Summer is Over

"Come, Follow Me" this week was so cozy.  I'm soaking up all of Ryan's love and touch.

 Grandma is away with Rachelle's new baby so Grandpa comes in the evenings.  We feed him, but he feeds us.  He asks just the right questions and listens and loves each of us.

 Monday night was back-to-school.  We dropped off supplies and watched these lovelies climb all over the monkey bars.

 Tuesday was our very last day of summer.  We ate our annual "HOT LUNCH" dinner.  No one complained.

 I made a lovely quinoa salad for those of us who went through the "HOME LUNCH" line.

 We love this Grandpa.

First day of school 2019-2020.  These two go to MUHS.

 Andy is 16.  He is entering 10th grade.  He is a builder.

 Maisie is 13.  She is entering 9th grade.  She is a creator.

 Four little friends headed to MVP.

 Nick is 12 and entering 7th grade.  He's very true.

 Maddie is 10 and entering 5th grade.  She is very good.

 Eddie is 7.  He is entering 2nd grade.  He is very strategic.

 Ryan is 5.  He is entering kindergarten.  he is very kind.

 Molly is 2.  She is begging to go to school, but I won her over with promises of swimming and cookies.

 Here he goes!

 Sweetest little guy.

 "I just want to be by Ryan," she sobbed.  We cried all the way home.  Then we swam with friends and made cookies and ate them.

 Ryan was so excited to show me "what he got."  He jumped off the bus and tore open his bag to show me his work.

 I was so glad to have them back.

 We swam.

 Thursday morning Molly and I lazed around all day.  We began with scriptures.  She is lucky and doesn't have to share her treat.  Molly was ready all morning to swim, and we finally made it out to the pool for an entire hour of cool water.

 I took her for a croissant.  We both needed it.

 Our hot water heater went all the way out.  We bathed in the pool and then rinsed off in a freezing cold shower. 

 Grandpa stayed all evening and Meg noticed that they matched: green shirts, birkenstocks, glasses, watches and pose.  She thought she was so funny.  He was a very good sport.

 Friday morning Meg kept Molly and we three went to the temple.  Bruce taught us what he has learned in his decades of learning more about our Savior. 

 Home again where Meg and I watched a movie with Molly, hoping that time would slow and next week wouldn't come as quickly.

 We finally went shoe shopping as a family.  Maisie found a beautiful photo opp.

 She and Makena wanted to go to Maverik dressed up.

 And today is Sunday again -- our very last day worshipping on the bench weekly.  All together.  All unified in our faith and eternal familial covenant.  I tried not to cry, but I still did.

 Here we are in the chapel.

 RS together.

 After dinner we played "Love Letters" and sang hymns for Emily.

We are so happy as a family.  How blessed we are to know the truths of life -- loving God and others.  I hope that's what each of us can do. 

Summer is Slipping

Summer seems to be slipping away so quickly.  Of course we swim everyday.  Ryan now swim without a floatie.  Molly floats all over the pool.

 She swam so hard that she fell asleep in my arms at dinner.  She got 14 hours of sleep that night.

 98* from 5-6 pm often calls for evening swim instead of early dinner.  We love every second.

 Molly signed this beautiful birthday card for Grandma Goodell's 90th.

 These boys are quite a bit taller than Eddie,but they stick together.

 Our pool is so clear that those drains in the 12-foot end appear to be just out of reach.

 Andy, Maisie and Nick went on a three day temple trip visiting three different temples in Arizona.  Hermana Guymon called and taught us how to find names on her p-day.

 We just had three little bits home, so shopping at Walmart was a breeze.

Friday night was the stake pioneer activity.  We learned how to use the family search app and played old games.

 Maddie, Eddie and Ryan sang with all their might.  Meg was in the back making a mockery of the entire event.  She's a nut.

 Simultaneously Andy won the stick-horse race at the Pima rodeo.  He seemed thrilled.

 Saturday our nice friends took us boating all day.  We swam and water skied and wake boarded and tubed and jumped cliffs and ate tons of lovely chilled fruits and veggies.  It's just always so relaxing on a boat with zero distractions.

 Sunday I heard the children screaming, "Mom!  Your brother is here!  Your brother is here!"  Mark and his mission companion, Nathan, came for an hour visit.  They needed a bowl of cereal and cold water.  We needed to sit and love that big-little brother of mine.

 Grandma B. fed all of us a delicious Sunday dinner. We stayed four hours and basked in their nurturing and love.