Summer is Comming

This was my last week of work. It was a super busy week as we were getting ready for next year.  I made over 100 laminated homework folders and compiled hundreds of little booklets and journals until stacks and stacks of them lined the walls.  On my last day, one of my classes presented me with a big card with all their handprints and little notes from them, and then the class sang "Feliz Navidad" for me. 

Ruth and Jared have been winding down as well, doing final tests and turning in assignments.  It looks like the both will have mostly A's and a few B's.   They are good students and I do very little to nag them, they just naturally want to do well - which is a big blessing to me.  

Kaitlin's Bridesmaids, Kira and Tiana

Kaitlin, on the other hand, works in a year-round school, so she still has a month of work. In addition to that, she spends several hours a day working on her online classes which have turned out to be more challenging than she expected.  

On Saturday Kaitlin and I went to a family bridal shower planned by Ben's mom. It was a chance for Kaitlin to meet the women in  Ben's family and extended family.  Everyone was really nice and they put out a fancy spread of food.  

Happy Birthday Me!

I had a crazy busy week this week as you will see by reading this blog post.  A lot of the busyness was a result of my birthday. I opened my birthday gifts the day before my birthday. I got a video game and a full-length mirror for my bathroom (pictured).  My birthday was on Monday, but we didn't have time for a family celebration until Wed. My celebration included some birthday cookies from Kaitlin, birthday doughnuts from Chuck, and a fun family game which I won.  I took advantage of a lot of offers from friends to do fun things for my birthday, which resulted in a few lunches out, and a friend gathering where we played Settlers of Catan.  I also went to a library craft night with another friend and had an impromptu motorcycle girls night out with another.   Nearly every day this week I did a fun birthday thing with someone.  It was a great birthday and I felt really loved.

On Tuesday I sang in Kensington Singers final concert of the season. It was a pretty good concert; I thought we performed really well.  Singing in this choir has been a pretty big time commitment but has been worth it.  I've learned so much from singing at this level and it's made me a much better conductor.



Jared's Final Band Concert

I spent my birthday at a dress rehearsal and when I walked in the door at around 10pm, I discovered that Chuck and Jared had gone out to buy a drumset they had found in the online classified. Sure enough, 5 minutes later they came bursting in, hands full of drum set.   About six months ago Jared asked for a new drumset (we had a really cheap old one). I told him that I would get him a new one if he started practicing more regularly. For the last few months, he has been playing every day. Many days he has played for hours until his hands have bled, he loves it that much.

Jared also played in his final band concert of the year.  I had to miss it because I was also singing in a concert that night, but I got to watch in on video, and then Jared played along with the video for me on one of the songs. I felt like I had a first-row seat.  I've said before how awesome it is to have a percussionist because it's like they have a solo on every song. You always can hear exactly what they are playing.

I'm attaching a short video clip of Jared playing the snare drum in a song called "Train".

Ruth Wins More Things

For the last while it seems like the name of this blog should change to "Awesome Things Ruth is Doing" and this week's entry is no different.  Ruth came home from school one day with an arm full of prizes.  She found out when they made an announcement over the intercom at school that she had won the Lagoon Physics Day logo contest.   Every year Lagoon, our local amusement park, sponsors a "physics" day for high school students.  As part of this, they offer a logo contest where students from all over the area can design for next years physics day.  Ruth's teacher told that class that if they entered the logo contest they wouldn't have to do a worksheet, so Ruth entered the contest... and won.  She won an air cannon, a plasma ball, and two tickets to Lagoon. Her logo will be used on t-shirts and advertise for next year's Lagoon day.

Ruth also had her end of the year Debate banquet where she was recognized for all her achievements this year.


New Car for Chuck

Ever since we sold Chuck's truck when we were unemployed, Chuck has been driving the old mini-van.  We nicknamed it "The Man Van."   This week he bought himself a little Subaru Outback.  We hope to now buy a small trailer so we can haul our motorcycles around in it.

Kaitlin's Shower

Kaitlin and I decided awhile ago that we were not going to put on a bridal shower, Kaitlin didn't want the extra attention, and we didn't want the extra work.   I'm not sure if word got out about that or how it became known, but one of Kaitlin's old church leaders (and good friend), stepped forward and told us she was going to put on a church/neighborhood shower for us.   We didn't have to do anything, just show up.   The shower was lovely and a lot of our local friends came to wish Kaitlin well.  Kaitlin was overwhelmed by their kindness and generosity. It was a really fun day.  Thank you so much Stephanie, for planning, and Tricia, for hosting! We felt really loved. 


We got Appreciated

You might have heard that two weeks ago was teacher appreciation week, but did you know that this past week was auxiliary worker appreciation week?  No? It's true. Both Kaitlin and I were appreciated at our jobs.  Kaitlin got lunch twice, and I got lunch and a huge stack of adorable handwritten thank-you cards from my 1st graders. 

Happy Pre-Birthday 

Instead of Mother's Day, today we are celebrating "pre-birthday".    In celebration of this special day, Kaitin gave me this amazing pre-birthday chocolate bouquet of her very own making. 

Busy Week

We don't know exactly how many years that we've been going, but we think we are close to 15 years of going to Women's Conference.  Each year the mix of friends is a bit different but each year it's a lot of fun.

The standout for me this year was instead of an opening speaker on Friday morning, they did a musical (nauvoo pageant-like) presentation that was really good.   Of course, the best part is spending the time with old friends.

Kaitlin started her online classes this week. She is taking 3 classes and then she will graduate.  She could have walked at the college graduation this last week, but she chose not to.

Wedding plans are coming along fine.  In this picture, Kaitlin is putting together some greenery for the table decorations.  We were lucky enough to find all the greenery we needed at a garage sale.

Ruth has been super busy. This past week she had two AP tests (Government and US History). She also danced in a ballroom showcase for her ballroom class (she is in the black in the center in this blurry picture). Then on Saturday, she competed in the finals for the Freedom Festival Speech competition she had entered a few months ago.   She said she really struggled at the finals and was super happy to get 4th place.  4th place came with $100 prize and she will be on a float in the Freedom Festival Parade and will also speak at some smaller Freedom Festival events.