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08/16/16 School starting and Bryce's homecoming sacrament meeting


I can't believe school starts this week.  Seriously the past few weeks have just FLOWN by!!!  Monday Katie went to her singing group in the morning (with Chauffeur Bryce picking her up!!!) and then they went over to PVMS together and he helped her pick up stuff -- schedule, shirts, I'm not even sure.  They probably walked around and figured out where her classes and locker would be. Katie and Holly took their last piano lesson of the season from Sister Black and will go back to Sister Wright in September.  I think it has been good for them to get a different perspective from a different teacher.
Monday night we went to Wendy and Eddy's pool and had a family pool party. It was Dickies, Ben and Laura, Gma and Gpa, Us and Dallas.   It was really fun.  Everybody really seemed to enjoy hanging together and swimming and eating. We had sloppy joes and sides. 
The weather has been unsettled this week - but we were able to have our swim party and we played pickle ball Wednesday night with McAllisters (after 2 weeks off!!!) but only for 45 minutes.  The lightening was getting a little too close for comfort so we called it early.






Katie tried out for the volleyball team this week at PVHS (Freshman team).  She had to go to PVHS Monday and Tuesday from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. and then Wednesday morning at 6 a.m. she had to go run 1.5 miles.  Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. they posted the girls that made the first cut.  Yeah!!! Katie did!!!!  So Thursday after school she has to go practice probably from about 4 - 5:30 p.m.  They take the bus from PVMS to PVHS and then we are supposed to get her around 5:30 p.m.
Katie wants the "whole" experience with school so she's staying busy with band and hope squad, honor society and hopefully volleyball.  She also wants to be valedictorian...pretty tall order!!!  I hope that she enjoys her time.  The HS years go fast!!!!

So Katie made second cuts with an * by her name.  She was super excited but baffled what the * meant.  The next day the coach explained that she didn't do club volleyball and things like the other kids but that she is still pretty dang good.  She probably would have cut her though except that her attitude was terrific and she hopes her hard work and good attitude will #1 improve her playing to get her up to all the other girls level and #2 rub off on the other kids.  So Katie has been really applying herself and trying hard to do well.  She was a little sad about the * but we told her to use that for good...the basketball coach didn't give her the chance...she just cut her.  This coach is giving her the chance to prove herself.

Thursday school started and the girls were pretty happy to head to Fossil Ridge for Holly - big 7th grader and PVMS for Katie - 9th grade FRESHMAN!!! They don't put the freshman in the H.S. here so she's still in middle school but really...she's in High School!!! What the heck?!  I know it will be a blink of an eye and she'll be graduating!!! 

Saturday Grandpa & Grandma Laurito came to visit and stayed in the Clarion Hotel since our extra room is occupied by Bryce right now and he had too much stuff to move out while they were here. So Saturday we met them for dinner at Carls's Jr and then went swimming at their hotel.  It was fun.  

Sunday Bryce gave a really great homecoming talk.  Everyone kept saying how "real" he was  -- he talked about his struggles with depression, anxiety and homesickness and how he overcame those struggles and then was able to help others struggling similarly on their missions.  He talked about 5 of his companions going home due to similar struggles and bipolar disorder and the like.  He really showed a lot of compassion for others and their feelings.  Afterward I told Andy maybe HE should be going into psychology!  He has a lot of understanding and compassion. 

After church we had quite a few people over - too many to name.  We served muffins and fruit and milk.  We had a steady stream from about 10:30 - 12:15 and then it died down and we were done.  And tired!

We went to choir practice and then to Gma and pa Griffin's for dinner.  Lauritos and Aj and Dallas and McK (had to leave early for work) came too. We had a potato bar and a nice visit.  After dinner we watched an Ochtdorf talk and talked about it.  It was a nice evening. 

Monday everybody worked and went to school and then Katie had a parent's meeting for her volleyball.  We went to that and then to Rigatti's pizza for dinner.  My dad had a birthday in July which we haven't seen him for so we bought an ice cream cake and some candies and sang him happy birthday and ate cake BEFORE dinner -- the pizza place was dang slow and the ICE CREAM cake wasn't my smartest idea considering the 100+ temperatures...!!! Haha  I had brought it in a cooler so it was great but wasn't sure how long it would hold up. So Dad's 78 now!  Growing up!  haha.  

 After dinner we hugged and told Laurito's goodbye.  They were staying till Tuesday but we would all be at work.  Then the kids came home and went to bed and we went and played pickle ball. 





















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