This Week...
...our Pasco teachers went on strike. Things have not been right in the district for quite some time. The Teacher's Union is finally trying to do something about it. We support our teachers and had hoped that this could have been avoided in the three months of bargaining before September arrived. However, September 1st has come and gone, and still no viable contract. The kids and I went down to the court house Friday morning (the day of the hearing) to join the picketers and show our support. It wasn't necessarily the win we were hoping for as the Judge ordered teachers back to work on September 8th, but it was a win to see so many teachers and community members come together for the same cause. I hope with all my heart that we can start school next week; I'm ready to see my kids get back to routine and excel in their respective grades. I want the start of school to also mark the beginning of change for teachers and educators across the district.
We walked the lines and around City hall with the Kings. Garrett, Daniel, Miles, and Bella
...rides, rides, and more rides. I'm so glad we fixed our flat tires. Bike rides have been our saving grace these last few weeks of regular and extended summer. :) We love to see the progress of the road extensions for Madison, St. Paul, and Phoenix. We love to try tricks and pedal fast and coast. Claire took her feet off the pedals and stood up on her bike. Lainey just took her feet off the pedals.
...a trip to Mattawa.
...you get a day in the life of photo. We're playing Sorry. Emma is doing her nails. It's Sunday morning before church because she also has her church clothes on. The pears are still on the table from Saturday night. My journal and Ensign sit ready to use, but unopened. The TV and Roku remotes are handy for church music listening. Paul's got his Legos for playing when it's not his turn.
...I went on an anniversary ride along with Jason. Happy 13 years! The time goes so fast! We've enjoyed every minute of it. We are best friends on the greatest adventure of our lives.
...we egged the Hull's front yard! We filled a ton of plastic eggs and snuck up to the front of their house. We set them all out as quietly as we could. We hung a sign that said Happy Easter and then ran away! It was the best.
...I made corn bread for the missionaries and it didn't raise. Well, it won't raise if you forget the baking soda! Dang it all! This is my life!
...the best way to play with the Legos is to sit right in the middle and on top of them. Hey, I'm not complaining because they were quiet. It was just a funny sight.
This Week...
...they excavated our lot. Yeehaw! Things are starting to roll! Jason and I took our morning run and made it down to the lot just as they were moving the dirt around. Then we rode down later with the kids so they could check it out.
...we went on more bike rides. We rode down to our new neighborhood so we could get an idea of what paint colors we like for exterior house colors. Sherwin Williams let us take one of their swatch booklets so we could match the colors better.
...we made some family goals for Family Home Evening. We also read the story Shining Example from the Friend Magazine and worked on our family calendar for the month.
...Whitney Chapman and I at the mother daughter activity days event. Showing our style! We had brunch and then did our nails. Emma's turned out so cute!
...the kids played at the Buchanan's. Lainey scraped her toe pretty good while riding her bike because she was wearing good shoes. But other than that, they had the best time ever! (Cousin Gracie with Carson, Sophie and neighbor girl)
...we took the kids out to buy some new shoes for school. They were all in need of some upgrades. They grow so dang fast! We also ventured to the mall with all of them. Phew! Now I remember why we don't do that very often!
...I took Emma clothes shopping. This poor girl has had practically nothing to wear all summer. It was time for her to get some new things to wear. We hit Maurices, Vanity, JC Penny's, and Down East, buying one or two things at each place.
...Costco got the jump, or crawl, on Halloween. Sorry, but spiders aren't my thing, overstuffed or otherwise.
...I needed some words of encouragement. Oh this speaks to my soul! It's the hard times that forge the beautiful ones that lie ahead.
...I almost put the keys in the microwave. That is my life, let me tell you! I'm always telling my kids to put on their coats when I mean shoes and putting the milk in the cupboard. Maybe you don't have those days, but I do! And sometimes it's four or five times a day!
...we found some faces. One was a happy face as we made selections at Craftsman's for the new house. A couple we found in the Lego box and one was on the back of the vacuum. The last one, the piggy face, we found when Emma and I stopped for ice cream at DQ.
...we laid a new floor at my mom's. We got a great deal on some rubber tiles from one of our friends. He had some extra boxes from when he did his floor and he sold them to us for a great price. The tile at my mom's is not a favorite, but we didn't want to do all the work it would require to take it out. So we just laid these rubber tiles over the top. It completely changes the look and feel of the floor/room.
...we had a plunger skateboard relay at Cub Scout Pack Meeting. It was a big hit. Don't worry! I did purchase new plungers for the game.
...Aunt Reecy got a new Honda Pilot! She brought it over for us to check it out!
...I canned pears! And I did it in one day...and night. My pears were looking perfect on Saturday. I knew that if I waited until Monday they'd be too soft. So I got everything ready and went to work. The kids had fun watching, helping, and eating. :) Notice the one of me working and Lainey eating in the background. Yep! They had fun with the eating part.
We were still working when the sun went down so there might be a few more missed peels this time around. I found a face in one of the pears that I was slicing. And, look at those hands after all my work! They always turn brown.
