Camp James Ray

Now that the extreme summer heat has mostly abated, it's time for some camping!  I went with Ben, Benson, and the girls and their troop (along with another mom who came late) for a fun night and morning at Camp James Ray the last weekend of August.

We might finally be ready to agree that the summer is over.  Let's see what September brings us!

 

Look Carefully...

We had a small visitor in our garden, of the black-with-a-red-hourglass variety.  It would come out when I'd water to see what was going on, and then run away.  I figured as long as we didn't bother each other, all was well, though once my preschool started, I was going to have to do something about the situation.  The spider took care of itself and left about the day preschool started.

On one of my morning run/walks, I ran into these guys having a nice breakfast.  The circle of life continues here in Wylie.

I got a couple more pictures of flowers to add to my Bozman Farms Flower Guide.  Identity, again, provided by Google Lens:

Tievine or cotton morning glory

Dakota mock vervain or prairie verbena

I will never cease to wonder at the beauty and variety in this world.

Cougars Return

Scott didn't attend BYU for the fall semester, so he missed out on the freshman orientation activities, but he got invited to participate this fall, and decided to take them up on the offer!  He met lots of new people, swam in blue foam, and made a giant blue Y (and won some shoes in the process!), just as every true blue freshman should.  I'm glad he persisted in applying and is living his life with such enthusiasm!

My Collin College Cougar Emma also began class again.  This semester the class she needs was only offered online, so she doesn't have any on-campus time, but she is working at the Little Harts preschool even more, as well as for me on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, so her time is full.  She still attending the YSA ward and does activities with them (when she's not too tired to drive all the way there after work).  It's amazing to see these kids grow up!

I'm So Glad when Grandma and Grandpa Come Home!

My parents finished their temple start-up mission in Guam, and since there weren't any more temples ready for this kind of service, the mission department decided to send them home to finish working from there.  They decided to take a quick tour to see all their kids, and we got to see them the day after Scott left for Utah.  (But he was going to be able to see them plenty once they returned the next week.)

This was their last night in Guam, in their favorite place

They first spent a few days with Joseph's family, so we went over there on Saturday to spend time at the lake.  It was a bit cooler finally, so we weren't exhausted and burned by the heat, and everyone had fun on the jet ski and building in the sand.

We brought them home with us, and on Sunday my mom got to teach Sunbeams with me (Isaiah!  Yay!) and my dad got to hear Benson give a talk in Primary.  The next day was their 54th anniversary, and true to form for when they visit us, it rained all day!  The three of us spent a quiet day reading and napping while everyone else was at work and school, and that evening they generously treated us to dinner.  They left on Tuesday morning before my preschool class.  It was a super quick visit, but we are sure grateful they took the time to make it!

 

2000 to 2022

Happy anniversary!

💑

We decided to treat the family for our anniversary so we went to our local Japanese hibachi place, and they did not disappoint!  Since there are eight of us, we took up the whole table, and our chef was funny, attentive, and generous!  We ended up with way more food than we ordered!  Everything was delicious, and I'm glad we finally did it again.  (The last time we went to this place, Gracie was about four and the open flames scared her so much that she went to hide in a corner.  We have grown up a foot or two since then.) 

Scouts in Service

Ben was asked to help recruit Cub Scouts at the elementary school Meet the Teacher.  He had a few willing volunteers accompany him:

One of Ben's scouts, Brei, was the first one to do her Eagle Project!  She was given the idea and materials from Ben's friend Jason to build a bridge for our local disc golf course.  They built it one morning and hauled it over to the course where they installed it.  Well done, Troop 1869!

The girls were asked to paint some extra Raingutter Regatta boats for new boys in the Pack (the event was held just after recruiting, so there were some who didn't have a chance to get a boat ready).  They spent one of their meetings sanding, painting, and assembling.  This is the kind of service that my girls love (but maybe not the other girls in the troop!).

The boats, including Benson's in the middle:

Then, the girls were able to help run the regatta for the Cub pack.  All the girls' boats were used, and despite the wind, the kids had a good time racing.  Benson came in second place for his den.

fun times!

 

School Days, School Days

That elementary school bus stopped at our corner as usual, but no Ropers got on.  Instead, we waited for the intermediate/junior high bus which comes half an hour later--hooray!  Tessa started 8th grade and Benson started 5th.

Then, since seminary doesn't start until Monday, our Sophomore Caytie and our SENIOR Gracie drove themselves to school.  💗

And then, after my college kids (who don't start school for another week and a half) got up and ready, I took them out to lunch at a local taco truck (which yes, also serves hamburgers) and it was delicious and fun and surreal. (Their horchata is AMAZING.)  (My kids are in COLLEGE.)  (I WAS JUST IN COLLEGE.)  (Skip the caramel filled churros.  Good, but not great.)

Time, you are a thief.  But I appreciate you, anyway.

The "Rest" of the Summer

Even though we were still setting records for temperature highs, our summer break came to an abrupt end when school started on August 11th.  Let's see what fun things we were able to squeeze in during the first week and a half of August...

*School supply shopping is always so fun (and expensive).  Benson and Tessa were really the only ones to need anything yet, because the high school kids don't find out what they need until they begin classes.

*Benson was playing with his new lock (intermediate school has real lockers!) while laying on the couch.  He dropped it right on his mouth and chipped a big piece off of his front tooth!  Yikes!  The dentist was able to get him in the next morning and fixed it up as good as new.  It was funny, though, because she asked me what it looked like originally and I looked through all the photos of him on my phone, and every single one had him smiling with his lips closed.  Every. Single. One.  He has since started smiling with his lips open, so we can see those beautiful (repaired) teeth!

I then took him over to the eye doctor to order new glasses to replace his broken ones.  Busy day!

*Tessa got a filling the next day.  Before we left, I got a call from my friend saying that she needed a ride to the hospital to do a stress test on her almost-due baby.  I quickly arranged for Scott to be the legal representative for Tessa at the dentist by signing some forms online, and took my friend to the hospital where Gracie was born in Plano, bringing back all sorts of memories.  They ended up admitting her and beginning an induction, and I stayed with her until her husband arrived about an hour and a half later.  I was kind of hoping that I'd get to see the baby be born, but that took a couple more hours.  Tessa (and Scott) meanwhile had been at the dentist, taking care of her cavity.  The dentist has a new laser machine that means she can do the work without giving a shot!  Recovery is faster, too. 

*Gracie purchased a senior parking spot, which means she got to paint it!  Of course it was SO HOT when we had time to go paint, but we (mostly she) got the job done.

*Benson's friend had a birthday party at the lake and they invited families to come, so we had such a nice night being in the water and eating brisket and visiting with friends.

*We woke up early on Saturday to help with a multi-ward service project, where we painted the fencing at our town's rodeo grounds.  After we got cleaned up, we went out to Ham Orchards in Terrell for some peach ice cream.  It was unbelievably crowded on that summer Saturday.  We had been looking forward to the peach BBQ, but the lines were crazy.  So we made do with the ice cream (and picked up some t-shirts, too), and went over to Buc-ees, instead!  Most of us got some BBQ there, and drinks, and snacks, and maybe another t-shirt...  Buc-ees never disappoints. ☺

*We had Seminary Kickoff on Sunday, Meet the Teacher for Benson on Monday and for Tessa on Tuesday (I don't think Gracie and Caytie went to theirs...), and then one more day of freedom until the big day on Thursday.  It seems WAY too early in the year to be doing all these things, but when it's so hot, we might as well send the kids to the air conditioned schools to do something productive, right??

Six Flags over Texas

I guess instead of zoo pictures this year we have Six Flag pictures, and these will not be the end of them!  Scott's mission/now BYU friend Adam Corless (son of a missionary from my mission), who lives near Fort Worth, had invited Scott over earlier in the summer for his birthday, and now they wanted to meet up at Six Flags.  They graciously allowed us to come, too!  (We had wanted to get a family picture at the old time photography studio, but it had closed down, so we'll have to make a new family picture plan.)

It was a HOT day, as all days this summer were, but not overly crowded, and we had some good times.  Thank goodness for the water misters throughout the park!  Everyone was exceptionally brave, inspired by our guest and Scott, and rode all the big rides.  Also, we were impressed with the mossy turtles. 

Sunday Fun Day

Pioneer Day was on Sunday this year, so we had a nice after church activity making the pioneer wagons.  (PS--I got a new calling, in addition to my Primary Activity for Boys calling.  They split the Sunbeam class and I'm a co-teacher of the new class!  Yay!  These two callings are pretty much my wish list callings.  Plus I like my co-teacher, Cecil Davis.  I've been her ministering sister for the last four years or so.  She's nervous, but she'll do great.)

And speaking of the Primary Activity Boys, we tied a blanket for our Primary President who is due to have a baby soon.  I had some extra fabric, so I made a little bunny to go with it.  Not perfect, but snuggly!

 

After the Day at the Lake

 OOPS.