First Day of School!

All of the kids had a great first day of school...even the 8th grader thank goodness! I was in a rush to get the oldest to the jr. high, so we took these pics when they got home, and look--they still had a smile on their faces! I guess it helps that there are WAY more cute guys here then there were at their old school (so I'm told...)! YAY for them--and uh oh...for me! Abby and Josh loved their new teachers, and had a great day also! Ashlie started preschool on Tuesday, and was happy until we actually got there, then she had a little breakdown. I felt bad leaving her, but when I came back she was all smiles, and she couldn't wait to go back the next day! Poor Jack, he didn't really know what to do with himself all day, so he just followed me around the house and whined. I think he was a little lonely! Good day!

Grand Tetons & the BREAKDOWN (no, it wasn't a mental breakdown)!

I am finally getting around to blogging the end of our RV trip! We traveled out of Yellowstone and went into Grand Teton National Park, only we didn't really ever realize that we were in the national park, so we really kind of flew by it and missed it. Not really, I mean you couldn't miss beautiful mountains like these:I just mean we were all the way through the park before we realized we were in it, and we were in Jackson where there weren't really any picnic areas or anything. Todd stopped to buy me a christmas ornament at one of the stores, and we ate lunch. We were planning on camping overnight, but the RV had started to leak transmission fluid pretty heavily, and we decided to try to make it back to my sisters just in case we had to get it fixed before we could go home. We needed to be home by Monday so the girls wouldn't miss their registration for Highland Jr. High. We made it to just outside Logan, Utah when the RV completely gave out on us! Todd got out to look at the transmission, and there was just this huge puddle where it had leaked out all over the place. There was none left! So here we are, stranded on the side of the road, with 10 kids and no cell phone service--of course. Todd said a few choice words, then I started to pray--and within a few minutes a highway patrol officer stopped to offer assistance. We were so grateful to see him (although we were trying to keep the kids from coming out so he didn't see how many people we had packed into this RV with 4 seatbelts!). He called my sister, who was just grateful we were alive when the dispatcher called her--she thought we had an accident or something! She brought us some transmission fluid, and we were able to get it into town to a trucking shop to get looked at. When Todd and I finally got to Wendy's house, it was almost midnight! The people told us that they wouldn't be able to get to the RV until Monday to look at it--so we were pretty much stuck!

We decided to rent a car so we could get home for registration--since the girls were starting a new school, we would feel bad if they missed it--so we got on our way on Sunday morning and made the LONG drive back--13 hours! Ugh... They wouldn't do a one-way rental either, so Todd and I left on Tuesday morning to go and pick up the RV and bring it home--13 more hours Ugghh! We turned right around that night and drove a few hours so that we could be back on Wednesday, which was Emie and Erin's open house at the school. The RV worked great--thank goodness, but it was even slower going on the way back--15 hours. UUGH! If I never drive to Utah again it will be TOO SOON! What a terrible drive--although I have to tell you it was MUCH better with no kids! :)

All in all, I would say that traveling in the motorhome was a great way to travel, we are already thinking about doing it again next year--we are just praying that it will make it with no problems! It was a very fun trip though, and tons of memories for my kids and their cousins! We had a blast!

Mixed Feelings...

So tomorrow is the first day of school, and normally I would be ecstatic--I mean, don't get me wrong, I love my kids, but when they are all home it is even more chaotic than usual at this house! I am happy when they go back to school and get back on a schedule, and things are more quiet here during the day. This year, though, I really have to say that I enjoyed this summer more than any other! We moved right in the first week of summer, and my house was in the middle of a remodel (still is...somewhat), so I wasn't worried all summer about keeping the house clean. I mean, we still picked things up, but we didn't have friends dropping by, or church callings, so I really wasn't that worried about my house being clean. I knew that I was going to be in the middle of a move, so I was also careful not to sign them up for very much this summer. All in all...if you could have a perfect summer, this was it! We enjoyed each other, slept in, bagged the schedule, vacationed, barbequed, swam, and had a great time!

While I am grateful to get the kids back on a normal schedule, (and I know that it's better for them) I am a little sad to be losing them, and to have to worry about homework, piano practice, chores, practices, reading, and just all of the stress that comes with school. I will really miss them, all of them, (yes, even my Josh...) :)! I am also so nervous for my two oldest, going to a new junior high, and wading their way through the halls where they know very few people. I want them to know how proud I am of them, and how much I love them! You will do great--I know it! I am so grateful for my beautiful family, and the fun summer we had together--you guys are the BEST! I love you!

Rerun...

I posted this last year...about this time! Enjoy!...

Is it time yet???

'Twas the week before school starts, and all through my house,

There was no rest for the weary--namely me or my spouse.

The new backpacks were hung by the back door with care,

With Mom and Dad hoping Aug. 11th soon would be there.
The children weren't spending much time in their beds.

Visions of video games danced in their heads.
And mom in her sweatpants and I in my cap,

Couldn't remember the last time we had a nap!
When in the family room there arose such a clatter,

I rose wearily from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away from my sight children flew like a flash
I didn't do it" I heard them say in a mad dash.
When what to my wondering eyes should I see,
This HUGE MESS staring back at me!
Someone must be responsible--this is so lame!
I yelled and I screamed, and I called them by name:
Hey ABBY, Hey JOSH, come here ASHLIE SUE!
Yes EMIE, and ERIN, and JACK come here too!
From the front room door to the downstairs hall,

Clean it up, clean it up, clean it up ALL!
I'm tired of this house always being a dive,

If it's not cleaned in five minutes, you might not be ALIVE!

Your Mom is too tired, and your Dad is worn out,

Torturing parents is what summer is about!
So we are hanging in there, just one more week,

It's peace and quiet, and solitude that we seek!

So parents everywhere--it's a call to UNITE!

Let's get the kids back to school--

and then we'll PARTY ALL NIGHT!!!!!!

Old Faithful...

We got to Old Faithful around 4:40 p.m., and found out it was scheduled to erupt right on cue at 4:59! Yay--I was worried we would have to wait an hour, which wouldn't be easy with so many little ones! It's too funny to see all the people sitting around waiting for it to erupt, like watching a pot of water boil... It was really cool to see though--and boy is that one ginormous geyser! I was expecting it to be loud and to shake the earth or something, but it was just quiet and quick, about a minute, then it was over. I spent most of the time trying to get a good picture--over the crowd's head. The kids were like, "That was it?" So much for a wonder of the world or something. Hello?? Gotta love kids! I thought it was amazing... There was so much beauty here, and driving across the country I was constantly amazed by Heavenly Father's creations, and what a beautiful country that we have been blessed with. The song America the Beautiful came to mind so many times! I love the U.S.A--so grateful that we were blessed to be born here--in the land of the free, home of the brave. God Bless America! Pardon me--I had to have my patriotic moment! =D

Yellowstone--Day 2!

The second day we went to the geyser basins in Yellowstone. This was really a neat thing to see. The geysers look almost like they are cool to the touch, even though they are boiling hot!Required reading for the morning--do NOT touch the boiling hot lava pools, mud pots and geysers!!! They might KILL you! For the most part the children were safe--and smart! I guess all the yelling the day before served a purpose!

This was the Whirlygig geyser--This was Jack's little napping spot--right above the cab. This was the only place he was relatively safe from getting stepped on, or hurt. :)You like Josh's sword? Bigger = Better!This big guy was in our campground when we got there--just one space over. My kids had a hard time with the advice to stay away! They wanted to go and pet him!My girls slept in a tent that night--I worried about them all night because it was FREEZING! I kept waking up, and wondering if I should go out and get them. In fact several kids who were in the RV were cold and woke up that night. It got below 30 degrees! When we got up in the morning I asked the girls if they were cold and they were like--NO--we had to take off our jackets because we were sweating! I guess I could've slept easier!...