Sarah left us this week! She went to the movies with Savannah and I, visited her Grandma and Grandpa Gazdik, and played a last game of Pandemic with her dad and Savannah and I. Then she packed up her little car and took off for Jacob Lake Inn near the north rim of the Grand Canyon! She got there safe and sound and started work in the gift shop the next day selling Indian rugs and jewelry. She will work 8 hours a day, 6 days a week. They split up the day into four hour shifts, though, and then all the kids get together to do stuff every night at 10:30pm! So far, Sarah is exhausted! She is looking forward to when the rest of the fall staff move in and she will make some permanent friends. It is definitely a new adventure!

Savannah worked all week and went to institute and took her friend's 5:30am Saturday shift at the temple. She also went to the movies with Sarah and I and played Pandemic! 

Mariah had her first cross country meet this week on Friday. She did awesome, running second for her team and placing 20th overall in a field of 216. THEN her team placed 2nd out of 26 teams and got a TROPHY. Mariah was very excited! As she should be! That represents a lot of hard work and hundreds of summer miles run. Way to go girl!

Cheyenne and Cali had their first tennis matches this week! On Tuesday they went up to Logan for a match they both played doubles with different partners and both won! On Friday and Saturday they played in a JV tournament at our high school. Teams from as far away as Vernal came for the tourney! On Friday they played four games to determine brackets. Saturday they played a double-elimination tournament. CC played as a doubles team. They lost their first match Saturday and then won and won and won... They played seven straight sets each to six. They ended up taking second in their bracket, had a great time, and were completely exhausted by the end of the day!

Beth and Ben had swim lessons every morning this week! Why the last week of summer instead of the first week as in previous years? I don't know! That's just how it worked out. I feel like they learned a lot of good things about strokes and form. Hopefully, even with school starting, we'll find some time to swim and practice the things they've learned! Beth and Ben also had karate this week and Ben had football practice and a birthday party. They still had plenty of free time to invite friends over and to institute a couple "Night Games" nights with--get this--kids in the neighborhood! That last week of summer can be a real winner!

Bethany also had a dance recital Saturday night. A young woman in our ward held dance class once a week on the grass by the church during the summer. Saturday night all us parents and family came to watch their dances. Bethany had great fun and we loved it!

Afterwards, I went to the store with my two favorite boys who happened to be in matching clothes! I found it very entertaining as they fought over who would push the cart. "Ben, I am going to push the cart." "No! Dad! I got it!" Ha, ha! I've had that conversation with everyone of my young children! It was fun to watch Kevin have it, too with his little boy.