Instead of putting yet another photo of the FBLA team as the 2013 State Champions riding down main Street on the fire truck, I came across this picture that shows their excitement much more vividly.
Katrina was chosen to be the FBLA President next year. She will also serve as the GYC President. Oh, and one more thing, she was accepted into a week long business camp this summer at USU. Yeah, she's smart like that.
Matt and I and Katrina were invited to "An Evening of Excellence" at WHS where we were served dinner and academic awards were handed out. This was our first time attending one of these banquets. Katrina was mortified that she wore pants and had to go up to accept an award. The funny thing is that Katrina wears dresses all the time. She is just more comfortable in a skirt than pants. Then the one day she wears pants, boom - she has to go in front of a crowd. But the brownie was good.
This was the last year Wasatch High School was a 3A school. Next year they bump up to 4A with the big dogs.
Matt and I and Katrina were invited to "An Evening of Excellence" at WHS where we were served dinner and academic awards were handed out. This was our first time attending one of these banquets. Katrina was mortified that she wore pants and had to go up to accept an award. The funny thing is that Katrina wears dresses all the time. She is just more comfortable in a skirt than pants. Then the one day she wears pants, boom - she has to go in front of a crowd. But the brownie was good.
This was the last year Wasatch High School was a 3A school. Next year they bump up to 4A with the big dogs.
Katrina awaited anxiously her AP test scores. They came in the mail and she breathed a sigh of relief that she passed. I asked, "You weren't worried that you wouldn't pass were you?" She conceded. "No, I knew I'd pass." At this rate this girl will graduate with her Associates! Don't let her disturbed sense of humor fool you...
Katrina got a job at Kholer Cheese Farm in Midway. It is a farm that produces raw dairy products. She doesn't milk the cows or anything. She spends her days scooping ice cream, making sandwiches, and re-stocking shelves. When she told Matt about her new job he immediately thought that she said she got a job in Midvale at the Cheesecake Factory. We were so confused at his questions, "Wow! How did you get a job there! That is a loooong way to drive!" Her first day was on Memorial Day. Let's just say she scooped a lot of ice-cream.
She is still also nannying at the Gordon's. Money money money.
Make that Mooooney Mooooney Mooooney;)
Hello to you as well Miss President!
Mallerie ran her little heart out to be a Sophomore Class Representative next year, "It's not a joke, vote for Boc!" I guess to clarify that though she IS joking 99% of the time she was serious about running. She won! She is super excited about it. She is one of two representatives. Both are president.
The student council and class reps were sworn in during a candlelight ceremony which I thought started at 7 pm. When Mallerie asked for a ride to the school at 6 pm I figured she had to be there early to rehearse or something. However on the way to the High School, she stated, "It starts right now." I called Matt who was on his way home to collect the other kids and come to the HS. I then ran home to change. I should have just stayed grodie like I was, but figured if I hurried I'd have enough time. I didn't. Mallerie had already been sworn in by the time I got there so I only got to see her stand and hold her candle.
I was really kicking myself on the way home. Why do I get the wrong time for things stuck in my head? I looked at the calendar when I got home and saw why. Mallerie had written in 7 pm. When I showed her she shrugged it off, "It's no big deal." Well it it was a big deal to me and I am sad that I missed it. She will go to a retreat in Idaho during the summer with these fine folks and get all the training and bonding time she needs.
In other running news.. Mallerie ran spring track. She didn't love it like she loved fall Cross Country but liked it okay. One of the downfalls was the length of the track meets that went on ALL day. Matt and I volunteered for one and it was freezing and long. I don't know if the free tee shirt they gave us made up for it since it wasn't as cool as Mallerie's tee:
Thankfully her running shoes have held up better than her every day shoes:
We've had some shoe issues as of late:
When it comes to running Mallerie and Katrina could not be more different. Katrina came home from school one day with a beat red face. I asked her how her day was. She said, "It was the worst day of my life." I asked why. She said, "I had to run the mile in PE."
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| Who's taller? |
Mallerie was so excited to take beginning photography this year.
On the first day the teacher warned that photography would be the most difficult class they would take. This caused some kids to drop out immediately but Mallerie figured, "How hard can it be?" Well, I didn't see that hard part but I did see that it was a TON of work. I guess the test was where it got hard. Because of the tricky final exam Mallerie ended up with a C. This was unacceptable to her because she had truly tried her best. She brought in a case of Dr. Pepper after school to her teacher (he has let it slip more than once that this is his favorite drink). She put a can on his desk and asked if he could raise her grade. Little by little, and can by can, she was in fact able to raise her grade to and A. True story.
At WHS there is a "Cool to Care" program where the kids earn tickets all year when they are caught caring. The grand prize at the end of the year is a CAR for whoever's name gets drawn from the tickets. Other prizes are also given away, like a laptop. This year they gave away a longboard.
Mallerie has really wanted one but with a price tag of over $200 it isn't something I would buy for her even on her birthday. She did as Matt has taught her and crumpled up her ticket for the drawing. She saw them pull it out and before they even read her name she was making her way down the auditorium isle to claim her prize. Her friend Morgan went with her to exchange the longboard for a female version and ended up buying one herself. Mallerie seems to have all the luck!
And Hello to you too Miss President!
Ava was voted in as Class president in her fifth grade class! Also in fifth grade the students are given netbooks to do all of their assignments on. Gone are the days of doing your state report on a trifold poster. Instead, Ava put together a fabulous powerpoint presentation on her travels in beautiful South Dakota.
Broken Bank...I mean Arm
I was sicker than a dog back in March when the mom of where Graham was having a play date brought him home in pain from getting pushed off the trampoline.
I wrapped it in an ace bandage and gave him some Motrin. I had an appointment at the Dr. but it was for me. I was sure I was on death's door. After chest x-ray's I was told I just had a nasty flu bug. It was horrible and wiped me out for a couple of weeks. Even after the fever subsided I was left with bothersome fever blisters. Oh wait, why am I going on complaining when I have this face to look at:
Matt took Graham to the Dr. and got the diagnosis that his wrist was broken in two places. Graham thought the cast was cool enough but it itched like a bugger.
Ava must have felt jealous of the attention Graham was getting because only six weeks later while at the Geertsen's celebrating Eli's baptism she was also spewed off the trampoline and broke her arm!
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| A broken arm on roller blades...I give up! Her broken arm got Ava out of playing in her year-end band concert because she couldn't separate her fingers to plunk out the notes on the flute. Even this worked out okay since G-Ma Donna visited for Mother's Day weekend and we could spend more time with her. |
It was at Graham's last follow up x-ray that I pointed to Ava and said, "Now she needs a cast." I am a regular face in that office. The receptionist noted that Graham and me have the same eyes. The only difference I can see is that mine now have crows feet and laugh lines. So when the receptionist said this I said, "He has my young eyes." A few days later Graham told Matt, "I have mom's young eyes."
A more delightful person you will not meet.
My last view of dropping Ava off in the morning for 5th grade at Timponogos Intermediate. Next year Grayson and Ava will be at the same school together.
One of the things I missed while I was home sicker than a dog was Grayson's pine wood derby. I really wanted to see it and support him but could not get out of bed! I won't lie that it was so relaxing to just watch TV in a quiet house. Matt brought home a bowl of chili from the derby and I scarfed it down, well, like a dog!
JR Smith: THIS IS THE PLACE
My favorite of the JR Smith programs is the 4th grade UTAH history program. I went three times. The second time we went I realized Callie must have thought we were seeing a new performance because she said, "Hey, this song was in the other one!" There is also a number where some boys come out dressed as girls in wigs and tu-tu skirts and do the can-can dance. It's a big hit with the audience but I myself don't find humor in cross-dressing. I just don't think it's funny. If Grayson had been asked to be in that dance I know he would have had no part of it....nor would Matt. Anyway, by the smiles on their faces, the boys that were chosen to be in the dance seemed thrilled with it. As Callie watched closely she noted, "Some of those are boys!" Some???
My favorite of the JR Smith programs is the 4th grade UTAH history program. I went three times. The second time we went I realized Callie must have thought we were seeing a new performance because she said, "Hey, this song was in the other one!" There is also a number where some boys come out dressed as girls in wigs and tu-tu skirts and do the can-can dance. It's a big hit with the audience but I myself don't find humor in cross-dressing. I just don't think it's funny. If Grayson had been asked to be in that dance I know he would have had no part of it....nor would Matt. Anyway, by the smiles on their faces, the boys that were chosen to be in the dance seemed thrilled with it. As Callie watched closely she noted, "Some of those are boys!" Some???
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| Grayson was a rail road worker and danced a square dance: the patty-cake polka. |
Matt was in Oregon the day of the performances. With the convenience of modern technology I could record Grayson on my phone and send it to Matt immediately. Still, it wasn't the same as him being there in person. Miraculously Matt got to the school during the evening performance. I didn't ask what speed he had to hit driving up Parley's, we were just glad to see him!
Grayson isn't one to show a lot of emotion when he sings, or mouths, or whatever he is doing. Katrina wondered, "Does he not like this program?" I answered, "No he said he loves it!" I wonder if he watches the tape back if he'll be so sure.
Grayson and Ms Hall. She only lives one street over so he still gets to see her out on her morning jog.
In the hall there are pictures of the classes showing what the students want to be when they grow up. Time will tell...
One starts out at JR while the other says goodbye:
We were doubly blessed to have Mrs. Willey as Graham's Kindergarten teacher and also Mallerie's Cross Country Coach. Graham came home from Kindergarten one day to see that we had not cleaned up the mess from breakfast and had added a bigger mess to it, "Boy, you guys really trashed up the place!" he said to me and Callie. Next year he'll be gone full day, it'll give me a chance to get the house in order before he comes home.
Next year Graham will be starting in the dual emersion program where half the day he will be taught in Spanish. Matt and I were unsure about the program so we went to the parent meeting. The success stories are pretty convincing. We talked more about it and decided to at least turn in the application. If he got in then it must be meant to be, if not then it wasn't. Graham got into the program so it must be meant to be! I also think it is important for him to learn that he can do hard things, that even though something is new and unknown you press forward. I hope to see growth and confidence.
The Kindergarteners got out a day early.
I went back the next day to see Gray make his final walk out of the school.
Last view of Grayson (sort of) walking out of JR Smith Elementary as he graduated 4th grade. It is a tearful time for me as a mom but I do pretty good at keeping my emotions in check....it's called SUNGLASSES.
For the second year running they let the graduating class release balloons to symbolize their moving on. I thought it fitting that Grayson stood by his longtime pal since Kindergarten, Dillon. Look, they even both have glasses now.
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