August Changes

Yes, it is that time of year, the weather gets colder, the leaves start falling off the trees, and the kids head back to school.....Wait! I live in California, it is hotter than blazes, and the leaves, trees and grass are dying due to drought, but, the kids did head back to school this week.

 Gabe headed off to middle school.  As a returning student, he was ready for the upcoming changes.  The other two boys in his carpool were new to the school.  He is doing a great job of being the go-to guy for them.  He was surprised on the first day of school to be put into concert band.  He had requested a science elective for the year, but was not placed in that class.  Even though concert band was his second choice, he is excited to be playing a new instrument, the bass clarinet.  It looks like a cross between a clarinet and a saxophone and is very large!  He loves playing it.
Allie has started highschool.  Due to band camp, she went to school with confidence that she would have friends and know her way around.  She has six classes.  It should be a challenging year for her, but I think that she is up to the task.  She started seminary on Tuesday.  We haven't made it on time yet, but are still hopeful that we will perfect that task soon.
Yeah, life will return to a normal schedule and routine....Wait!  I still have two college students that are not in any sort of routine for 2 more weeks......Maybe my routine is just chaos.

Allie's Birthday

Allie turned 14 this week.  Her birthday was on Tuesday.  She was very excited for her birthday this year.  Typically, Allie's birthday is during the summer vacation and often we are out of town for her birthday.  She has longed for a real celebration for her birthday for years.  This year was the best so far.  She wasn't in school, but she was attending band camp every day during the week.  So she spent her birthday with friends from school.  She brought cookies to share with everyone, then invited some of the girls over to our house after camp was over for a birthday party.  They played games, ate food, opened presents, and watched a movie.  Allie had a great day and finally was able to celebrate with friends ON her birthday.

Allie Personally

Allie has completed quite a milestone in her life.  Last week she was awarded her Personal Progress Award in the Young Women's Program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  To attain this award, she needed to do 7 projects of at least 10 hours each, read, ponder and apply many scriptures to her life, often for a period of several weeks, and read the Book of Mormon for herself.  It is a lot of work, and takes constant effort to accomplish.  Not only was she able to do it, but she did it in less than two years.  She set the goal to complete it before she was 14.  There were some times filled with anxiety when she wasn't sure that she would be able to accomplish her goal, but she worked very hard and was able to finish.  We are so proud of her!  Since she still has 4 years as a young woman, she is going to work on it again, this time she is mentoring another girl who just entered the program.  We hope that this journey will help to strengthen her testimony and lay a foundation for a successful life.

Cast Off

It has been a little while since I wrote in the blog, but it has been an extremely busy month!  I could go into great detail of our family activities, but I will start with the greatest family activity inhibitor.  Just this week, it was removed and will no longer overcast our summer!  So here it is.....drumroll.....Gabe broke his wrist.  Yes, about a month ago he was trying out skateboarding, fell and broke his wrist.  He had a cast put on that completely immobilized his thumb and extended to his elbow on the day we left for vacation!  I have had three casts put on my children, and two of them were put on the day I was leaving the state.  My children don't have the best timing.  He chose a black cast to prevent aunts, uncles and cousins from writing on it.  We recently returned home from vacation, and soon after, went to the doctor to have the cast removed.  He says that his wrist feels fine, although a little stiff from being still for so long.