You are officially finished with another year of school. It’s been a big year for you with many milestones and academic excellence.
You are a trusted and beloved friend. You even stay in touch with friends and relatives in Texas.You take your priesthood responsibilities seriously and I love having discussions with you about the scriptures.You’re a great ball player. You learned great sportsmanship and showed honor on the field, despite some disappointment.We don’t have many photos of you because you’re often one step ahead of the rest of us! You have an adventurous spirit.You outgrew our homeschool group, but you were a good sport and came to support me when I taught art class. You’re a great artist.Grandpa John would be proud of you in golf.Someday I hope to hear your piano composition performed by a bell choir. It would be perfect played on bells.You did it! You earned a place on one of the front pianos in your concert.You’re a great Boy Scout. Remember how you rescued that woman’s glasses in this pool beneath the waterfall?You worked on family history and helped find some names for temple work.It was good to see you in the temple this year.You were a great assistant when I taught science class.
I think your best subject this year was math. You read around 50 books, did research papers about George Washington and James Madison, and continued to volunteer at the community pond. You achieved the rank of First Class in Scouting, and your Lego engineering still amazes us. I know you’re growing up and you don’t want a lot of attention, but I hope you know that we are so proud of you. XOXOXOXOXOX -Mom
Wow, you are finished with third grade! You are so smart and so funny.
You are really good at bird watching.You are understanding, kind, and respectful of others.You nearly dodged this picture, but it reminds me how good you are at math and how you don't like a lot of attention.We all love you.I love your art work, especially the Star Wars battle scenes.You make us laugh with your stunts.I hope you continue to study animals. I like them, too.You earned your Wolf badge!You turned nine and got to have a pocket knife this year. That's impressive.This was the day that you gave the pledge at the Community Breakfast. You were brave to do it!You and Dad made a really nice Pinewood Derby Car.You won the People's Choice award for your car!It was good to see you begin golf lessons. You were so friendly to everybody in your class.You became a COMPOSER this year!You performed on the piano for 2500 people at Centennial Hall.I'm proud of you for taking charge of your Cub Scout rank advancement. You'll be a Bear in no time.You're a member of one of the best baseball teams in town!You read the entire Harry Potter series, you memorized 10 pieces for Piano Guild auditions and you are amazing.
Congratulations! You’re ready for 4th grade. I love you. XOXOXOXOX -Mom
I am so proud of you. You have had a great Kindergarten year! Sometimes people can’t remember Kindergarten very well. Here are some things that I remember about this special year in your life.
Here's how you look when you're happy in the woods.You came with us on all of our hikes and you were filled with wonder.You played on the trampoline a lot.You are a good friend.I like how you always help out when we make things in the kitchen.Remember how we helped you learn your math facts? You learned them so well!You had good times outside with the dog.You painted a lot of sunsets. You are good at that!You worked hard to learn how to write your letters well.I'm proud of you for working so hard!You were brave and climbed many hills.You had many adventures.You learned a scary lesson when you got lost: "Stay with the pack!"You saw the Hoover Dam from the bridge that shook with each passing car.We didn't think you cared, but months later when we were talking about Geronimo, you said, "I saw his rifle!"You did a good job in art class. Here is the day you made a mosaic with tiles.Here is your mosaic. It's a sunset, of course!You loved the tram in Sabino Canyon.T-ball was an important milestone for you.You have a nifty red helmet and bat and you played really well!Some mornings you did school in your pajamas, and that's kind of fun, isn't it?You worked hard each Saturday to earn some time on the Wii.You made a goal to read the Boxcar Children and you did it!You have been such a smart, dedicated, and happy student. I love you!
I know you are looking forward to adding history and spelling to your subjects next year. You will be a great first grader! I love you, I love you, XOXOXOX -Mom
Rose, our Laurel president wrote a play for the youth to perform. She directed it, prepared the set, and put up tables and chairs for the dinner theater last night. It was Laurel awesomeness.
Lady Emerald, the maid, Professor Topaz (Paige), Mr. Onyx, Aunt Pearl, Mrs and Mr Ruby were the suspects in the whodunnit thriller, Who Stole the Cookie from the Cookie Jar.
Sherlock Holmes and Watson were on hand to solve the crime.
The lights went out…thunder rumbled… and someone stole the jewel cookie!
Sherlock accuses Auntie Pearl!
Oh, the drama.
Our new Beehive shouts, “Let’s hear it for Rose!”
The kids had a lot of fun. Daniel did the lights. Paige was a great bespectacled Professor Topaz. Everyone was a star.
I teach Newton’s Laws of motion using a hovercraft. A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to teach a large group of elementary age children. One of the parents snapped these photos and I am so glad to have them. It was just a fun day. Daniel was my helper.
We had a father and a grandfather there and I was so glad that they were willing to help. Timothy, Mark, and Daniel all took rides, but I don’t have photos of all of them.
I think this picture is hilarious. My favorite part of the class was after the kids left and all of the adults took a turn on the hovercraft.
It’s Sunday, and that usually means extra church meetings for Richard and me. But today is special because it’s a rare, unscheduled 5th Sunday.
What to do?
I think I’ll take some time and reflect about the week. It was a big week.
The mornings brought seminary, school, visitors, and a trip to Tucson for some scriptures.
The afternoons involved more school, violin teaching, a bike ride with friends, grocery shopping, cleaning, playing with friends, a birthday party, and Piano Guild Auditions.
In the evenings, we had 4 baseball games, 2 practices, 3 ballet classes, one night working with the missionaries, Scout meetings, a Young Women activity, and one night out to dinner to celebrate the end of Piano Guild auditions. We had a youth temple trip all day on Saturday.
What do all of these activities have in common?
They produced a lot of laundry, my magnum opus.
I’ve learned that doing laundry provides a special key to knowledge about my family. As I empty pockets, I discover what is important to my little people. I see who played outside on the grass enough (I don’t hate grass stains. I encourage them.) and who needs to shower more often. I see evidence of baseball feats of skill, ballet workouts, weight training, bicycling (Love those mud stains up the back of the shirts…), and dirt play (which I also encourage). I can’t say that I love doing laundry, but I take pride in doing it and caring for our clothing.
We wear many clothes and play many roles, and it was a happy family reunion on Friday when our schedules eventually collided and we all met at the restaurant to celebrate a year of piano effort. The kids were dressed up in their Sunday best. Mark’s face was probably a bit sticky from birthday party food, I looked a bit bedraggled, and Richard was clad in his work outfit.
After a Saturday evening laundry marathon, the piles of laundry are neatly folded in their baskets and they smell fresh. It was a good week and now I get to enjoy this day of rest.
Paige worked hard this year studying Medieval classics, chemistry, advanced mathematics, German, and more.
She practiced the piano faithfully and received the Outstanding Student Trophy from her piano studio.
She worked faithfully on Personal Progress and earned 3 ribbons this year.
She is loved by the children around her. She is patient, loving, and always has candy in her room.
She can leap quite high.
She was a glorious Snow Queen in the Nutcracker.
Her piano compositions earned high marks in the contest she entered.
She played to new heights of speed and excellence for the piano ensemble concert.
She passed me up in height.
She belongs more with the women now. She is learning to drive, too.
