First Day of School

Today is the first day of our academic year schedule, as Daniel and Peter have joined their older siblings at school. Happy first day! Peter walked and Daniel rode his bike to the bus stop. I rode up with Katharine in the trailer. Daniel hid his bike behind a bush and they got in line.

The bus was there right on schedule at 8:42. BYE!

And then I biked with Katharine over to the school so we could take a picture of them entering the school on "the red carpet". I found Peter standing in his class line and him come stand on the carpet for a pic. I assumed that when his class entered the building, it would be too busy with parents and children for me to see him, and I was correct. 

I walked around to find Daniel but he wasn't there. He went into the school for breakfast. So then K and I started to get ready to go back home, when we saw her friend Scarlett. I invited her to come over to play and that worked for her mom so yay, Kat has a friend today!

They are a cute little duo.

So, with this beginning of the school year, these past few weeks I have looked things over and have planned out for my new schedule to be for me to give my mornings to my children, and then when they get home from school, that's when I take my break for exercise. So after Lily got home today, I took a ride. It was quite warm (low 90s) but it was great, the sky was so blue! It was beautiful. 

I biked to the ruins. I got across the creek tonight in the place by the ruins where I've been trying to make some piles of rocks for me to hop over across. 

Today I finally made it and cheered for myself at my victory, and I didn't fall in and get my shoes wet. It helps a little bit that the creek water is low as we approach the end of summer weather. Sigh, I love the canyon though. It's my happy place.

Corey takes carpool MWThF, Tuesdays we both go to the temple (me usually at 5am) and Corey stays home from work that day so I have a car to run any errands or take care of appointments. Daniel and Owen both have soccer, O on Tuesday nights, Daniel on Thursday, and Owen also has trumpet on Thursdays. Wednesday is YW. Another part of our new schedule per Corey's request: sit down dinners. Thanks to Lily for helping that happen tonight.

I've planned for the girls to each take a night to help me out: L - Monday Mexican, Sophi Tues Asian, Natalie Thursday Potato Bar or leftovers, I do Wednesday, and they also have a younger brother help them out with setting the table: Peter Monday, Daniel Tues (before soccer) and Owen Thursday. So those are a few ideal goals for now, we'll figure out the other days later. Baby steps. Wednesday is YW so that's an early dinner night and I'm taking that one. We asked the kids about school and Natalie was making really silly expressions as she reacted to everyone's tales of their day.

They are funny. 

Only 7 kids around the table, such a small group. Monday is FHE (though I'm going to try to persuade Corey to move that to Sundays). Tonight we had a paper airplane contest. Corey showing a video on the side room tv for people to follow. 

Ready to launch. 

Corey made a few targets with the hockey goals. Daniel's planes did the best. 

No prize other than bragging rights. And while they were making their planes, I was cleaning up the kitchen. I will also be chopping veggies and making Corey's breakfast in prep for when he has carpool mornings. We don't even need to do carpool - Lily could just take Owen and Natalie when she and Sophi leave, but Corey said we should contribute to the good of the neighborhood, so that's ok. It will be good for him to be able to start his work day early and come home early for dinner. AND we'll do scriptures earlier and go to bed earlier too! I know we could do that of our own free will, but it helps to have an obligation to make sure we don't get lazy about it. 10 pm is the new bedtime goal.

Goodbye Abi

We said goodbye to Abi this morning. She's off to the Mexico MTC for a few weeks and then to Panama in October if her visa comes. One last group pic at the airport.

Last night she said she's like for us to be in the cars around 6:20. I woke up around 5:15am. Lily and Sophi were already up getting ready for school. I went downstairs to see if Abi was awake. She was still in bed, but answered me when I called down the stairs. I told her to stay there while I took a pic of the "last sleepover" with Abi. 

Daniel and Peter joined Abi and Katharine on Tuesday night and loved the cool temps in the basement, so they joined them again last night. Lucky Abi to have 3 little friends sharing a bed with her, haha not really! She snuck away and got ready. Her bags were all packed from last night. Other kids got ready for school. We picked up DPK straight from the bed and carried them to the cars around 6:20. Teens will have another chance for a hug, but Abi got a few in the garage. 

Hyrum drove his car and dropped it off near Skyline, Lily followed him in the van, then picked him up. He drove the van with LSNO. Corey, Wes, Abi, DPK and I were in Corey's car. We got to the airport first to help Abi get checked in, but her luggage was in the van, so we didn't save any time. Mel and Christian slept over last night and followed in their car. Finally the van arrived with her luggage. Checking her baggage -

They had offered an early check in for baggage last night cause the flight this morning is overbooked. They said we could bring it between 6-9pm and they'd put it on an earlier flight and get it to Mexico. Corey took her luggage around 7:30 last night, but she stayed to visit with her siblings, and then he called us and said they wouldn't accept it without Abi and her passport, which we figured, so that didn't work. Corey said we could try to get it there for an 11pm flight, but instead of driving back out last night, we just figured we'd do it this morning. So now she runs a risk of the plane being full and her baggage arriving on a later flight/being a day behind her but she'll be ok.

\

Corey helping Abi check it in.

Then it was time to walk over to security. This is where we say goodbye!

Hugs and tears - 

It's always a tender moment. 

Last hugs were me and Corey, and he handed her a bag with some Paris Baguette treats in it (we weren't able to fit that "last" in last night) then we walked her over closer to the security check in walkway. 

Katharine is Abi's Peter, and Abi is Katharine's Wes. They are gonna miss each other. 

Corey came over and said bye again. We waved a few times as she walked away. 

Then Corey said "I guess I could have given her another hug..." and then he ran in to find her for one more embrazo, and the rest of us got ready to head to the cars. Katharine staring into the distance on the drive home, with her cute little fat lip from hitting it yesterday as she jumped on Abi's bed. In a daze and wondering what will life be like without her Abi??  

Haha she might just be tired. I was an early morning. Katharine has been sleeping with Abi at night for atleast two years. Most nights Kat is kind of a floater and she'll go sleep with different siblings or on our floor, but Abi's been her preferred bedmate and has definitely been a second mother to her. It's been so cute to see these two sisters love each other. We've been here before as a family, and we'll be here again. It's sad to say goodbye, but we know she'll be back home before we know it. Besides, Corey and I had it worse! We said goodbye for 3 1/2 years! This is just 18 months, easy peasy. 

Here is a little missionary compilation of goodbyes and returns - 

Goodbye to Joseph (June 2018) and home early with the covid worldwide shutdown March 2020.

Mel (Oct 2020) and return March 2022.

Ethan (Aug 2020) and return June 2022. 

Hyrum (Sept 2021) and return Aug 2023.

Wes (Jan 2024) and welcome home Dec 2025. 

After we got home, I saw that Abi had left some notes on our bed, I read them all, cause I can do what I want, and they were super sweet. I'll share here what she wrote to Corey and I, so it won't be lost in my box of physical notes and cards: "Mama y Papa - Hey Mom and Dad. I am terrifyed terrified? Sad to leave you guys and Katharine and everyone else, but mostly because I don't know what I'm doing whatsoever. I'm just hoping I do some good. Thank you for all you've invested in me financially and spiritually and educationally. I'm so thankful to have already some experience in Latin American and traveling solo. I'm gonna miss you guys the most. That moment in the temple today when we said a prayer together in the celestial room felt so personal and absolutely the most sacred experience I've had in the temple so far. I feel like I don't cry that often but I have a lot today and I've noticed it's almost always when someone is showing love or support toward me. I'm feeling all the feels. Te quiero mis padres. (heart) Hermana Wride"

Abi and I had talked about her giving Katharine a lego set (I have three that I bought in anticipation of school starting next week when it's just the two of us at home) and so I took the liberty of writing another note in Abi's behalf for her younger sister - I sent his pic to Abi, hoping it was ok for me to write this on her behalf:

"Mom got me this present for my birthday. I want you to open it! Take care of it while I'm gone and I'll play it with you when I come back! Love Hermana Wride" I put it on my bed with the notes she left for Mel and Christian, Ethan and Bella, and Wes and Hyrum (they get to be a couple).

I called to Peter and Katharine. I told them to clean one of their bedrooms, and then I had a surprise. They chose Katharine and Natalie's room cause it was less messy. They cleaned it up quick then followed me into my room. Peter read the note (most of it, he couldn't read my cursive).

Then they opened it, wow!!! 

They are excited.

And it kept them busy most of the day. I decided to give it to K now instead of Monday, so that Peter could help her build it (he'll be in school starting Monday). Ready to work on it in a clean area.

Having fun!

Showing me their progress after an hour - 

I took a short nap while they played, then spent the day doing dishes, cleaning the kitchen, and prepping dinner. Also on my new school schedule is to exercise in the afternoons after the kids get home. So I was ready for a ride when Lily got back at 3 and I was able to enjoy a lovely bike ride to the ruins. I listened to part 1 of Steven Sharp Nelson on Follow Him. It was really fun to listen to. The smell in the canyon was amazing again, it's been a little damp the past few days, and I was glad to get in a ride before we got an absolute downpour tonight. Corey got home for dinner at 6, then I took Daniel to soccer practice at 6:15. The coach said to stay close by in case a thunderstorm started, and it did at 7. I entered soccer games into the calendar on my phone while I waited. The rain came pretty quickly, a total downpour. There was a river coming down our street. The place where Daniel had practice, the Aspen Meadows Park, was flooded within 10 minutes. Corey said the skies were mourning Abi's departure "Sandy is weeping violently without Abigail Wride".  

Lily and Sophi have been doing great getting up on their own, Lily said "well, it's only the second day of school..." haha, yeah I know, but I think they're doing great. We had scriptures early and now it's 10 and we're all heading to bed. Since we got up so early today, NOPK all  fell asleep during scriptures. After some discussion about Job, Lily shared with us that she was on live television today via Fox 13 at some school supplies fundraiser thing, Corey shared this screen shot with the college kids. 

Hyrum "She must be a pretty big deal!" haha. Before I went on my ride, I got potatoes ready for dinner tonight. LSN and I have decided to each take a M-Th dinner night, tonight was Natalie and we did a potato bar. She did a great job getting the rest of it ready while I was on my ride. I hope we are able to take life up a notch this next year. Things will be a little more chill with "only" 7 kids at home. I won't have a car most days, and that's ok. Corey's taking carpool everyday, and tonight, as is part of my new schedule, is to get his Dr Alex approved veggie breakfast ready as we clean up dinner. I have a lot of alarms on my phone to remember all these routine things we're trying to do. 

HBD Hyrum, Temple & First Day of School

Today is Hyrum's Happy Birthday! It was a full and busy day too... First day of school for 4 our kids at home, LSNO, Hyrum was working, Corey too, we all went to the temple together this afternoon and then came here for cake and ice cream. We put allll the candles on Hyrum's cake. 

23 candles, so we really lit the cake on fire!

Then I asked if we should sing to Abi too, cause she'll be gone for her b-day next month. "I have to share my birthday?" Hyrum joked as I put a candle back on. 

Yes, let's sing again. 

Sorry you have to share your day Hyrum, but it's Abi's last, so she's been calling the shots today, trying to do every "last" thing she wanted to do during her last 24 hours in Utah. She goes to the airport tomorrow morning and flies out at 9:53, Delta flight 628. She for sure wanted to go out to eat at Aubergine, and we thought it would be fun for all the adults  that could come to join. We also thought it would be good to go do sealings at the temple, cause Abi hadn't done those yet. 

After texting back and forth with the Utah Wrides about what times everyone was available, we decided to go to the Draper Temple at 4 for sealings and then to Aubergine on 123rd south after that. We were all kinda running late and coming from different places, but that was ok cause sealings are more flexible that way. It was really great to do sealings together, to be in a quiet, beautiful sacred space surrounded by the people we love most. We went to the celesital room afterwards and Corey and I talked with Abi, gave her a group hug, a few tears flowing as all this was becoming "real" for her, and yeah, it was really great. Group photo afterwards - 

Natalie came a long with us and she was outside watching Alvie during the sealings. 

Corey's dad came out to meet up with us at Aubergine. 

It was a little noisy inside but it was good and fun. I can't remember what I ordered, if it was the vitality bowl or better earth bowl - whichever once has brussle sprouts (they were a little burnt/over toasted). Abi got the same as me, Wayne got the salmon plate, Hyrum got the chicken curry, Ethan ran to a different store to get something else for him and Bella. Natalie didn't want anything but she was ok to try brownie layers. 

She said they weren't sweet enough. I'm sorry, Natalie, but you might not be worthy of these. Alvie is though. He's been a clean eater since birth.

As we "went to the cars" we actually just stood in the doorway in people's way and kept talking - Wayne said he was going to head home. He gave Abi a hug and said he hopes he'll still be here when she gets back. 

We talked for a moment about that, cause Hyrum said he was not expecting it at all when JeNeal passed away while he was on his mission. It could happen, but we'll all go forward and trust in the Lord's care and providence. Subject turned to lighter topics as Ethan shared some of his woes with BYU's parking (their car recently got booted). Hyrum told about his experiences at BYUI getting parking tickets. We decided to move the conversation home - Abi, Natalie and I stopped for the bday cake at Smiths. I asked Hyrum what his favorites were, he didn't know, but he was trying to be healthy, so... Ok, so you want something that will not be tempting to you? How about playdough ice cream, cause that's gross but that will make your younger siblings happy? "I actually like playdough..." oh, ok, well then do you want me to get that cause you like it? We went back and forth, he then said I could just decide. I chose a German Chocolate cake and chocolate cookie crumble ice cream. We sang happy b-day and sliced and dished it all out. Then we all kept talking. Ethan and Hyrum trying to once again establish who are the OGs in the family. 

Abi and Lily trying to fight for their place, Sophi didn't vie for anything and recognizes she doesn't make the cut. 

It was funny - I recorded their conversation for a few minutes, then also of Ethan giving Abi advice before they left... "Everything from here on out just sucks. You're not a kid anymore." Something like that, haha. 

"Don't think you can quit and come home to get away from hard things, cause it still sucks here!" Thoughts of his car getting booted fresh on his mind! He also printed up a hard copy of The Baton to give to her, with a nice cover and spiral binding. Super thoughtful. I think she'll make it if she looks to Christ, strives to endure, and follows the advice of these strong examples who've gone before her. 

She gave Alvie an extra hug - he'll be so big when she gets home! Abi is going to miss Alvie! While they were visiting, Corey took Abi's bags to the airport to try and check them in on an earlier flight, which was something the travel dept asked the missionaries to do if they could cause the flight tomorrow is overbooked. They wouldn't take them without Abi there and her passport, so Corey came home. We wanted her to be able to visit with her siblings though, so it's fine. We debated meeting Corey half way and trying again, but instead Abi needed to go by and see Tara, drop off her storage there (Abi doesn't trust her belongings to be safe here!) and they had their last goodbye for a few minutes. 

Abi asked if we could also go see Jenna, who had gotten her wisdom teeth out today, but she lives downtown, and it was late, and she was supposed to be in bed at 10:30, and we all gotta get up early, so I vetoed that idea. Back at home, I'm going to bed now, the girls are having a last late night talk - 

Katharine fell asleep on Abi's lap. We took a pic of her on Abi's phone, I'll get it later. The moment is almost here, so you kids in the morning!

Oh, yeah, two more pics - first day of school for Skyline and Churchill. The girls talking this morning -

Owen up and ready to begin junior high! 

Natalie and Owen did a back to school pic for me.

Then time for carpool - Corey will be taking it almost every morning this year, MWThF. Owen and his friend Oscar.

I really tried to persuade everyone to avoid this - we don't have to drive out there! The kids can go to Albion and Brighton and ride the bus! But no one listened to me. So now I don't have the van ever cause Lily has to drive out there, but Corey and I will both go to the temple on Tuesday mornings and I'll have his car on Tuesdays for any errands. Corey also sent me a news article this morning, a Deseret News Opinion, by Sabin Howard, saying that he is searching for a new home for his monument the Grand Liberty Arch. I just looked up some news and found this one on KSL. I'm a little sad, but maybe they could still find a place in Utah? Or wherever it ends up, I know they will find a good home for it.