Senior Year!

Bridget is having an awesome senior year! She is a cheerleader again this year. She is an ASB Officer. She writes and is a photographer for the school newspaper. She was nominated for homecoming queen. She is in the Key Club and The National Honor Society. She works hard and has an excellent GPA. Here are some of her Senior Pictures. I know there is a lot but there are almost 200 to choose from. It was hard to pick.

Soccer!

Dallin had an awesome soccer season this year. It is the last year he can play rec soccer and the high school season is in the spring. Not gonna lie, he was the star of his team. Their team was pretty good and won almost all their games. After sticking out years of being the low man on the pole he thoroughly enjoyed being the big guy on the team. It was very fun to watch him play. He by far made most of the goals. Gayle (my sister in law) got to hear the excitement first hand when I was talking to her on the phone and he made an awesome header into the goal. She may need to have her hearing checked after that.
Lydia loved soccer this year too. Well for the most part. I love to watch this age. They are really just having fun. They play three on three and just run around the field in a little bunch. There are only six girls on the team so if one or two were sick they had to play longer than five minutes at a stretch and that about killed her. She is so passive and gets very nervous when parents are watching her do anything. So I was surprised when she was as into it as she was. Fun times on a Saturday in the fall. I have been watching soccer for a lot of years. I really wonder what I will do with my Saturdays in the fall after no one plays anymore. I guess I have a lot of years to wonder. Eli hasn't even started and he can't wait.

Jubilee Lake

On Labor Day we went up to Jubilee Lake. It is really beautiful and peaceful up there. First we had a lovely picnic.Then everyone decided to sit on Samantha. Not sure why but it looked like fun anyway. Those black and white shoes are her feet. Okay there she is. Resting up before the big hike. Or is it that she is now flat as a pancake?The lake has a really nice paved trail half way around the lake. The rest of the trail is not as nice and easy. Checkin out the sceneryReady for some fishin.So about half way around the lake the older four kids take off way ahead of us and the little ones. We never ran into them again. The hike was a little longer than we expected and the little ones were very tired. We couldn't stop to rest though because Samantha had to get back to work. But the three oldest got ahead of Dallin too. Mistake. He was the only one smart enough to stay on the trail back to our spot and the parking lot.

When we got back they were no where to be found but Dallin was happily fishing on the dock all alone. He had not seen or heard from them and there was no cell service. We couldn't find them anywhere and were getting very worried about them. Not to mention if we didn't leave right away Samantha would be late to work. Todd finally started back up the trail to look for them. It was pretty frightening since they knew they needed to be back before now. Well they finally showed up coming from the other direction. They had taken a wrong turn and went all they way to the other side of the lake again. I still haven't figured out how that happened. Garrett ran down the trail and found his dad and we were on our way much relieved that they were safe.

After Labor day was finally the first day of preschool for Eli. He could hardly wait! He goes to Betty's preschool just like Bridget, Dallin and Lydia did. Here he is in front of the famous sign where everyone has had their picture. He loves it there. His two best friends are also in his class.

Loss of Wisdom, School starts and Labor day weekend

In preparing for his mission, Garrett had to have his wisdom teeth out. Really it wasn't as bad as all the horror stories he had heard but it didn't feel real good either. But he did look a little funny for awhile. This picture doesn't show the real chipmunk cheeks. He just kept holding ice packs on his face all day.
Here is Lydia on her first day of first grade. She was so excited and she loves first grade and her new teacher. Unfortunately I missed the high schoolers before they left for school. It was a big day for Dallin as it was his first day of High School!

Every year the band plays at the fair on Labor Day Weekend. This year was Dallin's turn to be in the fair concert.

And the cheerleaders always do a dance and cheer. There is Bridget on the end.

The little kids and I went to look at all the animals. They loved these little pigs because we were reading Charlotte's Web at the time.

They each got to pick one ride plus we all got on the ferris wheel. Of course Eli chose the fastest and scariest ride. Lydia is just tolerating it...barely.

Look at that mop of hair.

Right after the fair was the first football game. Bridget is in the front third from the left.

Dallin enjoying the game from the stands with the band. He has watched all his older siblings play in the marching band and complain about it. Especially the goofy outfit. He was glad he had some warning about the weird get up but he really enjoys being in the marching band.

Bright and early the next morning we were at the parade.

Dallin is the third one in on the last row.

Bridget on the cheerleaders float.

Bridget practicing her stunt- "the Basket"

Fun times had by all.

We Hoped, They Called

The biggest news of the summer was the much anticipated mission call. It got here the day before he was leaving on a trip. We were relieved it came in time so we didn't have to stare at it all weekend before he got home. Todd had meetings that night and everyone was going their usual 12 directions that day so we had to wait until 10:30 pm to open it so everyone could be there. The anticipation was killing me. Garrett was feeling a little ill just imagining that it could be anywhere in the world and thinking of all the years he has waited for this moment. We got all the grandparents on the phone and the unveiling began.
Letting it sink in while the rest of us are dying to hear.
Argentina Rosario Mission!

He was so happy and excited to be going Spanish speaking!
Sharing his excitement with the grandparents.

Then out came the laptops to learn a lot more about Argentina!
The preparations have been quite an adventure. Especially the Visa and Passport stuff. We are so excited for and proud of him. But suddenly two years seems a lot longer to me.