First Day Of Kindergarten

Today is Isabel’s first day of kindergarten. For the past few weeks she’s been very sad that she can’t go back to preschool and Mrs. W. We tried to explain that you have to keep moving forward in life and kindergarten is her next step. She didn’t want to hear that, she wants to be in preschool and stay with Mrs. W. However…

 

Just before heading out the door to school.

At her classroom!… I think she’s getting a little excited!

She has “new” books to read… she’s good to go!

There are 3 kids from her preschool class that are in her kindergarten class; Nevan, Eden, and Ja’Siah. The rest of the class is going to be new friends to meet!
Her school day begins at 8:30 a.m. and she’s back home at 11:30 a.m..

The school was handing these boxes out with breakfast in the gym for all the parents. I didn’t cry until I read this and even then I didn’t need a tissue.

Today in class they heard the story of the “Kissing Hand” by Audrey Penn and then took a little quiz. Isabel didn’t have much to say about her day, just that she did a lot and enjoyed recess.

Last Day Of Summer Vacation

Tomorrow it’s back to school! I’m looking forward to it… Isabel however is not. She misses Mrs. W and wants to stay in preschool forever, she says. I’m hoping that this little faze she’s going through will end soon and she really enjoys going to kindergarten and her new teacher!

Since today was her last day before heading back. She decided to spend it outdoors making bread! I just love her little mind! Enjoy!

She took dried grasses from along the fence, which she called wheat, and mixed it together with different dried flowers and leaves from around the yard. She then gathered rocks to make her oven to bake the bread, she has made.

While finding more items to put in her bread mix, she found a bright green frog. She carried it around with her the rest of the afternoon until I called her in for dinner. When I happened to notice she had the poor thing “caged” inside her sandbox strainer. I went out and told her it was time for the frogs dinner too and it had to go home.
She was sad to let it go…

Adding some “fuel” to get her oven going. She actually asked me if I would lite it for her so she could bake her bread!!! I chuckled and told her, “Uh, no! let’s just pretend.”

For the past two days, Isabel and I spent getting her school supplies together. We braved the chaos and actually was able to get everything on the required list!
She needed: a school box, a pink eraser, Friskar scissors, 250-count tissues, and a backpack.

Backyard Flowers

I posted my new flowers back here and thought I would update how they are doing!

I had two Gaillardia’s and planted the other plant besides Gino’s rock. All the other plants that we purchased that day, we planted in an area together along the back fence. All the plants have done very well but we realized that we had a major slug problem! The slugs started attacking the Foxglove and Daisies.

Since I took this picture I had to cut back the Foxglove and Daisies. I am hoping that next spring they will come back in full bloom. I’ve been working on removing the slug’s from the yard with some St. Gabriel organic Insect Dust.  So far I haven’t seen anymore damage to the leaves of my plants, so hopefully I’m getting the slugs under control/gone! We’ll see…

 

Espinoza Family Reunion Day 3

Today was the Jose and Feliciana Espinoza Family Reunion at Weber County Memorial Park in Eden, Utah.

Jose Ponciano and Feliciana Archibeque Espinoza.

Feliciana was born on June 6th 1914 and dead February 7th 1976. She was 61 years old. Jose Ponciano was born on March 9th 1912 and dead October 5th 2003. He was 91 years old. They (and those who have passed on) were missed at our reunion!

Jose and Feliciana together had 10 children: Pete, Benny, Bill, Michael, Betty, Mary, Paul, Ernest, Danny, and Joe

One of the family members made T-shirts with the family crest on the front/back for each family member. Each family was represented by 10 different colors.
The Michael Espinoza family proudly wore red!

From left to right: Joe, Mary, Betty, Danny, Paul, Ernest, Michael (Pompo!)

Joe Espinoza family.

Mary Espinoza-Schrika family.

Betty Espinoza-Balli Family.

Danny Espinoza family.

Paul Espinoza family.

Ernest Espinoza family.

Our team! Micheal Espinoza family.

Benny Espinoza family.

Pete Espinoza family.

Bill Espinoza family.

Espinoza Family Reunion Day 2

Yesterday we mad it all the way to Missoula, Montona. We explored the town a bit and I would enjoy going back and really looking around. The Bitterroot Valley is beautiful with lots of areas of exploration and lots of areas to fish for Gino!

Just outside Missoula the mountain range along the way.

The mountain range is the border between Idaho and Montana.

The remaining clouds from last nights lighting/rain/wind storm.

Snow covered valley just outside Darby, Montana.

We arrived in Salmon Idaho (the birthplace of Sacajawea), and pulled off the highway to eat some lunch at a local park.

Isabel was just happy to get out of the car, for a little while anyway.

Across the street and along the highway, we noticed this cool monument.

Back onto highway 28 we headed southeast and drove by the Sacajawea Center and learned we were driving on the Sacajawea Byway!

We pulled into the Sacajawea Center and took a picture from the car. We had to get going otherwise we’d never make it to Utah early.

Interesting things along the way, I told Gino I would like to go back and spend some time learning about this great women.

We passed a few nice signs like this one along the way to Interstate 15.

Isabel on the other hand wasn’t that interested in Sacajawea… she kept on reading her Bible and finished it by the time we arrived in Utah.

 

Espinoza Family Reunion Day 1

We are on our way to Eden Utah for the Espinoza Family Reunion at Weber County Memorial Park. The Reunion is this weekend and then we are planning on heading south to visit family for a few days before taking the scenic route back home.

While driving down the freeway just east of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho we found this Old Mission. Unfortunately, we arrived to late to really look around and visit the visitors center.

Heading further east toward Montana we entered a lighting/rain/wind storm.

We saw double rainbows after the rain had let up.

We had to pull over on an off ramp to get the sunset in Montana.

Big Sky country lives up to it’s name with an amazing sunset!