Up the Canyon, Back to School, and Through the Gardens

We have had the pleasure of having my niece Shayne stay with us this last week. It has been so much fun! We seriously need someone to stay with us every year right before school starts so we can get the most out of the last few days of summer. We went to 7 Peaks (and got rained out), made smores in our back yard, went to the drive-in movies, went up the canyon, went to Thanksgiving Point's Gardens, we took her senior pictures, did back-to-school night with the kids, had an extended family dinner, and went swimming. Tonight is hopefully Trafalga as it is her last night with us. Sad. :(

As you can see, Jack is super excited about school. Zeke is not. This was back to school night on Monday. Can you believe that for 3 hours a day it will be just Elsie, Nick, and I? I might even go grocery shopping during the day.

While Zeke was off at his first day of 2nd grade we went with some friends to the Thanksgiving Point Gardens. Jack was super bad the whole day. It might be because his first day is next week and Zeke gets to go to school without him.

(the world's biggest man-made waterfall)

These are some of our Canyon pictures. We went up the Canyon on back-to-school night to take some senior pictures, have a packed dinner, and play in the ice cold water. Well, that wasn't the plan, but the kids played in the water anyways. Seriously, it's just melted snow, it was very cold. Jack lost a flip flop, but otherwise a good trip.

Did I ever mention that I cut 13 inches off of my hair? I feel so much lighter. Too bad I am not REALLY lighter.

This is Zeke yesterday on his first day of school. He held onto me and I had to come sit in his class for a bit. Luckily he decided that today he would go and be good. He was just a little anxious for the first day.

This is one of the favorites from Shayne's senior pics. You can see all the rest at http://www.nicspics.blogspot.com/