Well, it is officially Sunday night and school starts again on Tuesday. I am honestly really questioning my decision to teach full-time this year, but I am trying to have a good attitude. I think I'm already deciding that I won't teach next year for sure, and the school year hasn't even begun! haha I just really am not looking forward to it, but I have to just make the best of it! So here is what we have been up to for the last little bit of summer 2023!
Avery Plays the Viola
Avery decided that this year she is going to give orchestra a try! I honestly don't know how long it will last or if she will enjoy it, but I'm glad she's willing to try something new! Usually, they start orchestra in 5th grade, but she did art last year. She loves being artistic, but she did NOT love the art teacher. On the other hand, the orchestra teacher, Mrs. Loveland, is basically like a Disney princess and everyone who knows her loves her. Avery is trying this just because she wants to have Mrs. Loveland as a teacher. She decided to play the viola over the violin because less people play it and I think the sound is a little less squeaky! We went to Ferguson's rental shop and got her a viola a couple weeks ago. Then, she participated in an orchestra "camp" every day last week for an hour where Mrs. Loveland taught the basics to every student who is brand new to orchestra this year. This gives them more confidence for the first day of school. They did a little concert and played along to the song "All-Star." It was super cute.
We Finally Got Grass!
I think I had forgotten just how much it work it was to put in a yard. We did it about 12 years ago for our first Summerfield house, but I don't remember it being such a challenge. I feel like getting this yard in has taken us all summer long. The fence took the whole month of June, the sprinklers took most of July, and then finally on August 11th, we got the sod delivered! We had a bunch of men and boys come help us lay it down on possibly the hottest evening we've had all summer. But the sod was delivered at 3:00 on Friday and by 6:00 it was all done and everyone was heading home! I got a bunch of pizzas and drinks when they were done and hopefully they went home feeling happy about helping! We were just dripping out there! It was 92 degrees. Even I was sweating and I wasn't doing that much! So then over this past week, we've gone and bought trees, and plants, and we just need to get some wood chips still. It's about 95 percent of the way done. So close! Today is rainy and cloudy (but still warm) and I'm glad our poor grass is getting a break from the hot sun.
Tyson Got Home
The first of the Rhodes grandsons, Tyson, got home from his mission to Oregon the first weekend in August. We all went to the Idaho Falls airport and welcomed him home with signs and everything. It's crazy to think that Gabe will be the next one to leave in a year! I am not ok with that.
Caleb at FSY
Caleb missed Tyson's homecoming at the airport because he was at FSY at BYU-Idaho with his three closest friends, Cole, Benson, and Jameson. He kind of grumbled about going, but I think they had an ok time. I wouldn't say he came home as a spiritual giant like I was hoping, but he did make some new friends. The apartment complex they stayed at was the Loft and it was right across from the Nauvoo House near BYUI campus. He was gone from July 31 - August 5. He basically had to go that week because it was football "dead" week where they didn't have any practices or anything. We are just getting started with the football season! More to come on that later. Caleb also worked his last day at Rexburg Rapids right before he left for FSY. I think he made a total of $1000 or less this summer because he didn't work THAT much (maybe 15 hours per week for $10 per hour), but it was probably the perfect amount for his first summer job. He still got to hang out with friends a lot and go to football practices.
Family Pictures
The last big thing on my summer to-do list before school craziness starts was to get our family pictures and Gabe's senior pictures taken. We got my friend, Claire, to come out to the Saint Anthony sand dunes with us one evening in early August and we got them done. We may go out again and take a few more of Gabe, but we got two really good ones that I couldn't decide between for the yearbook. Gabe wanted the one in the blue shirt, so we ultimately went with that one. Here are a bunch of pictures!
That's the update for now! This week is about to get crazy and I am NOT ready for summer to be over!!!
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