Second Grade

Megan started 2nd grade on July 26th. Where we live the elementary schools are year-round. A lot of people like or dislike them. Me well I don't really have a preference; either way I am at work. Megan loves school. We were talking with her cousin Maddie one day about going back to school. Maddie is on a different track and didn't start school until the end of August. Aunt Trisha told Megan that Maddie is probably happier having more time off and Megan told Trisha - "are you crazy? School is where I go to have fun!" Thankfully I have great in-laws that help Megan get to and from school. The school district took our buses away this year due to budget cuts. The route to school is about a mile and hardly any sidewalk with a fairly busy road. Megan's grandma says there is no way she will be walking so she gratefully takes Megan and her cousins, Caleb and Carson, to school and Aunt Amy picks them all up. I have great in-laws that help us out a ton. Meg was so excited for school; she got up on her own the first day. I went into work late so I could be there to drop her off. She was just so happy! She loves to read and is extremely good at it. I know everyone thinks their kids are smart, but I don't just think it - I know it...and so does her teacher. After the first day or two of school, Megan came home and told me about a girl that sits by her. Megan told me that this girl doesn't read very well so Megan helps her. At first I wasn't sure what the whole truth was there, until back to school night. I talked with her teacher, Mrs. Bennight, and she told me that Megan is a huge help to this girl. She struggles a lot and Megan has been a huge help and really does teach this girl a lot. That pretty much melted my heart! Megan is a very thoughtful little girl and makes her mom and dad proud!

Cabin Week of Fun

The Morgan family was finally able to all be together for a week this year. We haven't all been together for two years, so we were all very excited to be together. Kristin and her family came from Seattle. Allisyn and her family came from St. George, as did my mom and dad. Brandon and his family came from the Azore Islands. They had the longest journey by far to make it. The rest of us are in the SLC area so we didn't have real long journeys to make. We divided up each day to a sibling and that sibling had the meals and activities for the day. I took Monday, July 5th because Ryan and I had to leave to get back to work. I chose to do patriotic theme because it was just the 4th the day before. So, Sunday night we tie-dyed shirts! It was my first time at tie-dying...not too difficult, but I would change a few things. Overall, the shirts turned out cute and everyone loved them. I had a few trivia questions for the kids to try to answer and a word search that I made. Tuesday was a birthday party put on by Suzanne and Shawn. Wednesday was the day that Hogwarts Express left platform 9 3/4 for Hogwarts, with Jeff and Kristin as the Headmaster and Headmistress. Thursday was race day by Allisyn. On Friday, Brandon and Amanda had a mad scientist theme. I wasn't there for this day, but I heard that they did all sorts of experiments. What about Peter you ask? Well, his wife had just had a baby a few weeks prior to our trip and when planning we were unsure about their length of stay. So, Brandon gave Peter the assignment of providing us all with candy for the week. Peter works for a company that ships out for Hershey's...he asked for some candy and boy, did they give him some candy. Let's just say that the candy was in a room all by itself - no joke! We had a great week as a family and it was great that it ended with my niece Jenna's baptism. Jenna chose to be baptized while her family was in Salt Lake (they live in Washington). It was a great time and we all were so proud of Jenna. I didn't get too many pictures as I left the week at the cabin early. When I am able to get more from my family I will post.

Hogwarts game

Platform 9 3/4

What is a birthday party without pin the tail on the donkey? Yes, that is my dad!

Patriotic Fun

She didn't want to have much of the fun

Kenny on the Rhino

One of the many groups Ryan took out on the Rhino...notice the tie-dye shirts!

Ahhh, the swing! The little girls LOVED the swings - especially the yellow one!

Shawn - sleeping. You don't sleep with 30 other people around!

4th of July

We were at the cabin for the 4th of July this year. Peter blessed his brand new little boy that Sunday. Allie and I were already at the cabin so I kept her kids while she drove to Syracuse for the baby blessing. After breakfast, I took the kids on a walk. We walked and walked and walked, just like the pioneers, but we had it much easier than they did. I was really quite surprised at how long and far the kids kept wanting to walk. I was ready to be done - or my knee was anyway. We finally decided to start heading back to the cabin and now Morgan was done so I had to carry her a lot of the way back. Ryan was back at the cabin by himself and stated to wonder where we were. He decided to get in the Rhino and come find us...and he did just in time. He took Dallin, Morgan, and Erika back to the cabin in the Rhino - totally made Dallin's day. Shortly after we got back to the cabin, the rest of our family started showing up!

Erika, Lexi, Dallin, Megan, and Morgan - all ready with their walking sticks.

Ready for the 4th!

Patriotic clothes and hair accessories...a must!

American Fork Canyon

The beginning for the 4th of July weekend started with us heading to American Fork Canyon with some friends. Mike and Brandon are snowmobile buddies of Ryan's and fortunately for me and the girls, we get along with their families as well. We went up a pretty intense rocky trail that led to Forest Lake in American Fork Canyon. It was a lot of fun and I grabbed the "oh crap" bar a couple of times, but Ryan does know what he is doing! We got to Forest Lake and hung out for a little bit and then headed back down the trail. To get back on the road you have to cross a small river - Mike and Brandon had a great time with that! When we got back to the parking lot it was time for us to head up to the cabin for the week to be with my family.

The girls love to take flowers along for the rides.

We stopped along the way for a break and the kids climbed up this hill.

It was windy!

Boys will always be boys!