Watch Me As I Graduate!

Ainsley can tie her shoe, add, take away, and count past 100.  She can read, rhyme, and she knows all of her sight words.  She can cut on the line and color, she knows her shapes, even the 3D ones, and she can tell you positive attributes of being a friend because she is all done with Kindergarten.   

She started kindergarten in pigtails and with no front teeth having been taught by the most incredible preschool teacher Miss Susan I knew she would be off to a great start.  She was ready to make new friends, to be a good friend, and to help.  She has had an amazing year.  She soaked up knowledge and begged for more to learn.  She came home from school every day with homework 1st priority.  Reading, books a must,  and how many sight words can I memorize?!!!  She loved her teacher, she loved everything about school!  She talked about Wyatt and Zalma.  She always said, sang knew songs, and spelt knew words to  me.  She loved kindergarten.  

Ainsley new principal, new principal to the school as well.  With the new discipline "clip up", we have done that at home too and it works great, she has enjoyed being good and making good choices so she can "CLIP UP" to the principal!!

 She had an amazing teacher who was patient and kind.

Who answered questions and sent emails and notes home.  Who communicated about day to day activities and informed us on behavior and new things to work on.  A teacher (bless her) who put up with the 1D obsession and the coughs of Octobers!!  I don't think Ainsley could have had a better year!

She is a 1st grader now!!!  Oh boy!!!

Now onto the rest of the day…Imagine my surprise when I show up early for Ainsley's graduation (in the poring rain) to help the PTO set up, when I hear a funny comment: "Sara, did a bring a chair to camp out!"  

I thought that was odd.  I thought it was referring to me being at the school all week helping finishing up with some testing, helping with water games, the ice-cream thing, and a couple of other things. BUT then they said, "How many Award Ceremony's are you here for today?"

Odd because I have no idea what they are talking about.  Really.  I was so exhausted.  I have been cleaning and preparing my house for the kids out of school transformation all week.  Today I have a couple of hours left.  I had found a friend to watch Tate (I had bargained Tate in exchange for me watching all 4 of her kids…it is a fair trade, trust me) so that I could enjoy the 1 hour of Ainsley's Graduation.  I just smiled/nod, until I put there comments together.

Apparently it is award day.  Caleb at 11:00.  Aubrey at 1:00.  SAY WHAT?!!!  I start thinking.  What are they wearing?!  Why did they not tell me?  Why didn't I get an email?  Man, CALEB!!!!  So, a day in town it was.  A long Tate day.  He lasted about 10 minutes after I picked him up until he was no fun, a cranky, heavy unbearable Tate is just a loud bundle of mess.  He found a rock so that helped a little.  

 

 Caleb's award was PROBLEM SOLVER.  He has has a good year.  He loves math, reading, running, skateboarding, and basketball.  Basketball non-stop.  He is still really into science and can tell anything about sharks, wards, turtles, snakes, rocks, and other bugs.  He is finally getting some inches on him (a couple-ish)!  He likes to hang out with Turner and we still pick up Aiden even though we were switched to Gardner Ward.  He likes to wear those basketball shorts though…man oh man! :)

 Caleb's teacher wishes he would relax his face when he smiles…we love him no matter what.

 Aubrey got the "Life Saver" award!  She had a great year!  She enjoyed hanging out with Bailey and Natalie.  We found out that Michael and Wyatt live through the woods so we are going to have a fun summer!  Aubrey loves volleyball and love to run!  Aubrey really loved her teacher this year, she was very soft spoken and kind.  A fun fit for Aubrey.

To end the day..the pinewood derby.  Just in case we don't have enough to do on this super busy day.  Caleb was excited to race against ELI!  Eli ended up with 3rd!!!  Caleb did pretty okay!!  It was an added bonus not to have air condition in the gym.  One of the scouts little 6 year old sisters ended up winning 1st, it was fun and our wards very first pinewood derby race!   What a way to end the night!

A Day in a Life: May

A Day in a Life: May

I actually did May 3rd,  in fairness I had my dates wrong so I thought it was the 4th, I need a calendar on my mirror!

With the 81 temperature.  Clear Sky.  Lawn Mowed.  Oh happy day!   

Of course, there is a minor problem in the morning when it's a soccer game vs the relief society activity that your husband forgot about!!  Having spent 2 years planning the Relief Society Activities and since I am in YW's I do not know a lot a lot of the women in the ward that we were switched to and since the activities fall on the same night as YW/scouts I do not get to go.   After I got the kids ready I was able to go to the RS activity.  (late but better than nothing)  Odd, also…every outlet my blow dryer plugged into shorted out.  Then I realized Winston bit a giant chunk in it.  What a bummer.  So……onto the pictures.

 Drinking water is a serious thing.  Not taken lightly.   Tate has to drink his water like this.  It gives him extra strength!

 Trying to catch the dog to kennel before we leave the house.  Not an easy thing sometimes, especially on RARE nice days!

 Ainsley and Tate's soccer game.  Ainsley got to play against her friend Autumn.  She stole the ball a couple of times and helped on defense!  She is excited for the all girl league next year, even though she was asked to move up with her boy team!  

 Ainsley scored a goal and after the game both Ainsley and Tate received glow in the dark awards!!!  Very cool! (Tate said very loud Why did I get an award, I didn't do anything…poor kid.  He did improve and I love him, but soccer his not his sport.  He made a bunch of friends and didn't give up, he stuck it out all season long, even when he was 2 grades younger than everyone!!  Way to go Tate!!)

 Winston was determined not to have his nap time interrupted by kids (Caleb was home sick on Thursday and he was all messed up.  Tate wasn't at preschool on Friday and he was like WHAT!!!)  Aubrey felt bad for him and let him use her blanket all afternoon.

 I felt like it was a poor choice  of nap places because it took about 5 minutes for Ainlsey and Tate to barge in and ask to go to Neva's house.  Poor lazy buddy.

 Tate's first non family/ family friend party.  It was a princess party.  He picked the present out himself and it was a pretty big deal.  He slept with his costume the night before and it was a count down all day!  While Tate was at the party I took the girls to Frontier Park.   He had a blast and shared all of his candy with Aubrey and Ainsley!

 Ainsley showing Winston how to do tricks.  He just wanted to be lazy.  

We missed Caleb today while he was at Grandma Griner's house.  He called and was having so much fun looking for rocks, making crystals, planting flowers, and helping with cleaning.   They went on the Katy Trail and Caleb help with some planting at his Grandpa's Dental Office too.  He loves going there!
Check out a wonderful Day in a life blog: Kristi Knight's Day in a Life and follow the circle!

Are You Ready?

To prepare for summer break I make a list.  It is extremely long. 

I get rid of broken things. Things they do not take care of.

There wasn't that much stuff.  I make sure their backpacks are good for next year.

I put good school supplies aside for next year.  Save as much as possible.

I clean hard core vacuum and I make sure soccer stuff is put away and pool stuff is ready!

I make sure old shoes and out and saved shoes and saved.  It all matters. 

 Of course, the extra things like: 

Pinewood Durby

            Your Child Gets Violently Ill 

You have to watch the finale of DWTS (of course)

SwimSuits without metal 

(Seriously I think this needs be a thing!  I can not be the only one who had a problem finding these!)

Also, before I write farther do we want to talk about Whole Foods?

I went there.  I have heard how people LOVE LOVE LOVE  it.  I was exhausted by the time I went in.  I had Tate, enough said.  But I will write more.  

IT WAS LIKE WALKING INTO A DIFFERENT PLANET!!!

1. I was the only person with a child.  Tate was buckled in the cart, but still.  I didn't see a no child sign.

2.  It looked like everything was in a different language.

3.  I was told it was a hassle free place I could get gluten free, dairy free.  I didn't so much find this to be true.  You really had to search for it.  

4.  So I left and went to the Natural Food place…super gross smell so I left and went back to Whole Foods.

5.  Which also has an interesting hemp-ish smell but I smelt a coconut soap bar so it balanced out-ish.

6. When I was done I was so peace, love, I need a nap get me the heck out of here I almost found everything except for the butter I was looking for.  

7.  The cashier was awesome so +10 because he went and got the vegan parmesan cheese that I couldn't find and also at the exit they had free apples and raisins which was a plus for Tate, BUT when I say you really really have to search for stuff you really do.  

8.  Also, was it me or was the lighting low?  I am not trying to be conner complainer here.  It was just the most unusual experience,  if you want organic go to the farmers marker.  It is located so close and the store is Organic Food.  Baffling really.   

Add on catch turtles, research turtles, make a home for the turtles, and after a week forget to listen to mom that the turtles climb out of their play area and no more turtles.  It was a bummer really.  They were fun.  

 I did put the turtle catching limit at 3.  The neighbor Andrew thought it was pretty cool!  He gets home from private school pretty late but Caleb enjoys playing basketball him with and they other new neighbor Hunter.

 The day's are shorter because I have squeezed every spare second I have at the school helping finish testing, I spent the entire day Friday with field days (Andy helped in the morning), and other misc. stuff.

All 3 kids won their tug o' war, Caleb won his 3 leg race (with Conner), and the sack race!  It was fun to see the kids outside on a freezing day with their buddies.    

 

 For the next 48 after they got home from school they found every thing they could to make their own field games!

 Ainsley and Winston!

 I believe 3 field trips were squeezed into the last couple weeks of school.  The most anticipated one was Tate's!!!  I wasn't able to go because Aubrey was home sick so Andy dropped Tate off and he road with his teacher!  (he has such an amazing, AWESOME, incredible teacher)

 With Tate gone on a field trip, Aubrey in her room sick, the kitchen clean (twice), laundry started, vacuum done, dusting done, kids rooms clean and organized done, dog walked..I started the shower with the excitement of taking the longest quietest shower I have ever taken in the last 9 years of my life.  Sure I had stuff on my mind because I had to go through the kids clothes for summer before I went to pick up Tate but a shower…it was going to be magical.  Of course, who is waiting for me.  Not a child but a dog.  There he lay the entire time too.  At least there was not a single question or a "Did you know?"  I am not sure why but our house has no door to the bathroom.  Actually when we were looking at houses no new houses did.  Note to builders *DISLIKE*

After my nice shower.  Winston wanted to get in.  I never really thought about it before but it is genius! Mess Free.  Easy To Clean, Why better than my bath and so so sooooooo much better than the kids bathroom.  Poor guy.  

Today was Tate's last day of pre-school and I was so on top of my list.  I hear mom's say all the time.  As soon as my kids get out of school I will get everything done.  It just does not work well for me that way.  No no.  

After going through all of my kids clothes I am happy to say Caleb is bigger and taller!!- And except for a couple of shirts that "I have no idea how scissors cut a hole in those nice shirts that I don't like to wear" most can be tubbed for Tate! 

Aubrey is Taller!!  So fun!- of course all of her clothes are in mint perfect condition and almost all the color blue so the can all be Tubed for Ainlsey.  Some of them can go directly to her closet so she was SUPER excited about that!

Ainsley is Taller and has a bum so she has tubs of perfectly wonderful clothes that we gave to another little girl who can wear them.  It's always a little sad to see clothes/memories go. 

Tate is still a BIG DUDE.  I am grateful everyday for the clothes the Rudd/ Nash family gave me.  Any other clothes that survived his growth spirt were handed to his buddy.  

Its like a circle of love.  

I was actually thinking about "circle of love" the other day.  With all my siblings living by each other with kids the same age in Utah (minus Num, but she's cool:)  I often feel out of place, or wish I was there but then I think…  We have made our own family here.  We are our own family.  It might sound a little bit weird actually, but we do our thing.  We go to the pool at the same time of day every summer, we like the turtle race, we like Diana Rose,  we have known and spent time with the same families for almost 5 years.  We do not like snow or cold,  we like band practice, we love going to the park some times 2 times a day, we wake up really early, we do not camp,  only Andy is allowed to drink soda (unless the kids are at the grandparents),  we have our own rules for games, we only play the counting and running part of hide n' seek, we can quote from our top 20 books in any given moment, and we love Father of the Bride.   We can't watch Narnia without getting scared or sitting really close together, my kids can't walk down the halls at church or school and pass each other without all their friends giving their younger siblings a hug, and when we have craft time its ALL OUT 2 hours-dining room table and it takes my dining room the rest of the day to recover!  It's kinda fun to be us.

Unicorns and Cotton Candy

Unicorns and Cotton Candy vs Reality

I often  wander if my family lives in a Reality or a magical universe filled with happy Unicorns and Cotton Candy.  I think if you lived next door to me and you saw my face of shock and confusion you would think I am in a constant state of confusion.  Maybe so, maybe so.  BUT not for just any reason.  Things happen.  Not just the busy hustle and bustle of the week…like when I turn my head and my daughter changes her close right before catching the bus or I run after my son because he leaves his sweatshirt in the garage.   Or the neighbor rings my doorbell laughing holding onto my dog.   No, no.  Things like this…

 1.  My husband asks, while I am at soccer practice,  if $45 of pork is a lot and I say yes (he is usually not the meat purchaser).  I say DO NOT make that purchase I will go in the morning.  Next thing you know every crockpot in full of pork (we are not typically this kind of pork eaters).  I could say that every time for the next month that I open my fridge a confused look comes on my face and I shake me head.  YES,  because I who makes the meals would have no idea how much meat for an average meal or leftovers or even a week of meals we eat?  

On a happy note it was good, the kids liked it and I did have enough storage containers for it. I told the kids it was chicken (NOT WILBER, Aubrey is reading Charolettes Web in class), so I felt pretty pretty crafty!

 2.  Winston covers himself.  He covered himself so good the other day that I seached the entire house, the farm, and our subdivision.  He was right there the entire time.  A shake of the head and a "Well, okay then."

 3.  Ainsley.  I am so very aware that she does not live in a real world.  Her Unicorn/Cotton Candy life is a world I would like her to have for a long time.  She likes to be a teacher (pictured above) to all of her students.

 4.  Being a Teacher is exhausting!! That can't be a comfortable way to fall asleep though, house shoes on and two pair of pajamas.

 5.  When I tried to put her to bed the right way she wanted to make sure all of her "students" had a nap time next to her.  Her reality is magical, every day is still the best day of her entire life or the absolute worst.  An example of the absolute worst day of her entire life is when her shoe came untied.  I asked her if she tied it?  She said yes.  I look confused and she said well…it was an inconvenience during reading.  Wo!!  Talk about a bad day!

 6.  When you wake up, do you want to be the one who wake up next to Tate?  What happens during nap time to make hair look like that??  There are no words.  Will he let me fix it?  No, why.. he is just going to play in the fields.  At least he will have clothes on and his trusty side kick, Winston.

 7.  If you feed the dog your pizza and he gets sick, you are responsible for cleaning him.  It's my unfortunate mistake for not putting him in my bath.  I had wanted to take a bath and so I had Ainsley clean him in her shower, I forgot out the shaking.  Water everywhere.  I just felt we could not recover from that.  We need to move!!!  I made all the kids clean the bathroom, write confessions, and walk the dog until he was dry.  Of course, I had to re clean the bathroom 3 times.  No fun, OH DOGS!

8.  The accident.  Less than a week after the gifted skateboard there was the accident.  He was pretty excited to go to preschool and "show and tell" his face!  That is just terrible!  I was sad and confused…where was his helmet??