Back-to-School Grind and Life Analysis

Alex - 16 year's old; Junior at High School but attending local community college as a Freshman
1.      What is your happiest memory?
Finishing Eagle, Coming in first place on my team at XC, MANventure, basically anything fun I've done!

2.      Why do you like being a kid?
Not having to pay for everything.

3.      One word to describe you would be determined.

4.      What advice would you give your parents?
Keep on doing what you are doing.

5.      What do you like to do for fun?
Hangout with friends, be in the outdoors, run, play tennis.

6.      What was the nicest thing you did for someone?
 Writing notes to my parents regularly.

7.      What is your favorite thing to do in the summer?
Go to the lake.

8.      What would be the ideal allowance? Tell me how you would use it.
$20.00, put it in savings.

9.      What do you think makes a person good-looking?
Eyes, hair, personality.

10.   Name two things we should do as a family on the weekend.
Play outside, watch a movie.

11.   What I wish for is
For me to do really good in school.

12.   If I could change my name it would be
 I like my name.

13.   My favorite season of the year is
Summer

14.   What is your favorite outfit
Khaki jeans, Dri-fit shirt, and running shoes.

Tyler - almost 14 year's old; 8th grade at Junior High

1.      What is your happiest memory?
 When we most recently went to Utah with my family.  It was really fun.

2.      Why do you like being a kid?
 You don't have to worry about taxes, money, and other financial stuff.

3.      One word to describe you would be curious.
 4.      What advice would you give your parents? 

 Keep doing what you've been doing.

5.      What do you like to do for fun?
 Outdoor activities (biking, skiing, basketball)

6.      What was the nicest thing you did for someone?
 I try to always be friendly to others at school.

7.      What is your favorite thing to do in the summer?
 Go biking, wakeboarding, and swimming

8.      What would be the ideal allowance? Tell me how you would use it.
 $50/week; I would pay tithing on it then put some in the bank for savings and then save the rest for a GoPro.

9.      What do you think makes a person good-looking?
 Their face, how they dress, and if they are nice

10.   Name two things we should do as a family on the weekend.
 Go rock climbing and go white water rafting

11.   What I wish for is
 a GoPro

12.   If I could change my name it would be
 Jackson

13.   My favorite season of the year is
 Summer

14.   What is your favorite outfit

Basketball shoes, basketball jersey and shorts, with a basketball in my hand

Alysee - 12 year's old; 7th grade at Junior High

1.      What is your happiest memory?
 Going to Lake Cavanaugh and spending time with my favorite cousins! I love sleeping with all the older girls in the loft! It is so fun playing games, writing books, taking about what we want for breakfast the next morning!

2.      Why do you like being a kid?
I like being a kid because I don't have to have children but I still get to babysit often. I also get to see my friends most of the time at school. I get to have more play times than if I was a mom. i get to sleep in on Saturdays whereas if I was a mom I would have to get up at like 7  int eh morning to a screaming baby!

3.      One word to describe you would be enthusiastic. 
 4.      What advice would you give your parents? 

To let me stay up later (out of my room) playing games with my parents. I think that it would be fair to let me go to friend's house more often. I would also give them the advise that I think it is OK to have sleepovera as long as it is with someone your parents know really well. I also think that it is OK to watch movies on a school night as long as we are in bed by 9:00 pm.
 5.      What do you like to do for fun? 

I like to watch movies alone! I also like to write books. (I 'm working on one right now) In the summer I like to go to friend's houses and swim. I like to speed through my homework to reward myself to a show.
 6.      What was the nicest thing you did for someone? 

I don't know but I guess you could count be babysitting a family of four ( twin babies, 2yr old and 3yr old) for free every first Saturday of every month while the parent s get a well-needed date.
 7.      What is your favorite thing to do in the summer?

 I like to swim, write my books, read, watch T.V, go to friend's houses, write letters to friends and family far away. But what I like to do most is sleep!!!
 8.      What would be the ideal allowance? Tell me how you would use it.

I think that every week if we do our jobs, Alex, Tyler and me would get $3.00, Nate and Coop would get $1.50, and Chloe would get $1.00. If you didn't do ALL of you jobs, you get $0.00! I would use this money to help pay for the kindle I have been saving up for, my mission, and college.
 9.      What do you think makes a person good-looking? 

A person that is good-looking would be:
Girl: modest clothing, clean hair that doesn't cover the face, not to high high-heels, a small amount of makeup (mascara, eye shadow, lip-stick), not to tall and not to short, and curly hair.
 Boy: modest, no makeup, slightly tall, short blond hair, blue eyes, and  clean finger nails and hands.

10.   Name two things we should do as a family on the weekend.
 On the weekends as a family we watch movies play and if I had to pick a third one it would be that we argue.
 11.   What I wish for is

 a full body mirror, a new lamp, a dog, and for my BEST FRIENDS (Micah Ricks and Colin Cox) to come back to Yakima. (or I could at least visit them)
 12.   If I could change my name it would be

Payten (or Paiten) or Jessica. But for the most part I am just fine with my name!
 13.   My favorite season of the year is

SUMMER!!!
 14.   What is your favorite outfit

A 1-inch above the knee tight black skirt, a cute silk shirt, curly hair, and mascara. 

Nathan - 10 year's old; 5th grade at Middle School

1.      What is your happiest memory?
 When we had our surprise trip this summer and we got to visit Chase and my other cousins.

2.      Why do you like being a kid?
 You get more time to play and grown-ups have work and stuff to do.

3.      One word to describe you would be athletic.

4.      What advice would you give your parents?
 Start paying us when we do our jobs.

5.      What do you like to do for fun?
 Play legos, play sports, watch TV, and go outside.

6.      What was the nicest thing you did for someone?
 Community leaf rake

7.      What is your favorite thing to do in the summer?
 Go swimming

8.      What would be the ideal allowance? Tell me how you would use it.
 $5/week; I would pay tithing and then put one dollar in savings and then keep the rest.

9.      What do you think makes a person good-looking?
 When they are modest and clean (not dirty).

10.   Name two things we should do as a family on the weekend.
 Go shopping, play at skate park, swimming (if hot).

11.   What I wish for is
 to visit Chase in Utah for a month or two or three and to get all the lego sets I want and a GoPro.

12.   If I could change my name it would be
 Steven or Jacob

13.   My favorite season of the year is
 Winter (if it snows).

14.   What is your favorite outfit

Shorts, t-shirt, mileage club sweatshirt, with my Nike socks and Nike shoes.

These three ride the bus together headed off to the junior high and middle school.

Cooper - 8 year's old; 3rd grade
1.      What is your happiest memory?
Going to Lake Cavanaugh

2.      Why do you like being a kid?
Because it's awesome.

3.      One word to describe you would be artist.

4.      What advice would you give your parents?
We need to be allowed to watch movies on school nights.

5.      What do you like to do for fun?
Go to the skate park, play with friends

6.      What was the nicest thing you did for someone?
Raking leaves, picking up garbage around the community.

7.      What is your favorite thing to do in the summer?
Go to Lake Cavanaugh and play with my cousins.

8.      What would be the ideal allowance? Tell me how you would use it.
$100.00/week; tithing and then put some in my mission fund, and spend the rest on Star Wars Lego sets.

9.      What do you think makes a person good-looking?
Good hair.

10.   Name two things we should do as a family on the weekend.
Watch movies, go to the skate park.

11.   What I wish for is
 The 7th Star Wars movie to come out.

12.   If I could change my name it would be
Billy Bob Joe Sprinkle III from the county fair.

13.   My favorite season of the year is
Winter and Summer

14.   What is your favorite outfit
Nike shirt, shorts, Nike socks, and running shoes, (and underwear of course).

Chloe - 6 year's old; 1st grade
1.      What is your happiest memory?
RV Trip

2.      Why do you like being a kid?
I get to go to my friends' house.

3.      One word to describe you would be pretty.

4.      What advice would you give your parents?
 To let me go to Don and MaryJane's house whenever I want!

5.      What do you like to do for fun?
Play Barbies.

6.      What was the nicest thing you did for someone?
When Mom and I made pretzels for people.

7.      What is your favorite thing to do in the summer?
Play outside.

8.      What would be the ideal allowance? Tell me how you would use it.
$10.00, to buy this thing I really want to buy at "Toys R Us" (Doll that can go in the bathtub)

9.      What do you think makes a person good-looking?
Their clothes.

10.   Name two things we should do as a family on the weekend.
Go to the Family Fun Center, go to our friends.

11.   What I wish for is
A dog, of course!

12.   If I could change my name it would be
Grace

13.   My favorite season of the year is
Winter

14.   What is your favorite outfit

Tight jeans, peach and white shirt, and boots.

My last two at the elementary school!

The beginning of the school year is a little different for Alex as he doesn't start the community college for another month.  He has been blessed to have several jobs lined up - yard work, painting someone's porch, working for our friend's construction business doing demolition and construction clean-up.  It is odd having him around during the day when the rest of the kids are in school.

What a year -- six kids at four different schools!!!!

Pushing the Limits

Alysee had the challenging experience of riding on the John Wayne Pioneer Bike Trail.

Her brave Activity Day's leader, Karen Miller wanted to share her passion for biking with all these young ladies.  Alysee did not think she could make it all 23 miles.

The trail takes riders through the 100-year-old Snoqualmie Tunnel—an exciting (and chilly! and dark!) 2.3-mile trek right through Cascade Mountain rock.  Alysee said that even with her head lamp attached to her helmet she could only see just barely in front of her bike.

Alysee came home EXHAUSTED and with a sore bum but so proud of her accomplishment.  I am so grateful for church leaders that share their time and talents with my kids!

Wrapping Up The Summer Camping

The last week of August we enjoyed a family camp-out to Camp Zarahemla.  It was our annual ward campout.  The weather was nasty during the evening but we were one of the lucky ones and had a cabin so we stayed all nice and dry.  We dined on corn dogs from the microwave and carrots and hummus.   

The morning we were greeted with sunshine.  Coop was contemplating life (or sneaking a piece of candy and eating it privately).

Chloe and Alysee

Last year I took the kids by myself to the ward campout so it was an extra treat to have Birch along my side this year.

Alex

Nate

Tyler

SO fun!!!

A Little Tennis Action

The kids enjoyed several weeks of tennis lessons this summer with our favorite teacher EVER, Danette Griffiths.  I love that she is teaching my kids the love of a lifelong sport.

Alex was able to assist coaching one week.  He LOVED IT!!!

One of the best parts is the swimming that goes on while the others are playing tennis.  We were at lessons for four hours every day so it was so nice for the kids to have something fun to do while they were not in a lesson.

Ahh...

Alysee, a Young Woman

The looooong awaited birthday finally arrived for Alysee!  She has been so ready to turn twelve year's old and be a young woman. 

Yep, she's a purty one!

Alysee chose lasagna, homemade french bread, and mandarin oranges for dinner.

Alysee and I share our favorite dessert -- angel food cake topped with fresh fruit.

Our gift to Alysee was a true gift of love (money and time).  Uncle Ryan came over and helped Birch paint the walls.  Then we put together new beds for Alysee and Chloe (check out the cool under-the-bed storage boxes as well).  The night stand, bedding, new pictures, curtains, and chandelier were a new addition as well.

Not for a picture overload but I must point out the cute rug too.

 Then my dad came for a visit and re-did the closet for his gift to Alysee.  It previously had had those cheap wire shelves and rods.  Because the two beds were so much larger than Chloe's toddler bed and one twin we needed to figure out how to get rid of the two dressers that were in the room.  It's amazing how much stuff in now in their closet but how organized it is as well.

Cute vinyl on wall edge.

Alysee has grown into such a beautiful young woman -- inside and out!  She is a sought out babysitter and I tell you she works hard for her money!!!  Alysee is a gifted teacher (Chloe has benefited so much from this talent).  She is full of energy, music, and a love of life!

LOVE THIS GIRL!!