toothless

Fruit Loops + One Very Loose Tooth = Hope of the Tooth Fairy

camping

4 boys camping

16 jugs bobbing overnight

1 fish hooked

Zoo

The sister missionaries needed a ride to Springfield, so we decided to take advantage of the trip and stop in at the zoo.  Our favorites were the extremely loud peacocks, 

the giraffe with a four foot long tongue, and wild monkeys, both wild and domestic.

awards

It is always nice to feel special.  And, after school awards were given out, the kids came home feeling very special.  There was recognition for the 100 mile club, math contests, spelling bees, honor roll, reading circle, art projects, band, choir, conference championship medals, basketball, baseball, and the citizenship award.  It was a difficult year for many reasons, but amazing all the same. Congrats to Zach, Mag, and Casey for doing their best and being awarded for all of their hard work.

katie's quiz

katie's 2013 end of the school year quiz

Favorite color:  turquoise
Favorite food:  all things that can't be found for miles
Favorite number: 7
Favorite Candy:  conversation hearts
Favorite movie: Mary Poppins
Favorite TV show:  not so sure
Favorite thing to do with dad:  go out to eat, sit on the couch and visit
Favorite thing to do with sam:  watch sports, sing the seminary song to him
Favorite thing to do with zach:  go swimming because i still can school him
Favorite thing to do with Maggie:  cook and craft and run errands
Favorite thing to do with Casey:  listen to his enormously long stories
Favorite thing to do with Jill:  watch her draw and figure out how to spell words
Favorite thing to do with Anna:  pinch her chubs and watch her do cartwheels
Favorite sport to watch: college football
Favorite sport to play: running but not right now, ouch
Favorite song:   girl on fire. ask the kids
Favorite Primary song:  I know Heavenly Father Loves Me
Animal:  none right now.  too much work
Favorite ice cream flavor:  Baskin Robbins mint chocolate chip
Favorite Restaurant:  see favorite foods above
Favorite Scripture Story:  the whole book of mormon
What are you good at doing?  being impatient and whining
What do you like about yoursef? that i can fall asleep as soon as my head touches the pillow
What makes you happy? my family
What are you afraid of? having to make hard decisions
What new thing would you like to learn this year?  there is too much to learn 
What would you do with $100? buy bakery treats and deliver them to my favorite people
What do you like to do for other people?  make them treats
If you could go anywhere where would you go?  London or Paris
What do you like about being a mom?  that I get to see tiny increments of growth in each of the kids and that I get to share love with the people I care about most and they keep me busy
What do you wish was different at home?  that there were no eruptions
What is your favorite thing to do in Arizona?  see favorite foods above
What is your favorite thing to do in Missouri?  mow the lawn.
What do you want to do in ten years?  be less impatient
What do you want to be when you grow up? a mom and a missionary

field day

For the last day of school, the kids had a fun field day - water games, relays, crazy stomping in the gym, and snow cones.  The best part was it was also Anna's first day of preschool, hee hee.  Mrs. Cawvey invited Anna to join preschool for field day.  I left her at the door and returned later to shadow her.   She had a great time and was exhausted when the final bell rang.  I blame half of Anna's identity crisis on Mrs. Cawvey.  She truly thinks she is a preschooler.

preschool graduation

phew.  jill has officially graduated from preschool.  we were a little nervous she wouldn't make it.  there were so many demands on these young preschool kids but, she toughed out the rough schedule and academic challenges.  congratulations on a job well done, jill.  we love you.

truthfully, it was a nice day, and we will forever be grateful for mrs. cawvey.

she nurtured, taught, encouraged, sheltered, praised, and helped jill love school.

in my mind, there is no better gift a teacher can give. 

so, thank you to mrs. cawvey.

we will miss our daily visits and reading the big giant cat book over and over.