Random Events of Late (Written a Little Random)

Last week I didn't blog, because well I didn't feel like it. I hadn't really done anything different than we had already done all summer and the comings of that week seemed more blog worthy I guess. Either way it didn't happen, but I can tell you a lot has happened this week. This past week school started. That started with Meet the Teacher on Monday. We met both Kylee and Tia's teachers. Kylee was really nervous and almost wouldn't even tell her teacher her name, but she finally did. Tia was a little shy, but for the most part she was all about exploring her classroom. On Tuesday, Tia had preschool orientation which pretty much was a little intro to preschool and then letting kids play in the classroom while parents chatted. It was actually really cool, and Tia had a blast. I am not really that great and making new friends, but you know we will get there probably. Anyway, Kylee had Kindergarten assessments after that. Gaupo took her. He said after the first 5 minutes she did really good. Wednesday, we did nothing with school. Thursday was the first day. The girls were so excited. I had to convince them they needed to eat breakfast. Then I made them take pictures and reassured them we would be in time for school. We were really early, probably about 10 minutes early for Tia which makes it about 20 minutes early for Kylee. Either way we had fun play on the playground before school. Although, I was told this week that they aren't allowed to play on the toys before school start. I am pretty disgusted about that. I mean seriously why would you not let kids play. I had a lot of fun before school started, and let me tell you these kids look pretty bored just standing there waiting for the bell to rings. DUMB!! Anyway, I will end my rant there because well there isn't anything I can really do.

The first day went great for both girls. Kylee seemed a little unsure, and still seems a little bit that way, but she is happy and hasn't cried once. Tia loves school. She marches in and plays. I hardly get a good-bye from her. They both are loving school and I am so glad. It would be so hard to send them if they didn't.

Tia.

Kylee.

Kylee and Tia. Kindergarten and Pre-School.

Two sisters.

We ride our bikes to school. Home is all uphill, so I pick them up. It makes for a better day.

This week (Monday) Tia and I have had our first experience with one-on-one time. Okay it isn't our first but it has been awhile. We took Kylee to school and then rode home from school. Then she really wanted me to take a shower, so that she could watch a show. I obliged. Then when I was done she asked, "Go pick-up Kylee?" I said, "No. She still has a long time in school." So then we played memory and after that she thought it might be time, but it wasn't yet. Then we played a little more and then video chatted with Oma. That kind of saved our bacon because we made it till pick-up time. We went and got Kylee and came home and view the Eclipse. Yes, Aug. 21, 2017 was a solar eclipse. We didn't drive to a totally range, but it was still really cool. It was amazing to watch and feel how dark it got. It cooled down a lot as the moon passed in front of the sun. It looked really cool through the glasses and it was pretty amazing to experience. I imagine totality was pretty cool, but I am okay that we didn't have to drive to see it.

Just a pic of Kylee and her class.

Also with the beginning of school, I have started to watch Trent and Tori again. It has been interesting. Kylee and Tori get along well, but are having a hard time not bossing Tia around and letting her feel included. Trent is kind of doing is own thing, but doesn't like being bossed around by Tia, Tori or Kylee. He still isn't talking real well which kind of makes it difficult to help him get what he wants/needs or at least get it with out throwing a fit. Yesterday it got kind of bad, and I wasn't sure that it was going to work for me to watch these kids. However, I really would like to keep watching them, so I did a lot of praying about it and tried to help people understand what I wasn't liking and it seemed to help. Today was a really good day, so hopefully we are on the up. I know we will still have bad day. I just want the good to out number the bad, preferable by a lot.

This weekend I have deemed (at least for our family) the official end of summer. The girls have started school, Gaupo started school yesterday, Kitt and Matthew spent there last weekend with us (they have one more together before Matthew moves), and we had one last great adventure with them. So, we have officially no more plans, as of right now. However, it was a great weekend. Gaupo was home on Friday, so he took care of Tia while I went to a potluck brunch by myself. That was a little weird, but kind of enjoying. Then we just spent the day doing stuff with the kids together. It wasn't anything grand actually it was a lot of me pawning the kids off on Gaupo one last time. However, he handled it great. He let Tia ride the tag-along bike. He took Kylee, Tia, and I to the store so I could find a baby shower gift. Then he let the girls watch TV and play in the van while I went to a baby shower, but did have them asleep in bed before I got home.

Saturday was a little more exotic. Gaupo had to work, so the girls and I were on our own. We had breakfast, shucked corn, went shopping, and made Gluten-Free chocolate chip bars (they were so good fresh. They were okay not fresh, but really good fresh.) We shucked corn because that night our stake was doing the stake carnival, but we were going to miss it, so we did cooler corn so that all Gaupo had to do was take it over there. After we got all that stuff done, we had lunch with Gaupo and then put on our swimsuits and headed to WaterWorld. We had free half-day entrance because last week when I took the Young Women we got rained out and they issued half-day rain-check passes, so we used those to get in. We were suppose to meet Kitt and Matthew, but they were running late, so we hit up some of the kid play areas. We actually only got to play in one because the times we tried to go to the others they were closed to make sure the water wasn't contaminated. I guess it's a good thing they do that, but it is really annoying at the same time. Anyway, the girls had a blast at the one we played at. When Kitt and Matthew got there the girls wanted to go on a group tube ride, so we took them on one of the river runs. They thought it was so crazy and great, which made it great for everyone. It was awesome to see their face and here there squeals of delight. With that ride, we decided we big kids needed to hit the two rides we missed the last weekend. So, we divided. Kitt and Matthew took the girls and stood in line for Revolution (which I call the toilet bowl) and I went in line for the Boomrang (I call it the half-pipe). Well, I got done with the half-pipe and the plan was for me to just go get the girls and take them on a ride or to another play place until Kitt and Matthew got done, but we decided we would wait together and then I would wait at the top with the girls, they would come pick them up and I would go. Well that plan changed when we reached the top. Kitt and Matthew ended up taking Tia down the toilet bowl and I took Kylee down. It was kind of scary for both girls. Kylee was pretty upset about it. Like when it was all done she cried, and shouted but she did calm down and didn't ruin her whole day (that is AMAZING!). Tia got smacked into by someone because neither one of them was watching were they were going, so she was upset too. So, Kitt and Matthew waited in line for the half-pipe while I walked down to a kiddy play area with two very upset children. We got there and finally decided to play and they made everyone get out. AGHHHHH!! So, we decided to go get our snack. We had a snack and then Kitt and Matthew met up with us and went and rode Pharaoh's Tomb, and Journey to the Center of the Earth. Kylee really like Journey and Tia didn't really like either. We were going to go on one more, but apparently the rides shut down at 5:30, so we had to call it a day. However, the girls had a great time. They both want to go back, so we probably will, but we will let it build up and some of the anti-certain rides wear off (maybe).  It was great. I would only do a couple of things differently, but man it was super fun.

We drove home after and Kitt and Matthew came to our house. Gaupo grilled us up so grill food, which was so good. Then we had the chocolate chip bars for dessert. Then we sent the girls to bed. We played five crowns and visited for a bit and then said good-bye. It was a really fun day. It was busy, a little crazy, and not at all what I planned, but awesome nonetheless.

I have had an awesome summer. I feel like it is a summer filled with moments that were what I always dreamed being mom would be like. We did fun things. I feel so provided for because we go ticket and coupons, or invitations for almost everything, so we were able to do it for not much money and I really hope we built a really good foundation for making memories. I would like to say we made memories, but I don't know if my kids will remember any of it, but I know they will remember or at least build on the emotions, bonds, and experiences of this summer. It was truly a blessed summer. I feel so blessed to have been able to do so much and spend, so much time with my girls, Gaupo, family, and friends. It has been so fun. So here's to making the best of school. We are in it, so I am going to try my best to make it great.