Our Side of the Tracks: SEPTEMBER 2K19 EVERYTHING

Clyde had a birthday and turned 13, so I obviously logged into his instagram account and posted this:

Insta caption: Happy birthday CLYDE! Your fave mama hacked your account... and by hacked I mean I grabbed your phone and put in your passcode and clicked on Instagram... to post these adorable pictures of my baby so we can all get emotional and nostalgic and talk about how cute and loved you are. Also I was going to stay up to post this at midnight but turns out I’m super tired 💤😂. Thanks for being my sweetheart and being kind and funny and I love that even when you’re grumpy it can usually be solved with candy or sleep because you are your mother’s son 😏🤪. Dad and I love watching you try new stuff and figure out who you are and whether you like it or not, we have your back when things go south. Welcome to being a teenager buddy! 🥳1️⃣3️⃣

Random but crucial:

It would appear that to celebrate Clyde's birthday, we took the kids to Midway Park where we had recently gone with Grace and Jason on our motorcycle/scooter date. No puking occurred this time.

Based on these ticket stubs and a quick interview with Clyde, Will, and Jack, it appears some or all of us also went to a movie. I have no recollection of the movie - I feel like maybe Carma and I did not go, just Chuck and the boys.

Friendly reminder that I walk a lot at school:

Remember the 'flip the gender' app thing that was super popular for a hot minute? Turns out if I was a boy I would look exactly like Quinn hahahahahaha

If Clyde were a girl, he would for sure be a popular cheerleader haha.

Insta caption: At 7th grade lunch two boys asked me for a trash bag... and it took me longer than it should have to remember that I’d busted them littering yesterday and assigned outside trash pick up today 😅. A bag was procured and the wee honest lads went on their way, collecting both trash AND friends until they were eleven boys strong 🤩🚯🚮, all wandering around the field. I’m not entirely convinced of the overall efficiency of traveling as a pack as they did, but I loved that they had good attitudes and made it fun. And I loved that they were extremely on board to take this picture🙌🏼. In other news, yes those are new pink shoes because ALL I DO AT WORK IS WALK AROUND ALL DAY and the Nike outlet didn’t have any in orange 🤨🤷🏻‍♀️.

Grandparents day celebration at Park Ridge; Carma and Jack were so so so happy to have Grandma Pam come eat lunch with them!

Super awesome training with my super awesome boss. Lots of deescalation tactics and how to physically keep students and staff safe when kiddos are struggling. I obviously got bonus points for my amazing acting skills as we went through potential scenarios.

Because my mom is the coolest, she ordered/installed a 'little free library' in her front yard... with a legit fairy garden at its base... and then invited us over for a formal ribbon cutting and grand opening.

Quick pause for these adorable pictures of Jack. I have no idea why he was running to me, but I'll sure take it.

My mom is a beautiful person and has a beautiful soul and I love her delight in things that are beautiful - fancy rocks, pretty adornments, open minds, etc.

This appears to be a nap, thwarted.

Wow, feeling kind of moody at work apparently?

Back to being smile-y with Willy Boy after school.

More random pictures from school:

Clearly feeling good about my hair.

Trying to get a picture of or with Jesus haha.

Clyde going through some trust exercises...

Football game!

I feel like I made Isabel write this haha.

Cute neighbors with matching books!

Insta caption: This crazy cute ‘scientist in training’ ventured out to visit me at the crosswalk yesterday afternoon and I just love seeing his face around school- turns out he and middle school are a perfect match 🙌🏼. He’s been mistaken for Clyde only a few times (from a distance), loves when the library is open at lunch, has his schedule and various locker combinations down pat, has joined science club, and has managed not to accrue enough tardies to warrant my lunch detention notice... yet 😅. Mr. Crist told us yesterday that Will is one of his favorite students and I concur completely 🤩 (even on the mornings he almost makes me late for work 😳😂). Now if only he’d let me hug him in the hallways 😏🤪👋🏼

Didn't get around to decorating our door for Kindness Week so I wrote a cheesy poem instead:

Something about BYU winning this game? I forget, but Jack sure looks happy.

Stole a baby during church. Love love love.

Kindness never gets old:

I think this is from later that day when I had to look kind of normal but still had a ton of... flour? I think? in my hair...

Random glimpse of our ridiculous schedule.

Ride the kindness wave:

Relief society activity! I was in charge! I decided for a few months to do a school theme, every activity would be focused on one or two 'classes'. This night was 'yearbook' - I think we talked about preserving memories? blogging? instagram? who knows, and then we had science, where a legit science teacher aka Sister Chamberlin showed us how to make homemade ice cream!

Shaking the cans!

More footballllll:

Tied together by kindness:

Spirit day:

Cutest note.

There's a chance I let the middle school girls come at me with some face paint haha.

Last year I made a few birthday cards if kiddos reminded me when it was their birthday. This year I started trying to make them for every student. I love it.

Always fun to see the kids riding home as I'm driving home! Thanks to alllll the cars who stop so my babies can cross the street!!

Insta caption: Wellllll what do we have here? I guess dreams do come true, because this is def me as a cheerleader having my picture taken with a cute boy 😎📣😏🙌🏼💃🏻 {I mean, I always pictured him looking a little happier about it and maybe sneaking his arm around me or something but I’ll take what I can get 😅}

Insta caption: Someday I will leave for a road trip at the predetermined time instead of 2+ hours later. That day is not today. 🛣✌🏼😘

But seriously.

Is it really a Utah road trip if we don't look for books and nerf guns at multiple thrift stores along the way??

So happy we could make the trip down to be with this sweet cousin on her baptism day.

I love when they collect little notes from the family and friends at the baptism. These are my children's various contributions:

Pretty sweet!

And lovely Utah weather on a lovely Saturday!

We drove further south that afternoon to spend a night in Lehi with these cousins as well:

Grandma Pam and all twelve grandkids are randomly together? Photo shoot time!

Ahhh yes, Albie, aka mom's favorite and most photogenic child.

This creature caused a wee bit of chaos and excitement haha.

Ya always feel bad when the hotel room next to yours has rose petals leading to the door... sorry if all my kids ruined the mood ;).

Legit don't know where Clyde was - did we leave him at one of my brother's houses for the night? I guess?

Church with Sam's family! I crashed nursery with this sweet boy:

One more try at a Grandma and grandkids picture:

Ya, it went super well, why do you ask?

Threeeeee five year olds... for a few more weeks until Miko turns 6!

The oldest crew:

The seven year olds:

Cutest, goofiest trio. No picture of the wee ones this time, alas.

I sure love my brothers and my mama.

One last riddle? thought-provoking question? who knows haha.

Handed my phone off to (I'm sure) a trustworthy student at 8th grade lunch and ended up with winners like this:

and this...

and super cute pictures of Ella, so it was a win.

TESSA DREW THIS PICTURE OF ME and I love it. And her.

K, I obviously usually root for East Valley at sporting events but I was so torn when Raegan came to play against us.

I loved watching this girl be an incredible player and leader on her team. So much talent and enthusiasm and maturity and dedication.

Oh hey, another work selfie. I promise I do actual work sometimes.

Linder Farms with Grandpa Braden!

Why is my dad such a good sport? I love my kids but I would NEVER go on the orbiter. Grandpa Braden hops on so that Clyde can make a complete circle.

Insta caption: Annual outing to Linder Farms with Grandpa? Always a good time ✌🏼

Jack getting those last few crumbs of donuts haha:

But seriously:

Insta caption: Proof of life updates: Chuck works and sleeps and works and sleeps and apparently never shaves. I work and sleep and drink chocolate milk and ignore allllll the housework. Clyde lets cute girls curl his eyelashes before donning his football pads, because why not? Will loves the violin and got his laptop this week so all is right in his world. Jack inspires PE teachers to spend ten minutes in WinCo raving to Chuck about what an awesome kid/student he is, and we concur completely. Carma has jumped into kindergarten with both feet and piano lessons with both hands and basically jumps around the house all the times. I feel like we hit fast forward somewhere to already be at this ‘both adults work/all the kids are in school’ point but it feels good and right and only slightly completely exhausting. Main takeaway? Life is good.