First Day of School 2011

Curtis and Jerika started Cheney High School on the 31st of August and this is them humoring me (sort of) in our front yard before they drive off. (yes drive off).

Jerika is starting sophomore year and doing color guard in the Fall. She's also in the band playing the flute and zero hour Jazz Band playing the piano. She plans to do tennis again in the Spring. She's also taking some honors classes among her regular classes.

Curtis is starting his Junior year at Cheney High School. He has his apple every morning on the way to school. He's acting silly so I'll stop taking pictures but it just makes for better pictures. =) He is playing football again and is planning to start on the Varsity team this year. His coaches are having him play offense and defense right now and can't seem to make up their minds. He's planning to do track again in the Spring. Meanwhile, he's also taking some pretty hefty honors classes.

Abby and Rissa started Michael Anderson Elementary today. They were both so excited! They, of course, let me take lots of pictures! Daddy got to be with them on their big morning via Skype from Kandahar, Afghanistan and it was great for all of them.

We love our Flat Daddy!

Waiting and Waiting for the bus...

Aaaand the bus went right on by them without even a glance. I had to call the bus garage and of course it was a substitute bus driver, probably going crazy because it was the first day of school. So disappointed for Rissa though since the bus ride was the ONE thing she has been looking forward to ALL summer! I drove them to school and Abby walked her in since there was NO available parking! She got to ride home though and it was all fine. She had a great first day!

Sherbie witnessed the whole thing from her favorite looking out spot, Wyatt's window.

Home from school! I almost forgot to mention that Wyatt is having an extended summer vacation in Blackfoot, ID. He'll be back home with us in boring old Washington in a couple more weeks where he will be attending Columbia Virtual Academy. An online Alternate Learning Experience or ALE. That's what it is called rather than Homeschooling since he is remaining connected with a school district and checking in with a teacher once a week. He's excited to get back on the swim team and find a guitar to begin private music lessons. Here are some pictures of him enjoying the good life in Blackfoot.

Wyatt chose to have his 12th birthday party there with his cousins from Blackfoot and his good friends from Pocatello. This is him registering for Lasertag and also his new cowboy birthday boots!

I was told they got to go swim in the slough after the hot sticky job of picking burrs. (I don't know what that means.)

Wyatt and Peyton made lunch that day and this is Wyatt's book selection for reading.

This was cow cuttin' day and Wyatt's job was to hold the "nuts bucket"....don't ask.