"Let Us Oft Speak Kind Words to Each Other..."

We seldom get into trouble when we speak softly. 

It is only when we raise our voices that the sparks fly and tiny

molehills become great mountains of contention.

~President Gordon B. Hinckley

(I LOVE this quote!  There is such peace in knowing we CAN speak

kindly and peacefully to each other in our homes.)

Kindergarten Graduation!

I'm not sure how I feel about my little girl growing up SO very fast, right before my eyes!  I'm really going to miss her when J.A. Taylor has the privelege of having her ALL day!  And yes, it will be a privelege for them!  She has had such a wonderful year and has accomplished so much!  Of course, we knew she was ready for kindergarten from the time she was two and occassionally attended kindergarten with me when I taught.  However, I still wasn't ready for her to go!  I LOVE this girl!

Her teacher was Mrs. Crossley and her assistant was Mrs. Jeppson. 

Some of her close friends were Samantha, Keira and Ione. 

She loved going to centers, library, computers and P.E.  In December she decided to join the school choir and got up and ready to be there by 8:00.  (For those of you who know her, this was a HUGE accomlishment!)  Often times she was so excited to get to school she would not eat/finish her breakfast!  We quickly had to get a handle on that, as she would come home with low blood sugar and be THE grumpiest girl ever!  Once that was mastered, she was an angel! 

I remember on the first day of kindergarten, asking her if she was worried or scared about anything.  I asked her what she would do at recess if she didn't have anyone to play with.  Her response was quick and confident:  "Mom, I'll just have alone time and play on the playground, I'll be fine!"  She has always been so good about making friends and understanding differences.  She is also very good at adapting to change ( a trait from her daddy) and so she made so many friends this last year, and never had just "one" best friend.

 

She "aced" the end of year testing with perfect scores and was awarded the "Best Reader" in class!  She was reading Chapter books by the end of kindergarten!  (Thanks Mrs. Crossley for helping her reach this level!)

Academically, she has always been great, and even a little advanced!  So during her 3rd term goal setting, we were finding it a little difficult to come up with a goal for her.  Mrs. Crossley suggested having her learn to tie her shoes!  I looked at her in complete disbelief, (as a mom of 3 small kiddo's) and said: "Do you realize the time you are putting on me for getting out the door each day?  There is a reason ALL of my kids have slip on shoes!"  Then we had a good laugh!  Needless to say, she ties her shoes just great and we are NEVER late due to her!  She is actually a huge help when getting everyone ready!  She has always been very good about listening and following directions in class!  She is constantly complimented by her teachers and by substitutes regarding her great behavior!

At the end of the year Mrs. Crossley informed me that Madison was the ONLY one in class who would come in, finish her morning work and then find a child to read chapter books too!  She said she had NO fear (in this area) and loved helping and reading to others!  Way to go Madison!

Did I mention how much I LOVE this girl! 

Grandma Adams was able to attend her graduation picnic!  Grandma's are the best!

 Watch out first grade...She's a coming your way!

Preschool Graduation!

On May 22, 2010 Jacob graduated from his last year of preschool!  Here are just a few of his accomplishments:

Writes his first name

Counts to 100

Knows Days of the Week/Months of the year

Recognizes all friends names

Knows all letter names and sounds of the alphabet

Writes all letters of the alphabet

Reads CVC books and recognizes some sight words

Decided to officially use his left hand for writing...I think!

Can add numbers to 10

Creates and duplicates a pattern on his own

Learned his phone number (still working on address)

Writes numbers to 10

He loved centers, snack, show and tell and being the STAR helper!

These are just a few of the things he has mastered over the last 2 years!  It has been so wonderful and challenging (all at the same time) to have Jacob in preschool this year!  I am MORE than ready to send him off to kindergarten and I know he is too!  He is definately ready to make the break from mom!  He met some wonderful friends this year in class and is looking forward to seeing most of them in kindergarten!  Congratulations Little Man!  We love you!

Singing and signing "One Small Voice" 

At the end, Brooklyn was helping us clean up and wanted to fly away with these yellow balloons, her favorite color!  Silly girl!

School Field Trip and Carnival (May 2010)

I find it sad to see how much education budgets are cut when the economy is down.  This is Madison's one and ONLY field trip during kindergarten.  When I was teaching kindergarten, there was money budgeted enough for a field trip each month, or at the least, every other month.  It was however, exciting for her, because it was to the Nature Center in Ogden, a place she is VERY familiar with!  And, of course, the bus ride up is a HUGE highlight for most kindergartners too! 

Getting ready for  the class presentation

Keira, a friend from her class!

Samantha, another friend from class

I could say this is Madison, but I'll try to be nice! As much as she is a "turkey" in our family, we absolutely LOVE her!  We are so proud of the wonderful person she is and how willing she is to be a friend at school. 

Apparently, there were MANY turkey's at the Nature Center that day.  I wasn't able to go, so Dave did,(that totally made Madison's day!) and he took so many pictures of the Turkey's!  Crazy guy!

At the end of the year, J.A. Taylor holds a carnival and we were able to have Izzy join us for the evening.  All 3 girls wanted their faces painted, (Jacob would have NOTHING to do with that) and fortunately, they got a really talented 5th grader to do it.  They all wanted dog faces...Aren't they SO adorable?

Happy Un-Birthday Brooklyn! We LOVE you!

So after ALL of the birthday excitement for Jacob in April, Brooklyn decided she needed to come home and have her "own" birthday party.  In October, she had a puppy party to celebrate turning "2"!  She wanted to follow the same theme, (6 mths later)! So... Dave and Brooklyn went on a little outing to Dick's Grocery and found this cake.   The "Party" was on with such a cute cake like this!

She invited the two neighbors over for her "party"

We opened presents ('lil pip-squeek marker's from the house and a birthday bag from preschool),

...and the ate the cake! 

I love this picture of Suzie eating her cake!  Such a sport!

We have such wonderful neighbors who were so kind to come and share a dream with our sweet Brooklyn.  Her imagination is SO full and we are thankful for the little moments she creates for our family to enjoy and share!  We can't WAIT to see what you will come up with in October when you turn "3"!  You are such a joy to have around!

May The Force Be With You!

Jacob turned 5 (back in April) and insisted on having his party in Idaho at my parents house.  Thanks to Uncle Brett and Uncle Jared, he is fascinated with STAR WARS and chose this as his party theme.  Although there are more boys he could have invited, if he had it in Centervile, he insisted we went to Idaho.  Apparently that is the "cool" thing to do this year :)

So after some research...this is what we came up with and it was SO much fun! 

(the blue/green is Yoda Punch & Trail Mix~the red is Vador)

We found these fun figurines at Winco and the Light Sabers really light up!

We started by having each guest color a Star Wars picture of their choice

We gave everyone a light saber

We did a small obstacle course:

1st station:  10 Padawan jumps

2nd station: 

3 Yoda Rolls

3rd Station:

Asteroid Toss

4th Station:

Jedi toss with light sabers and balloons

We ended with opening presents and eating the cake!

Thanks Everyone for Making it such a great day for my little man!

Up At Uncle Daniel's Farm...

I am in disbelief that it has been 5 mths since I last blogged.  That is ALMOST 1/2 of the year, come and gone. As I was going through the pictures on the camera, I realized how much fun we have been up to!  Here is a sample of May when we were up in Idaho.  We spent one day out with my brother Daniel  at the farm.  The kids LOVED the cows, merry-go-round, bucking horse barrell, the swingset, AND the yellow  TRACTOR!

Here they are with the cows.  It was the FIRST thing they ran too!

Here, Uncle Daniel is helping Miss B feed them.  The WHOLE crew, and Jacob taking charge of the pitchfork.

Here, Brooklyn is getting a VERY close look! 

 Enjoying lunch; toddler style.

Enjoying the swing set!

Doing what BOYS do best! 

 

Buckin' Bronco's!

And last, but not least...we ARE a hunting/shooting kinda family...We start 'um young, start them SAFE! 

THANKS DANIEL FOR SUCH A WONDERFUL DAY!