It's been a hard days night

Our weekend started with a bang last night when N8 and Benjamin headed out on his first 11 year old scout campout. It wasn't the most exciting location (on base in front of  a church) but Benjamin was excited and N8 was along for support!

He and Tyler set up their tent all by themselves!

Emma, Mo, Henry and I went to Jack in the box for dinner so Mo could use his student of the month coupon!

N8 came home this morning about 7am. I awoke to him calling me through the window to unlock a door. Just the way I wanted to wake up this morning....

Everyone (but Benjamin who was still camping) got up and dressed and headed over to the OTHTC Halloween Candy Dash and 5k.

Henry and Mo dashed for candy

N8 and Emma ran the 5k!

Then we came home did some chores and then headed to the community day on base where Benjamin was. The scouts had a big area set up with lots of activities including a bubble station and rope bridge!

We then went for a long walk through many booths and ended at the Helicopter that everyone got to sit in!

When we got home I had promised Mo that we could tye-dye shirts (we missed the school activity where they did it).

Pizza and a movie rounded out the night. I'm pooped!!

On Wednesday Bud was awarded his Webelo badge as well as his Arrow of light. He was the "bridged" onto scouts!!

The currently leaders went to a lot of work making a lovely plaque for him to remember this!

He and 2 of his friends that were also awarded:

Onto Scouts!

We're lived here for more than eleven years and we had never been to the fair! N8 was ok with this and had little enthusiasm for going this year, but Mo was positive we were going! It doesn't help the from the Kindergarten playground there was an excellent view of the ferris wheel!

We lucked out (and really we wouldn't have gone otherwise) but Friday night kids under 12 were free so we just had to pay for N8 and myself, a bunch of tickets because we are WAY to cheap for wristbands ($25 a kid!!) and so fun!

We started with the Alaskan Pig Races, quiet silly, but fun!

The kids each rode a couple of rides (the wished for more, but settled for what they got!).

Then the free petting zoo, Emma was deemed the Chicken Whisperer. She held that chicken for a good 10 minutes with it just happy as could be.

We ended with the Bubble show. It was the best part of the evening.

Emma got to be a helper wearing costume and all!

Mo dumped mentos into soda and Bud launched a rocket!

I hope to convince N8 to go again next year!

Today we got Buds 1st quarter report card. I am one proud mom! I was so worried about 6th grade and middle school. So far he seems to be navigating everything well, enjoying himself and getting great grades on top of that!

On Thursday morning I headed out at about 5:45 am and started my drive to Provo. My sister Ruth had planned a sisters weekend. It had been several years since we had been able to do something like this and we had not been able to get all 4 of us together before.

I made it in good time enjoying the sunrise listening to Anne of Green Gables!

About 2 miles from my final exit I got a call from Karen. She was almost to the Trax station and wondered if I was close enough to pick her up. After we figured out the address and I figured out how to get there, I got her picked up and we checked into the hotel. We then headed over and got a tour of my 2 nieces apartments that are freshman at BYU.

We headed back to the hotel and met up with the rest of the group (included my Brother in Law Ray who was also in town recruiting for BYU).

We headed to dinner at Red Robin and then to see Austenland!!

It was hilarious, we all loved it!

On Friday morning we went over the the BYU bookstore and did some shopping and then headed off to get pedicures (a first time for both Karen and I).

All four of us!

Then we went on more shopping, Walmart for cheaper BYU shirts and Seagull book. At this point we took Carol back to the hotel so she could head home and we headed over to the Brickoven to meet up with the college girls, and my brother in laws Brent & Ray.

Then we went bowling at the WILK

and to the observatory in the Eyring for Lucy to finish and astronomy assignment!

We stopped by the BYU creamery on the way back to the girls apts and grabbed some ice cream and gabbed for a while and gave them the bracelets Emma and I had made them.

On Saturday morning we headed to Costco for the girls to load up!! This was Casey's cart!!!

Then it was on up to SLC and Temple Square. We stopped at the Church Art History Museum to see the Norman Rockwell exhibit

and then just walked around, visited, shopped

and ate at Kneaders (so good!!)

Very good friends from growing up Sharynn and Julie also met up with us.

We headed back to Provo, at some Los Hermonos, watched some very funny Youtube videos and we were done!

I left at 7:30am (Utah time) on Sunday morning and made it back home at aboue 5:45pm. Lot of traffic, but well worth spending time with my sisters. Keeping the bonds alive and remembering that families are what we have here, take with us and love forever!

The kids have been going to Crossfit for a while now (8 or 9 months or so) and really enjoy it. They just go once a week for 30-40 minutes.

This last week they worked on climbing the rope!

Last week we had our Young Women in Excellence. It was a lovely night where the girls shared where they had Stood in Holy Places this year.

Our school district has an AV center where you can use their die-cuts. Karen and I went one afternoon and we (mostly she!) cut out the letters and then the girls decorated and traced for a mutual night.

Then everyone was asked to share a special thought, experience, where they have seen that girl stand in a holy place. It was awesome!!

Karen also used my cake-pop maker and made these fabulous cakepops! I LOVE the color and it was a neater (cleaner) way to eat cupcakes!!

Each YW also went home with their own copy of "Oh the Places You'll Go" and a fun pair of socks to help the remember to Stand in Holy Places!