Back to School 2016

First day of school or as I like to call it.  The most wonderful time of the year.

The kids won't admit it but they are bored, it's too hot to do anything.  They need to see their friends, they need to have a reason to wake up in the morning besides office/school supplies are on sale (always one of my favorite things to buy)

 The kids all leave for school at very different times so I can no longer get the picture of all three of them together.  Dax had a great attitude, a little weary because he hears Junior year is usually the hardest.  First day went well and he loved his new Seminary teacher Andrew Gordon.

 Trey was happy to go back, and also had a good first day.  Two of his good friends, Trajen and Jeremy moved so he is going to be starting fresh with new friends.

 Derek is still recovering from 6th grade and was not too excited to start school.  He was also not happy that we made him spiff up his wardrobe a bit.  No free t-shirts to school ( t-shirts that were a give away/promotional item) and he needed to wear more than athletic pants every single day.  This was the best picture I could get from him.  He just kept looking more and more miserable (although I belive it is an act).  He had a good first day, he enjoyed riding the bus.  He had some friends of the bus as well.  Derek picked out his clothes for the first day (following our guidelines) he came home saying he looked like Jake from State Farm.  Ha ha he dressed himself in that.

Trey.  Happy to be at his desk in his classroom. His teacher is Mrs. Chiu.

Happy sweet 16.

Our Baby is 16.  WOW.

Once again Dax wanted to do the dive in movie for his birthday.  This year he went with Jurassic World, he thought that would be a good match for a movie watched in water,  since the water dinosaurs are pretty terrifying in the end. This year went much smoother than last year.

We had a great turn out, we invited all the YM and YW this year. We had a good mix of kids.  The weather forecast was 0% chance of rain, pretty perfect movie weather...  much improved over the monsoon that came in last year, just as the party started.

The boys did a great job setting up the party on a HOT July day

Herbivore Spread

 Fun party, everyone seemed to have a great time.  Dax feels loved. Being 16 is great and a perfect wrap up to a fun summer.  We gave Dax money for his birthday, he is going to buy a computer that he has wanted for a long time.  Hopefully he will get a job soon.

Braces on and off

Exciting time in our house.  Derek got braces on.....

Before

During

After-"Merica" red white and blue bands

..And Dax got his off.

Two week overlap when they both had braces

...and they're off!

Derek did great getting his braces on.  They were way more tender and sore than he expected.  Now he understands why Dax complained, he is a great sport about them.  I know how painful and irritating they can be.


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I don't think I have ever heard a kid complain about braces as much as Dax, or been so adamant that he never needed them in the first place. He loved the first two days after they came off.  Then he got the retainers and he wasn't so happy.  Now he has adjusted to the retainers and he's trying not to complain.
I look at Dax and I honestly think, "man that kid has great teeth".  I thought it was perfect timing they came off a week before his 16th Birthday.