Kara's first day of her Junior year

 Today was Kara's first day of school as a Junior at Bingham!   She had an uneventful day!  

This week and other things....

Wow!  What a jammed pack week!  This week started off with going to Layla's soccer game.  She happened to be playing her championship game really close to our home so I was able to go and see it.  She is an awesome soccer player and it was fun to watch her competitive soccer team win. 

 Meli started school this week.  Kara and Meli went to a new school orientation to become more familiar with her schedule.  We went to an Aspect Foundation mandatory meeting.  There they discussed the rules and familiarized the students with the program. I really like her program director, Heather.  She happens to have been Kara's German teacher so it was cool for Kara to go to her home.  Aspect, the organization that Meli is a part of, seems to be really organized and very supportive.  I have already gotten several phone calls for them checking on how things are going and Meli has too.  I also went to a Back to School night with Meli and I was really impressed with her school.  I have a Highland Ram and a Bingham Miner.  Kara went to her first high school football game. 

Meli had her first day of school on Wednesday and she really liked it.  She thinks her classes might be too easy, but we decided to wait  a week or so before changing them. Kara has her first day tomorrow.  I have been so impressed with Meli's attitude about starting everything new.  She is so easy going and has a fun sense of humor and very smart! 

We spent a lot of time going shopping for things for Meli.  On Thursday we went to get Meli some school supplies and other things.  We went out to a sandwich shop and since it was so close to Wal Mart we decided to go there.  I generally don't like this particular Wal Mart, but decided since it was close to AT&T that we should suck it up and go.  BIG. MISTAKE.  To make a long story short, Meli wanted to get some slippers.  She picked out some adorable slippers.  They were soft and fluffy.  She put her feet in them to make sure they fit at the store.  They fit just fine, but when we got home and she was taking out the stuffing often in new shoes, she realized it wasn't stuffing, but a MOUSE!!   Seriously, I have yet to see the mouse, but Kara, Meli and Matt both did and I will take their word for it. I despise mice like I can't even describe.  I couldn't even look at it or it would be forever etched in my mind.  Matt is planning to take pictures of it, but I don't want it on my camera or on my blog or I would be ILL!  Sorry, to be so dramatic, but this is how I feel.  Anyways, I feel horrible that this happened to Meli with her first purchase of slippers/shoes.  She was a good sport about it and wasn't too traumatized.   Spencer has been in contact with the store manager and he has been very helpful, I don't really feel like it is the stores fault, but they have assured us that they have check all of their slippers and there are no mice in them.  We are taking them back, mouse and all tomorrow. 

We took Meli and Kara camping.  The weather unfortunately was a little on the cold side.  We brought our boat up to Bear Lake and Meli said she hadn't been on a boat like that before or for a long time.   We came home a little early because  it was colder and Kara just found out on Tuesday that she had to read a book and do other homework before school started on Monday.  Somehow her English teacher didn't pass out the assigned work last year.  Poor thing. 

 Had to go to La Beau's to get a yummy burger.  Matt and Meli got a grilled cheese.

 Camping, right before it started to rain!

And with other news, Spencer has had a two week work vacation.  Colton has been busy working and attending mission farewells and homecomings.  He has an appointment with this counselor at the dept of Vocation.  He is deciding which program he will do with her this Tuesday and then he will start school.  Both boys don't like me blogging about them much, so I try to respect their wishes, but it is HARD. 

Coby gave a talk in church on Sunday.  I wish I could have been there to hear it.  The subject was Marriage, that makes me wish I could have been there all the more! 

 

 

The last couple days!

Meli is such a sweet, adorable, polite young woman.  We are thoroughly delighted with her.  It has been fun having her in our home.  We picked her up at the airport on Saturday afternoon. It was fun to wait for her as there were many foreign exchange students coming.   We ordered pizza  and Meli told us afterwards that it was one of her favorite dishes.  She was sweet and brought us a fun German cookbook,  lots of yummy chocolate, and a book about Hamburg.  She is from a gorgeous area.

 It has been fun to hear Meli's perspective on things. It is all fresh and new.  She has a great attitude about following the rules that Aspect Foundation has layed out.  We have taken her to church with us, shown her around the area.  Kara even took her to a boring party and she came home with an American cup. So cute!  

 Tonight we went to a mandatory training meeting for Aspect.  They again went over the rules and shared the do and don't.  They suggest that she only spend three hours on the Internet in one week.  Luckily, that is excluding blogging and skyping with her family.  As soon as she got home she took Facebook off of her phone.  Boy, was I impressed. 

 Tonight Kara and Meli were running some errands and then tomorrow Matt, Kara and Meli and Adell (another foreign exchange student) are attending her school orientation.  Then later tomorrow night we will  be attending her Back to School night.  Meli speaks such good English and is such a positive person to have around.  I can tell her parents did a great job raising her into a beautiful young woman.  It has been so good for Kara to have a "sister."  They both get along so well.  

Above is a picture of her room with all the fun pictures she put on her wall of family and friends.  You can tell she is adored.  Wednesday is her first day of school.  She is so excited to start school so she can learn.  Her attitude is contagious and I am grateful!

Meli will be here tomorrow and other things!

Tomorrow Meli will be arriving!  I am so excited to finally meet her after talking to her and her family for the last 5 + months.

She has been in New York for the last few days and so hopefully her jet lag won't be as bad.   She starts school on Wednesday too.

Steven left to go to the MTC this week.  He and his family stayed at our home.  He is going to be a terrific missionary. I love his enthusiastic, energetic, spunky personality.   He is such a cutie; he is sure to get in a lot of doors.  He is called to serve in the Anaheim California mission.

Below are pictures from the morning he went into the MTC.   We love you Steven and we know you will be a terrific missionary!!!!

Meli will be here in a week!

In less than a week Meli will be here.  We are so excited to have her here and we already love and adore her.  It has been fun to skype with her and talk to her on the phone!   I get very excited about so many things and I love most parts of life.  I hope that I don't overwhelm her with showing her our home, area and USA.   We have her room almost ready.  Her room is across from Kara's and we picked out a few things that are her favorite colors!  We have been busy getting the room ready for her, registering her in school.  Colton graciously moved in the basement and we think he might like it a little too much.

I have been thinking a lot about Meli's parents and how it must be hard for them to say good bye.   I would certainly struggle with it.   School is about to start in a couple of weeks. It is hard to believe how quick the summer has gone.  Meli actually starts school on August 21st so she will be in school right after she gets here.  Kara doesn't start until the 26th so she isn't far behind.  We are planning to  take Meli to a lot of fun places around our area. Kara and I think we might feel like tourists, because sometimes you don't check out all of the fun places right around your area because you live there.    We will see!

My brother John and family will be here on Tuesday.  My nephew Steven is going to the MTC on Wednesday morning.  It will be so good to see their family and be able to visit with them.

Coby has had an exciting time in Turkey.  He recently had friends visit him and they took a lot of pictures. Most of those pictures were from my blog post dated on 8/4.   I love pictures; it doesn't make him seem as far away.

Random pictures from various phones and cameras!

 Kara was in a lot of pain for several days and I was worried it was an appendix problem based on where the pain was.  So a week and a half ago we spent the afternoon/evening at the ER.  Thank goodness it wasn't.  It was quite a scare and we learned that Kara is allergic to contrast dye.  Poor girl.   We had planned to go hear Steven's missionary farewell, but after the doctor saying Kara needed bed rest we stayed home.  Sorry Steven, glad you will be headed to Provo to go to the MTC so we can see you!

Kara performed in two shows singing and she did so well!   The MC said he thought she should be on broadway and that she was his favorite performer.

 Kara has been working on a quilt for one of her Young Women value projects.    She has had a very busy summer.

Kara at the Pioneer performance at the Conference Center with friends.   It has been a very busy summer.  We have been to several of our friends children's weddings/receptions

 This weekend Kara and I went to St George. Kara has wanted to see  a show at Tuachan for several years, so we finally indulged and went and saw Thoroughly Modern Millie!  We drove down early Saturday morning and  looked around,  went to the St George temple and explored. I love spending time with Kara she is my favorite girl to hang around with EVER!!!   I adore and love you Kara!

   Tuachan is an amazing place to go to.  We loved the show and couldn't have been more pleased, well except it was 97 degrees when we got in our car  at 11:30 pm and we were in an outdoor theater, of course.

 Kara and I waiting for the show to start!

 Recent pictures of Coby in Turkey.  Rece

 The Blue Mosque!

Rumeli Castle, built by the Ottomans in the 1400's to defend the waterway.

Happenings in July!

This last week my brother and family left. It was so fun  to have them in our home.  I adore their children.  It was hard to believe that I hadn't seen my brother and family for 5 YEARS!!!  Way too long.   I really admire their family and I felt so grateful they stuck around in Utah  for several weeks.  I am grateful that I had them staying in my home a lot of their trip!

Kara went to YASE camp last week at BYU!!  She had such a good time.  On Friday night we had the privilege of going and seeing their show. It was so well done. It is unbelievable that they put on a show that they started practicing for on Monday and did Friday night.  There was so much talent there-----SPECTACULAR!!!

We were not allowed to take pictures during the show because of copy right laws. 

Kara came home from camp early Saturday morning  only to head back to girls camp Monday morning.  On Sunday, the 14th we celebrated my birthday.  We had homemade ice cream and my favorite red velvet cake.  The kids helped make dinner and it was a fun day.   Kara left for girls camp early Monday morning. 

 Cleaning up after dinner and Kara and Spencer being silly!  I felt spoiled.  Thank you to everyone for the cards, gifts, flowers, phone calls and message!