Changes

 The kids had their basketball camp for three days (9th - 11th) a couple of weeks ago. Both enjoyed the camp and worked on their skills! Alice liked the playground at the house the first couple of days. She even hugged a tree (because that's what you do when you have tree's). Thankfully Casey was back from Boise Wednesday and he took them to camp while I had Alice and Jemma. It was our last day with Jemma, she came in potty training mode - which ended up in a couple of accidents, but I made sure it was a good last day. (Truthfully Alice has really missed Jemma and even had a a good cry over it this week over not seeing her and playing with her. We've had Jemma a couple of times a week for the last two years so it's a big change not to have her around regularly.)

On the 12 Kendal got to go into the school and finish her school registration, wander the school, and try out her locker combo. She's been so excited to start school. She's counted down the days and asked a hundred questions about middle school and all of the things. Casey and I made sure to squeeze in a Temple trip on the 12th as well. I felt spoiled to go back twice this summer and do a couple of sessions with Casey. Our Temple closes soon for two months of deep cleaning so we were happy to get in. The 12th also happened to be National Middle child day, we ended up doing a movie night at home so Casey took Peter out the next day for a volcano soda. The kids also earned their summer rewards for reading, doing math and typing and completing chores and such all summer. Kendal and Peter got a Harry Potter Lego set and Alice got a giant coloring book! 

Saturday I had a leadership training as part of Stake conference. (Casey took Alice out to learn how to Jump robe while I was gone. It failed, but was funny he said.) That evening all the kids went to the Dansie's while us adults went to eat at Guppies then to the adult session of Stake Conference. Sunday we set out to continue Alice's bike riding skills. She can do it ok, but is being a stink and wants to rely on Daddy too much. We found the most success playing a game where she "ran away" (biking away) from Casey and he or the other two tried to play catch. She can bike on her own but tends to focus on one thing and ends up running into it - meaning the curb - over and over again. She can do it, we know it, she just has to believe it too! 

Alice got to start on her Waterford (online) preschool last week (16th). She's always liked to have computer time because she feels big like Peter and Kendal, and she's jumped right into preschool She's already learned her right from her left hand. Spacial awareness - over under, and she's worked on some pre reading skills. 

I started back on the 17th with new hire training and Casey went back to work on the 18th. My week was filled with meetings on top of meetings and in between I spent time at the school working in the library. Casey had his usual schedule and was gone all day. The kids were such troopers to deal without me for random times throughout the week. The kids had back to school night on Thursday. First we went over to the Elementary school to meet Mr. Zunino and drop off supplies, then over to the hustle and bustle of the middle school. Kendal met her slew of teachers and continued to figure out the middle school and her locker. Friday ended up being the worst with me being gone a lot so I grabbed the kids and they got to hang out with Casey in his classroom while I did another training. We rewarded the kids Friday night with an outing to pizza pie cafe for a long week of handling things like champs.

The Youth in the ward had a boat regatta on the 18th. Each group built boats on their own to race out at Murtagh lake. Casey's group used a pallet and pvc pipe. Kendal's group used a bunch of floatie tubes. The priests one, but there were some cool boats, and fun had by all. Peter went to watch the fun and wanted to help and be apart of it all. I kept Alice home knowing she would've hated the wind and iffy weather. 

 Alice and Peter got to start swim lessons last week as well! Alice is loving it and doing so well with her class (she would do better if she'd sit still and listen to her teacher though)! Peter is working hard on his skills and is improving each lesson. 

Alice was standing on the edge of the tub and fell in during her bath on the 19th. She got a good gash in her forehead. Thankfully Brad ( our bishop) is a Dr. we went over to his house and after a debate between stitches and glue we decided to try our luck and hope glue would be enough. Alice was brave through it all being good being calm for Brad. Her cut seems to be healing even if the glue looks gnarly on her forehead after a week. 

 I gave the boys hair cuts that weekend and Alice even got a couple of inches trimmed so they would be back to school ready. We decided to take a short trip to Burley and go to the Cassia County fair on the 21st. We walked around the 4H buildings and the animals. Alice was enamored with the rabbits and wanted to be far away from the cows. Peter didn't want to leave the Lego area in the 4H building. It was overcast and windy, but we were fine. We had a yummy lunch and then watched some horse races. Kendal got to hang out with some YW friends and decorate cookies for her YW advisors birthday that night. 

Our last day of Summer was on the 23rd. Casey and I worked in the morning while the kids were at home. The kids and I joined some friends and went to the city pool for a couple of hours in the afternoon. The kids had so much fun playing around together! 

The kids started school on Tuesday (24th)! Kendal and Peter were up early and eager to get to school! Alice did some online preschool before I took her to day care (Sadie's) as I headed off to work for a few hours. Alice wasn't happy to see me when I came because she still wanted to play. Kendal and Peter had a good first day of school and overall a good first week! I got a lot done at work so we can be ready and we even got to start classes on Friday. Truthfully I felt overwhelmed for a couple of days getting the hand of the computer side of my job, but I feel comfortable and more confident now so things are going well. Casey had a good first week as well and even though his plate is full with PBIS (a new student behavior / care program) and he's team leader this year he'll do a great job! He's also picked up slack with dinner since I'm busy / taking kids to swim he's lifted my load quite a bit. Alice is slowly adjusting to day care. It's a big change, and there will be more once her in person preschool starts. Overall she likes going and is doing fine with Sadie and the kids she watches (if only she wasn't a picky eater).

Thursday evening Casey took Peter to the JV game for a bit. I came to the school later with the girls. Casey got Alice and took her home while Kendal and I stayed for Volleyball tryouts. I volunteered again to help coach volleyball. We did and observation night and then drafted the teams. We'll see what the next month + looks like for the girls - hopefully a good season! Peter will start soccer sometime after Labor Day weekend. 

The Dansie's had us and a few families over to celebrate back to school on Friday night. The kids watched Matilda in the backyard while the adults talked and hung out on the patio. 

The Dansie's also hosted a kid triathlon Saturday that we joined in on. The kids biked five miles, ran one, and swam in Dirkies lake. There was a big kid division and a little kid division. Alice refused to ride her bike or run, but she did swim! Peter almost got first in the bike race, but took a wrong turn and had to come back, he hated the run and Casey who biked and ran with the kids said he walked / complained most of the time. Peter also let the lake scare him and he didn't swim well (mostly clung to the dock as if a fish or the lake weeds were going to get him). Kendal came in third on bikes and the middle of the pack on running. She swam along with Peter so when he stopped she often did as well. After the triathlon the kids played around at Dirkies for another hour. That evening we had a ward party. The kids played around the park with all of their buddies and on a big bounce pad. Casey got pulled into a football game, I followed Alice and got to chat with friends. 

A couple of weeks back in our Stake conference they announced a new stake would be formed and ward changed at a regional conference. So today we had the regional conference. Our stake lost 800 members to the formation of the Twin Falls west Stake, and each ward boundary in our Stake was shifted to accommodate new size and growth. Our ward lost Ballards way (which is so very sad - so many friends). Kendal and Peter are devastated and I'm sad to see so many friends go - even though the kids will see their buddies the other days of the week at school it's definitely going to be a hard transitions on Sundays. We gained a lot of members that used to be in the Kimberly 3rd ward. I'm unsure of ages and numbers, but we our primary went from 129 kids, down to 53 and we aren't sure how many we'll gain back adding the 3rd ward members. I've been on multiple group texts today lamenting over the loss of such a wonderful ward; however as every testimony given today said change and growth are good things; it's a part of what we do. Truthfully it hits even harder because there have been a lot of changes for our family this month. The kids are all in different schools this year, I started back to work - thus changing home life for everyone, Casey's added new roles at school, and now our ward will be so very different. One day at a time - we can do hard things. 

And a few extra pics of Alice - she's discovered how to turn on our phones and take selfies.