Bethany went to Homecoming this week! For the day date, they went up to Sundance, rode the chairlift to the top of the mountain and had a picnic. Then home for a break and to get ready. Lyla and Avery both wanted to help, but Sarah and Cali were the real helpers! She got picked up for the dance around 5:30, then they met with their group for pictures, dinner, and the dance. She had a really fun time and looked beautiful!

Benjamin ran in the Border Wars cross country meet yesterday and got his best time yet! He has been training hard all week. He even came home from the meet yesterday and ran six more miles to get his mileage in for the week! Wow! Go Ben! He is really sticking to his goal to stay off the computer. He's behind in some classes but he's working hard to get caught up and we see him at the kitchen table working on homework more often than we see him on screens. He's also running alot, too, of course. What a guy!

Chey had a rough week. She's a UVU student and was on campus when Charlie Kirk was shot at an outdoor event there this week. She had been at the event just five minutes before but left to meet some friends in the building next door. She was unharmed and mostly removed from the panic. It's still been hard, though. Classes were cancelled for the rest of the week and part of next. Chey and her UVU friends have spent time together in support and that's been good for all of them. Otherwise, Chey has a million things going on so she doesn't have much time to dwell on it! She worked two all night shifts at the hospital last week. She also worked her 4:30am shift at the temple and coached her girls' tennis meet. She went on four dates this week--two of them in the same night.

Cali has also been busy. She has lots of homework to do now that classes have started. She also has her job as a peer mentor so she is on-campus early in the morning to late afternoon most days. She is also working a temple shift and trying to see her sweet fiance now and then, too! On Saturday, she and her sisters went on a 14 mile run. Afterwards, Cali went and played some tennis. So much to do!

Savannah had a great week. She took Sarah's kids to the park on Monday, cooked dinner for us on Tuesday, babysat Micah on Wednesday, went to institute on Thursday, and on Saturday she took care of her bees and got work done on Mariah and Kolby's t-shirt quilt. Go Savannah!

Kevin hosted the YSA ward at our house on Monday. He personally cooked over 100 hamburgers! We had a great turnout and it was a lot of fun. He also, on Saturday, traded in his leased vehicle for his favorite electric vehicle--a Kia EV6. It's bright red and really stands out against the five white cars in our driveway, but otherwise it's pretty exciting. Plus, it goes 270 miles on a charge. Cool!

Monday was Labor Day and also Lyla's birthday! She turned two years old! She is such a cutie and we love her to pieces! Sarah combined Lyla's birthday celebration with the Hatch's Labor Day party in Brent's backyard. The Skinners were all invited and we had a great time! We ate burgers, visited, and watched Avery and Lyla run with the Hatch cousins and play in the sprinklers. Then we watched Lyla open presents and blow out the candles on her Megan-made cake! It was a happy, happy day.

For lunch on Labor Day, we went up the canyon for a picnic with Grandma Gazdik. The boys played some Bocce ball but the most fun we had was trying to take engagement pictures for Cali and Richmond. They ended up getting "real" pictures taken later this week but we did get some that I thought turned out pretty good!

Ben had a full week of school although he did miss Friday because of a cross country meet. He has spent some time at home working on homework so that is a good sign that he is getting his work done and that it is important to him. Cross country is going well! He ran a 19:09 on Friday and was super pleased with it. He gets invited to get-togethers on Fridays and Saturdays and seems to be making a good group of friends. There's a lot of good things happening in his life!

Bethany and I went back to Primary Children's Hospital on Thursday to meet with Dr. Chan who is a specialist in HO (Hypothalamic Obesity). We are lucky to get to meet with her. After meeting with her, we met with her on-staff dietician, behavioral therapist, and medication nurse. We have a plan for moving forward. I feel hopeful. Beth is trying to feel hopeful. She did have a big moment of joy this week when she got asked to go to Homecoming next weekend. She is so excited to be able to go!

Chey had school all week and worked all night at the hospital one of the days. She also worked three days for her tennis-coaching job and worked her 4:30am temple shift one morning. Oh, and don't forget the marathon training. They ran 18 miles Saturday morning and that took four hours. She is a busy girl! She still manages to keep up with her social life which this week included four dates--three were first dates and one was a second date. I am so happy when I get to see her and am so glad she is living at home!

Cali is also busy! She started school this week on Wednesday! So she is back to classes and homework. In addition, the hours for her peer mentoring job have ramped up and she is now in full-swing with those responsibilities. She attends two "Univ" classes which help Freshmen get a good start on their college career in addtion to her own classes. Oh, and don't forget the marathon training! Yep, 18 miles on Saturday--not to mention all the runs throughout the week. They have really taken on a big project with that! Cali and I also managed to do some wedding planning on Saturday. She is such a hard worker and accomplishing so much. I am also so glad that she is living at home and I get to see her!

Savannah worked this week. She also did babysitting for each of her sisters who are mothers. She is always willing to help and they are so grateful for her!

Cali and Cheyenne turned 21 this week! We were so happy to have them home for their birthday! All the fam came to celebrate and Grandma G, too! We decided to do Chinese food for their dinner and when asked their favorite foods in Taiwan, they got super excited to do Poke bowls. The rest of us have never had this but we dived in! It turns out that you start with a lettuce and rice base and add all sorts of things on top. Sarah, Megan, Mariah, and I all provided five toppings. It turned out so yummy and was a ton of fun! We had brownies and ice cream for dessert, sang Happy Birthday, and opened presents. We love those girls. They are so amazing and I am so filled with gratitude to have them in my life.

Also, on Saturday, Kevin and I took the 4 wheeler up Camel's Back. It was beautiful!

I don't think I have any big news this week! I don't have any pictures, at least. My biggest news is that I cleaned the garage yesterday! Kevin joined me after he was done teaching. He was a good sport because my foot gave out after about six hours and he had to finish up! And take the trash to the dump and the other stuff to the DI. And mow the lawn. And take care of bishop stuff. And edit his podcast. And he had been working all morning teaching for IITAP. Which is all to say, while I'm glad I cleaned the garage, I also am sad that I cleaned the garage because Kevin sure didn't have time for it yesterday. Also, there was no one else to ask for help yesterday. Cali, Savannah, and Ben were all sick. Chey ran 16 miles that morning training for the marathon (and had other things planned during the day--so did Cali) and Bethany doesn't have the energy. So, yes. Eight kids and a husband and I planned to clean the garage by myself. Which I was fine with. I had the time and it was a project I wanted to do! I didn't know my own energy would give out and that it would take so long. I guess I need to plan better in the future and recognize that I will need to get help from others and are they available? Frustrating, though. I want to believe I can do everything myself. I am self-suficient! I guess none of us really are, though, are we? That makes me sad but also makes me want to laugh at myself! How fun for you to get all my introspection on cleaning the garage. Actually, there's a lot more where that came from! This is real life!

Benjamin ran all week and made it to school until Friday when he stayed home feeling just too sick. He missed a meet on Saturday. I'm hoping he's using his saved strength to get better!

Bethany worked twice and made it to school thrice. She got the cast list for Les Miserables and is in the chorus! She is disappointed to not have a solo but also glad to be a part of it. Real life.

Savannah went on a date on Wednesday and had a good time, but he didn't want to go on a second date. Foolish man. Real life.

Cali came back to us on Tuesday! She had a great time in Virginia but was sick, sick sick. We took her to the doctor when she came back. She is on a new antibiotic, but she is still sick, sick, sick. She had to ride a bike instead of run during the 16 mile training run on Saturday and she is feeling so discouraged. On the good side of things, she started her job training as a student mentor and loved it! She loves the environment and the services she and her co-workers are being trained in and will offer. It will be a great job for her!

Chey started school this week! She is back at UVU for a semester of classes she is excited to take! She also started her training for her job as a tennis coach and she loved that! They learned a bunch of drills and games that she is excited to use. She continues to be busy meeting up with old friends and old mission buddies. She is glad she doesn't have a boyfriend but she also wishes she had one she could be with all the time. Life is a funny thing.

School started again this week for Beth and Ben! It's Ben's sophomore year, but because of the way the schools work here, this will be his first year at the high school! Open house was on Monday, and Beth showed him around to see where his classes will be as older sibling Skinners have done since 2012 when Sarah started in the same high school. Ah, tradition!

Ben was excited for school to start. He likes the idea of having a schedule again and he is really looking forward to his AP World History class! The day before school started, the last day of summer vacation, I was getting hours for my internship (which is usual for Tuesdays) but when I came home for an hour, he wasn't there. I checked my app and he was at the Payson Temple! Some of his friends got together a group to go before school started. Isn't that cool? So, he started school on Wednesday and because he's staying after for Cross Country, I don't see him from 8am to 5pm. Crazy! He is liking everything so far!

Yes, Bethany is there with a backpack, too! She is going to take four classes at the high school this year to partake of the social atmosphere of her senior year. Plus, this way, as a homeschool student taking some classes, she gets to audition for school plays which she did this Friday! She sang, "I Dreamed a Dream," from Les Miserables. She did not make callbacks for a character but she sounded so amazing! If you get a chance, ask her to sing it for you!

Yes, that is Cheyenne hugging Beth in that picture. She had a busy week working her two jobs and accepting her third as a tennis coach for elementary girls!! She's also been running with her sisters, missing Calianne, and breaking up with boys.

Calianne has been in Virginia visiting the hometown of her roommate from freshman year. She's really loved the places she's got to visit and being with Kenna! However, she has a super bad cold and in some ways, has been miserable! We are looking forward to getting her back on Tuesday.

Savannah has made a goal to go on 30 dates before she turns 30 on February 13. Feel free to send any recommendations her way! She went to FHE this week and got a date for Friday. She had a good time! On Saturday she went to a job fair for the ward, too.

On Saturday, Ben had his first Cross Country meet! It was pre-regions and a 5K. He ran 19:33 and felt really good about it! Mariah is one of the assistant coaches this year and she is hounding him to do the mileage and focus on his goals. After his race on Saturday, he ran 8 more miles to get his mileage in. Ack!