The Gilbert Temple

July 30, 2017: "Sunday walk around the Gilbert Temple. One of my favorite things about our new house is that we live less than 5 minutes from this beautiful place. Our walk only lasted about 10 minutes since it was a cool 98 degrees. (That really is cool for this time of year. Ha.) It was a short but sweet Sunday diversion."

Troy's 37th Birthday

Troy's 37th Birthday. This year, Troy's birthday just a couple weeks after our move. (That has happened on SO many of his birthdays. Poor guy. I'm always worried about his birthday being overshadowed by stress when we have a move right before his birthday.) This year his birthday also happened the same week he started fellowship. I was worried his birthday might be a bummer because of this. However, his cute new co-workers made his birthday such a special day. They decorated the office for him, one co-worker gave him a cactus potted plant for his office and another co-worker made him a homemade birthday cake. Isn't that the sweetest? I was so happy they did that for him on his very first week. 

The kids helped me decorate the kitchen table for Troy's bday. It was pretty cute. I had planned to finish a video of our Puerto Rico trip as part of Troy's birthday present. Unfortunately, my computer crashed while I was working on the video and I lost SO. MUCH. WORK. It was really sad. Fortunately I later found some help from google that helped me fix the file and finish the video. Hallelujah. So the video was given later, but on his birthday I did give Troy some Imagine Dragon concert tickets. So excited for that in September! 

Troy and I were also able to go on a date to celebrate his birthday. It was short because it was the very first time trying out a new babysitter in our new neighborhood, but at least we got out! We ate at Brio. Yum. And the babysitter seemed to work out okay, so we are feeling good about that. More details on Troy's birthday below.

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July 27, 2017: "It's my favorite person's birthday today. I thought it was only fitting to post this fab throwback pic from his birthday celebrations in 1985. Troy is hardworking, kind, generous, and disciplined. He is also a really good time. He always knows how to make me laugh. He's been my biggest supporter and best friend. I'm so grateful he was born 37 years ago. I hope he knows how much we all love him. Happy Birthday my love!"

July 30. 2017: "We went on a quick date night this weekend to celebrate Troy turning 37. I sure like this guy. Hooray for date night! (And for having a Brio only 10 minutes from our house. 🙌) «7.28.17»"

Back to School 2017

On July 24th, Jackson and Clara started school! They do a modified school schedule here. Only a two month summer break, but two week breaks in the fall, at Christmas and in the Spring. The idea is that you have time off of school when the weather is nice. We'll see how we like it. We had back to school night the week before. Each grade has school supply lists here. We had a list of items we were supposed to buy for Jackson and Clara. Buying those school supplies set us back almost $90. I was shocked! We've never had to do that in Utah. And money was already feeling tight because Troy's job hadn't started yet. :/ We made it through, but it was an adjustment. School in general was an adjustment. Clara adapted really well, Jackson had a much harder time. He was really really missing his friends and his old school. Poor kid. This change thing can be rough! More details of school starting below.

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July 24, 2017: "While our Utah peeps were celebrating Pioneer Day, we had our first day of school here in Gilbert, AZ. The anticipation of this day has brought anxiety to various members of our family (parents especially 😉). The day started off rocky with a late start. (We can blame that on yours truly. And Ruby, who kept me up half the night.) I was worried Clara would feel nervous about a new bus and a new school. I was especially concerned about the full day kindergarten schedule. I followed the bus to make sure she wasn't distressed. She didn't even look my direction when she walked into her classroom. Ha. She was all smiles and hugs when the bus arrived home after school, exclaiming "Mr. C!" (Aka her new teacher, Mr. Cesolini.) I've worried about Clara starting kindergarten basically since she was born. I'm happy to report her first day went well and I think Mr. C will be great. Jackson was very nervous about starting school today. In fact, he told us last night he wasn't going. 😬 Us arriving late to drop off and not fully understanding where drop off was didn't help. The poor kid had to get a tardy slip his first day. 🙈 Thankfully, he greeted me with a big grin after school as he related tales of his new friend Denver whose desk is RIGHT next to Jackson's. 🙌 His happy chatter warmed my heart. I have been praying for weeks that he'd find friends quickly. We made it through day one. Tomorrow is already looking up. Phew!"

Aug. 1, 2017: "Change is not my favorite thing. The career path we chose has come with lots of change. Like it or not, we've had to adjust. Despite my resistance to it, change has brought us some wonderful experiences and created a lot of personal growth for all of us. Isn't that one of the great lessons of life? The things that are the hardest end up being the most valuable. This move has been the hardest on Jackson. He misses his buddies at his old school so much. He was very nervous to start school, and although the first day went well, that anxiety has reappeared each evening and morning as he anticipates a new day in a new school. Troy gave each of the kids Fathers Blessings before school began. He gave me a blessing as well. I received so many words of comfort and strength in that blessing. Of particular meaning was a promise I'd be able to perceive the needs of my children, especially those I didn't think of immediately on my own. When Jackson's anxiety flared at bedtime the night after his first school day, my mother heart ached for him. Especially when I asked him who he played with at recess and he told me he just sort of walked around because he didn't know anyone. 💔 After calming him and getting him to bed, I had this nagging feeling I should ask my neighbor if Jackson could ride with her kids to school. I put it off several times. I felt a little silly calling someone I'd just met and asking for a ride for my child. The next morning that feeling was still there. I sent my neighbor a text explaining the situation and she was more than happy to let Jackson ride with them. When I told Jackson he'd be able to ride with his new friends to school, his entire face glowed. I knew then this was just what he needed. The second day went better than the first, and on the third day he started riding his bike to school with these same neighbors. Jackson was thrilled about this. He is still adjusting and is still missing his Woods Cross friends. But riding bikes with the Webbs has made all the difference. This has been a learning experience for me. I'm so grateful for a Heavenly Father who cares about the details in our lives, and for good people who are willing to help."

Troy's Time off in AZ (before school started)

We tried to do some fun things as a family before Troy went back to work and the kids started school.  Here are some of the things we did. Playing in the rain. Swimming at a local high school pool. Troy took the boys on a hike. He also took the boys to fat cats and out for icees. We took turns taking the kids to summer movies at Harkins. Big train track building. Swimming at our new friends, the Hartman's-- unfortunately Ruby couldn't swim with her cast. She felt left out, poor girl. Dinner with the Teftellers when the moved back to AZ at the end of July. Me trying to cook cookies in our new oven and failing. Ha. Ruby learning to climb on the ottoman and find Troy in the family picture. It was so nice to have Troy around for the rest of our summer break. School starts early here! More about that in the next post.

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July 21, 2017: "Unwritten Rule: when you live in Arizona, you must go outside for all summer rain storms and revel in the cooler temperatures."

July 18, 2017:  Things have been so busy that I'm a bit behind on my posts. Clara and I got to go on a date to the summer movie before school started. She had been pretty confused about all this change. She asked me "Grandma's house??" A few times. Poor girl. An activity out was just what we both needed. We got popcorn and she laughed at the babies in "Storks." Sure love this girl! «7.18.17»

Troy took the boots on a hike before school started. They went early in the morning before it got too hot. (But it was still pretty 🔥😉) They had a great time despite the heat. Troy saw a coyote in the distance during their hike. The boys didn't get to see it, but Gray was sure he could smell the coyote. When Troy asked Gray what the Coyote smelled like, Gray said, "It smells like sugar." 😂 These guys sure have a fun dad! «7.22.17»

July 23, 2017: Yesterday was my dad's birthday. I'm behind on a birthday post (like most things in my life 😉) but I didn't want to miss the chance to say how much I love this guy. He is kind, loving, and willing to help just about anyone. He gives people the benefit of the doubt and is always looking for ways to lift others' spirits. I'm so glad he was born 56 years ago. Love you Dad! ❤

July 28, 2017: It's no secret who Ruby's favorite person is. Dad. 100%. He had to go back to work this week. (Too bad we couldn't be stay at home parents together forever, right? Ha.) Ruby has been missing her Daddy now that he is gone again during the day. She likes to climb up here, find Troy in our family pictures, and say "Dada!" over and over. It's sweet how much she loves her Dad. In other news, this cast really isn't slowing Ruby down much. Yesterday she tried to climb on top of the piano. I think she is trying to break her other leg. 

July 31, 2017: When you think you know how to set the timer on the oven at your new house, but it turns out you don't. 🙄🙈 Another batch coming right up. 😂

Barro's pizza with the Teftellers Saturday night. It was the first time we've ever taken all four kids to a restaurant and it went pretty well. Up until Clara started eating pizza off a boy's plate at a nearby table. 🙈☺ We relocated to our house and kept the party going. «8.5.17»