School's Out For Summer...

School's Out Forever.



Boy, this video is disturbing. Who thought Alice Cooper and the Muppets were a good fit?

But today it feels like school is out forever. Josh graduated from sixth grade yesterday, and today was yearbook signing day. So for him, his elementary years are done. Forever. He has been dreading this day for a couple of months. His grade is, frankly, a remarkable group of kids. The teachers all agree that they are unusual. They are kind to each other, they are funny, they are sensitive, they are hard-working. And they don't all go to the same junior high school, which stinks. So yesterday at the promotion ceremony there were a lot of tears. But I'll tell you, the tears yesterday were just a precursor to today's, which were flood level. When I walked to the school right before the bell rang, the kids and teachers were all outside signing yearbooks and saying goodbye. The first thing I saw was the sixth grade boy group. They were bawling. Weeping. Hugging each other. They were a mess. These are the sports boys, the cool boys, and they were more emotional than the girls were yesterday. It was W-I-L-D. (The girls were wrecks, too.)

There's something so sweet and so tender about boys like these feeling free to share their emotions. They haven't been shut down yet. They are comfortable with each other like they would be with family. I'm grateful Josh has had friends like these for seven years. There are few boundaries. Religion doesn't matter, the sports you play don't matter, family circumstances don't matter. I hope he can keep that open heart for the rest of his life. I'm sad, too. I hate to see this time in his life end. The innocence is fading for all of them. Junior high is a new road. I hope he can keep a pure heart, even while so many others of these kids will find themselves walking hard paths. I hope he can always find friends to help him enjoy life, to learn, to care about others, and to stay strong when there are hard choices to make.

Hello Again

AAARRRGH. That's all I have to say. Every time I think I might just have a chance at getting life in control, it gets away from me. Big Time.

So to catch up...

I'm quitting teaching. Whoa. It's huge. I've been teaching since I was 19 (and yes, that was a heckuva long time ago.) I've loved it. It's a major part of who I am. I love my students, I love passing on my love of music, and I really love having something I am better at than this homemaking stuff. But after months of agonizing, praying, and agonizing some more, we've decided that in order for me to truly give my kids what I think they need, I need to put them before my students. Those after-school hours are so precious, and I'm afraid that other peoples' children have had to come first. So for a few years, I'm going to see if I can help our family be a little less insane, a little more relaxed. I have been amazed at the emotion behind this decision, and I know it's hard on a lot of people, but I have to follow my heart.

We also just got back from a week long, yes-we're-crazy, 2300 mile road trip. We started in Boise for my grandma's 90th birthday party (Happy Birthday, Grandma! You're amazing!). From there we drove to Bend, Oregon to stay overnight on our way to the Redwoods in Northern California. We stayed in a little vacation home on the coast in Crescent City for two nights, then on to San Francisco (in a room with two double beds. What were we thinking? Oh yeah, we didn't want to spend $200 a night.) for two more nights, then home. Whoa. Remind me next time that Ben hates to travel, OK? We made a lot of memories, spent a lot of money on gas, and reveled in the beauty of our earth. We are blessed greatly.

Kate finished preschool last week, Sophie and Kate both finished ballet this week (and both have decided against ballet for next year), Josh has comp soccer tryouts two nights this week, Ben is FINALLY WALKING (as of last Monday), Josh graduates from sixth grade on Wednesday, and I can't believe time just keeps flying at the speed of sound. STOP IT. Just STOP IT. I want to breathe.

Here are some pictures:

Better late than never...

Here is Ben hanging with Wyatt on April 8. I hoped that seeing Wyatt toddle around everywhere might encourage Ben to try walking on his own, but nope. He's determined to wait until HE'S ready.

We loved seeing Jessie and Wyatt and meeting Dustin. Jessie was Sophie's gymnastics coach for years and we miss her! It's hard to go from three times a week to just seeing her once every few months. I'm grateful for wonderful adults who help my kids grow and learn. What would we do without them?

Kate's Fifth Birthday

So many birthdays, so little time.

I will admit, last week just about did me in! It was full of great moments, but was certainly a little overwhelming. Thanks to a dear friend, I was able to finish preparations for Kate's party (miracle of miracles) and Saturday morning she had her Garden Party. She and 9 of her best friends celebrated by coloring, playing garden games, decorating flower cookies, planting pansies in little pots, and eating flower cake. Whew.

Mileposts like this one remind me how truly blessed I am. My little Kate is a remarkably kind girl. She was my first child to actually act as the child-raising books said children would act. Another of my children at four averaged five to eight timeouts a day. Kate averages one or two a month. She loves her family, art, reading, and music.

Not only am I blessed in my children, but I am blessed in friendship. On Thursday, I was a bit overwhelmed, and called a friend to vent. In an hour and a half, she had made the cookies for the party and brought them to my house to put in the freezer. The next morning, she called and said she would do all my shopping. She did in one hour what it would have taken me five to accomplish. She saved the day, especially as I ended up having the beginnings of mastitis by that afternoon. I love my friends. They are amazing people, and I appreciate the talents they have that I do NOT.

Ben's First Birthday

Somehow it's true...my baby is one. It's such a cliche, but time has simply RACED by. I swear it was just last month I first held him in my arms and tried to figure out how my heart had expanded yet again to love another little person as much as the others.

Our little sunshine Ben is a joy. He lights up the room with the most charming toothy grin. We love his hugs and kisses, his chatter, his love of ice cream, his singing, the smell of his head after a bath, his soft hands patting us. We love watching him sign "eat," "more," and "please" and hearing him say Daddy, Momma, and more.

His party was fun. He was scared to be given free rein with his cake (note the tears in the picture above) and we had to convince him it was ok to eat it. Sweet little boy.

So happy birthday, little Ben. I hope the rest of your childhood doesn't go by as quickly as this first year.

Ben's First Haircut

Last week was a bittersweet week for me. It began on Saturday and Sunday as Ben became more adventurous in taking steps (no more than two at a time, thank you.) Then on Monday we decided it was time for Ben's First Haircut. Oh, the emotions involved in trimming those golden locks...I am not ready for my baby to grow up!

Ben did not enjoy the experience until we shoved a red sucker in his mouth. Then all was well. Hooray for candy.

What a handsome BOY! I love his new look, but I miss the babyness of the longer, wispy hair.

The rest of the week followed, and I'll add pictures soon: Tuesday we got to see Jessie and Wyatt (fun!) and Stephanie Sharp (so exciting!), Wednesday Ben turned one (oh my), and Saturday Kate turned five. How does time fly so quickly?

Things That Have Happened Since Last I Posted...

1. The fish died. I waited 4 days after I was sure he was dead, just to really be sure. Yup. He was dead.

2. My computer finally crashed. It had been threatening to crash for a while (HEY, that's just like the fish!), but I kept hoping it wouldn't. So I went out and bought a Mac. Yes, you heard me. I'm a Mac convert. No more blue screen of death for me...

3. The weather got lovely, then it got ugly again, then it got semi-lovely, but I hear it's going to get ugly again. Come ON. Utah Spring is a piece of work. I will say that running when it's in the 50's is wonderful, but for any other reason, 50 is just a lame temperature.

4. I decided that I would fight my going-to-bed-too-late battle by making myself wake up at 6:30 am EVERY SINGLE MORNING. The thought behind this (not an original thought. I found it on a blog. That makes it absolutely true.) is that I will eventually be so tired that I will start going to bed on time. Day 1: super productive. Day 2: kind of productive. Day 3: not so productive. Day 4: mostly zombie. Day 5: I start screaming at everything moving and decide that the experiment must end to save all of us. Notice the time stamp on this entry? Yup. I still haven't figured out going to bed at a decent hour.

5. Eric and Christina put an offer in on a house LESS THAN A QUARTER MILE AWAY! I know because I keep driving by. And running by. Oh my goodness, it's absolutely amazing. I can't wait. Will and Kate will be in kindergarten together! And eventually, so will Ben and Ez! Super remarkable.

So anyway, I'm back, and I'm sure that if I keep staying up late, I'm likely to post more often.

By the way, I think that tagging just means you answer the questions on your own blog and then tag someone else. I'm new to all this, myself.