Summer Schedule 2018

One of the kids pulled up the old blog from 2013 and it was so fun to look at the posts and pictures.  There were so many things I would not have remembered.  I love reading my friend/BYU roommate Thelma's blog.  She blogs daily.  I feel like we are next door neighbors and I know her children intimately even though I have met them maybe three times.  Also, recently Stephanie Nielson (nieniedialogues) posted on how she could go back a year or 4 years or 10 years to the day and see what they were doing.  How cool it that?!

I am going to give it a go again.  I'm going to try to capture some of the day to day so we can look back and see a little glimpse into our lives in 2018.  Wish me luck!

Our regular summer days in 2018 have been mostly the same.  The teens (Brinley 17, Parker 15 and Tanner 13) sleeping in until 10:30 unless they have something earlier.  Aubrey is usually up by 8:30 or 9:00.  Morning chores consist of making beds/cleaning up rooms, reading for 30 minutes, doing an everyday chore (trash, kitchen, scoop poop or sweep), and "drawing" for a chore. (walk butter, dust, vacuum, free etc...)

Both Tanner and Parker have been going to summer Speed and Strength workouts at Permian High School Monday-Thursday most weeks.  Parker goes from 9:30-11:00 and Tanner's is from 11:00 to 12:30.  They come home pretty tired, rest for about and hour and then go work with Brian mowing lawns until 6:00 or later each night.  It's impressive!  Yesterday Parker walked 8.4 miles doing yard work-Craziness!  They also make sure to take time for Fortnite on the Xbox.  Ugh-Fortnite.

The girls have worked some with Brian this summer but more like 3 hours a week rather than 6 plus hours a day.  Between family vacation and girls camp, Brinley has been studying for the ACT, practicing piano, and preparing for her HEFY trip to Brazil.  Aubrey has been hanging with friends--mostly her cousin Lauron Vore and just enjoying down time at home.

I am still adjusting to the craziness of having teens....and I have had teens for years!  Our kids are on the go all the time.  There is NO schedule really....and often we have 3-5 extra friends over or our house is totally empty.  I am constantly taking or picking kids throughout the day.

It isn't often that we are all home in the evening hanging out together.  Family scriptures and prayer happens in shifts.  Just a quick example, last night Brinley had Young Women's at the Food Bank from 6-7:30.  Aubrey and I swam at Gram and Gramp's.  Tanner went to the water park with a friend at 12:30 and didn't come home until 9:00 pm and Parker headed out to the movies at 9:00 and didn't get home until midnight!  And tonight will be totally different. C'est la vie!

  Brinley practicing.  She's made Black Magic Band and 

is feeling the pressure to brush up on her skills!

Aub's new glasses.  I find fewer selfies on my phone of her now that she has one of her own.  When she saw this picture she said "Mom, why did you put that one on?  I can make much better ducky face lips than that."

Fourth of July at the Birds! 

(Aubrey, Gavin Brown, Tanner and Lauron Vore)

Charlotte Bird, Brinley and Morgan Hill

Lake House trip with the Vores.  Aub and La were catching 

up on Cheer Camp and Girls Camp.  So cute.

Me and Tan

The boys have been obsessed with Fortnite since Christmas.  

They work so hard with Brian everyday and it's nice to have them busy.  They love the opportunity to make money.  I do like to see them hanging with friends and having some summer fun when it works out.  Austin Jacobo, Harper Terry, Parker, Reese, and Cole Brannon

   

Sick On Sunday

September 2013

Aubrey had a fever on Friday night and not feeling 100% on Saturday.  I made plans to get a sub for my nursery class and let the Primary president know.  I arranged for the other three kids to get a ride from my parents.  Aubrey called her Primary teacher and let her know she wouldn't be there.  (She knew Sister Winfrey would give her lots of love over the phone.) 

Sunday morning Aubrey woke up just fine: no fever, no cough.  We could have gone to church, but it seemed a little awkward and complicated after all of the arrangements had been made!  We sent the other kids on their way, and Aubrey took matters into her own hands.  She got dressed in this lovely "church?" outfit, and we had Primary.  It was adorable. 




When I came into the family room, both couches were set up with scriptures and hymn books. 
 

Here she is setting up the Primary room.  She got dressed in her ballet costume, a sweater and my church shoes.  Love this little girl.

She LOVES to lead, and we sang quite a few songs!

I guess women's shoes made her an official Primary leader?!  We moved from one room to the next for class and then sharing time.

When I opted out, Aubrey once again took matters into her own hands and gathered her babies and continued to sing and teach.  She is using the IPAD to play songs from The Children's Songbook. 


We were sad to miss church but we had a wonderful morning thanks to Aubrey's creativity.  



School Shopping with Grandpa

August 2013
Shopping with Grandpa

My dad has a tradition which we all love.  He will take the grand kids school supply shopping.  The kids love having time with Grandpa.  He lets them pick their own backpack, lunch box, binders,  tennis shoes etc....  (It would be much less fun with me because I would have an opinion too.  Too expensive, too bulky, you might want to consider _____________.)  Grandpa just lets them pick.  I, on the other hand, love that with all of the expenses of a new school year, we aren't out another $400 on school supplies. 

The boys always seem to come home with crazy expensive backpacks that will hold your IPod and laptop and probably keep your food refrigerated.  A backpack any college student would love, I'm sure.   They don't need any of those extra pockets and gadgets, but they apparently appreciate them.  The girls come home with whatever looks cute.  This year Aubrey zoned in on the light purple...from her shoes, to her lunch box to her backpack.  Bryn chose a cute plaid backpack, but then thought she might want to take it back and get an over the shoulder bag for Jr. High.  They love going with Grandpa to make all of these big decisions.  As they use their supplies all year, they remember the fun adventure as well.  At the end of their afternoon of shopping, Grandpa treated them to dinner at Chick Fil A.  Thanks Grandpa!!


The kids were out front on the swing anxiously awaiting Grandpa's arrival.
 

   

Bryn showing me her new stuff.

Neon Green is the thing this year.



Tan was excited for his new florescent green socks.

Oh ya!  Happy new school year!  A big thank you Gramp!

 

 

Summer Fun!

July-Aug 2013

Summer Fun!!

Our summer started out more slowly because the first three weeks were spent in Utah. Apparently lots of things are scheduled for the first three weeks in June because we missed Girls Camp, Cub Scout Day Camp, G.T. Camp and more.  Once home, we enjoyed getting more settled in our new home.  (We had only been there three weeks when summer started and we left for three weeks!)  We spent lots of time with King cousins and Bird cousins.  We didn't sell Popsicles this year to the construction workers.(see last year's Popsicle blog post here)  The kids entrepreneurial spirit did shine through with a couple of lemonade stands though.   I enjoyed Zumba at church each Tuesday and Thursday morning while the kids played with the preschool children there.  Bryn enjoyed drama and theory camp.  Tanner, Aubrey and Parker participated in a basketball camp.  All in all, it flew by too quickly.  I was not ready for school to start this year.

Aubrey learned to ride her bike without training wheels!!

 





Swimming with the Birds!

Benja, Charity and Danielle. 

Taco Villa Mondays.  Every Monday my dad goes to Taco Villa.  He has for years.  Now that he is retired and usually only in town on Sunday/Monday random family members join him each week.  All are welcome.  The kids LOVE to go.  We actually only went a couple of times this summer....but pretty fun.
 



The boys had a lemonade stand in July and made $80.  Parker and Tanner were ready to set up shop the very next day.  I had to direct their attention to other activities! Ha, ha.  The girls had one a month later and made $40. (I guess the boys were cuter?!)  I love that they learn to run a little business.  They pay for the supplies.  They pay tithing and put some in savings.  They get to set up, clean up, talk to customers and have fun together. 



I also love that they can set up on the corner, and I can see them from our kitchen windows.



Tan loved demolishing this door so it could fit in the dumpster out back.

This may not look like fun but the boys love it because they earn some spending money.  Isn't Tanner adorable.  So strong and capable!  He and Parker are huge helps with the yard.



Back to school physicals.  Bryn sporting her lovely gown.