August '23- Week 3- Visit with Grandfather, Alice Soccer, First Day of School, Neighbor BBQ, Queensley's BD, Soldier Hollow Mountain Bike Race, Alice's first day, Laura Back to work as a Sub

Aug. 15th- Tuesday: I went to work trainings on code of conduct, testing ethics, then a kindergarten meeting, and worked on the online trainings in Ms. Lee’s class with one of her class computers. Once I got home, we prepped to go to our meeting with Grandfather. While we were waiting, we got to meet Pres. Oakes who came out of his office right by where we were sitting. Once we go in Grandfather's office, we hugged him and sat o his couch. We walked about how the kids were going back to school in a couple days. He told us a story of him following after his sister Marjorie in school. He liked that because she was smart and polite. Grandfather mentioned how McKenna will be that for Ben. To Bethany, he thanked her for being a member of the Church (after being recently baptized). He said you will always belong here and have friends here and that he's proud of her. He told Anna she was so beautiful. Alice was shy and quiet the whole time, but at least she was happy. He told Ben he was handsome and called him Benjamin even though "you go by Ben, huh?" McKenna asked him what advice he would give as they're starting a new school year? He said follow the Prophet! Then he gave us a new Sheri Dew book called "Prophets See Around the Corner." I asked him what exciting thing he had coming up that he could share with us? He said he was going to be recording a message for Seminary and Institute students. He asked McKenna how she would see a message like that, and I told him I would show her on my social media or You Tube. We told him McKenna doesn't have social media yet, and that we're holding off as long as possible. He agreed and said social media is a "cesspool." Grandfather even asked about my parents and was glad they could be at Bethany's baptism. We all left the visit in awe and felt loved and thankful for him and his life and example to us! We dropped Ben off for his mountain bike practice. Anna went to a Shrek audition clinic and Alice had her first rec soccer game. She loved running around with the crowd of kids but didn't kick the ball much. McKenna went to swim at Caroline’s. Dan went to the kids' school to help do a carline tour with Ashley Petersen for other parents. Unfortunately, as soon as Ben and his team were about to start biking, there was lighting, so it got canceled.

Aug. 16th- Wednesday: Dan and I got Anna and Bethany ready for their first day of school! We walked them in and I got a little teary with the excitement and energy of the morning!  Dan left for work and I went for a run! When I got back, I saw Alice wandering the neighborhood with Cooper and Rai. She was a little upset she couldn’t find me, so I went over to what to do if that happened again. She was asleep when I left, so I thought she would call me on the Alexa if she couldn't find me. We ate with Ben and McKenna. I showered and we went to Grandma Sibber's house for school supply “shopping.”  I took Alice to her kindergarten testing. She was a little shy at first, but warmed up during the tour of her classroom. We got a car wash for the van. Jonathan came over to hang out!  We ate lunch, then I took McKenna shopping at Fashion Place Mall and to get her hair trimmed.  We had pretty good success. We got home just in time to take Ben to the Derrick’s house to carpool for a pre-ride for his Saturday race. I made dinner for everyone else, then McKenna and I went the stake youth BBQ. 

Aug. 17th- Thursday: McKenna and Ben started school! I took Anna and Beth to school and subbed in Ms. Stutes' 2nd grade class. She was out of town for a wedding. They were pretty good for it being only the second day of school!  It was also only a half day. Jonathan watched Alice for me. I had lunch once I got home. The girls played the switch. I sorted and cleaned out colored pencils and crayons. I picked up Jr. High kids since it was so hot and getting stormy/windy. I talked with McKenna and Ben about their day. I cleaned and sorted some papers too. I started working on a grocery order. I made dinner. We ate when Dan got home. We had no extra curricular activities for the evening, which was nice! I helped Ben and Anna work on their auditions. Once they were in bed, I kept working on a grocery order. 

Aug. 18th- Friday: I subbed in Ms. Stutes' class again. Alice went to work with Dan and crashed in the car on the way home. Once we got home and I had lunch, I took Anna and Bethany to Walmart, to get gas, and to do my Thyroid blood work. Once we got home, I took Ben and Anna to their Shrek auditions. We packed for Midway quickly, and Anna went to Queensley’s birthday party. The rest of us went to a BBQ at Scott and Kylee Nelson’s with some other neighbors.  The weather held out and it was lovely company.  We picked up Anna and headed to Midway to sleep for the night before the mountain bike race the next day. The Stewarts came up and joined us an hour later.

Aug. 19th- Saturday: Dan, Brian, Ben, and Truman left the house at 6:35.  Brynn and I and the rest of the kids left at 7:30. We made it to the bike "pit zone" and ate some breakfast. Truman had his race first and placed 14th out of 60-70 boys. We loved using our cowbells to make lots of noise when he passed!  Ben’s race was around 9:25am.  He started 3rd in the line up and finished 13th out of 67 boys his age and skill level!  Brecken, who we often carpool with, placed 4th in that same age group!  Dan and Ben watched that podium ceremony.  The whole race morning was so fun! There's so much energy and hype! We went back to the Midway house and packed up all our stuff. We stopped in Park City to have tacos for lunch.  We got home and Ben and Anna got ready to go to callbacks for Shrek at Backstage. I did some music stuff with Alice, then napped on the couch for a while.  Dan shaved and showered. McKenna cleaned her bathroom. Bethany and Alice watched shows. I picked up Ben and Anna, though Ben went home with Luke. I got ready for stake conference. We ate with the girls. Anna went to Desi’s house. McKenna babysat the little two. The adult session of stake conference was all about ministering, getting to know their story, and seeing them the way God sees them.  We had Nielsen’s at Dan’s parents house and talked.  We picked up Ben from Luke’s and stopped by the Bridlewood building to see the new seats that were installed.

Aug. 20th- Sunday: We ate breakfast together. Dan and I went to the leadership meeting of Stake Conference at 10am. When we got home, I did the girls’ hair, then we had lunch. I got dinner going in the crock pot. Dan took Bethany and Anna early to sing in the primary choir. The rest of us rode with Brynn to stake conference.  Elder Michale J. Hess was our visiting Area 70.  The kids did very well during conference. When we got home, we recorded a song for Grandfather’s upcoming 99th birthday celebration. I worked on sorting school supplies and getting more organized for the week. The kids packed their lunches. Alice was so excited to do that! We had dinner. We watched our Come Follow Me videos and did our name of Christ. We went to Grandma and Grandpa’s to see if Grandpa could pull Alice’s tooth, but it wasn’t quite ready yet. We had a popsicle and found out who Ben and Anna got cast as in Shrek!  Ben got the donkey, Anna got young Fiona!  We got kids to bed and I worked on going through emails and getting more organized for the week!  

Aug. 21st- Monday: I subbed in Ms. Lee’s kindergarten class. She had a funeral to attend. Alice had her first full day of kindergarten!  Dan, Anna, Bethany and I all walked her in. It was great to see her off and on throughout the day!  Subbing went well.  It was hard for the students to follow basic instructions and many wanted to leave early. I found out Monday evenings will be super busy. Bethany has Frozen rehearsal, Alice has LPM, Anna has gymnastics, and McKenna has Beauty and the Beast. Thank goodness for carpools! I drove here and there and attended LPM with Alice. We ate dinner as a family, minus McKenna. Ben and Dan mowed the lawn. I got the girls ready for the next day and ready for bed. I worked on signing stuff and going over disclosures.  

August Videos:

Bethany’s baptism, Alice Soccer, BBQ at Nelson’s, Ben Mountian Biking at Snowbasin.