First day of School 2016

7th Grade orientation (the day before school actually started)

The boys

7th Grade this year!

5th Grade!

3rd Grade!

Rainbow Park/Nature Walk

Alyssa had an assignment to go on a Nature Walk and make something to show what she found.  So I took the kids to the park, and gave her the camera.  She took some amazing photos!  She picked some of her favorites and printed a photo collage to take to school. 

Love the leaves and the lighting

Across the valley

Of course she would find the purple flowers

Love her these red leaves she found

I also had to get some of the kids.  I love this one of Alyssa walking down the road.  

She's mastered the monkey bars this year

He wanted an action shot

My little climber

Caleb was there, but must have been hiding from the camera. 

First day of School 2015-2016

2nd Grade

My boys!

6th Grade

He's Four! 

My other two boys asked if they could skip the first day of school to stay home for their brother's birthday.  I am such a mean mom that I made them go to school. 

4th Grade

Trying to hide

She wouldn't stand on the porch for pictures, but I had to get her anyway. 

Alyssa's Seventh Birthday

Alyssa turned 7!  Hard to believe how fast she is growing up. She has lost her first two teeth in the last few weeks. 

Opening Presents

I'm Seven!

 She got this puppy yesterday from Uncle Wes, on the condition she would take good care of it.  She has been taking very good care of her dog.  When we got home yesterday she was so busy taking care of the dog, that she said she couldn't clean her room. 

In her room with her new doll house!

She was excited to get the house for her Barbies with a bunch of furniture, too!  Thank you ksl classifieds. 

Ms. Turner's Wedding

Alyssa's first grade teacher got married in June.  We are so glad that she had Ms. Turner, and will miss her next year.  Alyssa was so excited to get an invitation in the mail for the wedding reception.  She also waited very patiently in the thirty minute line to see Ms. Turner and her new husband Dr. Scott. 

Alyssa loved the Leatherby's ice cream bowls.  I wasn't surprised that she chose the pink sherbet. 

Alyssa lost her first tooth

On Wednesday night Caleb was talking about his loose tooth.  On Thursday we were talking at lunch about how many teeth Caleb and Parker had lost.  Up to this point Alyssa had not lost any teeth yet.  Later that afternoon I was upstairs.  While I was there I heard Caleb yelling something, but couldn't tell what.  A minute later Alyssa was right outside my door talking about a lost tooth.  So, I asked if Caleb had lost a tooth.  She said Caleb didn't lose a tooth, she was the one who had lost a tooth.  She had already put it in a bag and had it under her pillow along with a note (because in the book "The Night Before the Tooth Fairy" the child writes a note to the tooth fairy).  She was so excited for the tooth fairy to come visit her, and happy this morning when she discovered the tooth fairy did come!

Later in the day Caleb came home from piano with a caramel and a Laffy Taffy.  While he was chewing them he asked me to grab him a bowl.  His tooth came out with the sticky treats!  So the tooth fairy visited two of my children last night. 

Alyssa Dance Recital

Alyssa took dance last fall, and had a great time.  Here she is after her dance recital.  She did a great job, and we were so proud of her! 

1st grade

Alyssa is doing great in first grade.  Her teacher, Ms. Turner, is fabulous.  She called me the first day after school about 8 pm just to tell me how great Alyssa did in class and that she was participating and answering questions. 

Ms. Turner also called another day to ask if I thought Alyssa would be comfortable being the first STAR student of the week.  Alyssa got to fill out a poster and tell her class about it, answer questions the other kids had about her poster, and bring a snack into class.  I came into her class to listen as she spoke about her poster, and helped her pass out the snacks, popcorn and fruit snacks.  

They have a clothespin with their names on it that they move up or down based on their behavior that day.  They start on green each day.  So far, she has had two days where she moved up from green to blue to purple.  When she gets on purple her teacher fills out a certificate congratulating her on her outstanding behavior. One day she was moved up for remembering to draw a picture as well as her answer for her math problems and having excellent handwriting. 

Ms. Turner shakes each child's hand and says good morning to them every day.  She also sings a lot with the kids, and is the teacher that does the music for all of first grade.  I am not sure if Alyssa sings at school, but often sings the songs at home that she is learning.  Just today as I took her to school she was singing a song that teaches her to spell the number eight. 

She goes to speech, and her speech teacher has said that Alyssa is doing great with her speech and is more willing to participate and try multiple times to make the sh sound.  She is reading very well, and doing great in spelling, too. 

First day of school for 2014-2015

 Alyssa is starting First Grade!
Her teacher called about 8 pm the first day just to tell me how great Alyssa did in class that day.  I was thrilled to know she did so well, and that her teacher would take the time to call us.  She is the most excited of all my kids to start school.  

 Parker is in Third Grade!

 Caleb is in Fifth Grade!

 Three kids in school all day!

Spencer and I went to the park for lunch since the kids were all gone.  He was excited to show me that he could climb on the playground. 

Alyssa's Birthday - 6

 Alyssa turned 6 this year and wanted to have a party with her friends.  They made Froot Loop necklaces and bead bracelets. 

 Then they went outside to swim in the pool and play with balloons. 

 Alyssa wanted cupcakes with pink frosting for her birthday.  She was very excited to blow out her candles. 

She got a lot of presents and was very excited to get a lot of craft stuff.  She loves to color, paint, draw, cut, glue, and make jewelry.  She had a great birthday party! 

Alyssa summer soccer

 Alyssa wanted to play soccer this summer, so we signed her up.  She did a great job going out on the field and chasing the ball around.  These pictures are from her favorite game when she got to play in the rain.  She is the one in the pink soccer shorts.   

Alyssa with her coach Francisco

At her last game she was very excited to get a trophy and her team picture that are now proudly displayed on her dresser. 

End of the Year Programs - from May

 I was looking at photos tonight and realized I never blogged these photos from programs the kids had at the end of the school year.  For the Kindergarten program, Alyssa got to dress up however she wanted.  She told me she wanted to be a fairy, and a few days later we found this ladybug costume at a yard sale.  It was close enough for her.  Her teacher announced Alyssa, then she got to walk down the red carpet! 

 She did really well in kindergarten this year, and learned so much.  I was worried that she would not talk to the parent volunteers that came in to help, but she did great.  She is going to miss her teacher. 

 Parker did a great job performing in his program.  I always get kind of sentimental watching these programs because I am reminded that time marches on and my children just keep growing.  Parker has matured a lot this year, and has worked hard in school.  He has taken off with reading, and has read many chapter books this year. 

Caleb has been learning Utah history this year, which has been fun for me, too.  Since I went to 4th grade in a different state I never learned Utah history.  One of his projects was about Promontory Point, which he sings about in the video.  His French skills are improving tremendously.  It is amazing to go into the classroom, and observe him communicating in French.  He is a hard worker, and his teachers always compliment his ability to stay on task and do his work. 

Kindergarten field trip

 I went with Alyssa on the Kindergarten Field Trip.  This is the first time I have gone on a school field trip, thanks to my friend who watched Spencer so I could go. 

Alyssa had fun seeing all the animals.  The weather looked like it might rain, but it ended up staying dry and being a nice day for a trip to the zoo.  I saw the wolves for the first time ever.  We also got to see scuba divers cleaning the polar bear's water. 

Playdates for Alyssa

 Last fall I contacted a few friends that also have girls Alyssa's age, to see if they wanted to get the girls together to play.  For most of the school year, they got together about once a week to play and often had an organized activity.  One day the girls came to our house and were excited to get to paint.  It has been so fun for Alyssa to play with all these girls. 

She really enjoys art projects.  After the other girls left she gathered up all of their paint and continued painting on her own for a while. 

May Highlights

Parker on the climbing wall

Caleb made it pretty far up

Cooking in the backyard with Dad