Krystal's End of the Year Extravaganza

For the end of 1st grade, Krystal's class performed several mini-plays about different fairy tales or nursery rhymes.  Krystal was SO DANG excited about it and literally counted down the days until their performance.  She was a huge self-promoter calling everyone about her big day (unfortunately, it was in the middle of the day when everyone was at work) - but, she was ecstatic that her Daddy put it in his calendar and took that day off.  She practiced her lines non-stop and checked and double checked that we all had the time of her performance written down right on the calendar and that our camera battery was charged so we could record her for everyone to see.  :)

She was most excited to play Chicky Licky in the "Chicken Little" play.  Check out her happy smile when she saw that we had front row seats!

Just before this play started, she got all shy and nervous:

But, got up and did her parts in a loud, clear voice with no problems whatsoever!  I love how little she is compared to all the other kiddos (she doesn't love that so much  ;)).

Then she was in a rockin' (song edition) of "The 3 Little Pigs".  She was cute and giggly and sassy - and I just loved every single moment of it!

 

"Not by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin - will I ever let YOU in!"

 

 

Dancing away at the end -- and still smiling!

Cutest thing I've been to all year!  And we have almost every last minute of it recorded.  Our Krystal is just our little sunshine!

Rememberizing

One day, when Tyler arrived home from work, he came up to me and gave me a big kiss.  Krystal started giggling and announced, "Oh dear.  THEY are in the love zone!!"

Krystal shared with Tyler and I one serious evening:  "I am so happy that we are LDS, because we get to know all of the rules."  :)  Love my sweet rule-loving girl!

True to our childrens' personalities - I wanted to remember their particular reactions to this story:  One Sunday afternoon Tyler told the three of them that whoever could tell him what the speakers talked about in Sacrament Meeting that morning would earn a treat.  (Now, our children are usually quite reverent during Sacrament Meeting, but - Tyler wanted to make sure they were actually paying attention).  Well,  Aaron immediately started crying (because he had no idea what the speakers talked about -- and felt extremely guilty), Marissa had her hand up in the air YELLING, "Oh!!  Pick me!  I know!  Pick me!"  (haha - she totally knew!), and Krystal was begging us to give her hints and asking us how many guesses she got (that girl could charm the venom out of a snake with her sweet smile and convincing words).  Needless to say, Marissa earned the treat - Aaron pays very close attention now - and Krystal asks me about 1000 times during sacrament meeting:  "What are they talking about, Mom?"  Like - just tell me the title - or just 2 words that I can remember."  haha.  Love it.

Anywho - I just wanted to be able to always remember those moments.  They were good ones that warmed my heart!

Aaron's Fancy Fourth Grade Graduation

Aaron had a great 4th grade year - with straight A's yet again.  He loved his teacher this year and worked really hard.  At one of the first parent teacher conferences, his teacher pulled out an "Honors Requirement" contract that had a list of extra projects the 4th graders could do to receive an Honors Award.  I'm always a little leery about contracts, and I think I surprised the teacher when I wasn't willing to sign it right then.  I told her we would need to take it home and think about it.  Well, Aaron (of course) was 100% confident that he could do it and promised that he wouldn't complain when the going got tough (there were some really tough things on that list!)  I had to buck up personally to try to commit to help him with the bigger projects (reflections contest which = lots of paper work for me, science fair -- which = I. HATE! lol., book reports from FOUR DIFFERENT GENRES -- which I thought would be the hardest (and it was), and lots of memorizing -- which = more nagging from the Mom).  And after a week of really talking about it, we both signed that contract and turned it in.  Then he worked hard all year to complete each project.  I'm really proud of him -- and the book reports only produced a couple of hours of tears (haha!)  Only 5 people in his class finished that list ENTIRELY, and he was the only boy.  What. a. Stud.  :)!!

Grandma Pat, Grandpa Brent, and M joined us for his recognition night (they were proud of him too).  :)

The students had displayed some of their art work around the room, and Aaron was very proud of the two he chose to display.  Then, the kids that wanted to read a story or poem they had written - and Aaron did a great job on his.

 

Here he is receiving his honors award.  (Can you blame him for liking his teacher so much?  She is so dang cute! --- AND a sweet heart).

And his certificate of graduating the 4th Grade!  Way-ta-Go bud!  He is growing up so fast!

He also auditioned for the end-of-year school talent show and was selected to perform.  He played "Dark Horse" and knocked everyone's socks off (he's been playing that song for a year now - and can play it incredibly fast and perfect!  It's seriously awesome.)  We went into the office to check the kids out, and one of the secretaries said, "well -- if it isn't the concert pianist of the school himself!"  Aaron was so cute and took a nice, formal bow at the end of his piece.  He really looked like a professional up there.  The kids went wild with his performance.  Really - it was a proud moment.  He's such a good, friendly, likeable, amazing kid.  I'm so happy to have him as mine!

The end of May is crazy.  No wonder we look forward to Summer so much!  :)

Random May Happenings

The month of May is such a busy month -- but, there are so many things that give us a little taste of Summer -- and so, it is a month that we lOvE!

I love it when gramps randomly calls us and invites us over for a BBQ, or to roast marshmallows, or to hang out.  I. LOVE. IT!!  We always have a great time.  Krystal often times refers to their backyard as our "Hawaii Get Away".  haha.  She obviously loves it too (she DID write in a school report that her favorite place to go was Hawaii -- maybe Grandpa's backyard is what she was referring to.  ;))  Sometimes M lets the neighbor's dog out and Marissa gets to be in heaven for a little bit (here she is with Miss Molly).

So, baseball season started in May (and is still in full swing, mind you).  I have to admit - it has not been my most favorite year in baseball [they ARE in tournament now, and I feel like it's gotten a little better, though].  Aaron has played 3rd base and left field and seems to like it.  He does well with the little action that he gets.  He has yet to get a hit this year -- and we are hoping that he will be a little more bold with his swinging the bat so he can show off the awesome skills that he practices!  Speaking of getting a hit - he took a major one right in his shin!  (Not at a baseball game -- but, in our backyard practicing his skills with his father.  Yep!  The old man nailed him with a wild pitch.  Nice.)  I know the bump looks like his knee in this picture, but - it IS actually a huge lump on his shin.

Here it is a week later - it turned blue and matched his blue tongue perfectly.  Good grief ... and bless his heart!

 

A May day with the girls to make "Rolo" brownies.  YUM - O!!  (Is it just me - or does Krystal's hair look extra yellow in this picture?  Maybe because she's surrounded by three dark haired girls?  Weird.)

And, finally -- Marissa turned 15!!  (Now, I know that's not random or anything -- but, this is the only picture I got of her birthday celebrations - so, it gets put in with this "Random Happenings" post.  It is what it is, people!)  This picture was taken at Grandma Jenson's house.  We brought cookies for her "birthday cake" - and here she is blowing out her candle.  :)  Her birthday was suppose to be a little more low key this year, because she wanted to combine her birthday and Christmas together and get an ipod touch.  Somehow - she talked us into it, so I hope we don't regret that decision.  ;)

She got some fun clothes and things from her aunts and uncles, a beautiful bracelet from her gma and gpa Jenson that she loves, some moccasins from gma Pat and gpa Brent that she has been begging for for months, and .... wait for it ... TICKETS TO THE ONE DIRECTION CONCERT (next year ... yeah, you read that right ... an entire year from now) from her Auntie M.  She nearly keeled over.  :)  She kept telling me that she was so happy she thought she was going to cry.  I'm really excited for her!!

So ... her birthday wasn't too shabby at all (to say the least).

So - there are some more tidbits of our life throughout May 2012.

Race for Red 2012

My mom and dad are awesome. Period. 

 They got us all involved in the Race for Red 5K this year -- mine and Marissa's first! It was really a cool thing to do all together - and I couldn't stop taking pictures, of course. :)

Here we are at the finish line ... before the race has started.  I just loved the flag and all the balloons!

Getting some last minute stretching in:

Waiting for the "Go" signal. 

Aaron hand picked his running buddy --- the Gma!

It was really crowded right at the start ... and Marissa started feeling a little anxious -- so, we hooked arms for the first bit so we couldn't get separated.  And then we were off!

The father was cracking up at me trying to get a picture of him setting off ... while I was setting off myself ... and while I was still hooked to Marissee.  haha!

Here are me and Miss at the 1 mile mark!!!!  We're lookin' pretty darn good if I do say so myself  (the guy behind us looks beat, don'tcha think?  We are awesome.  haha!)  Probably the fastest mile I've ever run in my life -- because Marissa pushed me so hard.  The whole 5K we pretty much argued the whole time about whether we should be walking or running.  I was arguing for the walking side -- that's a no brainer!  Marissa kept setting us goals for how far we would run - and then I would try to get her to walk as long as she would.  IT WAS HARD!!!!  She's pretty motivating - and she never left my side.

I tried to use the "let me get a picture" excuse at the 2-mile mark to rest up for a bit, but Marissa gulped down her water and said, "C'mon - we have to run until we get to that tree!"  And, just for the record -- "that tree" was a super long far way away!  But, I did it.  Marissa sprinted the last stretch and came in about a minute before me.  I was very happy to be done -- and very proud of both of us!

Aaron crossed the finish line with a big huge smile on his face ... and the parentals weren't too far behind him.  I love that Marissa is standing there clapping and cheering for them (on the right).  :)

Whew!  ... and WOOOOOOOOH!!!  We did it!

Good thing it started early - 'cuz it got pretty warm by 9am!  Here we are in all our glory:

(L-->R:  Aaron, Gma, Miss, Me, Gramps)

We did quite a bit of waiting at the end (because we were all so speedy, of course!  ;))

Thanks to my running buddy, Marissa -- and her incredible motivating (ahem ... arguing) skills --- I took 3rd place in my age group!!  Woot!  Woot!  Proud moment right there, folks!  Sorry Miss Dee, for slowing YOU down!  She and Aaron have decided to run together next year so they can earn some ribbons.  My time will probably double without Marissa by my side.  Great.  ;)

The studly parentals placed 2nd and 3rd in their age groups.  Way-ta-go Seniors!!  :D!  jk -- they know that they totally rock.  And Marissa won a Subway card in the drawing, so she was way stoked.

Gramps took us to McDonalds for breakfast after the race -- and, I could have sworn that I got a picture, but I can't find it anywhere.  So, we'll just have to remember!  What a great memory we created together.  I hope we do it every year!  And maybe Krystal will join us next year -- and then Tyler can too.  And, maybe I won't be sore for a whole week after the race either.  haha!   Good times.  Good times.  Thanks Mom and Dad!!

Krystal - Star Student Special

For the last couple months of school, Krystal's first grade teacher sent home a "Star Student" challenge sheet with about 20 suggestions of extra credit the first graders could complete to be part of a Star Student party (they each had to complete 10 of the suggested projects to get the star student recognition). Well. Krystal was NOT okay doing only 10 of the projects - and pestered me and pestered me until all 20 items on that list were finished. In hindsight, I really wish I would have kept that list (with all of Krystal's smiley faces drawn by the finished projects), because: 1 - it was a tremendous amount of work, and 2 - I don't remember hardly any of the suggestions [she memorized poems, wrote poems, completed a 5 page report, put on a puppet show, etc. etc. etc]. I am just here to say - Krystal was a crazy woman with that list - and really went all out. Several projects needed parental help -- and, this science project was one of them.  Anywho - here she is - after much begging and pleading for my help - another check mark on her list. :)

Oh. And just in case you weren't sure -- she TOTALLY earned "Star Student" status. Got a certificate and everything. I'm sure I have a picture of it somewhere. *sigh* This being so behind on blogging thing really stinks ... I don't remember details, I don't know where important papers/photos are ... ;)

The Great Outdoors

I am so far behind in blogging.  It really bugs me.  I need to catch up.  I think this is the last post for the month of April  --  or possibly one of the first posts for the month of May.  Our Bishop challenged us to spend an entire evening together for Family Home Evenings (rather than just a lesson) - so, we have really tried to take that to heart.  We really are an "on the go" family sometimes, I feel like.  Our kids are old enough that they are invited to friends for entire evenings -- we have sports in the evenings -- Tyler works most evenings -- I do things in the evenings ... all separate from each other.  I never imagined what a challenge it would be to spend ENTIRE evenings together (it sounded simple enough - but, it's truly easier said than done!)  That being said -- we have drastically improved (it is June right now) since April.  But, this post is of one of our first "Full Length" FHE's.  

(I don't usually take pictures of our FHE lessons - but, tonight WAS our first full lengther - and the kids got a kick out of posing with these "arrow temptations" that they could TOTALLY dodge ... and send flying away ... and scatter everywhere -- you get the idea).  Anywho - presenting the story of Samuel the Lamanite and how we can avoid temptation in our own lives ... no arrows can hit us!!

 

After dinner and a lesson - we headed outside for a family walk/bike/roller blade outing:

 We stopped under the bridge to get outta the sun a bit and throw rocks into the river:

 

 Here is Krystal asking if she can PRETTY PLEASE bring just ONE more rock home for her collection?  :)  Aaaaaaaaaand ... who is THAT handsome devil, you ask?  All mine I say!  ;)

 

 

Tyler bragged about his awesome rock skipping skills - and kept offering the kids all kinds of extravagant prizes if he could skip it so many times.  Well ... this picture is of his "Quadruple or Nothing'" offer when he finally got the rock to skip across the river.  The kids really didn't get a choice to accept or decline each double or nothin'/triple or nothin'/quadruple or nothin' offer - so, they got nothin'.  haha.  We had fun.

 

 Aaron and his buddies built this club house along the trail out of broken branches.  My jaw seriously dropped to the floor when I saw this!  It's like a humongous beaver dam and pretty darn big inside!  These boys are quite gung ho, I tell ya.  Coolness flowing over!  

He was really excited to show us.  I'm glad we had this evening together.  It really makes us a happier family.