, thus winning the fishing competition. Moments later...

Back at camp we had golf shoes, horse shoes, cousin playtime (and slumber parties) in Grammie and Papa's trailer, bike rides around camp, family meals and no cell phone reception. Perfection! Oh, and more rain.

Craft time. Grace only knows how to go for the gusto.

Rain or shine, everyone kept a great attitude and we had a fun being together. We were scheduled to be there 4 nights. On night 3, we had a particularly fierce rainstorm. All night long I kept thinking, "The rain can't get much louder. That lightning can't get much brighter." And all night long it kept getting louder and brighter. The rain continued into the morning. We decided to call it good and packed up. We got to spend the day with Arianne's family in Enoch and then spent the night in St. George at Sandy and Ray's condo in St. George.