A Good First Day

Rachel had a great first day!
She was up early and ready to go.  (This shouldn't surprise me, as she has always been the first one up for the day.  A couple of years ago, when I called downstairs to wake up the big kids, I would only hear her little voice calling back saying, "In a mimmute!")
She played with her old friends, made some new ones, and already planned a play date on the way home from school.  She has 26 kids in her class.
She has a library number and a lunch number.
She met a teacher named Mr. Redman.
She didn't like her lunch, but she ate her peas and orange peppers with ranch.
She rested, but she didn't sleep at naptime.
She didn't say any bad words, but she thought them in her mind.
When asked if she likes school, she replied, "I LOOOOOVE IT!"

First Days of School

The big kids started their school year on Tuesday!

We now have an 8th grader, a 6th grader, a 4th grader and a Kindergartener!

Yes, it's the end of an era for this mom.  I admit I have had more tears than I expected.  Staying home with my children for the past 13 years has truly been a blessing, but also the hardest 13 years of my life, no doubt about that.  

Rachel was ready to spread her wings and--finally--ride that big yellow bus to school today.  I suppose that's where some of the tears come from--I'm so proud of her and excited for what her future holds, as I am for all of our children!

Wyoming/South Dakota adventure

We took a quick weekend trip before school started.  Our goal was Evans Plunge, since we hadn't been there in 6 years (and I had never been there when I wasn't pregnant)!  We rented a home in Newcastle, WY, which was a little over an hour from Hot Springs, but allowed us to see a little different part of the country.  We realized when we got there that we overlooked the train tracks, where the coal is shipped out of the mines.  Behind that was the high school football field.  Landen was very happy about both things!

When this first train went by, I ran and grabbed my camera to document it.  I didn't need to run . . . they came by nearly constantly during our stay, mostly full of coal, but the kids also saw one carrying cars, too.  It was a fun addition to their vacation.

Evans Plunge was a fun day, and I got to try out the waterslide this time, too.  Here's Teresa getting to the bottom.

But, the main focus of Evans Plunge (for David and Nathan, anyway) is the rings.  David made it across the first time we were there 10 years ago.  This time, he came one ring short (accompanied by an audible "Ahhhh." from everyone watching around the pool!)  It was Nathan's goal to make it across this time.  He came close, but not quite.  I can't tell you how many times he attempted . . . as his arm and ab muscles could attest the next day!  

We spent the rest of our trip travelling back roads through the Hot Springs area and the Badlands/West River on the way home.  I saw a dinosaur listed on the GPS after the Badlands, so we drove about a 1/2 mile back west to check it out.  I thought it might be an excavation site or something . . . this was the dinosaur.  We were glad we didn't invest anymore time or gas in finding it!  :)

Another week . . . .

I appreciate your patience!  A few of my friends and family have told me that they have missed my posts this summer.  Give me another week and then this mama will be a bit more free to write. :)  Please stop by again this fall!

Laura

Class of 1997

Fourteen (of 19) members of my high school class got together for our 20th class reunion on August 5 in Eureka.  We had a truly great time together at the park with our families and touring the new Eureka High School.  We had a unique class in that we always got along really well (except for when the boys won all of the class votes because they were the majority!)  Twenty years hasn't changed that either.  

I hope it isn't another 20 years before we get together again!