100 Million End of School Events

I do not think our old elementary had so many activities all crammed into the month of May! 

Or perhaps they did. 

And I just didn't go because ... too many babies. 

I know I did cart toddlers and babies to many things. (I remember ... because it was always so darned tricky.) 

And it's also true there were many things I did not go to simply because it would have caused too much disruption. 

But I do not recall there being something I was invited to ... multiple times a week the last month of school! 

In any case, I present you with a billion events from the last of school. 

(I forgot to take pictures of Summer and Mette's spring recital. And we are missing the Civil War Reenactment. [It got cancelled due to rain. Which was a great sorrow to Mette as she was the one who was going to get to recite The Gettysburg Address.] And even with everything pictured below, I still missed going to some things. [I did not volunteer to help at Field Day for example.])

Summer's fieldtrip to the Loveland Aquarium. I didn't actually attend this. Some of her friends' parents just texted me pictures.

For Mette's final SEM event (I can never recall what SEM stands for) they did a debate tournament against other schools. She was paired with her good friend Annabelle. It was fun to watch (as I'd never actually attended a debate event in my life believe it or not). 

All the SEM kids from her school.

Her two best friends.

Hans had the third-grade science fair. I love that they do it in third rather than in sixth at this elementary. The expectations were just much higher and far more demanding when I did it with my older five kids as sixth graders.

Mette received one of the Great American Awards. (I wrote about this in the fall. The fifth graders had the entire year to memorize all sorts of things--The Gettysburg Address, the Preamble, all the presidents, the state capitals, etc. to earn this award. There were about 10 things. And Mette earned it within about two months.)

Also, the 40-book challenge award where they had to read all sorts of genres. (Mette loves a good challenge.)

Summer and her friend Mary Jane at the World Fair.

This dear "All About Me" page from Starling. I love "reselling" (wrestling) and "free" years old.

Summer's orchestra concert with all the other schools.

We spotted her! In purple with a blonde bun.

Daisy had a little over a month between graduating and starting her official job, so she was around to support her siblings at many of these things. 

The Wellsville Mile. It's such a fun event. I talked to one woman there who had seen her children all run it and was now watching her grandchildren run it. 

At the end-of-year assembly when Mette got the award for the most AR reading points in the whole school. (Hans in a Harry Potter scarf. The third grade breaks into Harry Potter houses the last several weeks of school for science experiments, quidditch tournaments, etc.)

6th grade is moving up to the middle school next year. I love elementary school and feel sad Mette won't get another year there. On the other hand, she and Summer will get to start middle school together now. 

We came on the last day to "clap out" the graduating 5th and 6th graders. It was cute. Everyone lining the halls to give them high-fives and clap and cheer as they all paraded past us and out the doors.

Two little girls all ready for middle school? (Ridiculous.)

All four of my elementary kids on the last day.

Some of the clap out. (I was filming. And Summer went by so quickly I didn't have time to grab a still picture!)

Whew! And that was a lot of events. We are ready for summer and a slower pace for a while!

Starling Home From School

"Mom," Starling said--as she leaned over the cardboard box she was fashioning into a house:

 "Everybody at school loved my dress."

"Oh good," I responded. "That makes me so happy!"

"It makes me so happy too," she said.

We bought her that little cheetah dress for $5 at Wal-Mart yesterday--mostly because I saw it and knew she would wear it. And that girl has very few things she will willingly wear. She has tried to be a little more open-minded about various outfits with the start of the kindergarten, but she was nearly reduced to tears when I pulled out several absolutely darling articles of clothing from an old box of Summer and Mette's the other day and suggested she choose one for school. (It's bad enough that she's had to allow for her hair actually being done most days now.) So, I'm thrilled everyone loved her cheetah-print dress. (Actually, I think only one person told her they liked her dress. Bless that single soul. She knew it must mean everyone did. [Of course they did. Look at her.])

There are over 60 kids in kindergarten at Starling's school this year, and she is one of only about six kindergartner's who opted out of the full day option. I was a little surprised by that. But I'm truly grateful that I am lucky enough to be able to stay at home so that I get to go pick her up at noon each day and bring her back home with me. If she were a more demanding child perhaps I'd feel differently :), but she's truly just an absolutely pleasant and delightful little soul to have about.

Today after school she showed me a little booklet she made at school about her family (she'd drawn all ten kids); then she sat next to me (while I ate watermelon and bacon) and ate the little lunch she insists on packing in the morning and bringing to school (even though she just has to bring it back home); she created a little house out of cardboard and paper (you saw the beginnings above, but by the end it even had "Christmas lights"); painted her nails (as she is quite fond of doing and does shockingly well); jumped on the trampoline; came and practiced counting, writing and sounding out a few simple words with me; and talked Anders (who gets home earlier than the elementary kids) into making her hot cocoa.

This will be a happy little year for the two of us I think.

A Little Bit of Hansie

Hansie is the dearest boy. He says and does the best things. Look at him here--diligently reading the tiny Book of Mormon Mike gave him during sacrament meeting:

The other day he told me that drawing was one of the things he liked to do during his "leisure time". Leisure time? Haha. I love him:

He also said this recently: "The main reason I'm the tallest person in my class is because I don't drink Mountain Dew. Because every time you drink caffeine you get a little smaller."

And, after Mike helped Daisy get her new (very old) car running and Jesse said, "Daisy, now you have to baptize your car!" (referring to driving it at over 100 mph--which I do not allow), Hans matter-of-factly stated, "But first you have to seal it to the family." (Looks like we might be stuck with that Buick ... forever.)

Also, when we were discussing how we will need to get the neighbor who runs cows on the farm to relocate them so we can tear the fence out, Hans said, "We should just be able to keep Rod Curtis's cows. We deserve them anyway!" I'm not exactly sure how we deserve them, but he's probably right. 

Anyway, I just really like that kid so much. He's a small delight. And that is all.

Gingerbread Men, Scripture in Me and My Kids, Etc.

"Mom," Summer asked me, as we were driving somewhere the other day, "if you were older, but like not too old, and all your kids were grown, could you adopt a kid so you wouldn't be lonely?"

"Yah, I think you could," I responded.

Then I heard her muse to herself, "So you could just do that instead of make a gingerbread man."

"Who would just run away and get eaten by a fox," I added to her musings. :)

(Though I certainly wouldn't mind having a couple of tasty gingerbread folk along with these later-in-life babies of mine!)

I often pray that the things I teach my children will be in them. (I am no longer referring to gingerbread men who "run run" as fast as they can. :)) I don't care if they recall where the knowledge came from, I simply hope that somehow those things will be there--to grow and expand with the experiences they have, and to be called upon by the Spirit and woven together with scripture and other truths they learn and are taught by others.

Not often, but every once in a while, when I'm reading a mission letter or listening to a testimony or comment from one of my kids, I'll hear it: I'll catch a glimpse of my own testimony and assurances spoken in their own language and with their own understanding.

It comforts me that maybe God really is magnifying my stumbling and small efforts. And it brings to mind these hopeful words from Isaiah:

"My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in my mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever."

And it makes me wonder how many of the truths that have become my very own ... have roots back in the things my parents taught and exemplified, and their parents before them, and their parents before them. ...

A woman spoke in our ward on Sunday. She spoke about the scriptures and of something her mother used to say to her that became "scripture" to her. As she talked, I recalled these words of promise to the early elders of the church as they headed out to teach:

"[T]hey shall speak as moved upon by the Holy Ghost. And whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation."

I think Elder Teh summed up well what I feel and hope about all of this (scripture becoming our own and passing that to our children in how we speak so it becomes their own) when he said:

"[A]s we are increasingly coming to know the Savior, scriptural passages and the words of the prophets become so intimately meaningful to us that they become our own words. It is not about copying the words, feelings, and experiences of others as much as it is coming to know for ourselves, in our own unique way, by experimenting upon the word and receiving a witness from the Holy Ghost."

But! Back to the less serious. ...

Here is a birthday sign for Anders (from Abe) that I forgot to add to Anders' birthday post. 

And here Anders is with a nerf "gun" from a friend at school. We didn't even have a friend party. His friend just heard it was Anders' birthday and brought him a gift the next day. (And another friend brought him a giant cookie!) I am so so grateful for every kind kid and every person who has stepped out of their own comfort zone to make my kids feel comfortable and welcome here!

And, the electric fence is off for the next few months! Our landlord rented the field behind us to a woman who kept two horses (different from the herd of horses that were kept for some time in the field just beyond that), but she moves them during the winter months, and they've been gone for several weeks now. 

So, when our landlord (Chris) stopped by to winterize something the other day. I asked, "Hey, I've been meaning to ask you, do you still want that electric fence kept on now that the horses are gone? Or am I ok unplugging it?"

He gave me a slightly pained smile and replied, "Yah. You can unplug that. I thought it was already off actually ... and just found out the hard way that it wasn't." 

Hahaha. Poor fellow.

Anyway, with the fearsome fence off, my kids have been venturing much further afield:

(Much further. Anders and Hans told me their stuffed animals were exploring outer space when I asked what they were up to out there.)

Meanwhile:

Also, we almost missed (mist? haha hoho) the bus this morning. Usually the fog has faded by the time we walk to the bus stop, but not today!

We usually see the bus lights a full mile away, but we had no warning it was close at all until we suddenly saw it materialize through the mist--with us still a ways from it! (I should add: their pants. It was in fact pajama day.)

And we will end with this small hodgepodge:

Painted rocks.

At the farm to feed the geese. (Eek! That reminds me I need to get over there to get them fed again!)

A Christmas tree at the park. In October. (Who? Why?)

A lovely, artistic photo :) one of the kids took of my nightstand (after they'd knocked down the hummingbird Daisy needle-felted me).

Little friend ready to go in the stroller. (It's going to be tricky to get her to switch to wearing pants with winter approaching. She currently wears this dress, her pink dress, and, surprisingly, a red dress.)

The End.