35

Today is my birthday.  Isn't August a lovely month?  I really think before I was born I was able to pick my birth month.  Because I just can't think of a better month than August.  Flowers are bloomed.  Sunflowers are staring down at us.  Garden is polka-dotted with orange pumpkins. Its hot, and fall is around the corner.  Why wouldn't you want to celebrate your birthday in August? 

Today was wonderful.   It may sound shallow, but it was wonderful because all my favorite people kept showing up at my door with gifts.  Its not the gifts that I cared about, but just the fact that so many remembered me and made the effort to buy me something and deliver it. I think I cried four times today because my friends are so kind....And devin and the kids are so sweet. 

Indie gave me a hug this morning right after she woke up.  Still in her blue nightgown and hanging onto a blanket.   She told me "happy birthday mommy".  

Devin hugged me this morning and told me he loved me.... a lot.  :)  

sailyr and fin buzzed around making a cake and wrapping gifts.

Holly brought over the sweetest gift - an August poppy necklace and some soy candles.

I found a package in the mail from Ashley.  A calligraphy ink feather pen.  I dont even know what its really called but its the prettiest thing I've ever seen. 

ali and josie brought me flowers, donuts and a chicken sign.  

Also lots of texts, cards and marcos.  

Corrine gave me my gift a couple weeks ago.  And my mom sent birthday money.  

Dev took me to lunch, and after work we went to the raspberry farm.  

then home for dinner and birthday cake in the garden. 

It was a great day.  Im so thankful for my husband,  kiddos, family, and friends.  

35 will be great! 

 

school schedule

 School is in!  Kids are doing good!  We have bus figured out, teachers figured out, bell schedules figured out.  The only complaint is from Sailyr who is upset that ALL of her friends are in the same class together except her.  :(  But Devin says its probably a good thing - because now she can pay attention in class instead of visit with friends.  :)  Probably true, but I know she has felt bad about it.  

I finally got all the kids signed up for their after school activities.  Oh boy, I should just buy a big yellow taxi cab sticker and put it on my car because I'm basically taking it on.  

Monday-    Finley guitar lessons.    Sailyr ballet lessons

Tuesday -  Indie dance class.  Sailyr cheer and gymnastics

Wednesday - Finley horse riding .  Sailyr competition dance practice. 

Thursday - Finley dance class. 

 

 

To my advantage, Dance and Cheer are literally around the corner.  takes me 4 minutes to get there.  

Also to my advantage - Finley's horse riding will only last until snow falls.  So come November it will end.  

Finley was so funny this year, she isnt really into sports like she has been the past couple of years.  I was really hoping she would love summer cheer - so we could continue with that. But nope - she didn't love it.  She kept telling me she just wants to do horse riding and guitar lessons, but man - its a loooooong cooooold winter here in Idaho, and I really wanted her to do something active - to get a little exercise all winter long.   So I told her out of all the sports teams she has been on - dance, cheer, volleyball, basketball.  Which one did she have the most fun on?  Surprising to me, she picked dance.  So I signed her up!  And my little basketball player is going to try dance again.  I dont know if she will like it once she gets in there - but we will see.  Her little friend Daphne is in it too, so I'm hoping that helps.  I'm really not going to be surprised if she quits it and ends up doing winter basketball.... but you know, this is what being a kid is all about, trying lots of things to figure out what you love.  

Wish me luck on my driving all over Rigby for all the millions of activities.  :)

weekend

We did something kind of fun on Saturday morning!  My friend Bethany took Finley and Madelyn to a u-pick flower farm in Idaho Falls.  It was so cute!  It was just a big flower garden, but the lady who planted it did enough that others could come and pick.   I should have taken more pictures, I just got this one of the kiddos with Finley's bouquet.  They had so much fun running around picking whatever flowers they wanted.

And yesterday after church we hiked cress creek.  Good ol' cress creek.  Its so much fun, and my kids have so many memories here.  It was fun to get Devin out there with us too. 

And every evening we end the day in the orchard with the bunnies.  Its probably my very favorite thing to do.  Watch the sun down while watching the kids run around with bunnies.

 It still feels summery here.  Especailly on the weekends.   The kids still run around with the neighbor friends until waaay too late.  Jumping on trampolines until its dark outside.  

Sailyr had a fun sleep over with her friends friday night.  I picked her up Saturday morning and then she was back at another friends house by 2.   This has been the summer of friends for that girl.  She has found the cutest little group, and they have so much fun together.  Lots of sleep overs and late nights.  I prayed for her to find a good group of friends - I feel like we got blessed with them! 

Riding the bus and Girls night

Girls night!!  We headed to White Sparrow for deep fried pies for girls night last night.  Fin and Indie got square ice cream, but Sailyr and I were not settling for anything but pie.  And of course, they didn't disappoint!  It was just what they needed after 2 full days of school.  

Yesterday Indie rode the bus to and from school for the first time.  She is in afternoon kindergarten, so the kindergarten bus picks her up at 11:45.  Luckily her little friends Penelope and Clementine ride the bus too, so they sit together.  I think there are about 5 other kindergartners on the bus with them, so its not too big of a deal.   And then she rides the bus home with her sisters after school.  Yesterday I walked out to them when I saw the bus coming and Indie ran to me and gave me a hug.  She was excited to ride the bus - but I could tell she was a little nervous when it picked her up -  Luckily it turned out great and she loved the bus!

And yes..... I did follow the bus to the the school..... you know, because I was way more worried about it than she was.  :)

 

Horse riding

 Riding lessons for Fin started up.  We had been going a few months ago, but decided we didn't love the instructor- so we have been on the search for a new place to take lessons.   I think we may have found our new place!  Finley got to learn how to trot! She was so excited!  And indie was just mad she didn't have a turn, we may have to sign her up too.  

1st day of school

First day of school!!!  

Things definitely are not as crazy as the used to be. Cottonwood elementary (the new school built closer to our house)  is smaller than Jefferson elementary.   So it doesn't seem like the first day is as crowded and hectic as it used to be.  

We went to back to school night the night before. We met the teachers and found the kid's seats.  So Wednesday morning they were all up by 7am, getting ready.  When I was tucking indie into bed the night before Indie told me, "mom, if I'm still sleeping in the morning and im going to be late for school - just scream at me and ill wake up!"

Lucky indie goes to afternoon kindergarten,  so she can sleep in all she wants. 

Sailyr in 5th. Last year in elementary.  Has Mrs cook and Mrs canchino 

Finley in 3rd. Has Mrs wade and Mrs palmer.  Lucky!  Mrs palmer is the best teacher in school.

Indie in kindergarten- has Mrs Romney. 

 Its good to have them back in school!  Their busy little minds are ready to learn! 

Raspberry farm and last day of summer

 Tuesday was our last summer day.  I think we were all about ready for school to start.  Even the kids were talking about it, and excited for Wednesday.   We went to the raspberry farm Tuesday for our last free day!  It was fun!  Raspberries everywhere!  The kindest mom and 4 older kids were also there picking.  They came and asked if they could help us pick.  I tried to tell them we were okay, but she insisted that she remembered what it was like to do anything with 4 little kids, and they had 10 extra minutes to spare, so they could all help.  And they did!  Her and her 4 kids helped us pick, and gave us 5 extra pints.  !!!  I visited with her for a moment and learned she lives in rigby too, but her kids are older than mine.  It was so kind of her and my kids were in shock that someone would be that kind to us, and give us all the berries they picked.  ❤  

We were only there for about 40 minutes,  but came home with lots of berries!  Thanks to the kindness of strangers.  😊

Last few evenings of summer

Fin should be a character in a book.  

What other kid makes themselves a hat out of a leaf and a bunny hat out of a flower. 

It is a joy being her mother and watching her be nothing but herself. 

(And also - someone send a cleaning crew.  She tried to make slime out of power sugar today, and I came home to powder sugar ALL over the kitchen.  It took me hours to clean up and my floors were still kind of dusty with sugar.) 

Above : All the kids (except Willow) sleep in my bed with me when Devin is away.  He has been hunting the past 2 weekends so we have had lots of snuggle time.  The girls LOVE it.  I usually turn on a movie for them to watch until they all fall asleep, I try and sneak out to get a couple of hours alone until I have to go try and adjust everyone to make space for me to sleep.   They would be so mad if they knew I was snapping pics of them while snuggled up to a sister.  But you know - if I have to share my bed with them - then I get to take all the cute sleepy pics.  :)  They will appreciate them when they are older - right? 

Below - Tomatoes are ready!  Our plants are finally ripening up!  Indie is showing us a tomato below.

Below : Dancing with birdie

Indie and Wills in the tub.  Usually Willow takes a tub all by herself, just because of the time of day I bathe her.  But this day Indie joined and her and Willow thought it was so much fun!  I could hear her laughing the whole time.

There is not much that makes me as happy as a summer evening in the garden, watching my kiddos play with the animals.   These little bunnies have been getting lots of play time this week.  The girls have made them all kinds of little houses and hide-a-ways.  Gathered all kinds of leafs, flowers, petals, stems for them to eat, and have taken extra precautions when Birdie or a cat is walking by them.   

I've always been an animal person.  I know so many people don't really like animals - but for me I've found they ground me.  They help my mind become more present, and kind of lower all the millions of things circling in my mind that day.  Even if its just going out to feed the chickens and watching them eat for a few moments - I really do love having all these little critters around.    I know my children love it too.  I remember when we first got our cat, Cutie.  And watching my kids hold her and pet her - its kind of therapeutic for them.  I'm thankful we have the space and capacity to offer this kind of play to our children.   

And below - Willow finally gave in and brought her blanket to grandma last week while Corrine was here. She laid down by her and fell asleep.  It was the cutest thing to come home to.