First Few Weeks of School + Daniel's Birthday

 Our first few weeks of school were very exciting for us. The girls were ready to start school and excited to break into our new school books. They've been really good about starting school on time and getting their things done quickly. They both seem very motivated to get their schoolwork done early so they have time to do what they want. 

Our first history unit has been interesting, learning about the ancient Greeks and other ancient cultures. We've really been enjoying learning together. 

Soccer season for Brooke also started up at the end of August. Her coach is a little intense. 😬😳 He has them practicing 2 times a week, and then they have a game nearly every week, sometimes two. I'm hoping that a more serious coach will help her improve her skills and help her get better. It is kind of unfortunate, though, because her schedule is exactly opposite from her friends' schedules, which means she hardly gets to play with her friends these days. Everyone is too busy. Perhaps including us.

On Friday, DeAnna and I put together a surprise birthday party for Sarah, a tea party. We invited a handful of women to come and made yummy food and ate and talked. It was really fun! 

Daniel's birthday on Saturday was quite a fun and busy day. We had a leisurely morning, and then packed up the kids and some bikes and went up to the training trails in Draper for us to do and mountain biking and hiking (I just hiked with the boys while Daniel biked with the girls).

Then we rushed to Brooke's soccer game, which was fun to watch all together as a family. We stopped at a fruit stand to pick up watermelon and a huge box of peaches before going home to put Sawyer down for a nap and to make a birthday cake.

We gathered up some food and drove up into the mountains for a birthday dinner of tin foil dinners and chopped up melons and chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting. We stopped at our usual picnic spot by the river and built and fire to cook dinner. It was so yummy and so fun, and it was just the perfect birthday for him.

Brooke crocheted a hat for Daniel for a birthday present. It fit him really well, and we were both impressed with her skill and creativity. 

The Sunday after Daniel's birthday the Rich's invited us to come to their house to eat watermelon that they had grown that summer in their garden. The kids had fun playing and it was nice to be invited to do something. Plus, their homegrown watermelon was delicious.