School is in! Our school district moved up our start date two weeks from the previous year, so while we were ready, it seemed weird to be starting back so early. Spencer and Maren are both at the same elementary in 4th and 1st grades. Amanda is in 7th grade in middle school, and Jacob has one more year in preschool. One more year of the three school commute and then a break! But honestly it hasn't seemed terrible as I have car/bike pools set up for all but Jacob. And Dave helps a lot with Amanda.
Not sure how I didn't notice that Jacob had his tongue out in the first picture until now...oh well. He is back at the same preschool as last year and it is fabulous. He has the same teachers, Ms Coleen and Miss Tina, and a few of the same friends. In the second picture it was his first day that I attended with him and we do a few activities together including a scavenger hunt to find all his important things and places in the room. I love this! The last spot to find is the treasure box with a treat bag. So far we are biking a lot to get there which he loves his ride on the tag along every morning, thus the helmet picture.
Spencer is in Mr Browns room this year. He loves the lizard and fish classroom pets, and the tree house/reading fort, he also loves that his friend Zeke is in his class. This is his first year of all day school, and that first week he was super tired. When is gets home he deflates in the playroom building things with legos. He is getting more creative every day. Here he built a zip line for his guys to go on.
Maren has Mrs Golden, and her personality definitely matches her name. She was super excited to have Maren in her classroom as she knew her some from interventions last year. Maren is liking school and liking not having a lot of activities after school this fall, so she can spend more time with Skai.
I got to spend a day hiking, this last week, with Maren's class to Independence Monument. It was 5 mile round trip hike. Pretty ambitious with a bunch of 9/10 yr old's! And it was super hot that day. But most of the kids made it, and we were lucky enough to get to see two different herds of bighorn sheep. The rangers did a fabulous job with the kids. I love the field trips they go on here!
Amanda was so excited to be back in school, if only to get her out of the house and with her friends more. so far her work load seems manageable, although slightly more than last year. She spent four days/three nights with her challenge program on a field trip to Mesa Verde, this last week, and also to a dig site. She loved it. Sounds like lots of great learning went on along with lots of great fun. Plus she didn't get hurt...that is always a bonus!
I took the girls on weekend trip just after school started to Utah to see my brother Doug graduate. It was fabulous to see all his hard work pay off. While we were there there was this massive windstorm and we ended up in his backyard for an hour or so holding up a fence while he repaired it. Crazy! I gave Maren my camera for fun, as you can see it was quite humorous.
We also played some at seven peaks, and despite the brace on Amanda's arm (she had hurt it while we were in Jackson hole) she could do a whole lot more than the last time we were there with her hurt foot.
Doug and Heather drove over the next week to play some with us. Doug and I got out on a trail one day and even fit in a tennis match, he schooled me as usual. Trying very hard to show them the benefits of living in the Grand Valley..hint hint! And Jacob loved having some play time with his cousins Ethan and Sydney.
And with the kids back in school and me into a more regular routine I have been able to fit in a few more rides lately. Dave and I went up on Pinion Mesa and rode turkey flats. Not sure where it got it's name although we did see some wild turkeys, but it is not flat. That is one heart punping ride gaining almost 1200 feet, in 5 miles up. But the down hill is awesome and makes you forget the hard work.
On another day the girls and I were riding horse thief and about the half way point I started hearing this awful rubbing sound. Turns out the guard the protects the spokes from the sprockets was rubbing on the spokes. Thinking I was going to have to hike out and carry my bike out (five miles !!!!!) I got creative and did some first aid with some medical tape I had in my bag. And it held. And of course when I get home and Dave takes it off to really see what needs to be done to fix it, it doesn't even rub. Go figure!
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