What We've Been Up to...

We have been enjoying the start of school. Both girls are absolutely loving it. The first week M had homework every night (coloring) and she thought she was pretty cool. O was a little mad cause the Kindergartener had homework and she didn't. Oh boy, she (we) were in for it last week though. O has spelling words to work on every night and reading along with a little math. I can't believe my 1st grade had a spelling test on Friday. Yikes! I don't remember really reading or having spelling tests until 2nd grade. I asked her when she got home how she did and she said she spelled them all correctly. That's right 100% for my little girl.

M was a little upset because last week was kindgarten testing and she didn't have school. She was okay the first day staying home with me but after that she was frustrated she didn't get to go to school with O. On Friday she went to hang out with Grandma Maxfield having some one-on-one time. They rode their bikes around, made cookies, painted and had a great time. O is now wondering when her Grandma one-on-one is. She'll get it soon I bet.

J's brother drew a moose tag up in the Cache so we decided to go a camping. We thought we'd take the trailer up Thursday to save us a spot. We usually like going up Temple Fork. Thursday before J left the Ranch up in Huntsville he blew a tire so when he got back to Tremonton he had to go get it fixed. So he didn't get home until 7 pm. The trailer was ready and we headed out. Unfortunately they have made a mess out of Temple Fork with construction on the dirt roads. Any spots that weren't already take had Bulldozers in them. They have really screwed it up up there. So we thought we'd go to Right Hand Fork. So spots. After pulling our trailer around the mountain for two hours we came home. We didn't get home until about 11 pm. I was ticked off. Not at J but for the stupid construction and just what a crappy night we had. On top of it I was worried O was not getting enough sleep to do well on her test. But she ended up getting enough. Thank goodness.

Friday when J and O got home from work and school we headed up to the Sinks. A spot we had only been to snowmobile around at before. We had no idea they had all of those camping spots up there and they were big spots too! We had so much for with everyone that came up. It was fun to tease his brother and sister about their, um... friends. It was nice not being the one to get harrassed for a change. We drove all over the mountain. No moose though. Sunday we saw some guys that had a Bull Elk Tag and they thought they had seen some about 45 mins earlier but so we sent Mike and his "friend" a hiking over the mountain and went around the mountain to meet them. We weren't far enough down though but we waited and drove around. Vicki and her "friend" and Maury were on 4-wheelers and we were on the Ranger. We split up to see if we could locate them. J saw a trail and decided that we'd turn around to go on it, but he backed up an embankment and flipped the Ranger on its side. Everone went flying out lucky. And we were really blessed no one got hurt badly. My side is a little sore, but we are all okay. The kids were all crying (from getting thrown out). It scared us pretty good. We said a prayer to thank Heavenly Father for protecting us and that no one got hurt and that J would be able to flip the Ranger back up right and by the time we opened our eyes J had already turned it back over. We finally found Mike and his "friend" on the road to Old Ephraims Grave and headed home. We met up with everyone and headed back to camp. All in all it was a great time and the kids were flithy dirty by the time we got home (you'd think we'd give them a shower in the trailer, huh). We got home about 5 pm. It was good to be home.

I got a phone call Sunday night that they had released us from the YW Presidency on Sunday. I have mixed emotions. I have loved working with the Presidency and getting to know them better. I have really enjoyed the girls and what wonderful YW they are. I hope our daughters grow up to be like them. They are really good girls. C is getting to be quite the little rascal in church and it is getting hard to sit through any type of lesson with him. He was pretty disruptive to the class. But he was just so darn cute that the girls would rather pay attention to him than the lesson. I just pray they don't stick me in as the Music Director cause heaven knows I can't lead music. I am just going to stay on the down low.

1st Day of School

I am really excited that school started today. I will be very very glad to be able to get the family back on a schedule. O is entering the 1st Grade. She has Mrs. Perry. She was excited to be able to have lunch at school. M is entering into Kindergarten and she is in the all day class. She has Mrs. Baker. She said she loved lunch and they had quiet time and she said she got to meet some cute new friends. I took them to school this morning and dropped them off. I have to say I did shed a couple tears as me and C walked back to the car. You see when O went to kindergarten, I was just barely on Maternity Leave from having C and I was use to dropping her off at day care all day so it wasn't really that big of adjustment to not have her right there. M on the other hand had been my little helper all year long last year. She helped take care of C and while sometimes she is rough, she normally does have good intentions. She would talk with me nonstop and would be my little nap buddy. So I am a little sad she has moved on to big and better things and has left her little mommy behind. But at the same time excited that she is growing, developing and learning new things.

Here are some pictures of them before we left for school:

Now it is just me and my boy at home. I am not quite as entertaining as the girls. He was grumpy from waking up early and let's just say he took a good nap this afternoon. I was able to get some homework done though so that was nice. When he woke up he just wanted to be held nonstop. But then he found the dog and they entertained each other. Him and I were pretty darn excited to see the girls when they got home. They instantly picked him up and started playing with him. What good sisters he has.

YAY!!! It's Fair Week....

We are so stinking excited it's fair week. I know we are kind of dorks. I asked J the other day if we are the only people in the world that get so excited it's fair week. He laughed. The girls are most likely not going to show this year. O is too old for the leadline class and she has to move up to the walk/trot class. We are NOT quite brave enough yet. And really I don't want to haul the horse in for just M and then have to listen to O cry because she didn't get to show. So we are probably going to forgo showing on Friday. Next year, we'll be ready. But we are still excited. I don't know what it is about the fair but we have such a good time. I think we spend a lot of time and money over there this week.

We are ready for school to start next Monday. The girls went and met their teachers. M already knew hers but we really didn't have a clue who O's teacher was. She seems like a nice lady. Yesterday I started back in school. I am going to USU. I have two class and they are both online. My brain hurts already. Isn't that pretty sad. Lots and lots and lots of reading.

Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House

We were able to attend the Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House during the last part of July. I really wanted to be able to take the children to the open house so they could see what the inside of a temple looked like especially the sealing room and so they could feel the peace and good feelings you feel while you are in the temple. J's parents, brother and a friend came along for the evening. It was such a wonderful place and the kids really did enjoy it and were very well behaved. As we were coming down the steps into the baptismal area I noticed my cousins husband standing there so I wave and as I came further down the steps I was suprised to see my dad's sister and her whole family standing there. It was awesome. We were also able to sit down in the sealing room with her family in there too. It was wonderful to see the mirrors and see forever with my family and some of my extended family there too. We had a wonderful evening and I hope the kids will remember it and keep a strong desire to live worthy to be able to have those special blessings someday.

2009 Call Family Reunion Whitney Resevoir

We went up to Whitney Resevior for a long needed little getaway. We went up Thursday Morning and had a ball. The kids played with their cousins (well my cousins kids) the whole time. We did break them away on Friday to take them fishing. We had nine on the line and reeled 5 in. Pretty darn good for about 30 minutes worth of fishing. Especially because it seems that we never catch anything. We rode the Ranger and 4-Wheelers a ton. Went on a 4-Wheeler Scavenger Hunt, ate great food, and was greatful for the well needed relaxation. Only deer this year. No moose which is suprising since it seems like that is all we ever see and we never see any deer. We always seem to have a moose running through or by camp. Oh well, we had fun anyhow.

The Hunt for the Illusive Lizard

O is such a little poser. Grandpa calls her the Drama Queen (I think he is right on w/that).

These two adorable little yayhoos were hunting for the illusive lizard one afternoon in July. They were at it for about 20 minutes before they were finally able to catch it. The little lizzard survived in the Maxfield household for about two days. I am not sure if it didn't have enough air in the container we put it in (I poked holes in the top) or if it was a put a little water in the bottom and it drowned or if it was just sad to be away from its friends so it died of a broken heart or if M loved it too much and squeezed it too tight. Anyways the girls had fun with it while it lasted.

C's Birthday Party

I finally got the pictures downloaded off of the camera from C's birthday party. He had a great 1st Birthday! Thanks Everyone!