school starts & ward campout

August 28, 2010
We survived our first week of  school this week--even Maddie in Jr High, where they managed to really tangle up her schedule, so that she had 2 "First Days" once we got things straightened out for her Monday afternoon.  She's a good sport, was happy to see a friend as her locker partner, didn't mind rearranging her schedule, and seems to easily find a friend to eat lunch with every day. (I don't know where her low-stress worry-free attitude came from!!!) One of her favorite classes is CHINESE(?!?!!) (she wanted to take French, but it was full).  She said it barely matters whether she has friends in her classes or not, b/c they all have assigned seats, and her biggest worry is just getting from class to locker to class on time.

We had Elementary Open House this week, and were able to meet all of the other teachers too--everyone seems thrilled.  Emily and Spencer nearly have a ward party in their classes w/ 6-8 children to see 6 days a week! Emily's got team teachers this year (they each teach half a day--"So the children get full energy teachers all day!") and Brent's excited that Mrs. Parkinson LOVES science.  Spencer has Miss Hellewell like Emily did (she's the RS pres. in our single's branch), and so he gets a piano and lots of great songs all day--remember that old yellow songbook?--it's still alive and well in First Grade! (and I LOVE it!).  I had 2 bookclubs this week, so it was hard to get too many things checked off my list, but I did have a great "Baking Day" --making 60 rolls, 36 biscuits, and 4 batches of pancake mix (to freeze) that will make breakfasts and Sunday dinners a little easier! It is also fun having these 2 little sisters home together.  Storytime begins at the library next week!

We had a fun end to our busy week with our Ward Campout up at Camp Woodland—a campground we share with a few stakes up Morgan Canyon. It rained off and on a bit Friday night, but we had a good crowd for dinner and games, and still a few of us braved the weather for overnight. Brian cooked breakfast for our family the next morning, and we got home in time to get cleaned up, find and pick up a used dresser on KSL.com that was a good deal, and get everyone to bed EARLY! Brian and I did go looking for tents after the kids were down that night, and stopped by Nate and Stacey's for a bit before coming home.

We've been sad that our cat has been missing the last couple of days, but there's hope that she may be at our county's animal shelter. They post a list of all the animals they pick up, and there WAS a gray tabby on Friday, so we're keeping our fingers crossed until we can call tomorrow!

 Brian's got a lifesaver hanging on a piece of (long) thread hanging from his mouth for this game--seeing who could get the lifesaver to their mouth the fastest (most people sucked the string up like a noodle; Brian swung his so it landed right in his mouth!)

this was a delirious moment as Brian was trying to placate Anne to sleep--she was too hot in pajamas, so put her shirt on; we couldn't find her pants at first, and she kept asking for pants, so Brian asked, "Wear Daddy's pants?" and she agreed! We still had to find hers about 10 minutes later though :).  Funny moments! Have a great week! Love, The Duncan's