Back-to -School Banquet & Prep!

We kept our tradition going to do a back-to-school banquet!  I love to have a fancier dinner to celebrate and get out all my Grandma Diehl's pink china from Germany and introduce our theme for the year!  Each of the kids get a keychain to add to their backback with the theme or the girls got a necklace and I have a printable we put in each of their rooms.  I knew I wanted this theme for D&C year and Charlotte's hard junior year a whole year ago.

"I Can Do Hard Things"

We listened to President Nelson's talk and the youth theme song and I gave each of them a picture of angels helping push the pioneer handcarts.  Learning that you can do hard things and doing it with a good attitude is such an amazing life lesson.  I'm excited to focus our family home evening lessons on that this school year.

Matt made his delicious and flavorful (and super healthy) citrus, basil, ginger, garlic, lemongrass stir-fry.

The boys helped me deliver 24 salads to Mesa Academy for the teachers' lunch the week before school!

Back-to-school haircuts with our dear friend Angie Papa!

Charlotte drove Miles to the haircuts because Abby and I were setting up the teacher breakfast, so I came in partway through and didn't get a good before- but his hair was the longest it's ever been I think!

Charlotte's Before

She chopped it!  After-

She's loving trying shorter hair styles!  Fun change!

Abby also got a cut, but I didn't get a picture!

Abby helped me set up the teacher's back-to-school breakfast!  We did breakfast burritos from Salad and Go and Costco muffins and fruit! 

All the kids had their dental cleanings together! They were thrilled.  No cavities and no wisdom teeth yet!  We got Swig after to celebrate!

Our annual AZ Mills back to school shopping day!  We alway stop and get Wetzels Pretzels!  I also took the girls to Scottsdale Fashion Square and Brandy Melville one day.