Summer has ended...

I can't believe we are here already! I am personally glad to have school start...not because I will now have no guilt while I am away from the house, but for a schedule! This summer was good. I must say it was really nice having a driver. We managed to work it out so that the boys and friends could pretty much go skim boarding every day! They would spend at least four to five hours there each time they went. This is a picture Derrek took of one of their days. This is Austin Graves (Calvin's friend) showing his moves. You can see the boys waiting their turns in the background. I even went and did this one night for a Youth Activity. It was hard and I literally fell on my face, but after awhile, with the boys' help, I was able to do it...well, not like Austin, but I was able to glide on the water.

The rest of summer was packed with mostly church stuff. Calvin and Alec were counselors for Timberline. They actually enjoyed it and built a huge catapult. They tried to launch it, but it didn't work...it got caught on something and broke. I can't find the video that they took of it...maybe I'll download it when I find it...

There was Scout camp for Ashton. He earned 8 merit badges (thanks to the leaders pushing him!). He's a child that needs encouragement! He was excited to get them all. We also had Girls' camp (mind you...Scott has to go to all of these things!) I went just one day because Scott felt he needed to be up there the whole time to get to know the girls. It was fun and he had a good time. I love girl's camp. Scott kept saying "you'd NEVER have this at Scout camp!". It's very spiritual and such a great feeling there. Then we had Youth Conference a couple weeks later. That was interesting! We went up to my Aunt's cabin in Heber. It was great, but I got totally sick with the stomach flu the day before (and I was in charge of it for our ward!). The kids were starting to get it too and we were supposed to leave the next day. It was pretty bad. I had Scott come home during the day and give me a blessing. By 4:00 that afternoon, I was pretty much healed. I just kept going around to the kids "blessings work!". They thought I was crazy, but I was so sick and the Lord was the only person who could make it go away, and He did! The next day we went and the kids were still queasy, but we were able to go on.

We went to the Bowler Family reunion, thanks to family members to help get us there (thanks you guys!!!). It was great. We went to the Grand Canyon. I don't think I have been there since I was 12! It still looks so fake! I kept thinking I was in the movie "Truman Show" because it just didn't seem real. It was just beautiful. Derrek had to stay behind and work and he had a big trip he had been planning all summer to Brian Head with his best friend, Brandon. So, we let him stay behind (by himself, with a car!). He had a hard time with us coming back. He liked his independence a little too much! Scott, Ashton, and I went on a big hike with some others. It was 1 1/2 miles down and 1 1/2 miles up. It was hard. Half way back up Ashton was not doing well and started crying. He was hot and dehydrated. I made him carry my camelbac so that he could just sip on water the whole time. But, once we were done we felt very accomplished! Alec and Calvin went on a photography hike/tour. They got to borrow some expensive cameras and learn how to take pictures of the Grand Canyon. Dallen just hung out and played with his cousins.

Then the older boys had a Venture Scout Camp. They were going to go to Moab, but they went to Panguich and Zion's National Park instead and did some canyoning. They were pretty nervous because there were supposed to be flash floods in Zion's and just a few days before they were there, there was a whole group of people that were caught in a flash flood and most of them died. But, they were safe and had a really good time. Their leaders are amazing and do so much for them. Dallen and Ashton enjoyed the week of reprieve from their brothers' torcher! After they got back, one of the leaders had to tell Derrek and Alec that they needed to be aware of how the boys look up to them. When Derrek wouldn't help out, then most of the boys wouldn't help out. When Derrek would, then they were all there doing their part. Alec has a bad habit of making unnecessary comments and he would do it every now and then to a couple of kids and then the other boys would follow and continue making fun of the boys and Alec needed to realize that it was his comments that would start it all. It was a great lesson for them, especially since Scott and I weren't involved...they just might take it to heart! Scott didn't go on this trip. The thought of going on another campout made him want to cry and really he had missed so much work this summer, that it was time to get serious.

Derrek had a Priest/Laurel Retreat put on by the Stake. They had a good time. Scott and I were invited to come because he is Bishop, but we felt Derrek needed an experience without his parents ALWAYS around! But, him being a boy...I didn't get much out of him of how it went!

We started the first day of school on Wednesday. The boys were really happy to start (which surprised me!). Derrek is a Junior in High School. Alec, a Sophomore; Calvin, a Freshman; Ashton is in 7th and Dallen in 5th. We are in four different schools again this year. Calvin, Ashton, and Dallen are all in schools by themselves (no brothers). Ashton leaves first (that is why the picture is of him by himself). The others leave fairly close together, about 45 min. later. We have done pretty good getting back into the schedule.

I was stressed about getting them school clothes, because frankly, we don't have the money....but I have been working a second job and was able to use some of that money to buy an outfit/shirt for the boys...but what did they wear their first day?!? Not the clothes that I bought them! Ashton wore the shirt I got him, and Dallen has to wear a uniform now. Seriously?!? Why do I stress over those things? Anyway, Dallen had a book report the first day of school of something he read during the summer (um...yeah, I'm not a very good mom!). So, we were scrambling to come up with a book that he could remember the story and write about it! This week will tell how it's really going! This is when the homework starts. But, the boys have adjusted fairly well and like their classes and teachers. Dallen has a brand new teacher this year, but seems to like her so far.