End of the School Year Wrap Up

 Here's a quick summation of all those end of school year events...


First and foremost, Joseph auditioned for and made Vocal Ensemble!!   Hooray!  we are so thrilled for him...  
Counting our blessings....  The pictures show when he is kidnapped and taken away to the V.E. initiation breakfast.  Yahoo!  

Blind-folded and whisked away..

Jonathan won an academic award...  Hooray for Jon!  

If I could give out awards as his mom I would .  Jonathan has had an awesome awesome year.  We are so proud of him.   He has excelled in every way.  He pulled a 3.9 GPA, excelled in football, created great friendships, has a raging social life, had done very well in school, has loved seminary and just had been a wonderful wonderful Son...who is growing up.  It is a thrill to watch him.  He has just wonderful friends who support him in his goals and they are all headed in the right direction together.  We really feel blessed.  

Michael was awarded his Tenderfoot award in Scouts.  Can you see it?  Can you see that teenager in him just wanting to come out?  He finished up 6th grade and now prepares to go to Middle School.   The last couple of months have been big in his life.  He turned 12, joined Young Men's, officially joined the Boy Scouts of America, and was ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood.  Whoa.   And to boot, he is pretty dang handsome.  

Michael finished up his year with almost all A's.  He has done so well.  Wow.  


My heart ached that last day I dropped him off at Elementary School.   ....   Ouch. 


We are proud of you Michael!  And we love you. 


Jacob performed in his play.  He was  almost the star of the show.  I know I am biased but he was truly funny and really played up his part.  

 He was the butler...you must say it like this... the "butlah."  He spoke in a very proper English accent.  And acted very serious in the face of hilarity.....

....and only broke out of character once to give me a quick smile... which I happened to catch somehow..  

This really was such a cute funny play.  I loved it.  

Good Job Kids!!  


Jacob also performed in his piano recital and played his pieces flawlessly!  (Where is that picture?!) 


Jacob finished up his year with a great report card!


Jacob is enjoying gymnastics!  He is a natural.  With Jacob I don't know which thing to focus on.  He is so good at everything.  


Too weird to think that Jacob will be our only elementary school student next year.  Surreal.  

U2 !! !!

I have the most wonderful brother in law and sister.  They just happened to have extra tickets to the famous U2 360 concert!   And invited ---ME?  Whoa!  Ok for one thing, I have never been to a concert in my life...well, except to the group "America" and "Ronny Milsap" at Ricks College -taken to  those on a date--not by choice.  Oh boy! 

I am so uncool about things like this...and that is one of many reasons why I am so lucky to know these two very cool fun people:  

To start with... I had to be open to the idea...  I wasn't a U2 fan... I am pretty clueless.  Luckily because of Aaron, I now am a big fan and he helped me to see how amazing this band is.  I didn't know what to expect and was so amazed!   I was lucky enough to take Eric with me (Steve had to be at Young Men's) and we had a great time!   This was one of the funnest nights I have had in sooo long.  How can I thank Christine and Aaron enough?  Thanks guys!!!  

Amazing stage...absolutely amazing show... such a thrill!  It's a beautiful day...

I am clearly not the rock concert going type... and was dressed wrong for the whole bit..I look like a tired dead mommy.  Ha ha!   

Bad picture.. but I love my sister and buddy friend Chrissy...

Such awesome, mesmerizing music...  So much fun.  

Oh and I had to include a copy of this email.  Steve and I were discussing how we would arrange child care so I could go to the concert.  

This is one reason why I love this guy... he just cracks me up!

From Steve:  

RE: U2 on TUE

If Eric goes with U to U2, you two will not be home to watch the little 2.

 

So What 2 do??  What 2 do….

 

I will be at YM with Joe, Jon, and Mike 2.

 

That leaves the little 2 home alone while you are at U2.

 

Then if Christine leaves her little 2 with our little 2 while they are at U2

 

What are those little 4 to do while  you all are at U2???

 

What to do… What todo… so you 2 can go to U2???"

The End 

Silly I know...but I love that this guy makes me laugh.  :)  Maybe love is blind, but this is one reason why I adore him.  Ha ha!

One Blessed Mom....

On Mother's Day, Michael was ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood.  What a great Mother's Day present.    Special day...special young man... lucky Mom.  

Yep, your eyes don't lie.  I have 5 priesthood holders in my  home now....  Yep, one lucky Mom.  

And He was ordained by his Dad who honors his priesthood.. 

Yep, one lucky wife and Mom.   

Oh and I was also showered with gifts, cards, loving words and hugs.... Yep...I am one blessed, lucky Mother...  

Way to Go Silver Mesa Singers!

I co-direct the children's choir at our elementary school.    At the end of the year awards ceremony we sang three numbers..and WOW these kids pulled it off and did a great job!  They sang out, sang strong and even remembered dynamics.  I had such a great time directing them..I was smiling ear to ear and my heart swelled with pride.    I love these kids.  Here are a few pictures I managed to snap just before the program started. I wish I had been able to take more.  

Darling yes?!  

  

We sang "One Small Voice," "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing," and "Thank You for the Music."  It was great!

I am looking forward to next year...there are a few things I would like to do and I hope I can give it a whirl!

Well, now...

Jonathan scored second place in the G force Competition at Lagoon's Physics Day. This is apparently a statewide competition between schools.

They conduct G force experiments on this

They also had to create an "egg drop box" that was designed in such a way that when dropped from the SkyRide it would land on a target below and the egg would remain intact.  In this experiment Jonathan and Tyler Wood paired up as a team ..and wow what a team!  It was so much fun to watch these two boys work together.

He worked very hard and I am so proud of him in scoring 2nd place in the state!

I wish I had taken pictures of Jonathan and Tyler working together to create the perfect egg box.  They experimented for hours and days, redesigning, re-doing, dropping the egg box from our roof, a second story window etc.  What passion!  What determination!

Thanks to Mr. Brian LeStarge (who won best science teacher in the state of Utah) for inspiring and teaching all the kids at Churchill Jr High to reach high and have fun with science.

Something I Need to Wrap My Head and Heart Around....

I think I have this thing figured out and then I realize I still don't...

But, I think I have decided to finally surrender....

and Trust.....

and know that I (and my family) are in His Hands...

He has a plan.....

and all that we go through can be for our good ...

and give us experience....

grant us wisdom......

and teach us that without a doubt ..We have a Father in Heaven who will give us what we need to pull through any challenge and therefore learn that He knows us personally and loves us.

So I Surrender...



Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught us how we can benefit from adversity by relying on Christ. He said, " the Lord is intent on our personal growth and development... Progress is accelerated when we willingly allow Him to lead us through every growth experience we encounter... If we question every unpleasant challenge... we make it harder for the Lord to bless us. But if we center our hearts and minds on the Lord's will, we will gain more happiness in the journey and more fulfillment in life." 

Orson F Whitney of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles helped us understand the purpose of adversity. He said, " No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God... and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire. " 

Saying Goodbye...

I have been asked to help with cub scouts, so last Sunday I said goodbye to these darling kids I teach in primary. They are adorable and precious to me. I have enjoyed teaching them and sharing in this special year of their lives...the year that they choose to be baptized.

Not that I haven't shed a few tears over this change..and scratched my head and wondered a little.... I trust that there is a plan.... and I consider it a great blessing to be able to serve anywhere in this church.

I feel so blessed to be a part of anything that I am asked to do and I know that I can do some good anywhere I am asked to serve with the Lord's help.

Nothing makes me happier that just serving my Heavenly Father..especially when it is in quiet ways and it is known only to Him what I do. If I feel He is pleased with me and my efforts then that is about the best feeling one can feel, especially if you see you are making a difference in someone's life..(especially 7 year olds..are they the cutest or what? I just love these kids!!!!) That may sound very "special" but that it truly how I feel.