Sophomores, Seniors, Soccer, School and Strains.....

Taylor is officially a teenager!!!!  In so many ways, it feels like she been 13 for a long time.  But, in some ways it feels likes she's still so little.  I think she feels the same way.  I think that is what is so hard about being a teenager-straddling both truths.  She is trying to figure out how to be an older kids, but still loves/feels like a younger kids.  

Taylor is still my friend.  I love that she likes to tell me when something wonderful happens and also like to tell me when she is struggling.  I hope she continues to talk to me about all the things.  

For her birthday, Taylor wanted to go around getting all her freebies from local restaurants/stores.  Emma graciously offered to drive her around.  Taylor spent hours researching, signing up for rewards accounts, planning a route on a spreadsheet.  Her and Emma were gone most of the day and actually got a whole bunch of awesome stuff.  I think these two have started to enjoy each other more this summer than ever before.

School started a few days after Taylor's birthday.  She is in her last year at GEA and that is crazy to me.  I can't imagine her fitting in at the high school.  But, I remember feeling that was about all my kids and be the end of 8th grade they were always ready.  I think a lot of growing up happens during the 8th grad year!

Aiden started sophomore year.  His schedule is a big wonky with seminary and has to go to/from school 3-4 times per day.  I was able to get some carpools set up but also have to do more driving than I'd like.

Sydney is a Senior!!  This girl is already so done with high school so I think it's going to be a long year.  Her three good friends (Hailey, Anna, and Taylor) all graduated last year and will be leaving soon so she's feeling a bit lonely.  We are both so grateful Mia is still here!  Sydney is only taking two classes on campus (she's got Seminary and an online class) so she should enjoy her free time (doesn't have to be anywhere until 11:00)  She spends her mornings at the gym for two hours, come home and makes a gourmet breakfast, goes to school, and then has voice/dance/work after school.  She is also busy applying to all the colleges and getting audition material ready.

Emma headed back to NAU and is so excited to be in an apartment style dorm.  She hated her job at Walgreens this summer, but was grateful for the money.

With school starting, soccer also started. Which means, I'm melting in the sun every Saturday.

A few minutes after this photo was taken, Aiden rolled his ankle in his first game of the season.  He was crushed. I had to pull him to the car in the wagon since he couldn't put any weight on it.  He cried most of the way home.  Having rolled ankles last year, we both knew this might be a long recovery.  Thankfully, it is healing quickly and he will probably only be on the sidelines for a few weeks. 

July July July, the month that was CRAZY

 July 2023 was definitely a month to remember.  And not necessarily in a good way.  We had a ton of travelling on the calendar and ended up adding several things we hadn't planned one.  Here is how it all went down.

We spent the 4th of July in Mexico because we found a killer deal on a condo.  Neither one of the big girls could join us, so we brought Grace and Caleb along instead.

  I am amazed how different the beach is at all the places we've stayed.  This spot had crazy fluctuations in the high and low tides.  Being naïve, we walked out a few miles to the water one day, only to get stuck as the tide came in super fast.  In a matter of minutes, the water went from your toes to you knees.  We quickly realized we need to hustle back to shore.  It took Brent a while to get Taylor and Grace and they had to swim/walk back which had me and the boys super worried.  Thankfully, they made it back safely, but it seriously wore Brent our who was starting to get sick anyway.  He spent the rest of the weekend resting with his Pina Coladas.

The low tide made for great mud!

The pool at the condo was right on the beach and made for great views while the kids swam.  Also, isn't Aiden super ripped!?

After we got home from Rocky Point, we did some laundry and headed out the next day to drive to Utah.  Sydney had 3 weeks of YASE and Broadway camps and Aiden and Taylor were participating in the BYU soccer camps.  But, we first spent a day at Lagoon with cousins (and the Marbles who happened to be in Utah too).

I made the kids drive to my childhood home and take a photo.  This made me both happy and sad.

Then we dropped these kids off at BYU.

While the kids were at camps, by sweet Grandma Madge passed away.  It was good timing, because I was already halfway to Wyoming, but bad timing because none of my family could come.  Brent was in Florida for work and rerouted his flight home to land in Utah.  He needed to pick all the kids up from camps while I drove to Wyoming with my family and attended the funeral.  

All of my Grandma's grandkids came form all over the world to attend her funeral.  I think that is a great indicator of the kind of Grandma she was.  It was fun to catch up with everyone, but I also missed my Grandma and burying her felt so sad.  

My Facebook post sums up my feelings:

This past week has unexpectedly turned in to quite a walk down memory lane.

First, I took my kids to Lagoon, where I spent my teenage summers working and playing. I was surprised how familiar it all felt. I still knew all the rides by heart.

Then, I drove by the house I grew up in and told my kids all about the neighborhood and ward. I showed them the gas station we always walked to for candy and my elementary school.

A few days later, I dropped kids off at BYU campus. That school is another highly sentimental place. My four years there were some of the best years of my life.

And then the ultimate reflections came as I travelled to central Wyoming to say goodbye to my sweet grandma. We visited her old house in town and her old farm where we rode horses, pedaled bikes off the roof of the playhouse (until grandma caught us), and swam in irrigation ditches.

It’s all been way more emotional than I expected. I have cried hard this week. Mostly, I have felt immense gratitude and love for these places and these people. They have given me so much happiness and joy and shaped my life more than I realized. What a gift!

After returning to Utah and driving home with Brent and the kids, we quickly sent Taylor off to girls camp.  I was originally supposed to come too, but when the funeral happened I told them I couldn't make it.  I felt a bit guilty, but, honestly, it was for the best.  By the time we got home I was completely drained physically and emotionally and need a few days to recover.  I did, however, have to muster the energy this adorable puppy demanded.  We brought her home from Wyoming for Amelia's family.  Isn't she adorable?  (and no, Tesa was NOT thrilled)

A week after girls camp, I flew back to Utah to get Sydney and she her Les Miserable show.  She had  a solo (Fantine's dying scene) which she knocked out of the park!!! She made the director cry and even I got emotional.  Both her acting and vocals were perfect!  It was so fun to go see.  

Here is Sydney with her fan club.

Sydney loved doing this show.  It has been a dream of hers and it was so fun for her to do it with so many talented kids and staff.  It was so well done!

Sydney and I toured UVU campus and went to see a movie with Grandma before heading home.

Sydney and I flew home on August 1st and thus ended our crazy July.  So happy, so sad, so busy, so hard, so much family and love.