September

September was busy with the move. 

The same weekend we closed on the house, Dustin's mom came to town. It was so fun to take her up to school to eat lunch with the kids.

We still had painters coming in and lighting being installed, so we didn't move in that weekend, but we moved in our bar stools as our very first piece of furniture.

The Ashtons were our very first guests after we closed and Andy even helped us move our garage over that weekend.

Luke had to entertain himself since everything was packed for the move:

 We moved in the next weekend. Our friends were amazing.

 They brought us meal they watched my kids, they sent their husbands and big kids with trucks. We had everything moved in just a few hours and everything was unpacked by that night.

 It was so nice to finally sit down and put my feet up after months of organizing, purging and packing.

Although apparently the boys were more exhausted than I was.

 Dustin still hadn't been released as Bishop, so we were lucky enough to still attend the Cooper 1st ward for 2 more months.

 Luke entertained us as a waiter one Sunday.

 Sadie received an award for being awesome! Actually I think it was for her love of learning, enthusiasm, great questions and love for reading which has made her an excellent writer.

 A Real Housewives fiesta.

 Sports started on a very hot weekend. Football for the boys, soccer for Sadie and tennis for Ellie.

And lots and lots of house projects!

August

And the catch up continues with a rather uneventful August.

 Ellie went to back to school a few weeks after the other kids (her last year in a different district, she'll be back on our schedule for High School) and I started missing my personal assistant.

To celebrate all of the kids being in school, a few us went floating down the river. It was epic-ly fun!

 Dustin and I celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary. 

Progress continued quickly on the house as we approached the last month.

 

 

 (don't worry, that hideous builder light fixture is long gone)

 

 Birthday lunch out with some girlfriends.

 One week, Luke started telling everyone at church that he was going to make them cookies and brownies so we had to deliver!

 School in session means subbing! I love that I get to teach my own children, my children's friends and my friends' children!

 My girlfriend and I threw a little lunch.

 We took the kids to see Wicked.

 Molly, Kristin and I are all from Oregon and have known each other almost all out lives. It's so cool that our girls are all growing up as friends now!

July (part two) -- Back to School

We got home from Virginia just in time for the kids to start school. 

 A little more than 24 hours after we returned to Arizona, these 3 had to head back to the land of uniforms, back packs and homework. I love school for the structure it provides to our lives, but I really miss lazy mornings after I get home from the gym and having my kids around to entertain me!

The kids were excited to get back to their friends and meet their teachers.

While the kids were gone, I went off my annual Back-to-School brunch with my girlfriends. Luckily, I had a helper at home to do my grunt work:

 Our theme was this year was FIESTA!

Everyone's goals for the year:

 1. Stay on Green. 2. Take an AR test

 All A's, Golden Scholar, No 9th hour

 Get Honor Roll 2 times and meet every AR goal

 Make a new friend and do good on every assignment

 That same week, Dustin and I headed out for a little trip, just the two of us, to California for the Crossfit games. I know it sounds kind of odd, but we both love it and had the best time. It was my gift to Dustin for Father's Day. I already can't wait to go back next year!

BEACH WEEK

Beach week is always one of my favorites. There is nothing like sitting in the sand, doing nothing all day.

As we drove in, we could see a thunderstorm brewing. It didn't stop us from stopping at the ice cream shop at the entrance to the neighborhood to wait for our PA cousins.

 The reunion couldn't have been sweeter.

 We hurried to check out the beach house view. PERFECT!

 And then jumped into the pool for a stormy swim.

 My sister made these awesome shirts for all the kids to wear for the reunion.

 I love them all.

The majority of our time had views like these:

 Luke became obsessed with boogie boarding, except for the short period of time after he got the cord wrapped around his neck and almost drowned. His fear didn't last long before he was back out there again.

 

 

But even the die hards needed a break from the beach sometimes. We played games, fought over who would hold Lizzy and ate lots of oreos!

 

 

 

(guess which kid lives in Arizona)

The dads took all the kids to a jumping place (because Nate and Ellie hadn't been to enough).

And the parents got out for a sushi date while my parents (and the big kids) babysat all the littles.

We took family pictures on the windiest day ever so all of our hair looked like it has never been brushed after 5 minutes.

 

 And then lots more trips to the ice cream store in our matching shirts of course!

And my mom lead all the kids in Kid Yoga everyday.

It was a sad day when the week was over. After we said good bye to our family we drove up to Williamsburg for one more stop at the Cheeseshop and . . . .

 To see my sister one more time. A week wasn't enough. We needed 30 more minutes before we headed to the airport.

 Everyone passed out about 5 minutes into the car ride to the airport. We managed to wake everyone up, get through security and get on the airplane. . .

 Just in time to hear there was bad weather, so we needed to get off the plane and wait.

 Luckily we had Luke to entertain us.

 We finally made it to Chicago, but due to the bad weather, all the planes out of Chicago were delayed for hours. Every 15 minutes they kept telling us they had found us a crew and hour after hour we didn't leave.

 We finally made it home around 3 am, or about 20 hours after we left the beach house. Never fly through Chicago!!

 This was the aftermath at church the next day.