Let's catch up. . .

 On the 2nd Pete had a meet in Kimberly. It was a hot day, but the kids did so well! A lot of kids got PR's including Pete who ended up taking 9th with Keegan coming in right after him at 10th place. Kendal was down in Pocatello that same day. My parents were able to go up and watch her run that day. She finished in the top 3rd of her heat. She was grateful to have her grandparents there cheering her on! That evening we watched some Kimberly Football and ended with Bryker playing on the Filer JV against our team. Alice was so happy to pal around with Naomi and Jemma that afternoon / evening! 

Pete had a party for Ryder and Gunner's birthday on the 3rd. It was a Nerf party that he'd been looking forward to for weeks! 

Billie got us in on a conference fantasy challenge this year where we had to pick the order of speakers, songs, scriptures, topics, etc. Sally's family, Billies family, and Lisa were in on it with us. It kept us more engaged throughout conference. It was crazy to hear no temples announced and we didn't have a Prophet announced yet because Nelson's funeral was the following Tuesday, but it was a great couple of days with a lot of uplifting messages. Pete even took third out of everyone in the challenge. (Spoiler we've found out since that Elder Oaks is our new prophet with Eyring and Chrisofferson as his counselors.)

I got to join Alice for Activity Day's on the 7th. Her group was headed on a nature walk / hunt and they needed people to drive so I joined in. I was with a pack of girls and we went around doing nature rubbing and finding things we could hear, see, smell, and touch around the Twin Falls park. The girls had fun rolling around the hills, finding sticks and other things to mess with, and overall exploring. 

Pete had his meet in Filer on the 7th. It was at 3pm on an A day so Casey and I didn't make it out to the meet. Pete got 21st that day. He said he went to hard at the beginning and lost steam at the end. Kendal had a bye week that week so she didn't run. 

Pete went to the haunted swamp with his group of buddies on the 10th. He had a blast and always has a great time with friends. Kendal was off that evening with Hope to Jump time then watched a movie here that night. (Honestly most weekends she's off with friends for either one or both evenings and often part of her Saturday's). 

This week was the Gooding meet on the 14th. It was Pete's last meet of the year (last Middle School meet ever) and Kendal was there so I took half a day to go watch them! Pete got 12th place out of 150 boys. He did so great and we're so proud of his hard work this season. He fought some mental blocks along the way, but showed up time and time again growing and shining this season in many ways! Kendal's run had JV and Varsity together so she came in about the middle of the pack with a season record so she's happy with her time! Kendals' season will end this week (not a state contender this year). 

 

This is what happens when you think your phone is turned around taking pictures of your son and you get five of this face yelling at Pete to run!!

Our quarter ended this last week so we had Friday off of school. Casey and I went on a date to the temple to do sealings, then out to lunch at a Tai place, ended with an ever romantic trip to the grocery store. We spent the afternoon taking care of the yard and garden preparing for this winter. Saturday was more chill. Cleaned and chores, and Casey started on Kendal's nightstand. I ended the day with some weird vertigo / dizzyness so I had to tap out and go to bed early while Casey and Pete watched the BYU vs UofU game, and Kendal was off with friends. 

Kendal and Pete ended their quarter with straight A's! These two are putting in a lot of work at school this year and are seeing the results! Alice continues to shine at school and even though she got in trouble a bit for talking to much in class she's doing great and having a good year so far as well. Casey's got a great group of students this year, seriously a good group compared to many in recent years. I'm still having hard days with my classes, but I'm trying my best in all things and hope that I'm making a difference. 

Yes this one still finds my phone and takes silly / cute pictures. Alice may not be a highlight as much as her siblings these days because of sports, but she's very much doing her thing and loving life. She's been doing a stronger girls club at school this month. She loves being apart of the group and had a lot of fun doing it. She'll start basketball in a couple of weeks. 

Racing the month away.

Family walk pictures the evening of the 7th. 

Kendal and Pete had their Magic Mountain Meet on the 11th! I took the afternoon off of school so I could head up and see Kendal and Pete run. I drove up in rain, but luckily the middle school races had sunshine. I ended up helping out at the finish line so my view of their races was minimal. Kendal's race started overcast with thunder in the distance but no lightning let them start. Well about 15 min. into the run it started to rain and then the skies opened up and "all hail broke loose". Everyone had to seek cover right away, I tried to stay out for the last handful of runners, but only lasted so long before I was getting hurt from the pelting hailstones. The last few girls came in with welts all up their arms and they had to cancel the H.S. boys races. Pete got 17th place out of 123 boys! Kendal was 57th out of 87 girls. Both worked hard and since it's one of the harder races going up and down a mountain it's pretty cool. (Definitely unforgettable with the hailstorm.)

We hopped down to Utah that Saturday to have our annual Boondocks fun for Campbell's birthday. The kids always have a great time and had fun doing all of the activities. We spent the evening having dinner and hanging out at Andy's house for a bit as well.

Kendal got asked to homecoming on the 14th! She was asked by Peyton Pettingill a nice young man she's known for a long time. 

We had homecoming week the following week. Casey and I did our best to dress up, and Kendal did a few days (Pete didn't really care), but Alice was all in the whole week! 

Friday of homecoming week was Kendal and Peter's race in Twin. My parents came up to see the kids race and spend the weekend with us so Kendal had some extra cheer for her during her early race at 11:00. Pete's run was later at 3:30 so the rest of us were able to see the homecoming parade before the end of school and then we headed out to watch Pete race. Pete got a side ache and fell back getting 33rd place out of 214 boys. We don't know Kendal's results didn't go through for her race (none of the girls in the race clocked in), but she came in the top 1/3 of the runners in her heat. 

After the meet Casey, Kendal, and Pete headed off to the homecoming game for the night. Alice had a birthday party in town at Pizza Pie cafe for Sophie so it was just my parents and I at Idaho Joe's for the dinner. 

Saturday we did a couple of outside things and projects with my dad. I took my Mom and the girls into town that afternoon to Barnes and Noble and Hobby Lobby. Pete got to go have a cook out and rode horses with Jaiden Pettingil (yes - Kendal's date's brother is Pete's age!). He had a fun time that night too!

Kendal had her day date in the morning. Peyton picked her up and they went to play pickleball and games with her group then had waffles at one of the boy's house. I tortured Kendal by dolling her up for her date before she was picked up. Peyton came and got her and they headed out for pictures with their group as well as dinner at the Brownings home. After dinner they played games and then went to the dance for a while. They were going to do a bonfire after the dance, but didn't stay for much of it because most of the group needed to get home. Kendal kept saying the experience was awkward but fun. (first date and first dance all in one weekend, put together by a bunch of 15 yr old boys - probably - great memories made - definitely!)

 

 

My parents spent Sunday with us before heading home that evening. 

This week Kendal had a bye week for Cross Country. So no meet, but they put in some really hard days of practice - Kendal went about 10 miles one day and 6 another. They had a team bonding night on Tuesday over at Pizza Pie cafe and the mini golf place. Pete had his meet in Buhl. Casey and I grabbed Alice quick after school and jetted over with minutes to spare before Pete's race. Pete finished 13th out of 87 boys. I think he was a bit bummed by his placing since there were a lot of Kimberly kids in the top 10. He lost confidence in himself and let that get to him a bit. (There's so much mental game for these kids as they run it's a long time out their with your own thoughts and other athletes surrounding you and it takes a lot of physical and mental strength to conquer and do your best.)

Bit less of Alice since it's not her sports season. She's had a couple of fun activities with her Valiant Day's group. They had a birthday party for President Nelson, and then made conference journals last week. Alice is loving school this year and according to Vanessa is opening up more at school. She does piano when pushed, and still loves to craft and read.