Our Family Vacation

We went on a family vacation a few weeks before school started. We had to wait to go until swim team was over. The day before we left we went to the awards night for the Loomis Basin Dolphins. You bring your own dinner/picnic and then the personal best awards and coaches awards are handed out. This year we bought the hot dogs and hamburgers that the team was selling. I didn't have time to pack a picnic as we were leaving the next morning. To our surprise Julia won the 6 and under girls most improved award. She received a trophy and coach Lizzie said some might fine words about our Julia. We were so pleased with her efforts this year and all that she accomplished she was even in the newspaper. Check out this article that ran in the Loomis news (front page), Auburn Journal (front page), and Placer Hearld ( page 3) click here There was a picture of her, but now it doesn't seem to be coming up. Anyway check her out!! She loves being a celebrity.
The next day we packed up and headed out on our 5 day camping trip to Collins Lake, which is near Marysville. We (Tom and I) are genius' when it comes to planning a camping trip in the Summer, we choose the hottest place near us and then go there. At least there was a lake for the kids to swim in. As is turned out it wasn't as hot as they were predicting, but it was hot enough.
I was very organized this year, or so I thought. I kept saying boy I have packed well, I just hope I'm not forgetting anything. Well, the minute we got there I realized that I hadn't packed the hot dogs, hamburgers, or sausage. I had to buy hot dogs and sausage at the little highway robbery store there at the entrance to the lake. We had friends from our ward go with us. Both families had a ball and we want to camp again, just not at the dirt pit we were at this year. :)
My mom and dad brought us dinner on Sat. night of our trip. I didn't have to cook and the kids loved seeing their grandparents.


We swam, played at the playground, rode bikes, ran from our camp to the Watfords camp, ate tons of smores, and slept on the ground. Who wouldn't love a trip like that. Now to get ready for our last camping trip of the season. We are heading to Plumas/Eureka State Park with the Bates and Techau's for Labor Day weekend. Could someone please remind me to pack the frozen items? :)

The First Day

Well, yesterday was the first day of school, and we, here at the Hay House, had 4 children going to school. Macie and Thomas are in 5th and 4th grades. They will be in a 3 teacher rotation and since Thomas is in the 4th/5th combination classroom he will be rotating with the 5th graders. We will see how this will go because as we all know brothers and sisters together in the same group of students doesn't always go well. :) Julia entered 1st grade at a different school. She is in a K/1 multi-age classroom (that's fancy speak for combination of two grades in one room). She has some of her friends from Kindergarten in there and some new ones to make. All is well on the 1st grade front. She starts school a bit early at 7:50 and gets on the bus at 7:10. I have to say that we were rock stars this morning and had breakfast, a good one at that, and she was ready to go waiting for the bus. One day down and many more to go. Matthew is at the same school as last year and his hours are 8-12 a.m. everyday. Now, what is a family to do about getting all these children to all their places on time. The daddy has valiantly accepted the job of taking Matthew to school before he goes to work. This means an hour change at work, but his job is very flexible on time to start the day. After Julia and Matthew are off to school then I can take the other children to school. I plan on walking them up to school and then taking Henry on an extended walk. Wow, a lot happens around here before 8:15 a.m. Now that school is on I guess I need to start thinking about Christmas, yes I said it. :)

We had some very special visitors yesterday morning. Ali came and did hair for first day viewing and Emily helped with dressing. Gram and Pa showed up because afterall it is the first day. :) Thanks for all the help getting us up and out on time. We love all of you!!!
Backpack time came and Macie got a plain black pack. It wasn't up to her liking, she wanted something a little more jazzy. So we went to town and jazzed it up. I think she may just start a trend. Nice job Macie. :)

She also looks like a fashionista. Before going school shopping Macie created 3 different outfit drawings. We were on the hunt for the looks that she created. We weren't able to find the exact colors, but we got the looks that she wanted. Maybe she has a future in fashion. :)

Here are the other children with their first day outfits. You might ask why Thomas doesn't have a fashion shot of his own. Well, he is a boy need I say more. :)