AUGUST

SOCCER SEASON IS HERE ALREADY
Z's team moved up to state level this year. This just means that we have to travel a lot further for games. It's exciting! Last month they played in their first tournament in Orem. This month there were two others, one in West Jordan and one in Salem.

Z is number 7

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TRIP TO THE TEMPLE
Our youth have been working toward a trip to the Manti temple. The date was set and the expectations made. The youth learned about indexing, researching at the family history center, and the importance of temple work. Finally the day arrived. Thirty youth and their leaders (and spouses) piled into vehicles and headed to Manti. Meeting at the temple, the youth did temple work for family names that they had collected. The girls won the competition, collecting more names than the boys. After the temple work, the whole party headed over to our good friends, the Nelson's who live in Ephraim. We met with another group of youth for a nice dinner, games and a fireside. Everyone slept at the Nelson home, and then finished the trip off with a geocache activity up on the hills above the temple. It was fun to be at the temple with J and Z. We had a really good time being with all of the youth and their leaders.

The whole group at the Manti temple.

Our great young men and their leaders.

SCOUTING NEWS

For the week long scout camp out this year, our boys went to Idaho to the Grand Teton scout camp. Z was very nervous about being so far away. The warnings that they would be in bear territory didn't really help his nerves. It was hard for him to go, but after prayer and talking about it, and with a lot of encouragement he made the decision to go. I don't think he regretted it. Once he got there, he had a great time. The scouts earned a lot of merit badges and Z's troop earned the spirit stick. They were very proud of that accomplishment. Nice job boys!!

At the Court of Honor.

T earned his Webelos badge this month which means he got to jump through the hoop. Hooray! Nice job T. He should get his Arrow of Light soon, and then it's on to Boy Scouts. He can hardly wait.

GOING BACK TO SCHOOL

All ready to start a new school year. Don't they look fantastic in their bright shirts and even brighter shoes? Z will be in 8th grade, T in 5th and S in 2nd. And, I will be going to 2nd grade, too- as a teacher. Wow! I don't know how that happened, but I think we will all have a great year!

First day for all of us!

Our two Park Panthers, ready to head back to school.









MY CLASS
Pictures of my classroom, just for my own memory.

Calendar wall

Front of classroom- whiteboard

Yep, I'm a teacher.

The rule wall- kids love the Angry Birds

Lunch count and job chart

JULY

MILESTONES

July has been a big month for S. After wondering and asking and waiting for a tooth to fall out, it finally happened- he lost his two bottom teeth. It's a good thing, too, because they've been pretty loose and painful. Poor kid couldn't even eat his favorite summer time food- corn on the cob.





S also learned to ride his bike this month. Dad said "no training wheels" so we had to convince S to just jump on and go. He has figured it out and is now riding all over the neighborhood and he loves it. We just have to convince him to wear a helmet!

FAMILY FUN

The Christensen family summer party was this month. It was good to get together for food and visiting, but it was HOT! Thank goodness we had the big water slide to keep the kiddos cool.

Uncle Aaron came into town for the summer party, and it was great to be able to spend some time with him. The kids had fun with him at 7 Peaks. Z especially loved it because he had a partner for all of the big water slides that no one else will ever go on with him.




We spent a day at Lagoon this month, too. Everyone had a blast and most of us had a brave moment and tried something a little bit scary.

Cousins

Rattle Snake Rapids

White Rollercoaster- My least favorite!

FIESTA DAYS

Flag Retirement Ceremony

Cub Scouts

Carrying the flags

Love the parade!!

HERE WE GO AGAIN

Soccer tournament in Orem

JUNE

CAMP OUTS

T was super excited to go to his first scout overnight camp out in Payson canyon at Camp Maple Dell. It was very strange to send him off for the night- I'm so used to sending Z to camp outs. He had a great time camping with his dad and hanging out with the other scouts. He got to help pitch the tent, and he earned four Webelos pins.

Z also had a camp out this month. They went to Mirror Lake in the Uintahs. Z enjoyed swimming in the lake even though it was cold. He is one of the oldest scouts in the troop now and he likes being the 'leader'. J was not excited about the long drive but he loved escaping the heat- it was much cooler up there. With this camp out and then the week long camp out in August, Z will have earned his camping merit badge. He's doing a great job, working toward his Eagle.

Can't forget about the ward camp out this month. We always enjoy going for the good food and opportunity to visit with our friends and neighbors.



And of course, we love the camp fire and Smores!!

BASEBALL

J and I signed up to coach S's baseball team again this year. It is a lot of fun talking to and teaching the younger kids. Our team was the Nationals but as you can see, J is still a Dodger at heart.

S did really well. He had some great catches in the field.

He would crack us up because every time he got up to bat he would watch his shadow instead of the ball. I guess he wanted to make sure that he looked good! Funny kid.

We had 12 1st and 2nd grade boys running around. They were so funny, always worried about the batting order, and who brought the treat. I think they had a lot of fun but I think they were also glad for the season to be over- I know I was. It was fun, but exhausting!

Because the end of the soccer season and the beginning of the baseball season overlap a little, T ended up missing all of the preseason baseball practices for his team (the White Sox). He showed up at the first game very nervous because he didn't know anyone and he wasn't sure if he even liked baseball. When he got there they asked if he knew how to play catcher... he wasn't sure.

They put him in as the catcher and he never looked back. He has done a great job playing catcher for the whole season. It is not an easy position. His arm hurts a lot because of the amount of throwing, his face hurts from ripping off the face mask all of the time, and he is always dirty and exhausted after every game. Sometimes it is really hot and the catchers gear just makes it worse.

It has been really fun for me to watch him improve and have fun, but it is also stressful. I'm not sure why he always had to play the difficult positions like catcher and keeper, but I guess it's what he loves. Even though it is stressful watching, I'm glad he has done it- I can see how it has built his confidence and self-esteem.

He had some great hits throughout the season, too!!

FIFTH WATER HOT SPRINGS

Another Friday night with nothing to do- we decided to go for a hike. We wanted something close and after consulting Google, we chose this hike because it was supposed to be easy and it was a short drive for us. Was it easy? I guess it depends on who you ask. S did not think so! I think it was worth it though.

The water fall was beautiful and the hot springs were nicely kept and fun for the boys (J and I did not get in). We didn't stay long because it was getting dark and everyone was starving. On our way back down we passed tons of teenagers and 20-somethings heading up. I guess it's a popular Friday night hangout for the single set. I'm glad we went, but I'm glad we finished early. I wonder what we'll come up with for our next "Friday night with nothing to do" adventure.

T at the trail head.

Z doing some climbing.

S at the waterfall- ready to go home. He didn't want to pose for any more pics!









SWIMMING LESSONS
Thanks to my friend April, my kids were able to go to swimming lessons again this year. I am in school every day so that I can be ready to teach in the fall. Because I have to go to class, there was no way that I could get the boys to swimming lessons every day. April was my life saver - I signed the boys up at the same time that her kids went and she took them for me. I didn't get to watch them at all, but they said they had fun and learned a lot.

BYU SOCCER

The 'pass of all passes' gets us into BYU men's soccer games for free so we thought we'd better go to at least one. BYU won this game very easily 5-0 against the Pali Blues soccer club.

MAY

END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR ACTIVITIES
May is a busy and fun time with all of the end of the school year activities.

We had track meets:

Z enjoyed being on the school track team.

Here is T running at the Hershey track meet. He did the 100, 200, long jump, and relay.

The relay team- T, Lochlan, Drew, and Porter

We had performances:

The first graders put on quite a show with a play, a dance, and an art museum.

S and his friend Micah were firefighters in the play. S's line-
"Get the hoses and we're on our way!"

Here's S with his art work- a landscape, self portrait, and Starry Night

Z had Drama 1 and his class put on a performance of "The Three Aunts".

Z was the peasant father who had to "die dramatically".







Other activities:

First grade lunch at the park

S with his teacher,
Mrs. Hunter.








Activities that I didn't get photos of:
* The 4th grade egg drop. T made his 'egg holder' using lots of cereal. Mr. Hales dropped everyone's creations off the school roof. T made it to the 3rd round before his egg smashed- not bad.

* Field Day for T and S. They had games all morning and then water activities and treats in the afternoon. T was very disappointed that the 4th grade didn't get to have a water balloon fight.

*Fitness Day at the junior high. Z ran in the 5k- he got 18th in his grade.

ICESCKATING
Finding ourselves with nothing to do one Friday night, I decided that we would go ice skating. Pretty much everyone complained that they didn't want to go, but everyone had a great time when they got there.

Z was a pretty good ice skater. He fell quite a few times, but just kept getting back up and smiling. I'm proud of him for having a good attitude!

T did a great job, too. He started out close to the wall but got braver as time went on. He did get a big blister but he still had fun. He was the last off the ice and the first to say he wants to go again.

S and his dad had fun but they stayed very close to the wall! S fell ALOT, (dad said he fell alot, too, he just didn't show it). Then S finally got his hands on this contraption and he didn't need the wall anymore- he was on his way. He had a blast and he was in a hurry- skating like a crazy kid!

I had a great time encouraging and helping (and laughing).