Ten for Tuesday

My sisters do this each week, sharing 10 items from the past week, so I will follow suit.
1.Week 1 of Vern's masters program is done and things went smoothly at home. We are eating early, cleaning up and going to bed early..weird (won't happen when soccer starts next month). Although Vern just found out that he has a final next week. He thought it was a 6 week course...nope 3 weeks.
2. Benjamin built a swimming pool in his room. I heard him yell..."Mom, come see my pool!" I had no clue what he could have done. But he didn't fail me in making me surprised. He and his cousin had emptied both of his bookshelves completely and covered his floor with books...making a swimming pool.


3. Little Vern came in last Thursday morning from playing and said..."Mom, the tree is dead." I thought he meant that our neighbors tree was dead because no one lives there...nope...our beautifully green and orange blooming tree as of a week ago was dead. So, sad. We have no idea how it died so fast...couldn't be the ridiculous heat and 40+ humidity. So after 8 years of giving us great oranges it died. So very sad.

4. I got my haircut today! Yahoo. It was looking shaggy. I love how a new hair cut makes me feel lighter for a day. Hopefully I don't fall asleep before Vern gets home so he can see it styled.
5. My kids are loving school. Yahoo. Elena is getting her homework done and I am relearning math concepts. I am so excited that she is studying history now. This week she had to study about Samuel de Champlain.
6. Saturday morning I decided to help the girls keep a cleaner room by taking the toys out of their room. That then forced me to clean and rearrange the office which made me change out a desk in the family room. So after a long Saturday we got three rooms rearranged and clean. I just love to rearrange...I think it is a slight illness.
7. We got to go swimming at Ammon and Emilee Wolfley's pool on Saturday afternoon. All the Wolfley's minus Sarah and her family were there. It was fun. The family sure has grown in numbers (I won't comment on size). We ate super yummy carne asada and bean dip with chips. The Wolfleys sure know how to eat well.
8. I went to the 40th Birthday party of Mary Roestenberg on Saturday night (yes...it was a busy day). It was fun. Just a few couples and us went to Bucca di Beppo to celebrate. I have tended her two children from more than 5 years. She is a wonderful mother and friend. I wish her many more wonderful years.
9. I work with the young women in my ward (church congregation). This month has been Standards Month, where we discuss the standards we live by so that we can be better people. It has been a great month. We had an etiquette dinner, served the women in the ward, visited a family history center, played fun games, etc. This past Sunday 4 of the youth in our ward and another leader spoke during Sacrament Mtg. They gave amazing talks about different standards of the church...family, service, the atonement and recognizing truths in our lives. There was a wonderful spirit in church and it renewed my hope in the youth of these days. They are Triumphant Pure and Strong.
10. I am proud to report that I am sticking to our family menu well. It is a good feeling to know what I am preparing for dinner each day and not be freaking out at 4:30pm.

My Baby Turned 3 on August 21st!

Benjamin Sherwood Wolfley turned 3 on Sunday. We had a Batman Cake for him. Homemade and it looked okay. Benjamin like the Batman fruit snacks the best.
We are so glad Benjamin is in our family! He has the faces I have ever seen...he sure uses them well to try to get away with things. He is a smart kid that wants to do everything Little Vern does. In fact...the day before his birthday he said that he wanted to be 4, so he would be like Little Vern. We love Benjamin and we wouldn't trade him for the world.

Arizona State University Scrimage Day Aug. 20th

While mom is the away the others will play!
Vern took the kids to ASUs scrimmage day where you can watch the team play...go onto the field and meet the cheerleaders...meet Sparky(the mascot)...and run on the field.
The kids had so much fun. Luckily it ended before the temps were too high.
Vern took them on the Light Rail and they had so much fun!

Book Club Retreat Aug. 19-20

Every August our Book Club goes to Sherry's cabin in Forest Lakes. It is absolutely wonderful. It is a night and day get away from the heat of the valley. Sherry feeds us so well, and we each learn how to make something new. I took a morning run with Diena and Kelly and I didn't perspire like I do in the Valley.
We discussed two books up there...The Princess Bride and Same Different as You. Both books were great. We watched Princess Bride...surprisingly some of those present had never seen the movie. I sat there giggling throughout the movie. Such fun memories of watching that movie!
We ate great...rested and we were ready to return that afternoon the 20th.
Thanks everyone for a wonderful trip!

Vern Goes Back to School

After a 5 year break... Vern is heading back to Arizona State University for a graduate degree. He is getting his degree in Geographical Information Systems. It is a year long program. Which is nice that he will be done in a year. Yahoo. He will continue to be working full time for Dysart Unified School District and then go to class M-F 6-9pm in Tempe. It will be a long year, but glad it is only a year. So if you see us all looking a little crazy this year...that would explain it.
GO DEVILS!

The traditional pull the badge before Vern leaves for work. Vern and the kids!

Wednesday - WOW a year in review

Since I took the year off from my blog I thought I would try a quick recap of July2010 to July 2011. I don't mean to bore you...just keep my journaling a little up to date.

July 2010 - Sherwood Family Reunion in Palmyra NY.
Wolfley's at the Peter Whitmer Home
It was super fun to go back home and show my kids where I grew up and the part of the world I love so much...and to be there with most of my siblings. We missed Karen and Jeff and their families. We had fun watching The Hill Cumorah Pageant, seeing the church historical sites, playing at Owasco Lake, coming in next to last place in The Amazing Race, going to the Palmyra Temple and seeing old friends. It was wonderful to spend time with my siblings and their kids. I also got to run in the mornings with Kris which was good for the training. The weather was perfect for us and after a fun week we got to fly home to the oven known as Phoenix, AZ. The airplane ride was a hit for the kids.

Sherwoods at the top of the Hill Cumorah

August 2010 - The girls headed back to school. Elena in 4th grade and Natalie in 1st grade at Corte Sierra Elementary. We found a charter school, Imagine Charter School, for Meghan to go to a half day kindergarten because she has a late birthday. It was perfect for her and luckily we went with a friend from the ward, Jack, which made carpool possible.
Natalie and Elena on the first day...Meghan on her first day of school
We also got to celebrate August birthdays with the Scotts before they headed to Iowa for Law School. We miss seeing them every few months.

September 2010 - The girls started Strikers Soccer Club. It was Meghan's first year and she just ran around with a smile. Natalie and Elena continued to improve. They played until March 2011 and had fun. We enjoy our Saturday mornings at the fields.


For the girls birthdays, since they are all within 1 1/2 months of each other Vern made them a new bunk bed for their room. It is awesome and opened up the room.

My mother in law, Eileen Wolfley, turned 60 and we had a surprise birthday party. It was fun and she had plenty of friends and family wish her well.

October 2010 - Vern got to lead his very own Scout Camporee for the Firebird District. It was a little stressful, but he survived. He is not looking forward to doing one again anytime soon.

I began to play on a women's soccer league. It is different playing with women, since I have been playing with the parents of the kids from our soccer league and it is mainly the fathers. I also realized that I am not 18 anymore.
Vern started a second job at Target. He wants to go back to school in the fall of 2011 so, he needed to start paying off some debt before we get more. This made for a very long October to January, not having him home at night.

Halloween was always fun at our Trunk or Treat party at church.

November 2010 - Vern went on his Deer hunt with Aaron and his dad. Nothing. They enjoyed their time together though. The sad, but glad part was our friend from our church went the same weekend, first time hunting, first morning saw a deer, first shot hit the deer. Vern was sad.

Had a fun Thanksgiving with the Wolfley's.
Had a fun time on Black Friday with my sisters.

December 2010 - We traveled with Kim and Kari to Moapa Valley, NV for Jackson Sherwood's baptism. It was a fun fast trip. The kids had so much for playing together! I enjoyed visiting with Jeff and Heather, my parents, Heather's parents and Kim and Kari. I love family.
The girls in matching skirts I made them!
Elena was inducted into the National Elementary Honor Society (NEHS). Who new they had it so young. We are very pleased with the great work she does in school.

Christmas was fun with all the good stuff. Gingerbread Houses (aka cookie decorating), Christmas Lights at the Temple, good food, time with friends and family, Christmas Eve and Day. Unfortunately, I deleted the pictures before I had transferred them. Oops.

January 2011 - New Year! Our friends the Enriquez were sealed the Mesa LDS Temple for Time and all Eternity. It was a neat moment to be a part of.

Vern was asked to be the District Commissioner for the Firebird District. Too bad it doesn't pay like the NFL Commissioner. It means he has a meeting every Thursday night now and we are full supporters of the Scouting Program...not that we weren't before.

Litchfield Park Dippin Dots
February 2011 - Funnest Weekend of the year at Del Sol Ragnar. I was able convince and coerce 13 friends from our ward to run 200 miles in a day and a half. We were the Litchfield Park Dippin Dots. It was so much fun! Not always the running part, but being part of a team is awesome.

VAN 1 Rocks!!!!!!!!!
I wasn't in as good as shape as I was for the LA race, but it still went well. My last leg was almost 9 miles and the last 3 were uphill. Straight up. I don't care for Troon North. Thanks to team mates that made it possible to finish and I can't wait for February 2012.

Vern also quit working for Target and began installing Direct TV that his brothers Dennis and Ammon were selling. Pays much better and he should be home more often.

March 2011 - For Spring Break I went on a 3 day road trip with the YW from our ward to Salt Lake City. We left Monday, saw SLC on Tuesday with a special visit with Sis. Bagely and Elder L. Tom Perry ( which was a wonderful hour visit) an amazing dinner, then back in the cars and return on Wednesday.


YW at SLC Temple Steps
I got to go in the leader car which was kinda nice to go on vacation and not have to worry about young children...although some of the leaders had to use the restroom more than Meghan does. (one was pregnant)

Awesome YW Leaders in SLC
Luke Days...awesome as always and this time we didn't walk miles to get there. Our friend Lynette drove us to the entrance and then picked us up again. She is a true friend. The Thunderbirds were awesome as always!


April 2011 - school keeps the kids busy.

We had our traditional Easter Egg Hunt with the Rapiers, Rockwoods and Roestenbergs. Good chocolate and jelly beans were found in galore...as long as you found the egg before the ants did.

The three stakes in our area put on a Stake Prom for the youth and so the night before they let the adults have a prom as well. It was wonderful! We went to a little party at the Gayla Johnson home and then to another pre dinner at the Wiggins home for members of our ward. IT was awesome! Then we went to the West Maricopa Stake Center and were in awe of the amazing decorations. They turned the building into the Streets of New York. It was wonderful and we had fun dancing...especially Kari Holt and I to Rock Lobster! I love our ward!

May 2011 - School ended
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Natalie and her 1st grade friends at the splash pad

Meghan and Jack at Imagine Promotion
Dance ended for Meghan with a great recital!

Our ward camp out at Mingus Mountain with Vern there. He had to work. So we went without him. Many thanks to our wonderful ward members that helped us out. I am also grateful my kids are getting big enough to help.

Swim team started
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Natalie with her breaststroke!

Elena in the water!
June 2011 - Swim Team, Scout Camp, School Meals, playing inside and waiting for water days, and swimming at the YMCA.

July 2011 - We loaded the car for a fun week in Afton Wyoming. We left Friday night and drove all night to Lehi, UT to get to Warren Bodily's baptism by 9am. It was wonderful! Then we finished our drive to Afton that night. We had a great week in Afton. Anna and her family were there, along with Grandpa and Grandma Wolfley and then on Tuesday Sara and her kids got there. We had a fun 4th of July with a candy throwing parade in Thayne, climbing Star Mountain ( which was tougher than it looks), walking to the Intermittent Springs, getting family pictures, I ran from Afton to Thayne which was 13.1miles ( my first half marathon with a great helper in Vern and Benjamin), and eating yummy food all week.

Elena, Natalie, Abby, Olivia and Meghan in Thayne

The Wolfley cousins at the Intermittent Springs

Three Legged Race on the 4th of July

The Wolfleys on Star Mountain..Little Vern, Meghan, Elena and Benjamin on the Star!

Wolfley family at the Intermittent Springs
We and the kids were sad to have to leave after a week. It was so fun for the kids to play with cousins and for us to play as a family. We love Wyoming.

I think that was a very quick recap of the year. Hopefully, not too boring, but it will help me remember a few things.

Time for School!

School is back in session for the Wolfley home. (it is a year later than my last post.oops)
Natalie headed back to Corte Sierra in 2nd grade. She has Mrs. Mueller for her teacher and had a great first day. Her teacher is actually in our church congregation so that should prove to be fun.

Meghan began Kindergarten at Corte Sierra with Miss Paulson as her teacher. We are thrilled for her to be with her since we learned to love Miss Paulson with Natalie in her class for 2 years. Meghan was very excited to ride the bus and eat her lunch at school. She had a great day too.

Elena began 5th grade at Trivium Archway School, a charter school with the Great Heart Schools. She absolutely loved her first day and couldn't say enough good things. Her teacher is Mrs. Washburn and Elena likes her. We are glad she liked it so much because this was a long and hard decision to make to attend a new school. So after day one...things look good.

I had a fun day with the boys and my nieces (Charlotte and Audrey). Little Vern is excited to do some preschooling at home with me...time to get organized.

With school starting I am planning on being better with my posts...maybe even catch up on a year in our lives.