Sunday, May 25, 2014

So Long, Farewell...

Auf wiedersehen, Adios, Adeus, Ha det bra, Hei Hei


My beloved 2013/14 exchange students are leaving for home this week. I had so much fun and learned so much from them.  We had our end of year party. Maren from Norway put together a video slideshow of the year. Each of the students came up and said many tearful thanks to their host families. They presented me with a framed photo from our Six Flags trip which I will love forever.  They all said this whole year was the best experience of their lives.  I wish them well! and I hope they come back and visit someday or I will visit them!

Last Day of School

Jump for joy because 
School's Out...






We all couldn't be happier.  The girls ended school with a bang. Apparently we have some Field Day extraordinaires...
Kate's relay team took first out of three schools. She also placed 2nd in the 100 meter dash. She lost to some long legs from another school. Out of her whole grade, boys and girls, Brynn placed 1st on the 100-meter dash, 2nd in the 200-meter, and 3rd with her relay team.  Adrie beat out all the boys and girls in her grade in the 400-meter and long jump. Cannon has some catching up to do with his sisters. He says he is the 4th fastest of the kindergartners.  





Sunday, May 18, 2014

School Spirit

My morning routine has been thrown to the wind because of the various and sundry school programs of the last week. Even though my house hasn't really recovered it was worth it for some of these special moments:


 1. Adrie's 3rd Grade Talent Show: Adrie bravely played "Country Gardens" on her violin. There were quite a number of pianists and some singing and dancing. Most unique of all was the little cowboy who showed off his roping skills.
 2. "Snips and snails and puppy dog tails, that's what little boys are made of..." Sure enough. Cannon proudly sang Mother Goose rhymes in his Kindergarten program.
3. I went to the post office to deliver a package and guess who I saw?  Cannon with his kindergarten class on a fieldtrip. Pretty great timing, I say. Each of the kids got to mail a letter. We received ours the next day and it said, "Dear Mom and Dad. I like when you play games with me. Love, Cannon.
 4. At Brynn's Award Ceremony she earned a gold medal for NWEA test scores and the "Great American" award along with all the other kids who memorized the Gettysburg Address, the Preamble, and their States and Capitals. She got a citizenship award and some others that neither she or I can remember for now. They sang heartwarming patriotic songs. Her teacher who was also Kate's and who has been just wonderful is retiring after 30 years.
You know the saying, "when one door closes another one opens."  Brynn's grade was supposed to have a party at the swimming pool however, that same morning they found out that a pipe was broken and they had to cancel. Instead, the local firemen graciously agreed to bring their trucks and hoses and give them a full- blast squirt party! That was a pretty awesome consolation prize and one that all the kids thoroughly enjoyed!!
5. My new haircut

6. Kate had a field trip to Thanksgiving Point. To her it is already summer. She has been swimming in the canal. Later in the week she got a little stomach sick. It could be something is going around, but we are kind of blaming it on her following up on a dare from one of her friends to drink the canal water... 

7. I had the opportunity to perform with Miss Sevier and the Pageant. With 5 guys, one of them a beatboxer, and myself on cello, she sang "Say Something."  Kate and Dad came to watch. We enjoyed all the pretty dresses and the talents of the contestants. Those girls have a lot of courage!

Plenty for one week, the kids are looking forward to the last week of school which basically means more parties...

Sunday, May 11, 2014

On Top of the World


Happy Mother's Day

St. George, Utah


We spent a fun-filled weekend doing all the things that make a vacation great. Only low of this trip was the sunburns! Every single one of us. ouch. welcome summer!

 There is something better than pina coladas by the pool and it' s sorbet in real fruit shells! We found them at Costco. Turned our vacation into a tropical paradise.
 We spent hours at the pool. The weather was parfait. 80's and hot enough to swim but not so hot you had to swim.  Cousins came to play with us at the pool. Quinn and Brandon played tennis then we all played volleyball.
More outdoor activities at Snow Canyon. Even though I've been here plenty of times the scenery is still striking!

 A short but steep climb up to Pioneer Rock



 A hot walk along the Whiptail trail, where we passed cacti, Mormon tea, flowering yucca and heard desert lizards skittering in the bushes.



 Theme song for this trip: I'm on top of the World--Hey! by Imagine Dragons.


Besides all the outdoor activities, we saw the Amazing Spiderman 2 in the theater and went shopping. The kids tried their hardest to all get along all weekend. It was my best Mother's Day ever.

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Flips and Hikes

Brynn had her first gymnastics meet of the season. She did well, competing against some really experienced  big gyms from the city. She placed seventh overall and has some cool medals to add to her collection.
Brandon was on-call so he stayed home with Cannon. Kate went to Bryce Canyon with her young women's church group. So, just Adrie and Brynn and I left for a day in the city.
We went out to lunch and did some fun shopping. Adrie finally got a set of scriptures and a carrying case. Her sisters each got a set when they turned 8 and so it was time, which Adrie liked to remind us every Sunday when she didn't have a set to take to church. I am glad she will value them so much now. 

We had to leave at 5:30 a.m. to get here in time for Brynn's meet. It was hard, but luckily I didn't fall asleep driving on the way up or back. 



Kate enjoyed a much warmer sunnier day then when we went as a family last month. Our favorite season, summer, is here! 20 more days of school.

For date night this week, we were supposed celebrate the beautiful weather by playing tennis but the courts were being resurfaced.  Instead we walked to the nearest restaurant and shared dessert. I was reminded how nice it was to have an uninterrupted private conversation!


Brynn chose watermelon cake with frosty blueberry sprinkles for her family night treat. Very refreshing.