First day, Yay!! 2022-2023

It was finally her turn to have meet the teacher!

She instantly found her desk and thought it was the coolest thing ever.

Mrs. Limon has been at Franklin for as long as I can remember.

She is also one of my moms friends from high school.
Even though we didn't get Mrs. Stradling who we were crossing our fingers for,

we couldn't be happier about landing her as a teacher!

Rusty boy, my heart.

All big and heading to Jr. High!!!

In my mind he is still my little side kick who will never grow up. 
Nope, no longer.

7th grade was going to be loaded with many friends and memories. 

He was ready to get there and start wood working, his first choice for electives. 

 

He is the only boy in our carpool, lucky!

My friend took this right after they hopped out.

It is a smaller school, so it was nice knowing he had at least 2 friends in 
every class. That sure helped my mama heart.

Next shift were the girls.

4th grade and KINDERGARTEN. 

All day at that. 

I was nervous.

The other 3 did half day. 
They still offered it, but the program changed.
Instead of 1 classroom only having half day for am/pm classes, they had

everyone in full day with the option to take your kid out before lunch. 

I knew she would be sad to be basically the only one to leave early.

She is older with an October birthday, so I felt okay about sending her the full time. 

Lane was pumped about no A-hour or AP classes this year!

Sophomore year is probably going to be his easiest, so hopefully he 

lives it up!

He gets to ride with us to the bus stop before taking him to school.

November can't come quick enough so he can drive himself!

I dropped Della off the first day.
No tears!

I was quietly patting myself on the back.

She usually puts up some kind of fuss when leaving he in new places for the first time.

Spotted Lindi in line on my way back to the car!

Everyone had a good day!

However, you could see the tired, unsure eyes in Della's face.

She asked if she could do half day and I was like uh oh. 

The next morning she got on the bus no problem.

I thought we were for sure in the clear!

Third day is when it hit.

She would NOT get out of the car to get on the bus.

Screaming and crying... the newness wore off and she knew what the
day ahead of her was going to be like.
She kept saying its soooo long at school.

I hear ya girl, it is long.
My heart was breaking for her, but what do you do?

I can't keep her home forever!

I drove her to the school and walked her to the playground.

I was hoping seeing her teacher and friends would help her hop in line to walk to class.

Ha, wishful thinking. 

I walked with her in line as she clung to me, crying hysterically.

Luckily the principal had come over by now.

Everyone was going into the classroom.
 I somehow pried my leg free and bolted to the

gate exit as Mrs. Baxter was holding her back from running after me.

I turned around to see her lying on the floor screaming for me as I ran to my car!

It was terrible!!

It was literally a scene.

I could see parents staring with concerned, but also laughing faces.

I could see their thoughts... that poor mom, I'm so glad its not me, haha. 

 I pretended to drive off so she knew she was  stuck there. That always 

helps her calm down. 

I drove back to the office right as Mrs. Baxter was walking back.

She said she was about to call me to say she was in class and doing great!

Goodness, that was exhausting. 

Oh, but it gets better.

I was supposed to be the parent helper that day!

We decided it would be fine to try it out. 

She did good, until it was time for me to leave.

Gosh dang it, should have never gone in.

Sobs all over again. 

This went on a solid 3 weeks.

It was exhausting. 

But of course, the little stinker loves Kindergarten now.
We have no problems with the bus or class.

She is a stubborn one (big sigh). 

Both girls made company dance.
Life of little ballerinas, here we come!

 

July snip-its

Happy 4th of July!
For the first time in years we were actually home.

Most of all our neighbors were as well, so we had a party!

My parents were out of town so we crashed their house.

It had been a while since our families had gotten together, so it was fun
being with the Whitmers, Rudds, and Yamamotos. 

Fun outing to the movies.

Bracelet making stations all day, err day. 

Which meant loaded arms and ankles!

We had the monsoon storm of all monsoons!

It was fierce and had roof tiles blowing down the streets.

We went out to survey the damage.

Actual tree branches where in the bottom of the pool.

This is what the filter had piled in it.

I got to sweeping the pool deck so the dried up stuff wouldn't blow in and clog it some 

more.  A quick clean up turned 3 hours and at 2 in the morning I crawled into bed.

I couldn't just stop at the pool, I did the whole dang backyard. 

2 kids got braces.

Round 1 for Lindi, and final phase for Lane.

Grateful Rusty wasn't quite ready for his final phase because bye bye $$$.   

We planned a lake day with the Whimters.

They rented some jet skis and the kids had a blast switching

back and forth from those to the boat. 

Swimming at Brimhall with the Evans is a favorite Summer pastime. 
We shut the pool down and they were begging to still be with each other. 

We called the husbands (and Lane, he was at work), and said meet us for dinner.

Then they suckered us into ice cream!

Lindblom Family Camping trip!
We can thank Marcie for this.
I do like camping, especially now that we have a trailer. 

But it is so. much. work. 
I would rather put that time and energy to go to the beach.

We couldn't miss out so we loaded up, a day early even, to really make it worth the work
and off to the rim we went!

Hoards of elk were right on the side of the road waiting to greet us. 

We pulled up to our usual camp spot to see it on fire!

I guess lightening struck it and they were containing it.

We could still camp there but it was super smokey, so we found a different
 spot not that far away. 

We unloaded then hopped on quads to go for a ride.
Pretty crazy we are in this stage of everyone being able to participate. 

Cooked some din din then hung out in the trailer and watched a movie together.

We seem to have our menu down when it comes to using the trailer.

Philly cheesesteaks are a favorite on the Blackstone.  

 I woke up in the woods a year older.

Happy Birthday to me!

Everyone started rolling in and the party began!

Lots of riding, games, snacking and chatting!

We took a little birthday spin to get Stetson to sleep.

The following day was Marcies birthday!

We did round 2 of Marcies "name that tune" game she created last year that was a hit!

 One Sunday Lindi and I binged watched Anne of Green Gables and Avonlea.

We came home from church and didn't leave my bed the rest of the day. 

I hadn't seen it in over 15 years.

Every little girl needs to see this.

She loved it.
 I cried off and on the whole time.
Its seriously the best movie!!

Gilbert + Anne forever! 

We love Elder Burch!

He was in our ward on his very first day in the mission field. 

He became a quick favorite of ours.

We were sad when he got transferred.
Oddly enough in his last area before going home he was in Breanna and Martins

ward. He was sitting behind them in church not knowing who they were.

He leaned over and asked if Ruby (their youngest) was the Goodman girl.
We have always said Della and Ruby are cousin twins. 

What a funny coincindence!
He made sure to come say goodbye to us before heading home to North Carolina. 

More swimming and fast food runs. 

I have no explanation for this. 

Or for this. 

Girls only breakfast. 

Even with our own pool, neighbors pool and my parents pool,
they beg to go to the public pools!

Met the newest member of the family!

Casey is officially the Dairy King!

We thought it could be useful for his current church calling. 

 Like after firesides at our home!

We enjoyed having patriarch Merchet and his wife over to 

speak with the youth. 

Lindi and Olive loved their volleyball camp!

Rusty took his required CB02 course over the Summer to get it out of the way.

He doesn't look too happy, but he passed the final exam!