First Day of School

I can't figure out why school starts halfway through August.  That's so freakin' early!  In elementary school in Oregon, we never started before Labor Day.  I feel like we get the end of summer stolen from us!

Jossy started 2nd grade this year, Matty 5th.

Lacey gets to do preschool at home with me this year, and Alice of course gets to join us.

Even though I was sad to see the carefree days of summer over, I'll admit this was the first year I felt really ready to send them both back.  I needed the fighting in the house to chill out.  I hate playing homework taskmaster and packing lunches every night, but it's the price I pay for a little more peace during the day.  Matty's homework has been insane this year.  He's in the ALL(gifted) program for the first time, and it definitely moves fast and requires a lot!  He's holding his own, but it's been challenging for both of us to deal with.

A Few Random of Summer

  Lots of dance performances, always with dramatic endings

Endless Lego building

Learning how to use fondant

Entertaining oneself

Many beautiful sunsets

Swim Lessons June '15

I was ON THE BALL this year with swim lessons!  Normally we take them at the end of summer because I put it off, but THIS year I was determined to get them done early so that we could focus on other things like puppy rearin'.  As timing would have it, Cedar joined our family 2 days before lessons started.  She had to learn very quickly to be on her own a few hours each day in her cage.

All 4 kids took lessons this year.  Alice and I did a "Mommy and Me" class together.  I was surprised how much she learned!  We purposefully scheduled our lessons with another family in our ward so that everyone had a friend in their class, even Alice and I.  It was a fun 2 weeks!  On the last day of class, everyone got to go down the big slide and play.  Dan came and took pictures for us.