I'm sitting here in my kitchen in an empty home while Seth is taking a nap. This has been a major adjustment for me this year - 3 kids in school all day. I'm not quite sure how I feel about that yet, people tell me I will come to love the time alone, but right now I just miss them. And with the start of school has come schedules and routines and homework and blah blah blah!

Natalie is in 6th grade. Seriously, when did she get so old? I went to school on the first day and saw her with all of her friends standing in their class and I started to cry. They were all in big girl clothes (Justice is now "too young") and I couldn't believe how old they all looked. And the drama with sixth grade girls - seriously am I going to be able to survive this year? The fact that she will be coming into young women's this year is really freaking me out! She is continuing to swim every morning and some days those 6 am workouts seem a little too early - for me. But she loves it and is doing really well. She just got a trophy for coming in first place overall at State for 10 and under.


Josh is loving first grade and all that includes, like recess and lunch at school, and lots of recesses and oh yeah I guess class is kinda fun too. He just does not like the fact the Jacob Daines isn't his buddy anymore and his new buddy is a 6th grader named Jacob but he is so not as cool or as fun as his cousin. "Can't we just trade Mom?" He is playing soccer and baseball and loves them. I am his soccer coach, but doesn't like it when I am always pulling him back to play defense. But when he scores 2 or 3 goals in 5 minutes every single time I put him in as forward I always end up having to put him back to defense. He thought baseball was a little boring until he learned that if he hit a home run he got to run around all the bases at once. Now it's "super awesome".

Sarah is loving third grade. She is playing soccer on a competition team and Chris Dayton is her coach. I actually saw Judy at a game last night and I was reminded about how much I love the 8th ward and Edgemont and what great people we are surrounded by! Sarah loves to act (shocking I know, she is a drama queen) and is going to be in another play this fall.

And Seth, well he is a JOY and a LIGHT. He started preschool this fall and is enjoying it. He is my little buddy and I love having him around. His smile is contagious and everywhere we go people smile at him and love to talk to him. The other day we were standing in line and he looked at me and said "Mommy, I love you and you are so pretty." How does that not make your day?

Life for Steve and I is great! Between games and meets and church activities and trips we love when we can spend a few moments together. I am still loving to run and bike and P90x. A few days ago I biked the Alpine Loop and was struck at the beauty. I love this time of year, the cooler weather, the change in colors, and of course BYU FOOTBALL!!!

Love to all and thanks for helping us stay TAHOE STRONG!