Last First Day of School Kind Of

Whitney is in 9th grade this year and is taking daily early-morning seminary (7:15-8:00) and started on the first day of school, so we were rushing out the door and Landon hadn't even gotten out of bed yet so this is our first year not having a photo of them together on the first day of school.

I took this picture of Landon on the 3rd day of school because I was gone before he got ready in the morning on the other two days. He was dressed up because they had a football game that night. I can't believe he's a senior already!

Friday Night Lights--Caveman Style!!!

Friday August 21st was the first home game of the season (though it didn't count toward our record because it was an out-of-district team).

Landon started Varsity! We were so excited. We never saw tackle football as a real possibility for him (remember the years of flag football?) and didn't think starting Varsity was in his future either, but booya!

He's #55 and plays Left Guard on Offense.

He's got to hydrate.

Boom!

As a fundraiser the boosters had parents write a tribute to their son to be included in the home game programs, but I gave Landon the option of writing one to his teammates instead.

It was a fun game, especially because we won!

We love football season!

We surprised Landon with these customized shirts which we will be wearing all season.

Landon with a couple of his friends.

12 on the 12th--August Edition

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1. Peep and Junie spent the morning wrestling and being cute on my bedroom floor.
2. Ibuprofen has been my best friend for the past few weeks as I've been having weird neck/shoulder/arm pain.
3. Whitney putting away the movies and games from our trip to Star Valley, Wyoming.
4. We had A LOT of laundry from our trip and from Landon's double football practices.
5. This is a common sight these days...Landon, post football practice, hanging out playing Clash of Clans on the ipad without a shirt and with this funny hat.
6. On my way to Michelle's house for Creative Friday. My bag of of craft supplies, big drinks for us (Coke Zero with Cherry for her, ice water for me), my purse with books to loan her, and my phone with the audible screen up so I can listen to my book while I drive.
7. I can't get enough postage lately and have been making cards with international stamps I buy on ebay.
8. I had to leave Creative Friday for a quick visit to the chiropractor for my neck...he beat me up with the treatment this time.
9. Iceberg is near the chiropractor so I just had to get shakes for us (Nutella for Michelle, Cake batter for me).
10. The awesome book I'm listening to whenever I can (which is a lot).
11. I made lots of photo cards and wrote several thank you notes.
12. I started this month's book club selection.

12 on the 12th--July Edition

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1. We woke up in our hotel room in La Grande, Oregon.

2. A family selfie in the car before heading to the coast.
3. Gorgeous canopy of trees at Multnomah Falls where we never did find a place to park.
4. We stopped in a Portland neighborhood for lunch and this trash struck me as very Portland.
5. This is the very cool wall I faced during our lunch.
6. We had an awesome lunch at Pine State Biscuits!
7. Landon against the cool mural.
8. Whitney against the mural on the other side of the street.
9. My brother recommended Petite Provence for dessert.
10. The view from our condo in Depoe Bay, Oregon.
11. A family shot on the rocks above the ocean.
12. The kids on the rocky cliffs.

12 on the 12th--June Edition

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1. My sleeping set up at my brother's house while house sitting.
2. Morning scripture reading on their deck.
3. I took Whitney, Megan and Tess to meet up with my mom, Lori, Austin, Olivia and Ashley for a fun day at Lagoon (especially fun since I wasn't going).
4. I introduced Peep the kitten to Lola the bulldog and it resulted in some super speedy tree climbing.
5. I ate my Corner Bakery take-out lunch while watching So You Think You Can Dance.
6. Since my mom was at Lagoon and my dad was working I got to pick Andrew up from "work".
7. I love taking selfies with him, they're always funny.
8. Landon came home safely from 5 days in Yellowstone with friends.
9. My dad came to my house to get Andrew.
10. My friend Jen wrote a book! My copy came in the mail today.
11. Bookclub dinner at PF Changs minus Amy and Michelle.
12. Jenn and I got shakes from Iceberg on the way home from bookclub.

Memorial Day Weekend 2015

I haven't even blogged about Junie having 4 kittens in March. It has been so much fun watching them grow from tiny, hamster-sized kittens into full fledged, crazy, playful, adorable kittens; that will have to be another post.

One of Whitney's friends from school had claimed a grey female from the litter, so sweet Belva Boo (that's what we'd been calling her) got picked up Memorial Day weekend. Whitney made a birth certificate for her and we put a bow around her neck (which she was none too keen on). I may or may not have cried when she left. The good thing is that Whitney's friend started an Instagram account for her so we get to see updates on her regularly and she's doing well.

As for normal Memorial Day activities...Sunday evening we drove out to the Herriman Cemetery with my mom and Lori to put flowers on the graves and pay our respects.

My mom's parents' grave.

My mom's sister Launa showed up with her husband, daughter, and grandson plus her 100 year old Aunt Berniece (who kept saying to us, "Do you know who I am?!").

The boy was looking fly as usual.

I handed my phone to Landon to take a group selfie of us and he surprised us by jumping up onto a bench and snapping this photo. It was so funny and resulted in this very unposed photo, which I love.

This happened.

I couldn't sleep that night and ended up starting many Trivia Crack Challenges with Lori, and named them after my plight.

Monday morning Randy and the kids finally got to work weeding all the flower beds (this is what I wanted for Mother's Day).

It ended up being a beautiful day.

We met up with my parents, Lori, and Adam's family at JCW's for lunch and then came back to our house to hang out and celebrate Tess' 13th birthday.

We sat outside enjoying the weather and chatting for hours.

12 on the 12th--May Edition

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1. The kittens are almost 7 weeks old and are all kinds of cute.
2. I discovered that we hadn't flipped the calendar from April to May!
3. I met Amie for lunch.
4. We spent 2.5 hours at La Fountain eating and chatting.
5. The remains of our Alliums.
6. Whitney left the key in the door after school.
7. Poor Junie hasn't been outside since she had the babies, she's going crazy but we don't want her to get pregnant again.
8. I'm reading Harry Potter for the first time.
9. Randy and Landon went to the church for the live fireside with Elder Bednar (Whitney was already there).
10. I went to Relief Society for a "Fast Friendship" night.
11. My friend Melanie and I went to Walmart for a few things after RS.
12. We gathered for family prayer with a pile of kittens.

12 on the 12th--April Edition (super late)

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1. Landon went to Mission Prep and got butter on his favorite tie.
2. Another batch of Randy's perfect biscuits.
3. On our way to church (Randy was already there for a meeting).
4. A beautiful day at church.
5. Landon's notes and a picture of my dad as part of the lesson he was teaching in Priests Quorum.
6. Our new faux wicker Adirondack chairs.
7. My supplies for the Stake primary teacher auxiliary class I was teaching.
8. Sunny tulips in our yard.
9. Sweet baby Peep snuggling on me in the cozy (almost 3 weeks old).
10. Stake primary presidency meeting.
11. Randy and I watched Masterpiece Mysteries: Case Histories.
12. Night time reading.

12 on the 12th--March 2015

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1. Daylight Saving Time is kicking our butts this week so our mornings have been rough.
2. We've been watching church videos from the Mormon Channel for our morning scripture time.
3. Whitney spent her lunch time talking to some kids right outside the office.
4. A student asked me to hang onto these eggs she needed for her science class.
5. My car lunch entertainment was watching birds eat the berries off this tree.
6. Whitney loving on Junie.
7. Our daffodils are in bloom.
8. I'm addicted to playing Trivia Crack!
9. I had a lovely nap to help me gear up for my Stake meetings.
10. Landon spent all afternoon and evening doing homework.
11. I had a Stake scout meeting, then a presidency meeting, then I met with a Unit Commissioner.
12. I had no problem falling asleep to this book. Ha.

So Random

This men's size 11 brand new shoe showed up on the lawn of the junior high. Every time someone comes to the office to ask if we have the item they lost I offer up this shoe...it's funny every time.

I have really great visiting teachers who almost always bring me something when they come visit. They don't have to do that, but I really like it when they do.

On February 13th I delivered these Valentine treats for some co-workers and the book club girls. I finally gave Amie a Christmas present! And I gave a co-worker a birthday present.

This school year Whitney has a fun new group of friends (cue choir of angels) and she actually invited them over to play games (for some reason she doesn't ever want to do this). It was a smashing success!

Whitney is on the honor roll at school so while passing the cabinet with the names I snapped this photo.

This is what a typical car lunch looks like for me, it's basically my half hour of Zen in the middle of a crazy work day.

It's February, our tulips shouldn't be growing like this yet!

Ew!

We're pretty sure Junie cat is pregnant and due the end of March (we're excited). She's super loving and will often come sit on me while I'm reading or watching TV.

My mom recently picked up some food from Wendy's and came to my work so we could have a car lunch...I rarely have those with anyone anymore now that I don't have to work 5 days a week.

Junie allows all sorts of smothering.

Amie and I have been getting together every other week or so for lunch on one of my day's off.

Our weather this "winter" has been wonderful. January and February have flown by and I really think it's because it's been sunny and semi-warm instead of gray and cold like it usually is. It's amazing what a difference this makes in my soul.

Miscellany--Phone Style

It is already time for Whitney to register for her 9th grade classes (how did that happen so fast?!). She applied (along with 110 other kids) to be in the yearbook class. This involved getting two teacher recommendations, submitting 5 photos she'd taken, and filling out the application questions. (I'm happy to report she got in!)

Whitney and her friends were standing outside the office one day during lunch time so I started taking pictures of them.

Amie's daughter Jessica is a senior in high school and is also enrolled in beauty school so I scheduled an appointment to have her give me a manicure. I've known Jessica since she was 4 so it's kind of crazy that she's so grown up now.

Michelle and I met up with Collette for her birthday lunch on February 6th.

Michelle and I went to Pebbles in My Pocket after lunch and found all kinds of cute things (I am addicted to tags) and ended up buying stuff to make Valentines.

 I love coming home to find Landon doing his homework!

Saturday February 7th was so glorious that Whitney and I read outside for an hour!

 Junie basked in the sun next to us.

Randy and I went to dinner at La Costa with Adam and Amy while the girls hung out at home.

My visiting teaching companion and I did a 3 minute stint on visiting our sisters regularly during our Relief Society Visiting Teaching Conference. I had Randy make this poster for me to show how we're all connected through visiting teaching...I love it!

Sometimes you just gotta take a nap horizontally across the bed with your feet hanging off and no blankets or pillow...what the?!

Our Valentine making day was a success! Michelle made treat bags for her visiting teaching people and a bunch of cute Valentines to mail. I made treat bags for my co-workers and book club friends.

I got this funny Valentine in the mail from Natalie S. It's the only one I got.

I read in the cozy every day, this time Landon stopped in and grabbed my phone for a selfie.

We read Man's Search For Meaning last week for Bookclub and all loved it. I'm always reluctant to read non fiction and concentration camp type books because they're so rough on my soul, but this was super inspiring.

I gave this bottle of cuteness to my Secret Pal.