Ada's first day

 

We picked up our travelers from the airport last night with Hannah in tow.  Ada liked seeing Dad and I, but she LOVED seeing Hannah.  I'll post about her trip later, but first we need to get her caught up.  She has a week of school to catch up on and her job to get back to.  She woke up this morning at 5 am.... at least she's semi-adjusted to our sleep schedule.... just a couple more hours adjustment and she'll have it.  She shared all her pictures with us and I'm looking forward to hearing stories as the week goes on.  Aunt Nellie and Uncle Seth say that she's a great traveler and is fairly independent.  So fun!

Seth and Tigress taking a quick 'cat nap' together after school

Evelyn started her new year of Ballet and Acro.  She moved up in both classes and we're looking forward to seeing what this year brings.  She's excited that she knew everyone except for two people in her class.

Saturday

 

Saturday was very eventful.  Sam and Seth had their first soccer games.  Jeremy had exchanged his TERT shift for this week at my request so that he could take kids to McKay's kids' birthday party next week.... so he was gone and in the rain for two days.  

It was raining when Sam and I got to the field.  We left Evelyn and Seth home to get their chores done and we bundled up and left. Sam did really well and I was proud that he made it through his whole game without a break.  Then we got home and had him soak his feet in epsom salt because he was sore and limping.  After he was done, he couldn't put any weight on his foot at all.  I called the after hours doctor at the podiatrists office and he thought it might be Severs disease.  We were told that we could come in on Monday to get it checked out.  

I got the bathroom cleaned and the laundry sorted. Then Emma brought Rosie and Peter over to play while they went for lunch with some friends.  My kids adore them and were more than happy to play with them. It was time for Seth's game though, so we loaded everyone up in the van and took them to watch Seth play soccer.  When we got to the field it was pouring buckets.  I didn't feel comfortable holding Rosie out in that, so I sent Seth off to his game and sat in the car with Peter and Rosie to wait for him.  It was his first time on a big field and it sounds like he like that part.  Jack's mom says that Seth made some good saves as a goalie.  Seth was just sad that they lost 0-9.

Jer took this picture at back to school night.

My cousin, Mindy, was doing a fundraiser for some college courses she's doing at the UofU.  Making Navajo tacos.  I swung by and bought a bunch for us.  So yummy!  

Emma and Stephen picked up their babies and stayed to visit for a bit, which I always enjoy.  Then I took care of dinner and tried to figure out what to do with Sam.  He still couldn't put weight on his foot.  We stayed home from church the next day both because his foot and because we all have a cough that's just lingering.  I went to play piano for choir and Sister Hart asked me if everything was okay because the rest of my family didn't come to choir. I told her about Sam and that he was resting at home.  She said not to worry and she'd be over in a minute. She brought her X-Ray machine to my house and x-rayed his foot on the front porch.  She's not a doctor (she's a home health x-ray tech), but she did say that she saw a crack in the bone by the growth plate..... so Monday morning I called around to all the podiatrists office on our insurance until I found one that had an opening that day.  We got him in and sure enough, he broke that little tiny bone in his heel.  He is not thrilled.  He can't put weight on it for 4 weeks.  That disrupts lots of his plans too.  He has 2 PE classes, the new soccer season and his new job as a referee that all have to be rearranged now because he can't be up and about.  He's pretty mad.  I took him to school this morning to get it all figured out and I think he'll be okay.  

First Day of School

So last week was the first week of school.  I was a little busy with the last week of summer daycare to post anything, but I sure made it a priority to make sure that my kids had a first great week.  Sam has lots of classes with a lot of friends.  He's excited and that's exciting for me.  He's in concert band and has two PE classes along with Art II and all the Advanced learning classes.  His smile is genuine this year.  Unfortunately, he's going to have a less fun first month, but more about that in a minute.

Ada's coming home from England tonight, so she'll start school tomorrow.

Seth is glad to have one more year with his sister before he never gets to be in school with a sibling again.  I'm so grateful that they are friends.

Evelyn lucked out!  Her teacher is Mrs McNeff.  Not only is it her best friend's mom... but she also has ADD herself and knows some techniques for staying on task and really wants Evelyn to do well.  So far she's doing well.  There's one boy in her group that Evelyn needs to learn patience for, but other than that it's a perfect beginning.

This bright 3rd grader has Ms Renner. Evelyn had Renner and did really well, so I'm hoping that's the case here too.  Renner really works hard on getting the students 'independently responsible'.  I LOVE that. 

 

This week

This week was a little more chill.  Last week of crazy summer daycare and all the school aged kids should be in school now.  I'm looking forward to this next year of daycare.  All the high maintenance kids that I've had are in school.

Here's my momma with her amazing garden.  She's always had a green thumb and with Janelle's new found gardening talent they really have a beautiful yard and yummy food growing. (Speaking of yummy food... Jim and Judy's corn is on right now and it's definitely delicious).

This is also our first game of the new Fall soccer season.  I'm excited.  Sam and Ada are on a co-ed team together and Seth's coach really knows what she's doing.  I'm so proud of Sam.  This was the first game that he's played with no subs and breaks since his Cushing's Syndrome.  He was so tired, but my momma heart was proud of him.

And I had to share.  Seth drew a picture of his bunny buddy.... "LaLa".  He's had it since he was about 9 months old.  Still loves it.

New Nephew

 

Joy. My heart is so happy for these two!  They are going to be amazing parents and I can't wait to meet Jude.  After 10 years, Jay and Emily adopted a sweet baby boy.  Welcome to the family baby!  

Ada's on her way

Ada's off on an adventure.  She's off on a trip that was planned for 2020 and was cancelled because of Covid.  Ada, Janelle and Seth are going to England, Wales and Scotland.  Their plane is supposed to be taking off in about an hour and a half.

 

Seth turns 8

My baby is officially 8 years old. We are planning a b-day party after school starts so that he can invite some friends from school.  He wanted a police uniform so that he could handcuff Sam and dinosaurs.

Seth still loves to snuggle.  He's amazing at reading and math.  He's starting 3rd grade in a week and is so excited. He's playing the piano for the first year officially and still loves soccer.  He's my best daycare entertainer, but he also makes daycare more challenging noise wise.  He has a tender heart with a stubborn streak in it.  Love my boy so much!

Seth requested Dad's special chocolate cake for his birthday.

 

Saturday

Saturday was the official Ellis Reunion.  We didn't really organize anything, but we had a blast chatting with everyone.  

Back row: Joe, Jenn, Ada, Liz, Brian, Levi, Kate, Landon, Ellen, Trevor, Sonny, Lance, Roger (dad), Ada, Darlene, Moana (mom), Braiden, Brad, Sharon, Thea, Rae, Shelby, Derrick, Chad, Rachel, Isaac, Aaron, Jeremy, Rosanne (me)

Front row: Josh, Samantha, Ellie, Kat, Ben, Abby, Olivia, Claire, Alaina, Vivien, Seth, Maggie, Freya, Renee, Decker, Sam, Evelyn...

(Jessica and her husband Brevin were there just not pictured)

Sam took this picture of Seth

They are planning on tearing down and replacing the cabin with something that will serve our large family a little better.  It's a happy/sad thing.  The original cabin is that square in the middle... it's been given siding, two different A frames, two extra bathrooms, an eating area and a large tree house.  A lot of that building has been done by my dad and my mom's cousins.  The current A-frame had dry rot and the plumbing isn't great.  There are some nice plans for a very simple cabin for large groups.  It's hard to say goodbye, but we need to grow with the family if we're going to still have access to what we love and enjoy.  The family is raising the money for the cabin this year and starting construction on it next year.

Some cousin got creative.

The inside of the cabin as it stands now.

Drying out the tent after a rainy night before it gets taken down.

 

Minnetonka Cave

After the fair, Sharon and our families went to Minnetonka Cave.  I've been at least 4 times... once as a 3 week old baby, once as a kid with Grandpa Ellis, once when my own kids were tiny and this time.  I didn't go in this time though.... My stomach was hurting and I stayed near the bathrooms.  It was Jer's first time though and he "enjoyed" the 444 step climb.  I had brought my camera to take pictures but apparently since I'd used it in a lava tube in Hawaii we couldn't bring it into the cave.

 

Raspberry days

 

I've been going to Bear Lake for 41 years and this is the first time I remember ever going to Raspberry Days.  I really am not a huge fan of the crowds that come with fairs, but the fair itself was fun.  The kids loved it.  Sam said, "That was funner than I thought it would be."

Beautiful skies

 

The skies each night were spectacular.  Here are a few.

Evelyn, Sam and Lance