Aug 20 - 26

Monday, August 20 - The top picture is Zack getting himself all worked up for school this morning. Simon drove him to school crying, he got out, and apparently hugged a chain link fence and screamed until Simon got out and put him back in his truck. I then drove him to school and dropped him off to his teacher crying. :( Then, in my proudest moment ever, I had a complete breakdown in the office! I just can't do this for another year again (like I did with Nick his whole first grade year)! I was shocked when the school jumped into action, had me meet with the school's counselor, and gave me tons of advice on how to help. I think he will be okay. We just need to get over this hurdle. Tonight was super fun! Mom took us girls to see "Newsies" at the new Hale Theater. It was SO good! They always do such a wonderful job!

Tuesday, August 21 - This was a big day for both Nick and Simon. It was Nick's "unofficial" first day of junior high. Technically, school starts tomorrow but they let the 7th graders come a day early, without all the other grades there, to get used to their classes and routes. Nick completely broke my mommy heart when he came home and told me he ate lunch alone because he couldn't find anyone to sit with. Luckily, the school had made a mistake and put his class in the wrong lunch so it got better after this! After school, he and a big ole group of boys went to the temple to do baptisms for the last time in the middle of the day for a while. I love these kids. They are good kids!! Simon went to see an orthopedic specialist to make sure his arm was healing correctly. Dr. Docktor (hahahahah!) said it looked good but needed a hard cast to finish the healing process. He will be in this black beauty for a minimum of 4 weeks. Poor guy!

Wednesday, August 22 - My day started out really great with an impromptu trip to Wood Connection with Marisa. It took a turn tonight though when thunder and rain started pouring down and we realized that we had a clogged downspout. Simon yelled to me that the window well was filling with water and by the time we got to it, it was less than an inch away from coming in the window and ruining the brand new sheet rock that was just put up! Thanks to my wonderful emergency mode, which I really do love that I have, I had a clear enough mind to figure out that we could siphon the water out into buckets in the basement. When the two Home Depot buckets were not enough to keep up, we quickly dumped out Halloween bins and filled those with water. We got about 5 bins worth of water out of the window well! Once the rain died down a little bit, Noah Sivertson (who was over with his dad helping us out) climbed the ladder and cleared the down spout so that the water could drain. It would have been devastating to lose the progress on the sheet rock that we had just gained so I am so thankful for great neighbors that jump into action when help is needed!

Thursday, August 23 - Mom and Dad rented the Stairs Picnic Area again this year. Unfortunately, all they had left was a Thursday but we went up for dinner after Back to School Night with Nick. It was fun to go have dinner, visit with the family, and roast marshmallows. It's not quite camping but felt close to it for the evening.

Friday, August 24 - Zack has gotten so much better at soccer this season! Not only did he get his first goal in a game, he got two! He was so excited!!

Saturday, August 25 - We say goodbye to mom and dad today for two weeks! They are going on an Alaskan cruise. I hope they have as much fun as we had on our Alaskan cruise!

Sunday, August 26 - We had Lauren, Jordan, and baby Taysom over for Sunday dinner. He's 9 months old and we haven't even met him! It was so great to spend time with them and catch up. What a cute little family! Last night, I finally gave in and put Kool-Aid in Kendra's hair. It is super dark in this picture but the bottom few inches of her hair are purple. She loves it and I actually really like how it turned out too! Fun weekend!!

Aug 13 - 19

Monday, August 13 - Kendra and her cute friends start 5th grade today! Kendra and Savy came up with a plan to twin today and thus confused her poor teacher all day. They are all excited to start school and get back into the school routine.

 Tuesday, August 14 - Today was the first day of 1st grade for Zack and the first day of Ricki's second year of preschool. They all did great on their first day and came home happy to report how the day went! I am sad summer is over but I am glad they enjoy school too!

Wednesday, August 15 - And just like that, we have cucumbers! They are amazing, yummy, organic, and it is exciting to know that we grew them! Tonight for class activities, we had an Iron Chef competition. Simon came out and judged the meal and funny enough, they turned out almost the same. The girls did a really good job! I was impressed at how smart they are and I am super confident that they will be okay when they go to college and are on their own. 

Thursday, August 16 - Nick and I went to breakfast because this is his last summer day without any of the other kids (he doesn't start school until Tuesday but Ricki is home Friday and Monday). This afternoon, he and some friends went over to Parker Moon's house to play Dungeons and Dragons. They are getting really into it and they all enjoy being together. Tonight, mom took Jenni, Katie and I to dinner. It was a surprise where we were going but I guessed about half way there. She took us to Ruth's Diner up Immigration Canyon. It was such a fun evening with my favorite women in my life!

Friday, August 17 - Despite his broken arm, Simon was able to get the basement completely ready for sheet rock. The delivery company brought it and got it all downstairs today, they installed it all on Saturday, and the mudding and taping will begin on Monday! Moving right along!

Saturday, August 18 - Simon is the team captain for the Mountain America Corporate Games team. His team played two rounds and came very close to winning but ended up losing the second game which eliminated them from the competition. Maybe next year!

Sunday, August 19 - Sweet Ricki gave her very first talk in Primary! Her topic was prayer and she did a great job! I could hardly stand how cute her little microphone voice was! :) We had the opportunity to attend Trevan's ordination to a Teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood then celebrate his 14th birthday afterward. I still have a hard time believing that this is the same kid that I used to cart around when he was a baby! I'm sure I just can't be this old! :)

Aug 6 - 12

Monday, August 6 - For our Monday activity, we went over to mom's house. She had some games, including the giant parachute, for the kids to play with as well as swimming her pool. I love our Mondays together. I don't want them to end when bowling starts! 

Tuesday, August 7 - This is the first tomato Nick picked from his Topsy Turvy plant that mom gave him for his birthday. He said it tasted really good. I wish I could have tasted it and known if it was way good or not. :) I guess I just have to imagine. 

Wednesday, August 8 - It's our anniversary! 15 years!! Simon hurt his arm on Monday night at soccer and it's really been bothering him since. He showed me this wicked bruise that developed. We both figured it was a tendon where the bruise follows that tendon so well. Mom, Jenni, and I left the kids at home and went out Parading. We LOVE the parade of homes and we fell in love with this sign #adulting. :)

Thursday, August 9 - We had preschool orientation this morning. Ricki found out that her friend MaeLynn is in her class again this year. She was very excited about that! Poor Simon has been in so much pain, he finally decided to go to the doctor after work today. Yep, it's broken! I can't believe he's had a broken arm all week and didn't know it! 

Friday, August 10 - It just wouldn't be the Parade of Homes if Jenni didn't influence mom and I to do naughty things at the homes we visited!

Saturday, August 11 - Our ward party was tonight over at the splash park. They rented both a popcorn and cotton candy machine and the kids were in heaven! I'll admit, I was kinda stoked about the cotton candy machine myself! :) We even managed to coax Simon out of the basement long enough to join us for dinner and a treat!

Sunday, August 12 - We celebrated both Ryan's and Simon's birthdays tonight at Dave & Viv's. Happy birthday Pearson boys!

Jul 30 - Aug 5

Monday, July 30 - Check out our garden! The tomato I am holding is the first one for the year but the way things are going, there will be plenty more where they came from!

Tuesday, July 31 - It has been a busy time since getting home from California trying to get ready for Girl's Camp. Especially because it started on the last day of the month which is also the last day I can enter Scentsy orders! I made it though! I'm very happy to be up here in nature with these awesome girls for the rest of the week! And look how beautiful our camp is at night! I love it here!

Wednesday, August 1 - Simon took the kids to the summer movie today and they found this cute display. The kids really want to see Hotel Transylvania 3. :) We had a fun time at the Mill Hollow Reservoir kayaking, canoeing, and jumping in the water after they asked us not to! Lol!

Thursday, August 2 - We went on a beautiful hike today. It followed along a little stream and was so green and lush. I loved it! Some of the girls enjoyed it more than the others but no matter what, everyone that came was glad they went!

Friday, August 3 - Oh boy. Oh boy!! So...these darling girls, Madi, Shelby, and Summer, broke into our tent and stole our bras. They proceeded to hang them from the flagpole at the stake pavilion during the final devotional. I had to laugh because when they told me they took my bra I was like, nope! It's on my body! This was just my comfy sports bra in case I wanted to wear it in the evenings. Anyway, I came home and told Simon what they did and he later texted me this picture of him also trying on my bra. I think the appropriate thing to do at this point is to burn it!

Saturday, August 4 - At Las Glorias. 

Ricki: "Dad, take a picture of me!" 

Dad: "Okay." 

Ricki: "Now let me see it. Cute!" 

Haha, this kid!

Sunday, August 5 - We did our annual BBQ up at Silver Lake. Cousin Angie came with us and Ricki was attached to her. Watch out Penney Thomson, Ricki may find a new bestie! Haha! We had a nice dinner and then took our time walking around the lake. We, as a family, had lots to talk about with everything going on with Grandma Howard and also Kenny's new landscaping business. Never a dull moment on the Howard side!