Back to School

In late August and early September we started gung-ho into our homeschool plans for the year.  Michael had a lego robotics class with our online charter school.  He is posing here with his first project.  And Jordan jumped into an engineering type class with simple machines. 

Tessa loves to learn and is becoming more interested in figuring out letters and numbers.

She is my #1 helper now because our school plans have changed quite a bit. 

We were offered a place at a nearby charter school and made the decision as a family to have the boys enroll.  Jordan loved the habitat diorama project in his science class.

Somehow this picture was unavoidable fuzzy.  Michael is in the front second from the right.  He loves to sing in a choir now!  Both boys think their experience at school is awesome.  They are working hard and are learning some great things. 

Fall

 

Here are a few fall-ish photos.  Our Stake Harvest Fair is a fun annual activity.  Kind of like a county fair the adults and kids can bring things they have grown or created to be judged.  Then we eat hot dogs and cotton candy....

Fun times in the backyard with the Swing Swaddle

Concord grape juice!

Jordan was a champion baseball player in Riverton City Fall Baseball!

Grandma Deanie's 75th!

This was such a fun night.  Grandma Deanie turned 75!  Can you believe it!?  As many of her kids and grandkids and great-grandkids as could gather, came to surprise her at "Grandpa's property."  

This is such a special place!  The Bjorkman's spent many, many hours in preparation for the celebration.  

I think everyone enjoyed being together in a beautiful and meaningful place.

The kids played and explored.

The grown-ups visited.

It's fun to see these guys together.

The view behind Susie is wonderful!

Grandma was a very special reason for us to get together!

 

 p.s. Grandma, I still owe you some printed photos!

visits from cousins wanted

We like to play with cousins.  anytime.  :)   Please.
We had the Allens over for a day in August during Education Week.  
This was a payback for last summer when Jenny took my kids for a week.

girls being...girls

How do you play Pokemon? 

Leisel = love water

Then later that week we fit in another visit to Seven Peaks! 

I had a mission to convince the boys that slides were fun!!

Ely's visit and the GrandCamp

Cousin Ely loves and get's along with everyone.  He grows by leaps and bounds every time we are able to catch up with him.  Now he's three, can express himself well, and has lots of things to say. 

He has a zest for fun things :)

Here's the busy bunch having lunch at Renee's.

and popsicle time

This year, Grandpa's campout was different.  Not many of the dad's could come.  And since Rachel was joining in...all the other mom's also wanted to.  We had lots of fun and mixed things up for poor Grandpa.

Camping in Koosharem was a real treat--afforded by Uncle Jeff.

Family heritage at it's best.

catching grasshoppers in the evening

   

I didn't hear Jordan's story with this photo till the next day when he prepared a talk for Primary on prayer.  Jordan and Uncle Ben came to find Aunt Amy and the girls in answer to their prayer when the 4-wheeler wouldn't start.  Jordan stayed with them while Ben went to get more gas.  It was an experience that showed him a great example and strengthened his faith. 

I think the kids like climbing on them more than riding them....

We drove through some spectacular scenery and visited some Anasazi ruins.

Then we took our hike to Calf Creek Falls.  Tessa was a champion and I enjoyed hiking with her the whole way. 

Wow.  The reward.

The next day, we spent a little time exploring at Fish Lake.  It's another spot with some family memories that I enjoyed reminiscing about.

Jenny, the brave soul, shared the piece for her Pocatello Civic Symphony audition.

This is the "girl's hiking club" led by Grandma. :)

Grandcamp was a different kind of success this time around, but a success.