August 2023

 We had a fun August! We tried to have as much fun to end the summer as we could, and then the kids had a great start to the school year.

Here's a then and now- they've grown so much!

Hyrum has grown so much too!

Ivy did her summer camp at the beginning of August- it was a princess camp and it was magical! She learned songs and dances, met princesses, dressed up every day, did princess crafts, and learned the power of being herself:

The last day of her camp she got to have a performance in a castle! Me, Hyrum, and Cora got to go watch her, and she did amazing!

I took the kids to see the enormous stained glass window at the UVU library called "Roots of Knowledge," and it was so cool! The kids had fun doing some scavenger hunts and I loved just looking at all the cool history and art portrayed in the stained glass:

We also checked out the UVU student center for a bit too:

One day our kids got caught in the pouring rain with their friends/neighbors- they were soaked!

We made Dutch pancakes for dinner one night, and Zane really enjoyed licking the extra powdered sugar off the table:

The kids finally got to do their lemonade stand this month! We set it up over by the splash pad, and the kids made a decent amount of money!

I took each of the kids back to school shopping one-on-one this month and they all ended with a treat:

Hyrum went to Young Men's camp this month- his first one without Ryan with him, and his first one that was multiple days! He had a fun time and came home pretty tired:

Cora earned her summer date this month, so I took her to get our nails done and out to dinner at Dairy Queen:

Hyrum also went on his date (with Ryan) this month to Airborne, but there's only video proof.

We went with some neighbors to South Fork Park to play in the Provo river there one day this summer, and the kids had fun swinging on the rope swing, playing with friends, eating a picnic lunch, fishing, playing in the water, hanging in the hammock, and finding creatures in the forest:

One night all of us girls had boxer braids in our hair so we had to document the occasion:

One summer day I took the kids to BYU to have lunch with Ryan at the Cannon Center, race our turtles down the little stream again, and check out the BYU library:

We had a neighborhood end of summer party, and it was so fun! We had a yummy dinner, played in bounce/water houses, hung out with friends and neighbors, had Dole Whip and cotton candy, and played in foam:

I spent almost over an hour making cotton candy for the kids and in the end I was covered in it:

Zane had his summer camp in August too, and his was a clay monster making camp. He ended up making this cool monster and his home:

Zane is starting tennis in September, so he started practicing this month with his new racket, even at the park:

On the last day of summer, we took the kids to the Aqua Park in Deer Creek reservoir. It was so fun- our whole family loved it (even if Ryan and I were pretty sore afterwards)!

We had our traditional back-to-school dinner in August with letter chicken nuggets, ABC Mac and cheese, jello cups, and apples. We ended the evening with father's priesthood blessings for everyone to start the new school year:

We met the kids' new teachers at back to school night, and Tricia had her first PTA event that her board was in charge of!

The kids went back to school in August! Cora is starting 6th grade- she's now the oldest at the school!

Ivy is starting 1st grade- it's her first year of full day school!

Zane is starting 3rd grade, and he gets to be in class with his best friend again!

Hyrum is starting 8th grade, and he tried out to be in the advanced (9th grade) orchestra and made it in!

Red carpet for the first day of school:

Fun times with Zane and his bestie:

Ivy going in for her big first day of school!

Zane had a great first week of school with his class!

Ryan and I celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary this month with a brunch at Tru Religion and taking all the kids and Dallen and Cami to dessert later in the week:

I went to my first big training for PTA this month, where I learned a lot about how to be a PTA treasurer for our elementary school. We have a lot of support from our principal too, which is awesome!

Cora and Ivy are both doing competitive cheer this year, so they wore matching bows and outfits for choreography week:

Ryan was in his first swim meet in almost 20 years! He did great!

Ryan and I paddle boarded/kayaked the Provo River this month, just the two of us, and it was so beautiful (even though it was pouring rain for some of the time, lol):

Dallen and Cami came over and played a D&D game with the kids one Sunday evening:

Once all the kids were at school, I finally had time to do something I've wanted to try for awhile- Education Week at BYU. Mindi was even able to join me for a day of it. It was so uplifting end educating, I really loved it!

Ivy started soccer this month! She likes to be the goalie:

Cora and Ivy made the dough for donuts all by themselves this month, and then Ryan and I fried them. They turned out pretty good!

Ivy gets lots of prizes for being so good in class:

It was a great month, full of family fun and firsts!