Back to School 2024

It's no joke when they say, 'You'll blink and it'll be over'...here we are!  Senior, Freshman, 6th grade and 4th grade. Man we've had a crazy last few years and it really doesn't seem to be letting up.  For the most part all of the kids are happy to be going 'back to school' in Grace where things are familiar and comfortable. Laexin is happy to be in Grace doing all of the Senior things, Loa was the one who struggled the most in SC and was SO thrilled when we told her we were coming back  BUT  she isn't as confident now.  She is relieved to be where things are easy with friend and people she knows but she misses her SC church friends terribly and often voices her frustration of knowing that she was part of the reason we came back, she isn't so sure it was the best choice.  But the great thing is, everyone is learning lots of good life lessons in all of the change we have experienced.  Like, it isn't always 'greener' on the other side, and that the hard times lead to some of the greatest memories and friends of our lives and that 'coming back' isn't as great and easy as they thought it would be.  All hard lessons, but also good.  The two youngest are once again just going with the flow and happy to be wherever.

 

Lytzi & Laex Bday + Fair days

Lytzi turned 11! She is all girl, is the best helper, loves to make friends and is sweet and sassy all in one.  We are so grateful she is part of our family! I have no clue how we already got to 11 years old!  She got a new bike for her birthday but was even more excited to use her birthday money to get her nails professionally done.  She searched Pinterest for months before her birthday picking out the 'perfect nails'!

Laexin also had a 17th birthday!  It was a memorable time as he and LeGrand were off with Grace 2nd ward YM on a high adventure backpacking trip in the wind-river mountains in WY.  The hauled everything they needed on their backs and spent the whole week doing hard things and making amazing memories!  It was last minute that they needed another adult to join them and asked LeGrand, it worked out perfectly for him to go - I'm so grateful he and Laexin were able to do this together and make these memories!

The week after birthday week was Fair week.  The kids were excited to do all the things they didn't get to do last year.  Lots of friends, food and fun at the fair!

 

Morrow visit

 We were SO lucky to have most of the Morrow clan (missing McKay) come to Utah to visit.  They had already planned to stay with Holly's family for a few weeks in July before we left SC to it was fun to look forward to seeing them.  We met up in Logan for Mexican food and Aggie ice cream - of course it wasn't long enough.  We miss our South Carolina family SO DANG MUCH!

Susie, Randy's and Summer water fun!

Susie and Randy were so patient having us stay with them for about a month before we were able to get in to the rental, even Maggie won them over!

My poor fish-children were having withdrawals not being able to go to the lake, streams, and beach that we had in SC, the two youngest were constantly asking to go swim somewhere so we got creative and found different swimming holes for them to play in

Last Chance and the canal were some of their favorite spots- crazy kids!

 

4th of July weekend

I was on a walk one morning and found this little crawdad walking in the gutter so I ran and grabbed Linq who was so excited about the little guy!

Over 4th of July. Ramey and the kids were in Vernal so we made arrangements to give Grandma Susie and Randy a break and went to Vernal for a few days.  It was a fun getaway!  The kids had fun riding the go-cart, playing on the playground and playing games with the cousins, I'm glad we had some time to be together!

We were laughing at how much taller Laexin was than Aunt Ramey so we decided to line everyone up according to height --Aunt Ramey landed right in the middle, ha ha!

The kids had a fun time at the 4th of July parade...but they all agreed it wasn't as good as small town Idaho parades where the candy is endless :)

I didn't snap any pictures of the fireworks but we all gathered in the evening at Jake and Whitney's mortuary for fireworks with the whole clan of Ramey's cousins, Jakes family, Whit's family, Autumn and kids etc.  Brooke and Ryan were there and I was so happy to see Brooke and catch up a bit with her.  We had a fun time watching the fireworks at the city park and the kids loved running wild!

 

Christofferson visit and a long road trip!

After some tear filled goodbyes we loaded up the Penske truck and were on the road.  We were SO excited to make a stop at the Christofferson's on our way - we headed up through Tennessee into Kentucky until we arrived at their place just outside of Cincinnati.  We stayed two nights with them and it definitely wasn't enough time --sadly I didn't snap one picture but we sure had a great time catching up and letting the kids play - man we love those Christofferson's! 

After our town nights we were back on the road, through Ohio, Indiana, Illinois & Iowa, Missouri, stopping just inside Nebraska for the night. A quick over-night rest and we were back on the road for our last leg...Nebraska, Wyoming and...

WE MADE IT!  We were so happy to see that Idaho sign!  Linq was in the big truck with LeGrand and we had kinda left them in the dust in WY because I got tired of driving slow, ha ha!

 We pulled into Grace where Grandma Susie and Randy welcomed us with open arms!  They were so great, letting us stay with them for a few weeks until we could move into the rental above the Ball's garage.  We had tried so SO hard to make a different arrangement so we wouldn't have to move into the Ball's but the house we really thought we wanted we didn't end up getting and all the other rental options just didn't work out or didn't feel right.  Sometimes in the moment it is SO SO hard to understand why things aren't going how we think they should - like when we put the offer on the little house we thought we would just make it work until we found something different and after being on the market for over 130 days TWO offers came in at the same time --so nuts! I remember just crying not understanding why - but in time, the answers always seem to come.  It's so hard to let go and let the Lord work his plan sometimes.

Wrapping things up!

Our house wasn't sold (not even under contract) but I kept feeling like it was just time to 'rip the bandaid off' so after our beach trip and getting all the puppies sold we made plans to return to Idaho.  Laexin was anxious to get back to playing Basketball with his team in Idaho so we arranged for him to fly back ahead of the rest of us...thanks to Brad and Candace for getting him from the airport, housing him for the night and taking him to play with his team at the Mtn. America Expo center.  My Mom heart wanted to be there SO bad to witness his reunion with his team - thanks to good friends who captured some moments for me!

After we dropped him at the airport we headed for a little 'go away' picnic with our ward friends...man are we going to miss these people!

About a week before we headed out, my friends had a meet-up for ice cream - man I love these ladies!

That weekend our ward had the annual ward campout, LeGrand and the kids slept over in the tent (they said it was too hot that night, ha!) and of course had a blast playing in the lake...these are the moments you don't realize are gone before you know it!

Back with his team!