Back To School 2008!

We almost didn't make it through the last week of summer. The weather was cold and yes it snowed on September 1st! In honor of the big day I invited a bunch of my friends to celebrate with breakfast at Place to Ponder. Some were offended that I called it a celebration but hey it is what it is, right? We had 14 women and 14 babies/toddlers show up to "celebrate" so hah!

Jansen is now in 8th grade! His last year of Junior High. This time next year I'll have a freshman! He is running Cross Country and keeping in shape as he anticipates basketball season. He made so much money this summer that he was able to buy his own school clothes!!! Yippee!

Carlie started Jr. High this year and is in the 6th grade! She is happy to be back in the same school with Penny Gwynn. And for the first time, she actually has class with Jaylee Albert! She is anxiously waiting to start piano again in a couple of weeks. (We had to wait to see when Will's soccer practice is.) She was able to make mucho dinero babysitting this weekend for the Kanenwishers. Football season will be a great money-maker for her babysitting business!

Will is in 3rd grade in Mrs. Hollibaugh's class. (Carlie had her too!) He was nervous about starting school because the first thing on the agenda was learning about spiders! He loves his class but the "spider" curriculum has given the poor kid nightmares every night. Last night however, he slept through the night and was overjoyed that he had "sweet dreams". He will be starting soccer next week!

Kristen is still confused about why the kids have to go to school EVERY day! She looks forward to the days I work out at the Canyons. She loves going to the nursery there. It's kind of like her own version of "school". Kristen has also made a new friend. The Kimsey family just moved here from Polson into the white house in our neighborhood. Dan is the new Jr. High principal. I got to know Brooke and was thrilled that her 3 year old son Cole got along so well with Kris. Then after school, Will met their daughter Lauren. Lauren is a year younger than Will so he wasn't too sure about it. But once he brought his jump rope out and Lauren figured out that he had performed at her school, "they was like peas n carrots". Not to mention that they both have bikes so...voila...instant friendship! Ahh, to be young again!

Joe is getting ready to speak with Eric Rogers at the John Whitmer Historical Society again. He has been doing research on Pinesdale and polishing up their presentation. It's still weird that he didn't "start school" this year. I don't know that either of us will ever get used to it this time of year.

I have been keeping my nose in the Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series books for the last few weeks. I am almost done with the 3rd and can't wait for the 4th! I know I need to be looking for a job but I am just enjoying being a SAHM as long as I can. Kristen and I have been doing a lot of baking lately. Cream puffs, snicker-doodles, muffins, cakes, etc. I am still volunteering at the library for Story Hour which begins next week. My turn is called: Sing Me a Story. It's going to be awesome! Other than that, I spend all my free time getting ready for the Primary Program coming up in October. Now it is time to polish those songs till they shine!

And so we are back into a much needed routine. Quiet time is half hour before bedtime. I am waking up 15 minutes earlier than the kids so by the time their alarms go off I already have a load of laundry in and I am dressed and ready for the day! I have a feeling this school year's gonna be great! Now if we can just hang on to the sunshine just a little bit longer....