Monday, March 31, 2014

college-bound

Classes don't start for almost 5 more months; however, it feels like McKayla gets closer to her university career every day! Last Monday she and I met with her academic advisor. We also attended freshman orientation (big waste of time). On Friday, her athletic academic advisor and I exchanged several emails.

Today as of 12:03 am she is registered for her classes for Fall semester. Whoa! Stop the bus! How did my little girl grow up so fast?

I am very excited for her but so sad for myself. What will I do without her?

The bad news is that since she had to be up early for practice this morning, I was the one who stayed up until midnight to get her classes when registration opened. (I am most definitely NOT a late night person). The good news is that student athletes get priority registration so I got her the exact schedule we had wanted. She will be taking 13 credits comprised of the following classes:

  • Chemistry 1110
  • Biology 1010
  • Psychology 1100
  • Nutrition 1020

Those classes plus Anatomy and Physiology comprise the classes you must take prior to applying for the nursing program.

Friday, March 28, 2014

MASON

ISN'T HE ADORABLE?

Thursday, March 27, 2014

first and third and finish!

My runners!
Last Saturday Brakston and McKayla ran the Riverton Half Marathon and Chandler ran the Riverton 5K. Brakston and Chandler were registered. McKayla just ran alongside Brakston to keep him going. She was supposed to run 14 miles for training that day anyway so she kept Brakston company. He's been having trouble with shin splints so his training has not been what he wanted.


Here's the two of them running:


You can't really see them well, but here's Brakston and McKayla crossing under the finish line.


Here's Brakston with his finisher medal! This was his first half-marathon. Woohoo!


Chandler did the 5K. Here he is holding up a one and a three. He took 1st place in his age division and 3rd place overall!


Here is Chandler on the medal stand with the 2 men who beat him in the 5K. All three of them were told the wrong turn so they ran about 600m extra. Luckily, that didn't affect the outcome of the race.

Monday, March 24, 2014

Jubilation Choir

This year Alec joined the choir at the West Jordan Institute. He has really loved it! Last night they joined other Special Needs Institute Choirs from around the Salt Lake Valley for a performance at a church downtown. Each institute sang their own number plus there were several numbers that all of the choirs performed together. A couple times the audience got to join in. The U of U Insitute Choir was also there. They were good. The Special Needs Choirs made up for lack of talent with their enthusiasm and joy! There was an especially touching number. All the choirs joined in singing "Rejoice, the Lord is King". They were so exuberant and joyful that I bawled through the entire thing! Each member sang with his/her whole heart and soul. The Spirit was so strong!

Thursday, March 20, 2014

St. Paddy's

I try to make a big deal of holidays! I want my children to remember them and enjoy them! I usually make green-dyed shamrock-shaped pancakes for breakfast. This year I decided to change it up. We like rice with milk and cinnamon and sugar for breakfast. I cooked the rice in green water and the rice came out a great shade of green! The kids laughed! I also made them special green lunches - celery, green grapes, green applesauce, green apples, green mint M&Ms, key lime yogurt, and a couple gold coins. After dinner I took them to McDonald's for a shamrock shake.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

PROM

Last Saturday night was Prom. Shanley's date, Brant Hansen, asked her about a month ago using a very clever scavenger hunt. Brandon Walker asked McKayla with a candy bar poster. Shanley answered Brant with an Amazing Race type scavenger hunt and McKayla answered with a fruit and vegetable poster (Brandon is eating super healthy for the track season).

Then the preparations began. The girls ordered dresses online. They came from China and the sizing was weird (McKayla got a siz3 12 even though she always wears a size 3 or 5). It's a good thing we went off their sizing chart! I added sleeves to McKayla's and hemmed it. Thank goodness I know people at the high school! Her dress would have taken me hours just to pin. Instead, I talked to the sewing teacher. They have a special presser foot for a rolling hem and she let me come use it. The entire hem took me less than 30 minutes and that included setting up the machine! Shanley is currently in the sports sewing class so she did part of adding the sleeves herself so she could earn some extra credit.
Shanley paid to get her nails and toes done. They looked great! McKayla just glitter painted her own nails and they looked good too.
When Brant picked up Shanley for their day date he brought her 3 pink roses! They went on a hike above the Draper Temple and had a picnic. Shanley and Brant ended up in matching outfits so they joked about being superior to the other couples.

McKayla's day date was extremely odd. They, too, had a picnic but then they threw Cheetos around the parking lot and rode over them with scooters to crush them. Brandon and McKayla were NOT excited about such a weird activity but they ended up having fun. I guess as long as you are with fun people, any activity can be fun!

The girls' dresses ended up quite similar. They weren't happy about that but they weren't in the same group so I doubt anyone noticed.
I made the boutenniere for Brandon to wear and I also made McKayla's corsage. They liked them!   I was pretty proud of McKayla's corsage and was bummed that I didn't take a picture.
The girls weren't in the same group but their dates arrived about the same time so I was able to get pictures of all of them together! Brant Hansen and Shanley. McKayla and Brandon Walker.
McKayla and Brandon's group went to The Garden for dinner. Shanley's group did a progressive dinner at the boys' homes. After the dance, Shanley's group watched part of Despicable Me 2 and McKayla's group played volleyball. They both had a great time!

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

I'm legal again!

Confession time - I have been driving with an expired driver's license since last June.  Honestly, at first I just forgot.  Then, once school started I was subbing almost every day.  If I wasn't subbing, it was because I had something else going on.  I finally got serious about it and just set aside a day where I refused all substitute jobs and made a firm plan to go to the DMV.  About time.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Sacrament Meeting

Our entire family was asked to speak in Church last Sunday.  The theme?  Love at home.

It was Chandler's first Sacrament meeting talk and he did a really good job.  He claims he was shaking but none of us could tell (even his sisters who, despite the theme, would not have refrained from teasing him if it had been obvious).

Shanley's talk was short and sweet.

McKayla gave a really mature talk.  It's hard to believe she's just 18 sometimes.  You could tell she'd prepared and the Spirit was very strong while she was speaking.

Alec always makes us nervous.  He had told us he was going to sing so we didn't know what to expect.  He stuck with bearing his testimony which he does every single Fast Sunday anyway.

I'm afraid I didn't leave Kevin much time but I felt my talk went well.

It was kind of fun/interesting for Kevin and I to see where our children are spiritually.

We certainly aren't perfect.  We experience fights in our home.  Our children occasionally tease and belittle.  However, I'd have to say that overall we get along well.  Our children always have each other's backs.  We enjoy spending time together as a family and we do love each other!

Monday, March 10, 2014

looking forward, looking back

I am so excited for this week!  Why?  Not because I have anything exciting planned.  There are no exotic vacations on my schedule.   I'm not seeing the latest must-see movie.  I'm not going to eat at my all-time favorite restaurant.  In fact, there is very little on my schedule for this week.

That is what is making it so AWESOME!

Last week was a bit overwhelming.  I taught 3 days, attended parent teacher conferences with 21 teachers (3 children), cooked and fed 150 teachers dinner, took my girls out to breakfast, hosted book club, watched a soccer game, carpooled to soccer practice, taught a lesson in mutual, went to the fabric store 3 times, attended a concert, went out to dinner, spoke in Sacrament meeting,.......

This week includes teaching 3 days, sewing sleeves on and hemming Prom dresses, a trip to the DMV, a day of scrapbooking and not much else.