2 Field Trips

Ren's Kinder class took a field trip across town to meet their pen pals.  Ren's pen pal's name is Abril.  Yes, like April, but Abril.  :)  Very cute little girl.  They have been writing letters throughout the school year to one another.  They each brought a little sharing bag to show their pen pal and tell a little more about themselves.  I got to go with him and his class.  It was a lot of fun, actually.  The kids played a few games, ran around on the field, ate a pizza lunch together and generally enjoyed a day with new friends.

Ren sits next to his teacher, Mrs. Bentel.  She is british and has a fantastic accent!  She says "Bawnawnaw" instead of our western banana.  I enjoy hearing her speak.  She has been a great teacher.  I feel like she really loves these kids and gets a kick out of the funny things they say and do!

As we were leaving, one dramatic, little girl cried out to her pen pal, "This is the best day of my life!  I will never forget you!"  Too funny!

On the bus, Mrs. Bentel told the kids that the first ones to go to sleep would get 5 good time tickets!  Those are like money that they can earn to get treasures from the box on fridays.  All the kids were faking sleep immediately!  Including these two sillies, Carter and Ren!

NEXT field trip!  I got to go to Virginia City with MJ and her class.  We enjoyed a tram tour of the city.  It was very informational.  It was a gold town back in the day.  We toured a mine.  I'd never want to be a miner!!  But apparently it was big money back then, like $4 a day!  OK, that doesn't sound worth it. :)  We got to walk around main street.  But I was in charge of 3 little girls, and they just wanted to go to the candy and rock stores.  I would have enjoyed going in to the antique shops, but maybe I'll do that another time! ;)  MJ found this barrel full of MaryJane candies.  She also bought a few marbles from the rock stores.  

This pic was taken in the mine.  Lucky we have electricity now, right?  Used to be that the miners would get one candle a day to work their 12 hour shift.  So, they worked quite a bit in the dark to be sure they had light when they really needed it.

The rock store called "Stone Age"

All the sidewalks were unevenly made from this boards.  It was very authentic. :)

Babydoll Brooklyn

Chloe and her babydoll, Brooklyn

Child development class is harder than it sounds.  ;) Bringing home a babydoll for the weekend was a lot harder than it sounds!  This doll cried a couple of hours.  Chloe had to 'chime in' the bracelet she wore to care for the baby.  She had 3 minutes to figure out what the baby needed and then do it, or her grade would go down.  She had to take the doll with her everywhere she went.  She took it to a fireside, and to church and to the mall.  She took it out with friends.  In fact, she skipped her sister's piano recital.  It was too risky.  It might cry and disrupt the performers!

On Sunday morning, after she had been up nearly every 2 hours all night long, I jokingly told her, "Only one more night."  She replied in a whining, desperate voice, "I don't think I can do it!"

She got an 83% for her grade on this project.  And I thought she did very well.  Although, she did try to pay us all to take the baby!  But, she was wearing the bracelet, and she would have to cheat and jimmy it off if to have someone else wear it.  So, she was mommy for the weekend!

It reminded me, that even I don't want another baby!  ;)

Piano Recital 2013

The girls played well at their piano recital!  Thanks to Janet, their super teacher!  I think all the students were relieved it was over.  :)  In fact, I'm sure Janet felt the same!

Mother's Day

My little Sunshine!

Mother's Day Kinder Tea

I'm a blessed Mommy!

Mormon Prom 2013

Porter and Libby, aren't they cute?  I love her dress!

 Eli and his date, Todd and his date, Robbie and his date, Christian and Leanna, Porter and Libby, Sadie and her date.  Obviously, I don't know all the kids names!  :)

 These guys were hilarious!  Such a fun group!

 Angels!

Porter and Libby sitting down for dinner.

The kids had dinner at our house.  I cooked, and with the help of a few parents, we made a great meal.  They started with a fancy drink, a Shirley Temple, marichino cherry and all.  Followed by cream cheese wontons with dipping sauce as an appetizer.  Then a strawberry/orange salad with orange vinegret.  Then a mint/grapefruit sorbet as palette cleanser.  With a main course of filet of beef with béarnaise sauce, a side of roasted asparagus, mini red potatoes and sweet peppers and a homemade dinner roll.  The dessert was a brownie/berry trifle with whip cream.

Delicious, if I do say so myself!  Julie Swenson brought the wontons and the dinner rolls.  Emily Koelling brought the roasted veggies and the trifle dessert.  All very fancy!  :)

MJ and her friend, Aliza were our servers, with help from Ren.  They did a great job.  They even put up with the teasing from the prom kids calling for refills on water 100 times!  :)  

It was great fun being upstairs, cooking and prepping, while the kids downstairs laughed and talked and goofed around.  They had a great time.  Then off to the dance they went!

Amy and I getting the salads ready to go.

Broken Bones

Chloe seems to be a bit accident prone!  While doing a back hand spring at gym class, she did this.  Ouch.  There was 10 minutes of class left.  I had just pulled up early, and was waiting in the car when I got the call telling me that Chloe was ok, but that she may have broken her arm.  Her coach heard the snap.  We went straight to the hospital.  Her hand was just hanging there, out her favorite sweatshirt that she got at cheer camp last summer.  That was sadly cut off by the doctors.  MJ and Ellie were in the car with me, and MJ got one look at Chloe's hand hanging there and was so grossed out.  She was feeling pretty sick.  I guess that's good to know, she doesn't do well with things like this.

Chloe had 2 sets of flowers and a fruit arrangement delivered on her behalf.  She is loved.  :)

 Two weeks later... No cast needed.  The plates and screws are pretty strong, eh?

 The pic does not do the bruising justice.  It was really messed up!

Don't be surprised if she sets off the alarms in the airport terminals...  Thank goodness for modern medicine.  

Double Digits!

MJ had a party at EZAir this year!  It is a trampoline house and it was a blast!  :)

 Happy Birthday, MJ!

 Make a wish!

 Party!

 Pizza and cupcakes

 Ren, MJ and Hannah jump

 Summer... or Tessa?  Which one?

Ren takes a dive in the foam pit.