Four boys in four different schools

The year I've been dreading is here, because of the grade level schools, I have all of my boys at different schools.  

 Aydon is in 7th grade at the Junior High now and Aydon's favorite part is waking up at 6am to catch the bus at 6:45.  :) Very sarcastic comment there, he still doesn't wake up on his own to an alarm so I had him set an alarm for 5:55, I set mine for 6:00 and his alarm was still going off when my alarm did.  

 They don't get to use lockers so he has to carry his binders in his backpack and he has to have his school ID at all times.

Drew is in 1st and has Miss Bratt at Jefferson.  He will go all day now after having half day kindergarten so I am hoping he will do well.

Zack is now at Bonnie Brennan with Mrs. Hartman.

 Ty's the first of our boys to go to Washington (which Preston claims is the best because he went there in elementary) and has a fresh out of college teacher, Miss French.

  Elementary boys.  

Here's hoping this year goes smoothly!  I don't know what I'll do when I'm home alone, I have signed up to be a substitute teacher so that I can still be available for the boys when they need me.  

Drew's tithing

He wrote: Deliver to Jesus From Drew

Snowbowl

Originally, there were plans to go to Albuquerque for a few days to meet up with Earlene's family & Stephanie's family but due to doctor appointments that came up, we decided to stick around town.  We were planning to ride the skilift in Albuquerque so instead, we rode the one at Snowbowl.  I can't remember when we last rode it but I know I was still nursing a baby (can't remember which one) so it's been a while and the kids didn't remember doing it.  

We met there at 10am to hopefully beat the monsoon storms that were predicted for that day and so that Vickey could make her eye appt at 1pm.  While we were waiting for someone to get out of the restroom we snapped pictures.

As we were standing below, the boys could see something and wanted to check it out.  

They found a bunch of games to play while we waited.

After a couple of rounds of beating Preston in connect four it was finally time to head up the mountain.

On the way up, there was the loudest thunder clap.  It scared all of us so bad.  All I could think was, we are going to be struck by lightning.

We made it to the top and the guy told us as we were getting off that the peak was closed due to lightning strikes but the lift was safe and we would be able to get back down the mountain.  

We spent about five minutes on top looking around while Zack used the "highest toilet in Arizona".

We were disappointed to not get to hike further but there were storms all around us so we knew we better get going before we were drenched.  

Preston and I were curious about the black pine cones that were going up on top of the trees, rather than the brown colored ones that usually hang from trees.  Gotta research that.

The boys kept turning back and yelling their lunch request of Buffalo Wild Wings.  Unfortunately, time didn't allow for that.  We ate at Raising Cane's and then headed home.  Aydon had to get his 7th grade id taken and pick up his schedule for school and Preston needed to nap before going to work that afternoon.  

When we were running our errands in town, both Corey & my dad told us about lightning striking the peak of the mountain so I went home to watch the news and find out.  Ends up that 2 17 yr olds & and 18 year old were on top of the mountain when two of them were struck by lightning.  One died and the other was burned.  Crazy...glad we were safe!

Later that evening, on our way home from running an errand we saw the coolest rainbow mixed with rain.  By the time I got home to try to take a picture of it, it wasn't as spectacular as it was when we were driving.

Creek days

 Testing out Vickey's new jet ski!

 Garrett & his family came up for a weekend and we went out to get some more hours on it before the lake.

 Aydon & Preston with that perfect silhouette picture as they were jumping from the bridge.  Aydon was so happy to finally jump.

 Drew cannon balling

 Ty jumped off a lot of rocks this year too.

 We went to go kayak and canoe the creek in June and we barely got to our favorite spot we always go (near windmill) and some people in boats came by and said someone had just drowned at dinosaur and they had the dive team coming out for a recovery.  We didn't want to see any of that so we had to turn around and go home.  We finally got to go try again in July and had a great day, besides forgetting the sunscreen to reapply as needed.  

 Aydon's been begging to jump off Cherry and we finally gave in.  He jumps off rocks about that height at Lake Powell but because of the history here, I worry.  I made him wear his lifejacket.  They started at Two Fingers but Aydon knew that wasn't Cherry.

 Aydon jumping off Two Fingers

 Preston jumping off Two Fingers

 

So they climbed back up and went off Cherry here.  Now he wants to do baby Brad's/Strawberry which is the rock halfway between where they are and the kid on the heighest rock is.

 Preston jumping off Cherry

 We've seen owls nearly every year as we go down the creek.  We've never seen 3 of them like this!

We then spotted another near the end of the creek for a total of 4 in one trip.  They were all still there as we went back home as well.

Ty jumping back near Crown

 Ty jumping off a rock near the bridge.  He had climbed up to the bridge but decided not too.

Aydon made a DubSmash that made us laugh.

Zack can go without a lifejacket now, we make him take a noodle just in case.  Drew still has to take his lifejacket but when we are around, he likes to take his jacket off and swim around.  He really is a good swimmer but still needs more experience before we let him go without.  

We didn't get to go as much this year, especially with the severe swimmer's ear we had for a week.  The water was super low this year.  I've seen rocks exposed that I'm not sure I've ever seen before, at least a good 3 feet low.