August 2010

What a fun summer we have had!  It has gone by much, much too quickly!! (Which seems to be the story of my life lately).

Devin started August at Scout Camp at Bear Lake where he earned several merit badges and completed the mile swim, which really impressed Bryce since he tried each year that he was a scout to earn that patch and was never able to finish the whole mile.  All those years in summer swim team are paying off.

Megan started August at EFY in Nauvoo where she had the most amazing experience she has ever had at EFY, which is saying a lot since she has loved EFY each year she has done it, but having it in Nauvoo was very meaningful for her.  It was fun for Bryce and I to pick her up at the airport and listen to her share all of her experiences in Nauvoo as well as her experiences the week before with her cousin Beth in Chicago.  Megan and Beth and 2 of Beth’s friends took the train into Chicago one day all by themselves and had a great day exploring Chicago despite getting completely lost and walking more than 6 miles trying to figure out where they were.  She also went to Six Flags, played in Lake Michigan and went to the Jelly Belly Warehouse in Wisconsin.

Megan got home just in time for our trip to Island Park, Idaho for the Ririe Family Reunion.  We had a fun time playing with cousins and exploring Yellowstone and the surrounding area.  The kids especially loved the geysers, mud pots, waterfalls, and seeing all the wildlife, but say that they could have done without the sulfur smell. :)  It is always so much fun to get together with family and have fun playing together.  The only thing that would have made the reunion better is if Debbie, Rob, Kim, Chayce and Brandon could have been there too – we missed you!!

I spent a week at Education Week with my sister Kim and had the best experience.  I’m so glad I went!  We had a fun time taking all sorts of different classes and playing in between them.  It was a great week!

Bryce and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary – where has the time gone? :)

On August 25th the kids all headed back to school for another year.  They were all pretty bummed to see summer come to an end, except Autumn who bounded in the house after school the first day and shouted “The first day of school is the BEST day of my life!”  I laughed when all of her siblings just glared at her.  They are all adjusting to the busyness of school life and early morning schedule.  I have to admit that it was a little weird watching Megan DRIVE away on her first day of school.  Weird.

Blog you next month!