First Week of School!

The day before school started (Sunday):

Sunday reading

Our first time back at church since March!
The chapel was maybe 1/10th full (the ward was divided in half, with the groups
arriving for different meeting times); every other pew was reserved for
social distancing; everyone wore masks; the deacons tried to keep people from
touching the sacrament trays by walking in front of each person as they took the
(spaced out) bread and water; the meeting included singing hymns, the ordinance
of the sacrament, and about 45 minutes of testimony sharing; and families helped wipe
down the pews with disinfecting wipes when the meeting was over.
In some ways the meeting was unrecognizable from the last time we were at church,
but in other ways it was exactly the same.  It felt great to be back at church and
see some familiar faces.  I could feel the Spirit and felt so thankful for the gospel,
and the opportunity to worship, whether that's at home or in a church building.

Ben spotted a wildfire at Battle Creek Canyon in Pleasant Grove.
We went outside to get a better view, even watching with Ben's binoculaurs,
and could see helicopters dropping water and firefighters going into the blaze.
It was amazing.  And thankfully, the fire was contained very quickly - I think it
was completely out a day or two later.

Jack started working on a book series that tells stories
from the Book of Mormon for children.

Backyard S'Mores!

Ben gave the kids father's blessings for the upcoming school year,
which somehow felt even more important this year.
(I was trying to be sneaky and take pictures just before he started with
each of them.  By the time it was Cat's turn, she was prepared for the pic.)

The first day of school was only the first day for the younger kids, whose school is still operating using their longstanding full-day M-F schedule.  Cat and Jack's school (Jack is in middle school, joining Cat at her beloved charter school!) is using a hybrid schedule this year, so their first day was Tuesday.  Cat had to wear her full-dress uniform and go to school early on Monday anyway because of her stuco responsibilities, so Jack was a good sport and got dressed for the sake of pictures.

10th Grade

7th Grade

5th Grade

2nd Grade

I love this page that Luke brought home on the first day -
notice that he not only circled "excited," but he crossed out the other options.

We celebrated the first day of school with one last quick family outing

on the boat, with Cat trying out the hand-me-down wakeboard her coach gave her.

On their way to their first day of school.

First day of at-home learning.

Next day of at-home learning.

Outdoor theater performance of The Music Man.
The most memorable moment for the kids was when the mayor said, 
"Not another poop out of you!" And his wife says, "He meant peep."

Saturday night we went on a great little hike to see the suspension bridge at Orson Smith Park in Draper.  It was so cool and we loved it!