Coy finished his communications college class, and loved it.  His teacher was a semi-pro short divorced wrestler, and he had a middle-aged middle eastern woman in his group, and his world is bigger now. He did fantastically well, and it set him up for his responsiblities in debate. He is one of two debate captains and is doing most of the teaching this year. The debate coach is a general in the army and has negotiated with countries, but doesn’t really get the nuances of highschool competetitive debate.  The class has thirty new sophomores, and Coy and Melissa are basically teaching it. He has absolutely no desire to date, but he did go to the A’capella opening social, so that is good. He has to earn $800 for his A’capella tour, and this fundraiser guy came to school and got the kids all hyped up. He came home and put together his list and his dialogue then made exactly one call, then said “Mom, I just can’t call and ask people for money. Can I just get a job?”    Coy's first date, other than with Jena and His mother...They did a picture scavenger hunt and had tons of fun.

Mook is just so much fun, he is always happy. He makes everything so joyous no matter where he is. We saw him workin’ on getting a number with a girl yesterday, and he got HER to ask for his number.    He is on the sophomore football team and has some gorgeous tan guns sticking out of his sleeves after a summer of working out and weight lifting. He has just about passed up Jeff and can’t wait to get his Learner’s permit in two weeks.  He almost slept over at the DMV on the night of his birthday. Mckay and the girl soccer team.

Spen was nervous for the first day, he had his clothes laid out the night before for 7^th grade orientation day.  I took him and we got a text from a very handsome thoughtful 9^th grade student body officer, who was waiting at the door for his brother when he arrived.  I took him to get the one thing he needed at the office, then they clearly didn’t need me anymore, especially when I stood in the hall crying watching them walk away as Mooks took Spen to find each of his classes and his locker. We’re so proud of Spen. He earned every single dollar for football ($220), and then continued to work for school clothes, socks and savings.  He has grown up so much this summer.

Joseph is a precious kind of crazy.. He chose to stay home this year for homeschool.  My heart leapt with joy because with 10 piano students and my childrens theatre company twice a week, babysitting, and evening chaos, I feel like I would never see him if he wasn’t here in the day.  We’ve been at it a week and it is so much fun to work with Joseph, Annie and crazy lady Seth.

Annie fasted for the first time today. She is growing so fast, too.  She is so excited for her baptism. I took her to the store to spend the eleven dollars she had saved all summer, and she was telling Seth on the way that he will start to get money when he starts to lose his teeth.  She bought a cute little shirt and skirt and was so excited.  We went to a bridal shower for my niece who will be married next week, and that little 7 year old has such stars in her eyes. She finds romance in just about everything around her.  She has a lot of questions and dreams, and it is so much fun to talk to her about things.  She is a deep little thinker.  The other day I had a cold and she said “Mom, are you crying? Is it a happy cry or a sad cry?”  After I told her I wasn’t she said “Well, Mom, if you were crying, would it be a happy or sad cry?”  I love her little female emotional intune-ness.

Logan was cast as Robinhood’s “Merry Man”.  A few practices in he looked up and said, …”who do I have to marry?”

Seth was screaming at the tramp, and I sent Avery running out to see “Why he was screaming bloody murder”.  Avery came back in and said …I told Seth not to say bloody murder.

Seth is a clepto-maniac! About a month ago he had a bad week. It started at Grandma Raspberry’s when he disappeared, and by the time we found him he had the van loaded with toys and bikes. That week he stole three more things. We’re working on that, and we’re also trying to keep the crazy lady dressed.  He calls his underwear his “awesomes”  and strips every other two seconds then puts on sunglasses and flexes around the house. The boys have taught him to sing a lot of songs like “Hey Soul Sister”, and he loves to wrestle Uncle Nate.

His favorite outfit is no outfit at all.  It is his underwear!  He strips down then searches the house for someone to “fight”.  He calls his undies his “awesomes”.

We were praying for our missionaries and Seth turned it into ….Ryans and Tylers and Quinns..oh my!   On Mckay’s birthday when Seth was saying he loves about Mook he said   “I love mookie because he is my hero and he looks like a girl”

…burning house and marshmellows…