October 2017.

We started October, as usual, with General Conference.

And it was wonderful.

Maisy made wishes...

told funny stories...

and kept us on our toes.

McCoy finished up his first season of Soccer.  His team never won a game...but they still all got trophies...which annoyed Bryan.  He tried to do all the explaining he could about that to his 7 year old...and Coy seemed to be cool with it.  He loved Soccer and hopes his team can win at least one game next year.

At High School they celebrated Homecoming Week (more on that in another post).

Myra and her friend dressed as twins one day.  Myra didn't get too crazy about the dress up days...but she did have a lot of fun.

Pomegranate Season was in full force in October.  Myles seemed to always be able to find the best ones.  And then he found this triplet of a pomegranate...which he named Mickey.

Myra attended her tennis awards night.

The Cedar City Temple was completed and we attending the open house.

It was just beautiful.

The kids went pumpkin picking...in the warm sun.

And found their perfect pumpkins.

Later in the month, they opted to paint them instead of carve them.

Our newest niece/cousin was blessed and we all went to join in the celebration.

Then Halloween came...

and Maisy was Sofia the First.

McCoy a Black Ninja.

And Myles tried on his 'defy all laws of nature' Halloween shirt...and yep...
still fits.  Although, I can see it is getting smaller.  Slowly, but surely.

How on earth it works, we will never know.

Hope your October was Happy!

MVHS Homecoming 2017.

This year Moapa Valley High School celebrated 100 years of Pirate Pride...

and that was the theme for Homecoming.

After a month of attending school, each grade voted for Homecoming royalty.  Myra was shocked when she was chosen to be one of the attendants on the Freshman Class float.

We shopped for dresses, and soon realized that Myra would have to have some heavy duty tailoring done to make one fit her small size.

So we hit up Grandma Castle and she made the dress perfect.   She added some material to make it more modest and took away some material so Myra could walk in it.  The final product fit Myra very nicely.

Each girl was asked to choose an escort for the Homecoming Pep Assembly.  

Myra hadn't been at school long enough to know any of the boys very well, but she ended up choosing Luke Walker.

This turned out to be quite the drama, for Myra, because a lot of her peers 

assumed she was 'in love' with him...

and a bunch of boys asked her why she didn't choose them.

But Luke was a true gentleman, and she was grateful for her choice.

And she was mighty grateful that she didn't trip and fall.

Saturday night was the Homecoming Dance, and since Myra and Co. are not old enough to date yet...they went as a big group of girls...and had a great time.

She is so grateful for good friends, for fun times and for the experiences she is having.

And so am I.

September 2017.

In September, McCoy joined a soccer team.  He loved it and had a big smile on his face as he ran up and down the field during each game.

Some rain came to the desert making life much sweeter.

Early morning homeschool with or without hairs combed.

Beautiful sunrises.

A LOT more tennis.

Myra really liked tennis, until she hurt her knee and it started giving her a lot of pain.  And then, she started feeling like tennis was taking over everything.  She had to miss playing in the pep band for some of the football games because of tennis...and that upset her.  She had to miss a bunch of classes, mostly algebra and biology, because of tennis and that made things more difficult. Finally, by the end of the season her heart was gone from tennis.  She was so glad to see it end...and she hung her racquet and there is has stayed.  

But the benefits that Myra loved from tennis, were a super nice 'farmer' tan...and she got into good shape.  She will have to figure out how to add those things to her schedule if tennis will not be in her future.

There were football games.

Homeschool crafts.

And homework.  Always homework.

I probably drove to the high school 100 times in August and September...and that number is most likely scant.  And the projects and the games and all of the stuff kept us all hopping.  People have always told me "I don't know how you homeschool"...and I haven't really known how to respond because it is all that I have ever done.  But now...now I say to those people --- homeschooling is WAY easier!  Yes, it is day in and day out kids all around you.  And you have to make plans and schedules and there is a whole lot of following through.  But, those plans and schedule are mine to make...and those kids are mine to teach....and the days are ours to discover.  With public school it is totally someone else's agenda and you still have to do all of the work...just longer and different...and more difficult.  But we slowly are figuring it all out.  And Myra is loving the social aspect and making new friends and learning some life lessons that I could never have taught her here.  And so, I am grateful that we felt like this was the best thing for Myra at this time of her life.  

Onward to October!

August 2017.

As always, we found ways to beat the heat in August.

Bryan and the three younger kids spent a bunch of time together, while Myra and I shopped and prepared her to go to school.

The field grass grew long...in between waterings...and Myles kept it nicely manicured, most of the time.

The lantana bloomed even in the midst of the blistering weather.

And early in August...Myra had her Freshman Orientation at the High School.

She got her schedule, her chromebook, her PE clothes and felt so ready to finally begin attending school.

And then the long awaited first day finally came.  Myra woke bright and early to attend seminary at 6am.

And in the meantime tennis season was in full swing.  She had been practicing all summer with the Parks and Rec group...and then at the end of July she started daily practices with the high school coaches and team.

We figured Myra would just watch this year...during the matches...as she is young and inexperienced. But her coach had her playing at nearly every match.   Trying to juggle daily tennis practice/games and homework and school and band and all that has been required of her has been quite the adjustment.  But, Myra is thriving in school and loving every minute of it.

Lots and lots and lots of homework was added to her daily schedule.  As a homeschooler with no homework...this was quite a hurtle to get used to...for all of us.  But she is learning that she gets out what she puts in to things...and she is doing well.

(picture compliments of Maisy)

The last weekend of August we attended our Olive Family Reunion at Panguitch Lake.  It was beautiful and wonderful and very short (because of public school).  We brought along cousin Brody, who we have been getting to know better, and had a great couple of days enjoying family and the beauty of the mountains.

Myra plays her trumpet in the pep band.  It was fun to go to the football games and hear the band.

It was a busy and fun and new and wonderful August.