First and Fifth

 First Day of School.

The first morning of school went as smoothly as possible.  It wasn't until we almost reached the bus stop that I realized I hadn't taken any photos, so I raced home and grabbed my "cell" and grabbed a few shots before the school bus arrived...Phew!

First

Alivia was so excited for school to start again.  She even learned how to flat iron her hair. She was so proud that she did her own hair for school! 

Her teacher is Mrs. Teschendorf, I've heard great things about her and so far Alivia has loved having her. 

Here is her first day of school interview.

Fifth

Dylan had some trepidation about going back to school, and wasn't nearly as excited as Alivia to start school.  He will have four teachers this year.  He really loves his homeroom teacher Mrs Mosier, and excluding a couple of emotional breakdowns, he has been enjoying the new school year and new friends he's made.
Here is his first day of school interview.

These two were good sports sitting at the bus stop with me.  Isaac was broken hearted when I didn't let him board the bus.  Let's hope he is as enthusiastic about going to school and getting on a bus when he turns five. 

After the bus left I took Isaac and Abrielle on a stroll around our lake.  It was raining ever so softly and there was a beautiful rainbow, I thought it was a sign of good things to come, little did I know the rain storm we were going to get caught in later that day.

When it came time to get the kids from the school bus later that afternoon the sky was dark and cloudy.  Had the bus not been almost twenty minutes late, everything would have been just fine, but as luck would have it about two minutes before the school bus arrived the heavens opened wide and a downpour started.  We walked home in the pouring rain and were all soaked to the bone! 
We haven't started homework yet, so so far its been a great thing having the kids back in school.  I even had one day were Isaac and Abrielle both napped at the same time, and for an hour or so I had peace and quiet, it was so nice!

Summer Snippets

Where did the summer go?  My kids start school tomorrow and I can hardly believe it.
We spent a great deal of June hanging out in our neighborhood pool.
Come July we found ourselves on a road trip to Utah.  It was really important for me to make it back there this summer, and up until a day or two before we left I wasn't sure I was going to make it.  Thankfully things worked themselves out and I hurriedly packed the barest of necessities and left on a Wednesday afternoon.  I drove with the four kids for about 11 hours until we reached Lubbock Texas, where we checked into a hotel.  My nerves were totally shot from driving that far on a route I'd never been before, all by myself, knowing I still had two full days of travel ahead of me.  I'm surprised I even slept my anxiety was so high. 
The kids on the other hand had a great time swimming in the pool and watching the Disney channel (we have never had cable). 

             Since I was wrangling all the kids alone I didn't bother packing a camera, so cell phone pictures are all I have. 

I attempted twice to venture out to buy pizza but both times we found the restaurants had just closed.  The hotel we stayed in was fairly new and nice, but some of the surrounding neighborhoods were swarming with cops and gangsters, which didn't do a lot to help sooth my frazzled nerves. 
I didn't tell the kids where we were going, so it was fun to hear them guess and come up with theories.
The next morning we hit the road again.  About three hours into the drive we crossed into Albuquerque and the kids were ecstatic to learn we were headed to my sister's home there. We arrived in time to join my sister and some friends at a Fourth of July BBQ.  The kids finally learned that we were headed for Utah and they were so HAPPY, they have missed their grandparents and friends and cousins so much. 
My sister Heidi was kind enough to let us crash a day or so at her place and then we followed her up to Utah.  It was nice knowing I wasn't all alone. 
Maybe because I had been on the road for so long, or maybe I was just so anxious to get to Utah, but it felt like it took a lifetime to finally get there. 
We visited friends, and spent time with family.
Abrielle got both her bottom teeth. 

We went to dollar shows and an outdoor showing of UP in the mountains.
We had cousin sleepovers. 
We got together with old neighbors and had play dates.  
We got to attended our old church ward and got to catch up with old friends.

I cut my hair off, and wish I would have done it sooner.  Thanks to my sister Cozy for using one of her many talents to give me a set of beautiful lashes too. 

 Just a before shot of the hair, no after ones, my apologies.

We spent many a days at Seven Peaks Waterpark. 
We ate crap food, we laughed, we cried, we fought, and we played games.
We played around at the Highland splash park.  Where Alivia had the misfortune of splitting her head open.  Thankfully some super glue and some extra kind cousins made everything better. 

There were lemonade stands, and snail races.

 

There were fireworks and Pioneer Day.
There was the special privilege of being able to attend my sister Cozette's Patriarchal Blessing and the trips to the temple with my mom and all my sisters! 
Uncle Nyles took the kids to a Bee's baseball games and equipped them with baseball caps.

We got to meet Nyles baby girl Maicee, and Abrielle got to meet her Grandpa Ward, her Aunt Cozy, her Uncle Nyles and Uncle Eric, her great grandmothers Meda, and Blanche and her Grandma Diane and Grandpa Ernie.
I got my Indian food fix with my older brother Eric.
I had a date night with some old and very dear friends.
We had an unofficial family reunion of sorts too, it was great to get together with so many of our extended family.

Thanks Heidi for the great photos!

 After three plus weeks of partying it up it was time to go back home, because as much as we LOVE Utah and our friends and our family, there is no place like your own home.  Thankfully Derik flew in and drove us home.  I was determined to do my part of the driving so I started us off.  I drove six hours before I got to tired to drive any further, so I passed the wheels over to Derik.  He drove the rest of the way home which amounted to 24 more hours of driving.  30 hours in a car with four kids and a nursing infant is just way to LONG!  Pretty sure I wont be doing that voluntarily again, but we made it home safe and sound thankfully.  Three college boys doing the same trip we were, were not as fortunate as us and died in a one vehicle crash.

We have spent the last month or so baking in the Houston heat, IT IS SO HOT.
We've shopped for school supplies and school clothes. 
We've sweated!

I started reading parenting books....Four kids is like living inside a tornado and I simply don't know what to do with myself or the kids.
In my spare time I've been attempting to build us a new dining set.
We had meet the teacher night.
Dylan and I had the Sex talk...Sort of...
Alivia is thrilled to go back to school, Dylan not so much.  Having the kids back in school will be bitter sweet for me, hopefully more sweet than bitter this time around.
Summer, you came and went and we all survived, and quite frankly I find great satisfaction in saying that.