My First Violin Recital

Well I survived it. This sure is a humbling experience. That I'm growing from. :)
My hands were shaking so bad! When I play the piano I can hide that. The posture of playing the violin doesn't allow you to hide anything! AAHHHH! The whole time I was trying to get my hand under control, "stop shaking, stop shaking, enjoy this song dang it!" When I listened to video clip (thanks for taping Tiffany!) it didn't sound as bad as I thought while I was playing. Chalk it up to experience.

Graduate

My Austin is now a first grader. Today he graduated from Kindergarten. I was surprised how emotional the day made me. Well I've just decided that I'm a sap and an emotional lost cause. It's hard to have something so good come to an end. To say good-bye and close this chapter on his life. To admit to the reality that he is growing up.

It was a fabulous year. Austin has grown and matured and learned a lot in so many areas. I couldn't have asked or even imagined a better year for him. What a perfect start to his education career (and also my start as a school mom.)

Austin I'm so proud of you! Keep up the success, you are destined for greatness!

Final Days of School

Tuesday: Swimming Field Trip



Wednesday: Sticker Day (also known as Field Day in other schools.) Mrs. Wagner's class also finished experimenting (playing with bubbles.









Wednesday has been my volunteer day all year and so the class had a surprise for me. They had all made cards for me, plus a present (one to say thanks and one for my birthday.) It was such a nice surprise! Volunteering was my key to surviving kindergarten. Without that link to Austin's new world as a student I would have been SO lost and probably still depressed. It was my treat, my coping tool, my inside track. I hope that Austin's (and my other kids) teachers will let me continue to volunteer for many, many years.

Thursday: Last Day of School!

It's official, School's Out for SUMMER!!! I suddenly have a new passion for summer!

Heart Happy Moments

I love those moments when you just stop and look around and sigh knowing you've been blessed with such a good life! Saturday was full of those moments.

I took Austin and Emma Lynn for a mommy date in Nampa to a pottery studio. We each picked out an item to paint and then they fire it up and up a glaze on etc...Austin and I picked out something for Mrs. Wagner (end of the year Thank You) and Emma Lynn a teddy bear bank. It was a blank canvas and we could do WHATEVER we chose. Austin and I did a dinosaur theme (so fitting for his obsession) vase and plate to hold pencils, pens, candy :), whatever! The vase has 2 dinosaurs and says Mrs. Wagner, the plate 1 and says "You are dinomite heart Austin." They are original pieces that's for sure!

Emma Lynn did many colors and had a great time. She knew exactly what she wanted to do and got right to work. Austin finished and was done and ready to go but Emma Lynn worked consistently and enjoyed it. She already has picked out what she wants to do next time. :)

They will be ready to pick up Wednesday night. I'm excited to see how the finished product looks! Great mommy date doing something we've never done before, working together to be creative and create something. Good times.



We also started a rental contract on a 1/4 violin for the kids this week. I started working with them Saturday. It literally warmed my heart to see my kids bowing. ahhhh. Hopefully they'll continue to feel the same way!



We also spent some time playing catch and hitting the ball (in prep for the up-coming t-ball season). I was impress how many Spencer could hit. Austin is gaining confidence. And most importantly we were having FUN together.

I just kept stopping and watching my kids...this is such a good life. I am a blessed woman.

Baby Bumps = Baby Black & Blue

It's amazing how when Ruth decided to walk, she walked. It didn't take long, she had the steps for success she just needed her desire to match it (exactly like Spencer and potty training.) So just like I knew it would happen, she has grown up over night just by tottering around this joint. Tottering really is the best way to describe her walk. Chunky little legs with wide steps back and forth. It's adorable! Naturally she has taken her fair share of tumbles. Yesterday while she was sitting on my lap she fell forward and hit her face on the desk. The result is a small back eye. I couldn't get a good picture of it but somehow she still manages to be adorable.

A few things I love about Ruth right now:

~As she totters around she'll look over at you and put her head on her shoulders and cheese out. The head on the shoulder smile is always a heart breaker!

~ She adores her siblings. She will look up to them with big eyes and watch what they are doing. She loves to be included in their games, and laugh with them.

~ You can regularly find her with a color pencil (or any writing utensil for that matter)and coloring book or piece of paper coloring. She has watched her older sister color every day and she knows just what to do. She size and focus makes the whole thing quite precious. My favorite is when the girls color together.

Like I always say, "I love the stage they are in right now." She's so much fun!

Toilet Triumph

For the past few weeks we have been praying for something extra besides the "regulars" (our missionary and soon-to-be-missionary.) That would be Spencer and that he would go potty in the toilet. My mother taught me to pray for everything! In turn I think my kids are getting the same message. Emma had to say the prayer in her Primary class on Sunday and she prayed that "Spencer will go potty in the toilet." I LOVE IT!

Spencer's lack of desire to try and my lack of time to devote to the project made it difficult to be consistant in our efforts. My goal was to recommit as soon as preschool was done. That was this week...

All my other methods were not working, I knew I needed to try something new. Sunday night Kurt and I were talking about it (again) he suggested letting him run around naked in the back yard. I was willing to try anything. So Monday morning that's what we did (btw he did have a shirt on!) I gave him lots to drink and let him mark his territory all over the back yard. He was essentially just figuring out what his body was doing. After lunch he came inside and we put on underwear and the rest has been fabulous! I'm so proud of him, he's so stinkin cute beaming with big boy pride! Way to go Super Spence! And I love the power of prayer.

Since I'm on the subject of Spencer...2 great things he said last week...

~ In the middle of scripture study he pointed to Kurt and said, "Remember, fire is a miracle."

~ During lunch, "We should have named Ruth Cock-a-Doodle-Doo Romans." (said with perfect animal sound effects.)

Preschool

As of last night my first year teaching preschool is officially over. What a journey this has been. What a FUN journey. I thoroughly enjoyed planning, preparing, teaching, playing and loving the 24 amazing kids in my Caterpillar and Lady Bug classes. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to work with these great kids. We have a lot of memories that I'll cherish. And not only that I feel like as students and teacher we both grew a lot. Thank you for blooming with me!

Of course I cannot let the opportunity pass to thank Kurt who has been completely and utterly amazing. He has been 100% loving and supportive the entire year. I know that I couldn't have done it without him. As ALWAYS you are my rock! Thank you for helping me achieve my goals, see myself in better eyes and dream bigger. I LOVE YOU!

Tuesday night we had the Caterpillar graduation. The weather was miserable. I should have moved the location (we were having a potluck BBQ on my lawn.) I rented a bounce house which was SO MUCH FUN (and completely worth every cent!!!) The kids were happy and distracted from the wind but the parents not as much. Kurt keeps telling me not to worry about it because it was for the kids anyway! After everyone left we played in the bounce house it until we got to cold to jump.


The Caterpillar Class

The Lady Bug class had their graduation on Thursday night. The weather was so much better thus the whole evening was better.


The Lady Bug class

I was not anxious or excited for the school year to end. But it felt like time. I'll take that as a good indication that it was a successful year. I do feel happy and that I was successful. It's a nice feeling. I'm really going to miss the kids going to kindergarten! I'm grateful its a small community and I'll get to see all of them again and again. Plus a hand full of them are coming back next year so that will ease the pain.

So the question I'm asked, "What are you going to do with all your free time now that preschool is done?" In my head I list all the things I still have to do...but yes, I will have some more time...I think scrapbooking is at the top of the list. That and CONSTANT playing with the kids ALL summer long. I'm ready!


Enjoying the bounce house slide - so cool!


Mother and Daughter - we did it!