Yay! (warning, graphic photo ahead)

      So it's official, Charlie is a kindergartner and she loves it! No tears for her or me! I'm still 13 years  away from having all these kids out of the public school system but the few hours break every day is sure NICE!

Charlie is sure happy to have her best friend, Sarah, with her in kindergarten.

      Today Mark had his four wisdom teeth removed. He was not happy about this procedure, which is why there's the 'graphic' photo below. This was pre-surgery.

I let the 'graphic' attitude slide because I knew he'd be feeling differently once the drugs set in.

    After surgery Mark was feeling pretty good! He was definitely silly and out of it. I'd post the videos but I have a feeling they're not as entertaining to others as they are to us. He definitely was happy about the knock out medication and wanted more, he also talked about going to Lagoon and wanted to go to Costco to get free samples. It was all pretty funny to me. Now that his face is no longer numb he's gone back to cranky but he's got three days to recuperate and I think he'll be fine.

Now we know what he probably looks like drunk/high. Creepy!

They only gave him three teeth because the fourth one was cut into and couldn't be saved.

    So that's the weeks highlights. I've taken up walking twice a day and this week I put about 38 miles on my sneakers. I've also binge watched Netflix more hours then I care to mention. I'm definitely putting my free time to good use. Ha ha! I'm definitely looking forward to our three day weekend!

First week of school

     This first week of school has gone on for a month! It's funny how quickly I can get back into the routine but the kids aren't as quick to readapt. We'll see how week two goes. At least the homework's been minimal for the first week.

Charlie received a late birthday gift and cards from her favorite Australians! Thanks Jovi, Shae, Kirra and Halle, she loves you girls!!

     First day of school for the four boys was exciting! Isaac's in high school now in 10th grade, Carter's 8th, Brock's 5th and McClane's 2nd.

     And of course we can't forget 'the good ol' boys' from the neighborhood! These six rule the middle school!

The whole crazy crew playing a little b-ball before heading out for their first day back to school.

    Charlie got a much needed hair trim to get ready for kindergarten. (I may or may not have cut bangs when we got home and we may be pulling them back for the next month or so while they grow out to an acceptable length! OOOOPS!!)

     We enjoyed a fun and exciting pool party at our friends house. The lightening, thunder and rainstorm was pretty exciting but only paused the swimming fun for the kids for about 15/20 minutes.

It's hard to see in the photos but it was a downpour!

     Greg is the best husband! He's helping make my 'biker chick' dreams come true. We went on a nice ride Thursday and it was awesome!

Got a yummy burger in Kamas.

    We stopped at this cool veteran memorial spot in Midway, Utah that was pretty impressive. Lots of military people remembered and recognized and the view surrounding the area wasn't bad either.

   Midway is a pretty place even with that smokey haze.

      So that's how our first week of the school year went. Greg and Carter are finishing out the week with a scout campout while I binge watch a show on Netflix and let the kids play and veg out on their tablets. Let the weekend fun commence.

Charlie’s FIVE!!

     A few more fun events to finish off our summer break. We ended Alpine Days (or started Charlie's 5th birthday celebration, depending on how you look at it) with some amazing fireworks. Alpine doesn't mess around with the fireworks!

      Charlie was beyond excited about her birthday! She made sure she announced it was her birthday to pretty much anyone she saw all day. 

The rainbow cake she wanted and the rainbow mermaid balloon she didn't know she wanted.

Thanks for the card and cash, G&G Baker!

We loved having our Aussie cousins join us for some of the festivities. (Where's the teleport button on the computer?!)

A few fun Barbie toys and her very own Boo (stuffed dog).

Bonus balloons from the primary birthday celebration we had at church.

     After turning five I guess it's only customary to begin your first experience of getting cavities filled at the dentist.

She did great with her sleepy teeth minus a bite through her tongue on the way home.

     My friend and the kids primary president, Nicole, let us come swim at her awesome pool this week.

Charlie was mildly panicked about being in the deep water so she tripled up on her flotation devices.

McClane was determined to get out on this rope swing.

Long haired 'freak show'!

It didn't take Brock long to make this jump seem easy. This kid LOVES the water!

      So that's the week in photos. Tonight we met the three youngest kid's teachers. McClane gets to do 2nd grade with his 1st grade teacher and I've never been more thrilled about a teacher, she's the best teacher of all time! Charlie's kindergarten teacher is also a repeat from Carter's kindergarten days and she, too, is great. Brock's teacher is a total newby but we're hopeful she'll be great. Isaac had a glimpse of the high school this week and seems ready for his sophomore year and, of course, Carter will be back to middle school as an 8th grader. I guess I've got to accept the inevitable, school is starting again!
       Let the daily lunch making begin again!! (I really should look into the free lunch requirements! Ha Ha)

Alpine Days 2018

       We're definitely ending summer break with a bang! We've done something fun nearly every day this week starting with the ping-pong drop. The helicopter dropped ping-pong balls for the kids to collect and then turn in for a prize/lollipop. It was a little unorganized but it was the first time it's been done here in Alpine and it was fun nonetheless.

Despite their silly faces they had a blast.

   We had an awesome lightening and thunder storm over the weekend and Carter captured this awesome photo from the front porch on his iPod.

Lightening and thunder is my all time favorite!

   The next fun activity was the foam & water party!

Messy, chaotic and fun!

    Then we went to a free swim night for Caldwell Banker and Charlie won this cute Supergirl doll.

     Then it was the Luau where Greg and I treated ourselves to dinner at the food trucks while the kids stayed home.

This was the only photo from the Luau night.

     Our neighbors family owns a big piece of property & cabin in the Unita's and was kind enough to invite us up for the day so I took the three youngest and we had a blast. We did a little nature hike, played in the creek/river and just enjoyed the peace and quiet with no wifi or cell service.

These two cabins are the first two built on the property and one is no longer structurally sound .

   I failed to get a photo of the actual cabin but the scenery was just too spectacular and had to be documented even if the photos don't do it justice.

Our nature hike took us to this pretty little waterfall.

Dirt and water, a boys two favorite things.

Despite the freezing water and rocky river bottom these three had a blast!

Seriously so gorgeous!

All 13 kids having dinner together.

    Last night we went to the rodeo. After 22 years of working for the City Greg finally agreed to go to the rodeo and it was a fun night. We had Mark, Carter, Charlie and Brock with us.

This nice/cute old man volunteered to take a photo with Charlie before she got her photo with the rodeo clown.

A few action shots from the barrel racing.

   And today we started with the parade!

Candy, Candy, Candy!

About the only two real floats in the whole parade.

Cool tractors.

Fancy dune buggies.

   Then it was off to the carnival!

Lots of bouncy waterslides.

Charlie started off in these cool treadmill balls.

So many fun things to choose from.

Jump, Jump, Jump.

Bull rides and stunt jumps.

McClane doing a little zip line and slide jumps.

A little rock climbing and bull riding for McClane.

     Sorry for the photo overload. Thanks to the city's generosity all the activities were free for the first time in 22 years! We got free rodeo tickets, free carnival wristbands and even a $10 food voucher for the food trucks. It's been fun!
      We stil have fireworks tonight and tomorrow we celebrate Charlie's 5th birthday so there may be a few more photos on next weeks blog as well. Only one more week left before school starts! Say it isn't so!!!