Sunday Stroll

Paul didn't have a single meeting after church today! It was wonderful. We celebrated by going for a walk up Provo Canyon.

It's just so beautiful up there. I never get tired of it.
  
It was so fun to actually spend a Sunday together as a family.
  
Tess and Damon both needed a turn being carried, but we didn't mind. :)
  

BYU Football Game

Gramps took Rockwell to his first BYU football game yesterday. Rockwell was so excited to spend the day with Dad and Gramps, watching a BYU football game, he could hardly stand it. 

Gramps took Rockwell to the Cougar Den before the game and spoiled him rotten. :) A jersey, a hat, and a football!

They enjoyed some lunch waiting for kick-off.

Rockwell loved it just as much as he thought he would. Thanks a ton Gramps!!

Everyday Adventures

Paul and I celebrated our 12th Anniversary by going to a faculty back to school bbq. We definitely got married at a tricky time of year for two educators. We were laughing with the principal and the teacher who was in charge of the bbq because it was both of their anniversaries too. What were we thinking getting married in mid-August? Haha! At least the bbq was fun. The student leadership groups did games for the kids, we had dinner, and the administrators got in the dunk tank. I got to dunk Paul, so that was fun. :)

  

Paul and I did go out by ourselves a few nights later. We went to dinner and a movie, which was a lot of fun. I sure love this guy, and am so glad that we are still so happy together 12 years later.

I took the kids to Nielson's Grove to ride bikes, feed the ducks, and play on the playground. Tessa loved that there was one duck who would eat right out of her hands.

We met Cindy at a park one day. I love visiting with Cindy, so we are so glad that our kids are such good friends too.

We watched the solar eclipse. It really was cool!

  

Tessa has been making a lot of jewelry lately for herself and for us. She is so into accessorizing. I was laughing when we went into Costco and she got all these compliments. I'm so used to her accessories, but with all the comments I really noticed how much she had added to her outfit. A hat, a headband on top of the hat, a huge necklace, and two anklets. Cute girl!

  

We rode bikes at the church, and the kids were having a blast riding down a hill straight off the curb. Damon was very proud of himself that he could do what Tessa was doing.

Grandpa Barth came to visit while he's here for Education Week. We had a great time visiting over dinner and playing in the basement.

He brought the kids a sprinkler mat. They had a lot of fun playing in it the next day.

Ashton Gardens

Tessa, Damon and I met Al and Hallee at Thanksgiving Point while all the older kids were at school. We walked through Ashton Gardens. They are absolutely beautiful!

We loved all the flowers and different waterfalls and fountains.

We especially loved the Christ exhibit. The statues were so detailed and powerful. Tessa and Hallee loved posing with Christ. 

  

    

  

School Starts

Rockwell started 2nd grade this week. He has been so excited to go back ever since we went to Back to School night last week and he met his teacher and saw his friends. The day before school started he told me that he's ready for a break from summer. Me too buddy! Summer was so much fun, but by this age, kids are ready for structure and schedules. I'm glad he was so excited to start. And I'm glad he let me walk him to class this year. I like that on the first day. :)

Since the weather still feels like summer, we decided to play with the slip-n-slide when Rockwell got home from school. We all had fun with that. I do, however, wish we had room for it in our backyard. I'm sure our neighbors had a great laugh at watching a woman in her mid thirties slip-n-sliding. :) Rockwell and Tessa kept doing the T-Wolf sign while they slid down. Cute!

   

  

Tessa started preschool the next day. She was so excited to start too! We rode bikes over there, she ran right inside, and didn't even look back. 

  

I was really surprised when I picked her up and she told me she didn't like preschool at all. She said she was feeling shy and so she didn't do any of the activities. I wasn't expecting that with how much she was looking forward to starting preschool. While I was putting her to bed that night, she did tell me that there was a boy that was really mean to everyone. He was hitting one of the other boys. I don't know if that was all of the problem, but she did seem to really not like that. Hopefully she will like school more and more each time she goes. I hope she makes friends with the other kids soon and won't  dread going every time. 

Damon was sure excited when it was time to pick Tessa up. They are best buds right now, and he missed her! 

  

Tessa LOVES her new backpack. She had to get a picture with it.