An early fall drive

I've gone for a drive conference weekend for years to see the fall leaves.  Sometimes my kids go willingly and sometimes I have to beg, but they do go with me. And I take pictures, sometimes they do so willingly, and sometimes it's a fight, but I get pictures.  This was something I really wanted to do before Owen left for his mission, but I was worried the leaves wouldn't have changed yet.We saw some beautiful colors up higher than we could go, but we saw just enough down lower to make me happy.  I broke the news to Davis that I was still going conference weekend, he took it pretty well. 

A day off

It's awesome having a day off just 2 weeks after school starts.  I really wanted to plan something fun for Labor Day since Owen is leaving in 9 days and my kids love to shoot guns.  My friend has property that she said a while ago we were welcome at any time to go shoot, so I took her up on the offer and we went out and played.  Davis still had football practice and we did have some chores that had to be done, like an oil change and the lawn, but we started with the fun part of the day, the most important part.  

 And a treat at Zeppes to finish the day off. 

End of August happenings

Gator spent the night at Krissy's and went to soccer games the next morning.  I know she misses soccer so bad, and I hate that I let her say she wanted to take a little time off.  I hope we can get her back on a team next year when try outs come around again.  But she was asked to be in charge of the sideline flag.  She was pretty excited about that.  

 The football coach at Rocky met Owen and asked him to help coach the team.  He told him he only had a few weeks, and the coach said come for what you can.  Owen has loved it.  Anything to do with football.

 Davis has been dressing varsity as well as playing on the sophomore team.  He is so excited about this, I hope they give him the chance to go in, even for just a minute.  His varsity number is 63.

 Quick lunch dates in the car because he's just too exhausted from football.  But we had fun none the less eating in the car.

 I know Gator supports her boys, but she really just goes to the football games because she gets to see all her friends.  She is so social and loves to see everyone.

 Yes, it is the time of year that football takes over my blog and our lives.  But we love it that way.  Davis has been starting offense and defense.  He is on the bottom of this pile after he tackled the QB.

 The boys love to fish.  I only go because I get to hang out with them.  They go because they really just enjoy it.

 Fitting in as much football as he can before September 12th.

Farewell

Owen still has 2 1/2 weeks, but with fast Sunday and stake conference we had to do his farewell today.  It worked out perfect, we got everything done in this week and now we have the rest of the time to chill and just hang out together (in theory).  A few weeks ago Owen was at the farewell of a friend and he texted me and told me I couldn't cry because than he would cry and it would just get ugly.  I must say I did really good... until he started to talk anyway.  Who on earth would give a missionary the topic of honoring your mother.  A mom is already sad about her son leaving, then when the talk is about her?  Ya, so my promise of not crying went down the drain.  Owen gave an amazing talk.  I know Owen is a great kid, but his composure and ability to address the congregation even blew me away.  He was so grown up and talked with such authority in a calming and confidant way.  He is going to be a fantastic missionary!  I am so excited for him, still sad and nervous, but so excited.  We took a ton of pictures, but I can't put all of them on here, I'll save them for his book.  I just want Owen to know he's got a huge crowd at home cheering him on and praying for him.  

Life's purpose

Last night Owen went to the temple to receive his endowment.  Nothing can prepare a parent for the experience of seeing their child dressed in white waiting for you to join them in the celestial room.  As with any right decision, we had a few bumps in the road, but everything worked out perfectly.  I hope we can make it back together a couple of times in the next few weeks, because it is so cool to go to the temple with your own kid!

Ready for some football

Having been through this once with Owen, I know how fast this 3 years in high school goes and even faster is football season.  I only have 3 years left of high school football, and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it before all too soon I won't have a son playing.  Davis is coming into his own and it is so fun to watch.  A little discouraging too though, he wants coaches to see him for him and not Owen's little brother and it is taking time.  They expect him to be an Offensive lineman.  And Davis has played center ever since he was 8, but he really wants to play defense and that is what is taking time showing the coaches that he is one heck of a defensive player.  He will continue playing O line as long as they need him to as long as he's getting some defensive play time as well. 

3 days to celebrate

Owen turned 18 on Monday!  It is so surreal to have an adult child now.  He spent the day in typical "adult" fashion and went to work.  For the next 3 weeks, we get to work at the same place.  Being an adult now, he thinks work is important and he doesn't come visit me in my room.  I liked it better when he was skipping school and came to visit me.  He is also helping coach the football team at Rocky until he leaves so he thinks that is pretty cool.

Just because he's 18 doesn't mean he's too old to get balloons.  And no one is too old for a treat either.  

The majority of his friends that aren't serving missions moved up to Utah State on the 20th, so Owen spent the rest of the day in Logan with them.  It is rough with them all either leaving on missions or to different schools.  I'm grateful Owen isn't the last to leave in the group, this is hard on him.  We celebrated some more on Tuesday by going to the stake center and having Dave ordain Owen with the Melchizekek Priesthood in preparation for going to the temple this weekend.  Afterwards we went out to ice cream.  And tonight we finally were able to go to dinner as a family.  I was in charge of a team dinner for the football team, so Davis got two dinners, (nothing wrong with that when he's trying to put on weight for football) so we went to a later dinner.  It was the only day we could all go together, and I wasn't going to leave someone out when our days of going out with all 5 of us are numbered anyway.  What a busy week  going back to work, school starting, turning 18, the priesthood, temple, farewell, and team dinner.  

10th, 5th, and 3 weeks

Our schedule changed this year.  I have always gone to work at the same time as Gator starts school, 8:30.  I knew that I wanted the earlier shift when she started Jr High so I could just go in at the same time as I took her to school.  That 7:15 shift came open this year and I figured I better snag it now while it was available so that means Gator is alone for an hour in the morning.  Today she was nervous, but I think she will come to enjoy the hour of quiet time and she can get her reading done in the morning.  So I wake her up at 6:30 to get her ready for school, then set an alarm for when she has to go out to the bus, today to help her smile I teased her that she was the one sending me off to school this year.  I'm glad she didn't decide to take the day off and go back to bed.  Davis has to be out the door at the same time as he was just getting out of bed last year.  This kid is my sleeper.  He loves to stay up late and sleep all day if he could, so school mornings just about kill him.  He's got some long days with school and football practice, so we'll see how late he still wants to stay up tonight when he finally gets home.  He needs a great year this year, Jr High is not a good time, but he is excited to be in High School.  I'm just sad not having any one with me at the Jr High anymore.  I've got some friends with kids there, I'll have to be their school mom.  Owen is still working this week, plus he's helping coach the Jr High football team.  But he doesn't have to be to work until later, so he gets to sleep in this week.  I love seeing him at work at least, but he will be quitting at the end of the week.  He wants to take the 2 weeks before he leaves to finish up getting ready for his mission and do some reading and studying.  I am praying for a happy, successful year for these amazing kids!!
(He may or may not have been saying "mom, you are such a dork.  I'm not going to hold up 10 fingers to represent 10th grade.) 

Playing with Frank

We miss Frank so much.  He was with us all the time until he moved, and it's just been so sad and quiet in our neighborhood without him.  He came for a visit today and him and Gator got to go to Toads and out to lunch.  It was so fun to see him again. 

Puppies

Our neighbors have a silver lab and she just had puppies this weekend.  Gator is very close to this dog and she cares for her when they leave town, and the dogs owners Kipp and Karma are her close friends.  She is over there all the time, so add puppies to the mix and they will never get a break from Gator.  I was surprised when Karma sent me these pictures today, I didn't think Sami would be so comfortable with Gator holding her puppies, but Gator was over there cuddling puppies or checking on Sami for 3 hours.