James and Andrew's football seasons

Football started over the summer for James and Andrew and lasted through mid-October. 

Andrew, starting 9th grade in the fall, got up super early almost every day of the summer and rode his bike over to the high school to practice with the high schoolers without complaining.

Here's James's practices started a little later in the summer and were in the evenings. Here he is on Aug. 11 practicing at the high school field; other days he was at the middle school.

Which, by the way, James was going to start at middle school in the fall as a 7th grader!

The football kickoff dinner/luau was Aug. 9.

 Here are a couple pictures JB got of Andrew. 

We sat in the stands around 4 p.m. many Thursdays for the high school JV games. S

ometimes I was coming straight from work and still in a dress (Thursdays I am in the office, the other days I work from home with flexible hours). Millie has earbuds in below as she listens to an audiobook. She did a lot of that during the season.

And we spent a lot of time on the sidelines of fields around the Salt Lake Valley on Saturdays for James's games.

During this particular game, James's team had a chance to play on the main field. He was upset about something — dropping a catch or missing a tackle I think — and Andrew ran down from the stands to comfort him.

My brother Peter is a ref for the youth league and one Saturday he was at working at our game.

The had black and white jerseys and also yellow jerseys for a game or two.

More book listening for Mille. Andrew loved to sit by her and try to tease her.

The day after Max got home from his mission, James had a game up in Summit County and he came with us and we kept staring at him, happy to have him back with us. Here he was playing catch with Andrew.

During the season, Millie had a cheer camp with the high school cheerleaders, and the group performed at halftime of a Friday night varsity game.

Andrew dressed according to the student section theme for that night.

Seems like we have gone from being basketball parents to learning how to be football parents!

Back to school and September happenings

Tuesday, Aug. 19, was the first day of school. James left before everyone to catch his bus, then Max took a picture with the rest before they went to their schools.

Millie is in 4th grade with Ms Miles.

James started middle school and 7th grade.

Andrew started high school in 9th grade

Ben started his last year of high school as a senior!

Other seniors (I think the cheerleaders) decorated "his" car. It's our car but he drives it to school with Andrew.

Andrew rode his bike back and forth to football practices a lot, all through the summer, and then when school started. What a beast! He was locked in.

Here's Millie, walking down the sidewalk on her own for the first time to elementary school by herself!

JB and Max walked with her to document her first day.

We took Max down to BYU for freshman orientation and move-in day at his apartment on Thursday, Aug. 28. This was very exciting and also sad for me!! We just got him home from a mission and then days later, moved him out of the house. But I had so many great feelings rushing back from my time at BYU and my freshman year and couldn't wait for him to have that experience.

Here's Max's first BYU football game as an usher on Friday, Aug. 30.

On Tuesday, Sept. 23, I was assigned to write about a BYU devotional, so JB drove me down and we saw Max in the Marriott Center and then took him to lunch afterward.

Friday, Sept. 19, was the fun run/ jogathon fundraiser at the school. Millie loved getting chalk color on each lap. It's so weird to have only one child at the elementary school! 

Papa took Andrew to a Utah football game on Sept. 6

On Sept. 20, more of the Richards boys went to a Utah game.

Sunday, Sept. 21, we had a great family dinner up the canyon for cousin Millicent May's birthday.

On Sept. 26, JB took the boys to the temple.