Spanish Fork Sports Complex

James improved his time at his second cross country race of the season. It was a big race with a lot of schools!

He finished 3rd out of his school’s freshman/sophomore team.

A huge thanks to my sister Ali for cheering him on. I couldn’t be there because I was at Lynnlee’s soccer game. Marshall had his own soccer game at the same time.

Soccer Saturdays

Soccer season is on and Saturdays are full of games. I don’t get much done around the house or on projects during soccer season but I really enjoy watching my kids play so it’s good. Each year they are getting better and their games get more exciting to watch.

It’s hard to stay on top of getting everyone where they need to be. I’m trying something new this season. I wrote out a schedule and gave it to Marshall, James and Lynnlee so they could be aware of the times for everything.

The schedule worked great and we stayed on top of everything. We are dog sitting so Lynnlee helped take care of them while I was gone.

I managed to squeeze in a haircut after Tag’s game. Probably doesn’t look any shorter but I cut off 6 inches!!

Marshall’s Dream Day

Marshall had a bucket list item checked and a dream come true. Thanks to Lift Master, he got to drive some of his favorite exotic cars.

His dad got to go as well and drive the cars too.

They flew to Denver in the morning, drove cars, enjoyed a nice meal, and then flew home that night.

Planting

One of the things the things I’ve wanted to do this summer is plant bushes, trees, etc in my garden beds. Now that the kids are in school I’ve had more time so tackle this. I’ve been to Cooks a lot this summer to look at options and talk to the experts about different plant options. I’ve been so indecisive because it’s really hard to know what the plants will look like as they grow. 

Finally I decided on which plants and where to plant them. I spent three different mornings at Cooks buying the plants and then planted them the rest of the morning while there was still shade in front of the house.

I’m pretty happy with how it all went. I’m excited for them to grow and fill the space. 

Jameson’s Party

Jameson’s friend birthday party was so fun! He invited some friends to go the the Flow-rider at Provo Beach Resort. 

Sickness

I came down with Covid for the first time ever. Thankfully it was pretty mild. I took medicine for the fever, cough, etc and it worked and I felt good.

Sienna got it as well and she was pretty miserable for a few days and then returned back to normal.

We had some very chill days and by the end I was going crazy being stuck at home. It’s funny because right before I got sick I was exhausted from going, going, going everyday. I was hoping to slow down and get some more rest. Getting sick definitely forced me to rest and take it easy.

First High School Meet

James had the choice of either running with the middle school cross country team or high school this year. I was all for the middle school since soccer is first priority. He was convinced otherwise though. He also likes how he is pushed harder with the high school team. 

The fun thing about being on the high school team is that he attends a lot of the same races as his cousin Katelyn.

His first meet went well and he was happy with his performance.

High School Soccer

Katelyn plays for Timpanogos and she had a game against Lehi High School soccer team at Lehi High. Ali let me know about the game. I was driving my kids to practices for the first half but we were able to make it to the second half. It was a good game!

It brought back really good memories of when I played soccer in high school. It made me want to play again. I’ve played on and off since high school but the last time was a with our stake a few years ago. They had coed pick up games. It was really intimidating playing with men as they play so differently. 

First Day of School

First Day of School!!!

Jameson: 9th

Lynnlee: 7th

Kade: 5th- Mrs. Reilly

Taggart: 3rd- Mrs. Terry

Sienna: 3rd grade- Mrs. Terry

Home-school moms be like- ha ha, my kids are sleeping in while yours wake up for school. While I'm thinking- my kids spent all summer sleeping in and now we are ready to tackle the world - so the joke is on them. To each their own I guess. I home-schooled during Covid and I learned that homeschooling is not for us. We thrive on a schedule. I'm happy giving up some control, letting my kids learn from someone else, and allowing my kids to socialize in the public school environment. Seems like the best way to prepare them for adulthood and leaving the nest. My kids are always excited to get back to school and see friends, make new friends, get to know new teachers, learn how to follow rules, schedules, etc.

Yep

No caption needed for the beautiful views in the mornings on the Murdock.

Sayonara

Sunday we said good bye to our exchange student. We went to church that morning, played games, and then took her to meet up with her group.

It was quite the three weeks. Full of fun times and learning times. We didn't have a lot in common with her but we found things to do that all could enjoy. She tried to help out when she could. She didn't speak very much to us in English so it was always nice when Marshall got home from work and could speak to her. 

The language barrier was tough. During the first few days my brain wanted to use any other way I knew to communicate besides English. I would think of Spanish words or sign language as ways to communicate. After a few days that stopped and when I spoke to her I tried to speak slowly and clearly. 

It was fun having another kid around because it changed the dynamic and my kids got along better for the most part. There was always someone to play a game with, sit in the hammocks with, or whatever the activity.

She loved puzzles. Lynnlee got out our big box of puzzles that had twelve puzzles in it. After two weeks she had done every single puzzle. It was a good activity for downtime. 

The last week was tough because we were getting ready for school, running out of fun activities to do and seemed like communication was worse. Thank goodness for the other Japanese exchange students nearby who were staying with friends. We got the girls together a few different days and they had fun together and it made it easier for us too. 

It was so weird having the guest room empty that night. We miss her! I'm grateful we can keep in touch with her through email and social media.

Jameson’s 14th Birthday

Jameson is 14!!! This year he really wanted a running watch. He conditioned through the summer with the cross country team and could have used a way to track his distance. So I researched out the best running watch and found this Garmin was the best. 

We had bacon, eggs, and juice for breakfast.

He had practice that morning so I took Body Armor drinks to the team. His team sang to him and he felt very loved.

The rest of the day was spent at the Lowry family reunion which will be a separate post.

Jameson is a great son. He wants to do what's right, he loves going to the temple, reading his scriptures, attending church. He was the Deacon's president while in Deacons. Now he is the Teacher's president. He is a natural leader. 

He loves soccer and running. He is very easy going and kind. He loves playing the French horn and has really excelled at it. 

He is always happy and positive. He cares a lot about others and worries a lot for others. He is always aware of my mood and observes to see how the can help out. He is a great leader to his siblings. 

It's weird that he's only fourteen because he has always seemed older than he really is.

Lowry Family Reunion

The Lowry family reunion was a fun filled day. It started with pickleball in Provo. Followed by lunch and swimming at the rec center. We missed Cam and Brooke!

Marshall arranged a family to family gift exchange where everyone was given money to buy anything for the family they were assigned. So after swimming everyone split up and went shopping. Then we met up for dinner at Pizza Pie Cafe. After dinner we went to a park where we exchanged our gifts. We had the Wilkinson's. We went to Teton Toys and found a fun game and puzzle we thought they would like. Then we went to a pet store to get a toy for their dog. Last we got them some treats to have while they enjoyed their game and puzzle. My in-laws had our family and they gave us water guns for the whole family and some root beer. The kids were so excited!

Brooke and Cam designed the super creative family reunion shirts. Wordle was a big thing for the family this year so it was perfect that the shirt reflected that.

Gavin is only two years older but yet so much taller. James is really hoping to hit a growth spurt this year so he can catch up.

Thanks to Dellene for getting a birthday cake for Maya and James who share a birthday. They both love Gravity Falls so it was perfect!

We met this cute little girl at the restaurant who had a lot in common with Lynnlee. Her name was also Lynnlee and spelled the same way. She was named after her parents similar to us. She had blue eyes, blonde hair and glasses. So naturally we had to take a picture.

Boating

We love going on my Dad's boat! It's fun being out on the water and the kids love tubing. We got out early so we would have plenty of time. The kids spent time tubing and swimming.

Storms rolled in around 3:00. It was madness as it started storming with lightning while Lynnlee and Sienna were tubing. We hurried over to the dock and got the kids off the boat and safely in the car. I backed the trailer up so my dad could get the boat off. It was pouring rain and super crazy but also such a rush. Since we were in our swimsuits it didn't really matter that we were getting drenched from the rain. Thankfully we got the boat off without any problems. 

Overall it was a really really fun day! We didn't get to go boating last year so it was really fun to get out this summer!