Soccer 2023

Alayna was so excited to start soccer! This is her first season and she is getting the hang of it,,but not without some anxiety along the way. During one of her practices, she broke down and had a panic attack, as well as her first game. But she's played in 2 other games and gave it her all. ;)

There are some sweet girls on her team that have been quite sympathetic to her anxiety. 

 This hunkie hunk has been working out for the past two months to pass off scout requirements. Need I say more?!?  He's also been playing soccer and is a pretty good midfielder. 

Gardening Goods

I sure love tending to a garden and then seeing what it will produce.  This year we have been rich in the raspberry department as well as potatoes, tomatoes, a few strawberries, carrots, peas, lettuce and a few volunteer plants that surprisingly provided cantaloupe, pumpkins and crenshaws (like a honeydew melon).  I tried to plant cucumbers, more melons and pumpkins, but the plants didn't take off.  I'm not sure if they didn't receive enough sunlight (planted along fence in back yard) or if they weren't being watered enough?? It remains a mystery.

Laynie holding a huge potato!  This was my first attempt ever at growing potatoes. I learned a lot and feel confident in growing them again.

A day's harvest in late August.

 

Mystique Dinner Date!

 Joni had a most excellent idea to get together with Matt's 3 oldest siblings and their spouses and have a date night each month.  We've done some pretty fun things like: Top Golf, a Murder Mystery Dinner, Dipping Chocolates, eating out at a fancy lemon restaurant, a Fondue/Game night and the latest one --- a Mystique dinner date!  It was a 5 course meal at Gardner Village followed by a mentalist who came to entertain us.  So fun!  It's fun to get together with Ryan, Misti, Justin, Joni, Chris and Ann to strengthen those familial bonds and have a good time laughing with each other.

Saratoga Springs Temple Dedication

On August 13, 2023 the Saratoga Springs Temple was dedicated.  We felt really lucky because our bishop offered our family 4 tickets to be in the temple when it was dedicated.  We left early and got to the temple parking lot and started to walk in.  I overheard someone else talking about a ticket and then I had remembered that I had put our tickets in my purse and at the last minute chose not to bring my purse because I wasn't sure if I could take it in with me.  The traffic leaving the temple was horrendous - there were 2 dedications and we had tickets to the 2nd one.  If we had gotten back in our car, and traveled the 2 miles back to our home, we weren't sure we'd make it back in 45 minutes!  So Matt called his parents and luckily they were able to save the day by driving to our house, searching through my purse and bringing the tickets to the first intersection in Beacon Pointe (the subdivision right before the temple.)  We had walked about 3/4 mile down the hill then booked it back up the hill to make it just in the knick of time.  We barely made it into the temple on time.  What a rush!

But the dedication was beautiful.  I kept thinking what a beautiful gift from our Heavenly Father this temple was to us.  I hope our family will always remember this experience and the importance of temples in our lives.

 

Back to School! (6th and 3rd Grades)

The kids are geared up for another great year at Lakeview Academy!  I'm so thankful for this school for so many reasons.  I love charter schools, uniforms, and the 13:1 student:teacher ratio!  I love the overall happy atmosphere the school provides and how the teachers are supported and genuinely care about their students.  I love seeing my kids excel and improve because of their programs and curriculum.

Every year, I ask my kids if they'd like to be homeschooled and every year they turn me down.  Just goes to show how awesome LVA is!

 The evening before school started, we headed over to the campus and took some fun pictures!

My babies are growing up!  (And I don't like it!)

6th and 3rd grades!

Gavin has 4 female teachers:  Follett (science), Smith (math), Olsen (language arts), and Thompson (social studies)

Laynie has Mrs. Lee.  Mrs. Lee was Gavin's 3rd grade teacher as well and she showed Gavin love, kindness and empathy - something he hadn't received in school for 1st and 2nd grade.  She helped Gavin heal from a terrible/toxic school environment he was in previously at a different school.

I love these two so much!