August

 Why did the summer go by so fast?!?! Because we were out having fun that's why!

Right when we got back from Hawaii, Addi had high school volleyball tryouts. It was 2 days of tryouts. She found out Tuesday night that she made the team!! I received a text about 8:30 that night saying that the senior girls would be coming around about midnight to pick up the girls to take them to the coaches house to have breakfast. Addi didn't know they were going to do this. She was definitely a little freaked out when they came into her room. I think she had fun though. She is officially a Lady Don! 

We had yet to make it to Salem Pond to feed the ducks. That is a summer tradition we do. We went on a night where there were not very many people at all. We figured we counted about 30+ ducks coming up to eat bread. 

We have heard about the salmon dinner in Payson ever since we moved here 7 years ago. I kept looking for tickets and one day in June I lucked out in June and found they were on sale. This dinner always sells out. I grabbed 8 tickets for us, nana/grandpa, and grandma shelly. None of us had ever been and so we didn't know what to expect. Oh my, it is definitely something we will want to go back for. We got so much food and fresh/hot salmon. Emmy even tried it and decided she really like salmon. We will definitely all be going back next year and inviting more people to come with us. We stopped and got ice cream afterwards. 

The sunsets we see are so amazing. 

We also have a summer tradition of going to the Utah County fair. It is usually the same things every year, but it is a fun/free event and time spent together. 

Another author stopped by to sign our copies of books. This Marissa Meyer. She did not do an event, but was in Provo going to a play that we knew she would be at. We asked her to come down to sign out copies of books. 

More sunsets, and Addi helping dad work. She is quite the little worker bee. She was trying to earn money for a new rabbit house. She did end up earning enough to buy them one. $300 worth of hard work! 

We made it to the neighborhood pool to swim with friends. 

With Parker being at a new school this year, we decided to head over early on a slow day to work on opening a locker and finding his classes. He got his locker on the first try! 

We had movie night at our house with the YW/YM for our last hoorah for summer before school started. It was a lot of fun and we will definitely try and do it again next summer. 

Addi had team pictures and asked me to curl her hair. She is so pretty! She also found out on this day that she was on the JV team and not just the sophomore team. Hooray! 

We as a YW went and did baptisms for the dead on Saturday, Aug 12. Addi also was playing in a tournament that day in Payson. She hadn't been able to do baptisms for a while and luckily the way her games lined up for the day is that she was able to come do them with us! That is why she is in her jersey because she left right after she was done and went to her next game. Spending time in the temple is such a special experience. 

We had some fun visitors come down to watch her games. The girls love having Sawyer there with them. Addi also got a home run this tournament. It wasn't an over the fence but it was deep in right field. She hasn't had a home run in a long time and it was her time! 

Grandma Debbie came out. This car will one day be Addi's since it was dads old car until he got the Tesla. It is a stick shift and we want Addi to start practicing when she can. This was her first go with driving a stick. It was a bit rough, but she made it around the block in it. That is better than I can do. I still haven't learned how to drive a stick shift. 

We went and got Addi a locker at the jr. high. Her locker she was first assigned was one of 20 super small ones. We had a good laugh and then went and asked if we could change to a normal one. 

We asked the kids what they wanted to do on their last day of summer. They decided to go to Top Golf again. It was a great last day of summer activity. 

After golfing it was time to go to the elementary to meet the girls teachers. Both of their teachers seem very kind and they both also have friends in their classes. 

On the first day of school everyone woke up really happy. Addi is in 9th and wants to be a vet. Parker is in 6th and wants to be President of the United States. Emmy is in 3rd and wants to be a dancer. Lyndin is in 1st and wants to be a teacher. 

I had my good break down cry on Monday before school started on Wednesday. This is a big new chapter for me and it was pretty emotional. I have always always had a little side kick with me. It is definitely weird to have so much time alone now. The days are long, but the years are short. 

I did cry a bit once I had dropped everyone off. Then I came home and mopped my floors. 

Addi had her first game on Aug. 17. She played sophomore and then JV. She was full of lots of energy and had some great plays. Ty is officially the announcer at the games and he did a great job that first night.

Grandma Shelly and dad stayed for all the games and watched part of the first set of the varsity game. The girls were losing and everyone was getting hungry so I sent everyone on their way and said I'd see them at home. After the first set I saw the head coach pull Addi and another freshman to the side. I see both the girls nod their head and then give big smiles to each other. I'm like wait, what is happening here? They pulled Addi in for the varsity game. She started in the 2nd set. I was texting family members to jump on the live stream and start watching. It was such a fun moment!!! 

Here are the professional team pictures

A rainbow on my way to work. 

Addi also got to play in the varsity game in Payson! 

Seeing notes like this from teachers brings my mom heart so much joy! 

The high school team had a volleyball tournament in St. George on the 24-25. You had to be invited to go play because they only could take 10 girls for varsity and 10 for JV. Addi was asked to go play for JV. The girls played amazing! They went undefeated up until the championship game. That is pretty darn good to take 2nd! 

The little girls went to Vernal with Grandma Shelly that same weekend to see the hot air balloon festival. They had so much fun! 

Parker and Dad stayed home and had a dudes weekend. Parker played football, then they went to a movie, and went to dinner. I had a weekend to myself and was able to watch Addi. I had a quiet evening to myself because Addi stayed with the team. Her and I stopped in Beaver to charge the Tesla and we had a fantastic salmon dinner. 

We saw a rainbow on the drive home. 

We then went to aunt Kim's for homemade pizza on Sunday. We had not been up there in years. It was fun to play with cousins we haven't seen in a long time. Family time is the best time!