It's Autumn time and this is my favorite time of year!

No need to elaborate any more than that. Just living day-to-day life seems like a celebration in this weather. Crisp breeze. Sweet, earthy smells. Vibrant colors. Kind of a sentimental feel as the year starts it's preparations for winter's darkness. It's lovely.

Here are photos of some of the things we have been up to.

Cross-country has come to a triumphant close. Both kids had personal goals that they crushed at their last meet of the year, putting up their best times ever. They know what it feels like to give it all.

Our ongoing project of Rachel's office. Here I am getting crushed by attic insulation. I can't wait until this thing is over. 

Rachel, looking a little more composed

Big scout meeting court of honor thing. Jack got some awards along with everyone else (he's kneeling in the front row). Sometimes he complains about going, but usually he is excited. This is a group where all his quirks and eccentricities become virtues- where he has friends and can belong. He is picked first for teams, and invited into circles of conversation upon entering a room. In short, these are his people. And, to be honest, they are some pretty cool kids.

We went and picked apples. Rachel and I have done this every Fall for fifteen years. It's an established family tradition. But it is also a tradition that might be coming to an end. A part of me feels sad about this, but a part of me doesn't. Our family is growing up, and so is the community around us. The experience, though fun, just wasn't what it used to be. It was still a lovely afternoon though, and it would be difficult to find a prettier place to walk around and enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of Autumn. 

Several years ago, Rach told me about a great band she had found in the area. My first time seeing them was a gig for the opening of a business that doesn't even exist anymore. Since then, we have sort of become groupies of "The Powers," and they have enjoyed quite a bit of success for a small-town group. Well, some of them are moving to Alaska and as a consequence the band is breaking up. They threw a small going-away party at a quiet venue in the woods. There was a stage, but rather than a concert, it was basically just a big jam-session for all the local musicians. We hung out, roasted hot dogs around the campfire, talked with friends, and listened to some great music- all in all, a great night out for Rachel and me.

Yes, this is just a cropped photo from the one above. I just really like Evelyn in this. She is a cool kid.

And that is also a pretty cool kid. Get it? Ha!

Have a good week!

I know it's been mentioned on here before, but just to recap the status of Rachel's job right now:

1. The company she does most of her work for announced that they were closing their brick-and-mortar location, but that interpreters could stay on if they work from home.
2. As a result, Rachel has been doing a lot of subcontracted work through different agencies. It hasn't been bad, but it has messed with the flexible and predictable scheduling that we are so accustomed to.
3. We have also set up a temporary home-office in our bedroom. This setup has much to be desired, but it works for now. With the kids back in school, it has been easier for her to accept jobs from home, even though it's still sort of "clunky." (It takes up like half our bedroom, is kind-of a mood-killer, and requires continual re-wiring depending on what sort of work she is doing that day).

To put things in a nutshell, things are working out, but are not very sustainable in the current situation. We were very happy then, to take a major step forward this morning toward a workable solution. This has been a couple of months in the works, but we were finally able to see it happen. We are now the proud new owners of a detached home-office.

There is still some finishing work to be done (paint, flooring, electrical and climate control) but in a few short weeks Rachel's job will be out of the bedroom and into it's own little space. The office is big enough for a work area as well as a small "living room" of sorts. It's cozy and functional, but surprisingly roomy from the inside. It also has a loft, which will be nice for a variety of uses.

Anyway, that's our big news this week. Stay tuned and we'll keep things updated regarding the finishing process. We're definitely rolling with the punches a little here, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit to a little bit of fun. Projects are rewarding, and I think this one will turn out great!

Delivered on a truck

Installed with a little bit of finesse

And there it shall be

We still need to figure out where to put our other yard stuff (trampoline/swingset). Right now we just sort of moved things out of the way.

Here's just a few photos I stapped at Addy/Jack's recent x-country meet. Both kids ran well and set personal records at this race!

I have come to look forward every year to September. This, for us, is really the beginning of a new year. It is our "reset" button. Kids are back in school. Work picks up a little. Schedules are figured out. Rach and I find ourselves with more "us" time. We begin to find a groove. 

And in most cases, it is a groovy sort of groove. I like to think we have a pretty cool family.

This has been the last few weeks. For the most part, it's just us being us. There have been little highlights here and there, but what really stands out to me this time of year is just how "normal" things become. I like that.

We've been working to get a home office set-up for Rach. Here she is testing computer equipment. Later this week we're having a detached building "installed" on our property that she will work out of, but for now this is in our bedroom. It will be nice to get our space back.

Addy and Jack are in x-country and have meets every week. They are learning the real meaning of try-hard!

Three kids who need to practice instruments. Ev drums in two different bands. Our home can get pretty loud sometimes. This is when I am happy to have a detached home gym.

We still get out on plenty of hikes and impromptu swims

Well...some of us prefer to watch the swimmers from the sidelines.

This is from a quick trip Rachel took to Texas to see her aunt get married. I think she had a great time.

Again, Rachel in Texas. After this trip she told me she was ready to embrace suburban lifestyle, plan charcuterie nights, get back into book club, and develop some esoteric hobbies...like beekeeping. Serious/not serious.

 

Ev, just being Ev

Jack, just being Jack. No two kids are alike.

Back to School

The smell of freshly sharpened pencils, the crisp new notebooks, and the excitement for what the school year has to bring are hallmarks of this time of year!  Another important highlight is the feeling that schedules are hovering and ready to fall into place,  homes are going to magically remain clean during the day, and quiet and calm are just on the horizon.  I love this time of year!  Logan and I are busy figuring out how to fit our rocks, pebbles and sand into our schedules, while encouraging our kids to do the same. We are one week into the school year, and so far, so good!

Two years ago Evelyn began Middle School, and we adjusted to having a new rhythm.  This year Adalie and Jackson both transitioned over, and now the balance has shifted as the majority of our kids are now attending River City Middle School.  Meanwhile, I am watching from the bleachers trying to not feel too old!  

Throughout Elementary school the last year was rough on Adalie.  She would cry for weeks leading up to the moment that she would have to leave school, friends, and teachers for three long months. This year the jitters hit her pretty hard, and she was nervous to enter a new world with multiple teachers, many new students, and unknown expectations.  Jack, on the other hand, was always excited for school to end for the year, and less than enthusiastic when September showed up.  Imagine my surprise when the night before school Adalie was lamenting that time needed to slow down, and Jack was giddy with excitement wishing for time to speed up.  After a few days Adalie started to figure out her rhythm, in the meantime Jack has lengthened his stride and relished his newfound responsibilities. In an assignment letter to his teacher he wrote, " I dispised elementary school, but something changed overnight and I LOVE Middle School." 

Oh, and if you come across any tiny plastic babies at the Middle School you will know that Evelyn has left her mark.  She is becoming pretty popular and definitely the trend setter to follow at school.  She amazes me.

Maren and Lindsey are still hanging out together in Elementary school. Lindsey was ecstatic to be back in school while Maren took the more hesitant approach to her return.  

Maren has really blossomed socially in the past year. I love hearing her come home and tell me about the friends that she hangs out with. She is currently trying to work through some 'less than ideal' situations at school (ie not getting the class she wanted, and the fact that, according to her, most of her friends are in the other room). She is trying to have a positive attitude, and is looking forward to her Thursday dates with Logan.  

Lindsey is loving school, and had a great first day in her Challenge class.  She is a social butterfly while at the same time she has no social boundaries #goals. She is excited and ready to rock!

Logan and I have had productive weeks figuring out our respective workout/climbing schedules, work balance, evening taxi services for kids classes, and monday morning breakfast dates. Things are coming together nicely. We are busy, yet balanced and satisfied.  Bring on the new school year!

HAVE A GOOD WEEK!

An important part of growing up is figuring out who "your people" are. Where do you fit in the overall social landscape? And for that matter, who even are you, really? Up until a certain point your identity within the family is all that really matters. As far as the broader community, you are just one of "Logan and Rachel's kids." An accessory? Not quite, but if I remember back to my own teenage years it can certainly feel that way sometimes. I think this can be especially true in larger families who spend a lot of time together. And I think that is a great thing. These family relationships are important, and although they will certainly change over the years, I hope they will continue to lend a sense of self to each of my kids.

But then as you grow up you start being exposed to different kinds of ideas and people and settings. What was once "cool" is now lame, and what was proper decorum in one setting gets you in trouble somewhere else. I think you also start feeling more like "yourself," and while you still love your place in the family, that place can start feeling a little bit like a cage, putting limits on who you really want to be. All of this seems very normal to me, but it also seems like it could get pretty stressful. Especially if who you are "supposed" to be and how other people see you doesn't fit well with who you think you are. I recently went back and re-read a journal I kept as a teenager and I know these were all things I thought about at the time. Looking at things now, from a parent's point of view, I just hope I can be there for my kids as they navigate this process in a world that is as unfamiliar to me as it is to them.

It has its rewards though. I feel like I am watching a movie, and I have no idea where it is going to go next, but since it's been so good up until now I am more excited than nervous to keep watching. Two instances happened this week that really gave me that sense.

The first was on Friday night. It was then that I took Evelyn to her first rock concert, a Nirvana tribute band that, to be honest, was actually pretty good. When we first got there, Ev seemed a little uncertain. It wasn't long though, before she saw some other kids that were dressed like her and she did something that I would never have had the courage to do at her age. She walked up and just started talking to them. 

Woah. My dad brain just exploded. 

The rest of the concert was just like that and it couldn't have been any cooler. Ev was totally in her element, rocking out, standing with her peers, being as much with them as she was with me. It was sort of like that part at a wedding when the dad "gives his daughter away" (whatever that means) at the daddy-daughter dance, only the music was way cooler and she was stepping out confidently on her own- doing her own thing and completely loving it.

This is when we first got there and music hadn't started yet. It was open seating and we were early enough to get pretty close to the stage.

She spent most of the night hanging out with the girl you can see behind her

So, that was the first event. I said there were two. The second one was with Jack. 

After getting home around midnight with Ev, I woke up early the next day and drove Jackson to his first backpacking trip in his new scout troop. I was a little nervous for him going in because most of the kids in this group are in high school and he is just barely entering middle school. He is rocking the middle school thing though (Rach- you still need to do that post!) and he really likes scouts, so I figured he would be fine. He packed all his own stuff, including a tent that he was determined to set up and sleep in all by himself. Upon arrival at the trailhead he was quick to take the lead, and pushed the pace to a level that several of the boys had a hard time keeping up. We arrived at the lake and he chose the camping spot for the group, set up his stuff, and even got the fire going for everyone. Like with Evelyn at the concert, it was clear that he was in his element. He acted confident in himself and often took the initiative. As for me, I just stayed in the background and enjoyed the trip.

He carried this thing up and set up his "castle" all on his own. I slept in my own bivy.

A few of us took a day hike up a ridge to a peak. The actual camp was at the big lake we are looking at. Beautiful!

Jackson making our breakfast.

Have a good week!

Get ready, because this is going to be a two-post kind of week. All the kids went back to school today and the sense of freedom is palpable. Ahhh. Life can be normal again. With the Covid stuff it seems like it has been a long time. Hopefully it lasts.

For us, the last week of summer was filled with activity. The biggest thing was that we went to Utah, where Rachel and I went to an adults-only reunion with all my siblings. The kids stayed with Rachel's mom, and it was nice to get some uninterrupted time in with everyone without having to worry about nap schedules, bumps, mealtimes, or other little things that come along with a bunch of young children (mostly other people's at this point) hanging around.

Here are some photos. Also, stay tuned for Rachel's update on each of the kids later this week.

We didn't get a ton of photos of our weekend, but this was on a hike we did to a small mountain lake (different than Bear Lake). Rachel and a few others decided to test the waters. As for me...I didn't need to jump in to know it was really freaking cold. 

This is at a play we saw at a local family theatre. Lots of laughs all around.

The kids had a great time with Grandma Almond. Here, they are making chain mail (like the kind that knights wore in the dark ages)

Rachel took the kids to Silverwood one last time

At Silverwood they all tried the new rollercoaster. This shows their respective feelings about it.

And then there is this sad little picture. But sad in a kind-of cool way too. For a while, Evelyn has been wanting to cut her hair short. Well, it finally happened. Stay tuned for more photos later this week. She has developed a style all her own that really showcases her confidence, and I think it's kind-of neat.

Alright- Have a good week!