Senior Night

Scott's Senior Night recognition started out under the stands, thanks to RAIN.  They had the football parents, drill team parents, and band parents line up and march out before the game, and they announced each senior and their escorts (as well as plans for after high school) as we walked across the field and lined up.

Our Superintendent walked by and took pictures of everyone, and since he's a huge Texas Tech fan, Scott made their sign for him.  Dr. V. put this one on his Facebook page.  ☺

The rain was holding pretty steady, so the band went back to the busses until it let up, just in time for the half time show.

Ben and I missed the performance, though, because we went across the street to the movie theater to watch First Man.  Yep.  Happy Senior Night!

Delicious Pizza; Cold Gracie

Yee haw!

Ben and I were planning to go to our city's rodeo on his birthday, but it got rained out...and then rained out again.  We finally got to go several weeks later, but it was a pared down program of only bull riding (though that's our favorite part).  See the little drone watching the action?  It's a new addition this year...

It was a nice evening together--and it was a nice break from the rain!

Fourth Grade Track Meet

Tessa got to participate in the annual 4th Grade Track Meet with 4 other elementary schools in the district.  The other kids had participated, but this is the first year I came to be a spectator, at Tessa's great insistence.  It was a super hot day!  That didn't stop her enthusiasm, though. 

Each student ran two or so races, and participated in all the field events.  In her heat of the 50 meter dash, Tessa won first place!

She also did the 100, and came in 4th (maybe 5th?).

She had a great day!

Her teacher sent this picture of her riding back to school on the bus:

School Dance

Our PTA puts on a dance for the school twice a year.  Since it's for 5th and 6th graders, we've never had our kids go (and they've never asked to go), but since I had to be there, I asked Caytie if she wanted to go.  She didn't.  Then I ended up giving our neighbor's son a ride, so I convinced Caytie to come, with a promise of taking her home early if needed.  (His mom wanted a picture of them, so I sent her this, and she posted it on Facebook, which makes it look like they were a couple...but they weren't.  Just so you know.)

The dance was...loud.  I stayed outside taking ticket money and helping parents find kids and trying to answer questions that I didn't know how to answer.  I asked Caytie if she had a good time, and she said, "Meh."  But--most of the other kids had a great time, and that's why we keep doing it.  We even made a little money for the PTA.  Hooray!

Pride of the East

We made it to a football game--that wasn't rained out!  (This season has been SO rainy!)  We missed the pregame show, but caught the action in the stands.  (Scott is the fourth drummer from the left.)

This year they got "show shirts," which they wear while performing the half time show and during competitions.  Their show theme was "Conquered," about Egypt being conquered by Rome.

(The super good news is that since we had to pay extra to get the shirts, they get to keep them at the end of the season.  I'm sure Scott will get tons of use from his after November.)

Their show is being very well received at the competitions.  I'm glad he gets to end his band career with a good one!

I'm going to put a couple video clips on here.  The first is what a Texas high school drill team looks like, and the second is part of the show.

Shoot--the other one is too long!  Maybe it will work in a separate post.  Stay tuned...

September Sundries

Tessa  started piano lessons with a new LDS sister in our neighborhood.  She lives by the little park by the pond, so Benson and I get to spend some time there each week.

Scott needed his baby picture for a senior band recognition pep rally, so I took a picture of this picture.  He was so incredibly cute...and happy.  (He's the only one of my 4-month-olds to truly smile for his picture.)

One morning while waiting for the bus, we decided that the clouds looked like a Bob Ross painting.

I mowed the lawn for the first time (!)  (Clarification--at this house.  Where we've lived for nine years.)  Usually Ben and Scott do it, but Ben was out of town and Scott had been at band competitions on the weekends and was behind on homework, and rain was coming...  I soon learned that they commonly use the weed whacker around the sewer pipes instead of mowing right over them.  I chopped the cover up into multitudes of little bits.

I had to measure it so I could find a replacement at Home Depot.  (It only took two trips, as my methods were not entirely precise.)

We had our preschool Rodeo Party!  Yee haw!  My class this year is very, very active, and I failed to get a nice picture of them all looking at the same time.  This one, however sums up the class nicely:

It has been a lovely month.

Ben's Big Surprise

Ben's birthday was a Saturday morning, so I let him sleep in and did soccer game duty.  (Tessa was great on defense!)

Tessa and Benson gave him a paper box full of Star Wars origami they had made!

Then...the big surprise: Lego Voltron!  He had hinted and hinted that this is what he wanted, but we managed to keep it a secret that we had actually gotten it for him.

This face says it all:

He went right to work building and building.  I started baking.  We had chicken broccoli casserole (and salad) for dinner...

...and two cakes!  Because why not!  One was his traditional yellow cake with chocolate frosting, and the other was a tres leches cake that we had had at a ward party that was SO good, so we wanted it again!  I love how the candles on the cake are just a big glow.

The building continued...

Thankfully we don't have church until 2:30 so we all stayed up with him that night until it was DONE!

(I didn't get a picture of all the lions separated into their own little beings.)  Anyway, Ben said it was a great birthday, and it was fun to give him a big surprise. ❤

More Nauvoo Pictures

I found the pictures from our Nauvoo reunion that my niece Kaisey took of everyone, and copied the ones with my family in them...so here they are!