The beginning of our Trip

Traveled to Lander, WY today.  Pamela took Brienna, Zane & Callum on Tuesday, so I've had 2 days with just Emmalee & Ben (& Rusty after work).

It took, me 3 hours on Wednesday morning to pack just my stuff.  Then took the Emmalee & Ben to town for last-minute shopping.

Thankfully I didn't feel too stressed/frazzled at trying to rush Thursday morning to get all the last-minute & things the other kids forgot together.  But it took longer than expected (like most things do) so we got a little bit later start than expected.  

Finally got everything loaded up into the 2 vehicles.  Rusty drove the Jeep & I took the car w/the 2 little ones to Rexburg (left after noon).

Ethan & Tiffany actually had to wait for us (we did stop to gas up--like the hundreds of other travelers leaving for the 4th--& get motion-sickness wrist-bands at Walgreens) but finally left Rexburg about 2:15.

Stopped at the Tetons--first time for Tiffany to go to Jackson & by the Wyoming side of the Tetons.  Amazingly, the kids behaved superbly & we had a great trip.  It rained on & off most of the way--it was the perfect travel-day:  mostly cloudy, rain, cool & beautiful scenery.  We saw buffalo, elk, deer, antelope, bald eagle, great blue heron, & swans.   

I drove the whole way so Rusty could stretch he legs & move around more. It was a very pleasant trip.  We didn't make it to Lander until almost 8, but it was a non-stressful day for me (which doesn't usually happen when getting ready for a trip)

Rusty set up a tent outside (the "coolest" way to sleep while in Lander) & Ben is sleeping with him.  Ethan & Tiffany are also trying out their new tent & air mattress tonight.  WE'll see how it worked for them in the morning.

And miraculously, I have a bed all to myself!  And I've taken waaayyy too long editing pictures & updating my blog, so I need to get to sleep.  It's already the 4th!  So happy Indepence Day!

June 2014

We've had some cool rain/thunderstomrs. 

 These clouds were amazing!

 A full rainbow after one of the storms.

 this one had a double one--and it was also full!

 We've had 2 birthdays along with Father's Day--Zane turned 16 (didn't want any pictures so I didn't push the issue).  He went to a movie & Chinese with Brienna & 2 friends.

Then Brienna turned 18--Crazy!  Can't believe my kiddos are growing up!

 Brienna opening her presents--Ben was explaining how he "made" this clothespin for her & how it took 2 hours.  

 (Actually he put it back together--and it didn't take 2 hours).  But then he went to tell her how hard it was to cut the little spaces (where the clip goes) & how hard it was to make.  Silly kid!

 June was the month that we started using this awesome portable fire pit that Orley Pitt made for us!  We have used each week in June.  We all love, love, love it!

 (Hey--I snuck in a picture of Zane!)  Hot dogs & marshmallows--can't get any better than that!

 Silly Ben!

 There's my handsome hubby!

 Emmalee--she also had a birthday the end of May (lots of birthdays--& Ethan's is Saturday!)

 Too much fun!

What a goof-ball!  I just wanted a picture of the marshmallow on his face!

Other news from June:  

*Went to Girl's Camp & had a blast & tons of spiritual up-lift.  Made a video (55 minutes!) of the fun we had.

*De-junked for almost 1 whole week--got ride of a truck-load of "junk/someone-else's-treasure" & a ton of garbage! (and thinned out my material!)

*Applied & interviewed for the K-12 music position at the school (updating a 20-year old resume was a lot of work!)

*Planned & finished booking all the motels for our amazing, awesome, crazy 32 day MEGA cross-country trip.  Put together an itinerary into a power-point.

***OH--Did I mention that I was HIRED for the music position!!!!!  (right after the interview).  So now I have a ton of paperwork to complete, got finger-printed & started to go thru music "stuff" so I can figure out some lesson plans.

*Brienna registered for her classes this fall & made some payments for her housing.

**SUPER excited for my new adventure of being a full-time teacher!!!  But it will be a big adjustment for the family.   We get back from our MEGA trip on Aug. 8th & so I will have 1 week before school begins to try to figure everything out for teaching!  And Brienna will be leaving for school in September.  

*Since I will be teaching (7:30-4:30) I am trying to figure out my piano lesson schedule.  Looks like it's "do-able" if lessons are every-other week.  Then I will only have 2 (or maybe 3) lessons a day.  

**Also trying to figure out which classes I need to take to complete my music endorsement (& when they are offered & when I will have the time to take them).  I do have a few years to finish, so if they classes are offered in the spring/summer, I think I can manage.

**Also--taught the lesson in YW, then gave a talk in Sacrament (church) the next Sunday along with teaching Callum's Sunday School lesson (talk about getting a spiritual boost!)

*Went to the ice-cave with the youth for mutual (but "guarded" the entrance while the others went in)

*Okay--I think that's about the sum of June (I've missed some things in May & a few in June--I hope to get to that soon).