Class bonding and buggy flies

So we started school about 2 months ago. It's been a lot different this year! I thought I knew 5th graders inside and out but these kids are so different from my last ones! Anyway.  I Just haven't felt like I have bonded with these kids so well as the ones last year. Maybe because I've been more of a hard nose than last year trying to nip little things in the bud and train the kids rather than let them run wild and rampant. 

That's probably it. 

But the other day I felt like we really just had ourselves a moment. And it was over killing flies of all things. 

So we have had a serious fly problem in our room. They are awful and so buggy and making us all crazy. Well, the kids were supposed to be studying their spelling words but instead they were hunting around for flies. And it's not enough just to catch the flies, they have to get them alive and then rip their wings off and it's just a whole big thing. 

So a few kids were studying in the corner and I walked over and saw a fly running around on a kid's hand. I didn't realize he had caught it, ripped its wings off and made it his pet and since we have all been trying to kill all the flies when possible I grabbed a book and killed that sucker right in the palm of his hand. 

We laughed at that and especially at the look of surprise on his face when he realized I had killed his new friend. 

And with that, all sorts of fly killing stories came out. 

But my favorite one was when a boy told me that one time he was in his room reading and there was a fly buzzing around. He sat there with his book open for forever and when the fly finally landed on his book he slammed it shut, never opened it again, and returned it to the library. 

I died laughing. 

Just imagining some poor innocent kid turning a page in his book to find a decaying smashed fly just put me over the edge. 

I still laugh every time I think about and how proud the kid was of this story. 

And that's how you bond with 5th graders. 

A Fairly Fine Wedding Day

So my little Kenzie cousin got married in the beginning of September. 

Kolton was enjoying his very last day of grain harvest in the combine so he couldn't make it to the wedding, but I was able to go in with my dad. My mom and siblings left before us so we were cruising. CRUISING. down the Monteview highway to make it in time. I kept telling my dad that we had plenty of time and yet the speedometer kept inching higher and higher. I did not know it was possible to drive down the Monteview highway in that short amount of time. Amazing. 

We made it to the temple in plenty of time and it was a lovely little ceremony. Afterward we took pictures, killed some time and my birthday money at a little home boutique, and then went to the luncheon which was fabulous. 

Then everyone headed to Quenalee's house to set up for the reception and I chilled at Oswald's house and waited for Kolton to pick me up and take me down to the good ole Blackfoot fair. 

We had been invited by Shively's to go to the Demolition Derby again and it did not disappoint. We got there a little early and ate and wandered and picked out our dream pickup for when we can do things like buy dream pickups and it was a good time. Minus all the people. Holy hannah, it was packed. We were shoving through crowds like nobody's business and I just did not like that so much. 

When we finally sat down in the grandstands we settled in for a long show. It was fun, but definitely made more exciting by the boy sitting next to Kolton. Man, he was excited to be there. He was on his feet yelling and screaming and cheering and was so funny to watch. 

The derby was a little long again, but we had a nice time visiting with Shively's and just getting out of the combine, because it had been a while since Kolton had done anything so crazy as that. 

While we were at the derby Hansen's were able to finish up the grain harvest and it was just a real good day. 

On Top of Old Smoookey

Labor Day is always a little iffy at our house. We can't ever decide if it's a day to play, or a day to labor. (I say play, Kolton says labor. Obviously.)

This year I won the argument. Not much of an argument really. I'm little by little getting Kolton converted to the dark side. 

So at about 7 on Sunday night we decided to head up with my family to Island Park. 

We packed up and were outta there and only hit one small deer on the way up. 

I was in the back seat separating Addi and Brevan and was not having a very good time. I was hot and then cold and then my legs were cramped up and pretty soon nobody was listening to anything I had to say anymore. 

The joke was on them because when I saw the little deer in the headlights and said, "Oh! Deer!" Nobody paid any attention until we smacked into it with the side of the pickup. It didn't do too much damage but I think it was a good lesson to everybody that they should listen when I am talking whether I am complaining incessantly or sharing important life-saving information. 

When we finally got to the cabin we settled in and turned on Secretariat which is just the neatest movie we think. Then we went to bed. 

The next morning we decided to go on a little razr ride to the top of Sawtelle. I had never been up there before and thought it sounded like fun idea until the razrs started moving. It was the coldest dang ride we had ever been on! I had been stupid and figured that even though it had been raining a lot lately it was still just the very beginning of September, still practically August, so I did not pack very warm clothes. I ended up wearing Kolton's sweats over my own and my mom's jacket. Halfway through the ride I procured some goggles which simultaneously made me look like the biggest nerd on the planet and also kept the never-ending dust out of my eyes. It was a fair trade. 

We stopped when we were about halfway there and contemplated going back because we were all freezing but instead decided to press on. 

And it was worth it! When we got to the top of the mountain it was so beautiful and actually a lot warmer than the ride had been. 

Brevan thinks he's hilarious. 

We enjoyed the views and then headed back home the long way. It had considerably warmed up and the ride home was much more pleasant. 

For a small part of the ride we got in some thicker trees and Kolton was driving like a madman trying to get ahead of everyone. I was holding on for dear life and barely heard and registered the instructions I was given before he jumped from the razr. 

When it finally all clicked in my head I kept driving the razr a little more slowly obviously and watched as Kolton hid behind some trees and scared the daylights out of my Dad and Addi.

After that we went back to the cabin, had some lunch, and headed out. It was a short little jaunt but sure made for a nice Labor Day.