Part 1 of 2 Summer 2012

This will be a long post so please be patient. So much has been happening this past week and a half that I am just a wee bit overwhelmed. I finished school on June 13th, went to the doctor, and flew to Utah to take Casey down to BYU. We got him checked into his dorm on Thursday morning and spent the rest of the day shopping for all of the things he will need for the next six weeks, and Casey spent his first night on campus as an official college student. On Friday, I attended the parent orientation while Case attended the New Student Orientation. They had a lot of great advice to offer and encouraged us to foster independence in our children, learn to let go, and speak to our children adult to adult. Well, I guess that’s a nice way of saying back off helicopter mommies! Seriously though, I loved it! They also told us that 90% of freshman change their major at least once before they graduate. Right after this, Casey came up to me and told me he was changing his major. (He wasn’t in that meeting) He is now majoring in Manufacturing Engineering. He wants to be able to actually create things not just plan them. Casey has the neatest group of boys in his dorm. He is rooming with five others and they get along well. This is Casey and one of his roommates Kenai. Much to my dismay as I was dropping Casey off for the evening, there were a couple of RA’s throwing away a ‘perfectly good’ TV and Casey snagged it. (Darn!) On Saturday, I went to the Provo Temple and enjoyed a quiet morning. By the afternoon, I was bored stiff! We took Colin Rivera out to Café Rio and enjoyed some awesome BBQ pork. Colin then took us to the DI (Utah’s equivalent of Goodwill) and Casey found the ‘perfect’ TV stand. On Sunday, Casey stayed to attend church at school, and I drove up to Farmington to go to church with one of our favorite families, the Petersons! I got lost, was late, and then got pulled over! The officer was kind and let me off with directions to the church. Phew! I was sweating. After church, I drove to temple square in Salt Lake City and finished reading the Book of Mormon for the VERY first time! I loved it and have definitely gained a stronger testimony. Finishing it while sitting next to the temple was incredible!!! I then went back to the hotel and sat outside by the pool. Wasn’t long before a bee came along and stung me. It hurt! Monday, Casey went to his first BYU classes and loved it. He is pretty excited about attending BYU. I went to the Bean Museum with the Morgan family and waited for Casey. We flew to Seattle that evening and Kelly picked us up and took us to spend the night in a hotel. Tuesday, we drove to Yakima to drop Casey off for his football practice and game this upcoming Saturday. Kelly and I then drove home, did some laundry and I drove back to Seattle to be with my sis for her surgery and hospital stay.

Graduation Time!

These past two weeks have been a whirlwind of activity. Casey finished his last day of classes on the 30th of May and officially checked out of high school. He then spent the next two days with his Senior class in Seattle. He had a ton of fun and came home absolutely exhausted. Saturday, June 2nd we went and watched Casey graduate. It’s hard to believe my baby is all grown up! Sunday the 3rd we went to his seminary graduation. He has spent this past week staying up way to late and sleeping in. He has started packing and we leave for BYU on Wednesday the 13th. Where did the time go? Today was a momentous moment for this mom. Kelly had the opportunity to ordain Casey and Elder in the Melchizedek priesthood. I am one proud mama! We were lucky that Andy came home for Casey’s graduation and we had the opportunity to visit with him and Yulia. He is going over to Seattle with us so that Kelly can help him move a futon into his new apartment. My last day of school is this Wednesday! Yay me!!! June will be packed with travel to Provo, Seattle, Yakima, and back to Provo. I may come up for air in July. (I hope)

State Track and More!

This week has been full of action! After work on Monday and Tuesday, I came home and did some much needed cleaning. Knowing that next Saturday we will have lots of company, I needed to spend time getting things cleaned up. Wednesday was spent getting Casey ready for State Track. Casey spent the week turning in work and taking finals. Friday found Kelly and I in Cheney waiting for Casey to throw and run. He was scheduled to throw shot put at 12:30 and run in the 4 X 100 at 1:30. Needless to say the coaches were a little worried that he wouldn't be able to do both. After a lot of running back and forth and throwing his final three throws without his throwing shoes, Casey threw a 44' 6" to place 6th in State! He was one happy boy. They didn't place in the 4 X 100 but they were just happy to be competing at that level. His friends Marcus Vanderholm and Alex Vanderholm also placed in their events.

Notice Casey's shoes!

Marcus and Casey showing off their medals (and an orange?!)

This week promises to be even busier with Senior Awards, Graduation, and Seminary gradution too!

New Experiences!

So this week has been a busy one. I drove to Tacoma on Wednesday night to help put on our Washington Association of Bilingual Education conference. We had around 700 people attend! On Friday night, I had the opportunity to go out to dinner with Andy's girlfriend, Yulia. We went to Red Robbin and only got lost three or four times on our way there. I had a great time and think my son is lucky to have her. She is a very sweet young lady and I enjoyed getting to know her better. We tried to go and check out the college library but it was closed. When I took her home, she showed me her 'mini' studio apartment. Holy Cow! It was tiny.

As June 2nd rapidly closes in on us, we are busier than ever trying to get Casey ready to graduate, receive his Eagle, and moved to BYU. He has checked out a litte bit too early for my comfort and still has some work to do in order to graduate. Yikes! My baby is all grown up. We'll see what this week has to offer in the way of challenges.

The Power of Prayer

Today was definately a day that centered around the importance of prayer. During Fast and Testimony meeting the overriding theme seemed to be prayer and how we are blessed by prayer. My friend Shannon shared her testimony of prayer and a situation she had where her daughter had lost her ipohne and called her mom to ask her to pray. Needless to say, the iphone was found. I also had a testimony building experience this past Friday night. Remember the newest member of our family George? Well Friday night George got lost. Kelly decided to let George go outside while he mowed the lawn. What he hadn't bargained on was George's fear of the mower. When Kel started up the mower George took off like a shot! Kelly finished mowing and was relaxing in the house when I came home. I asked if he had seen George lately and we went searching to no avail. We decided to head to Wenatchee for some time together and when we returned, still no George. We left all the doors open and looked EVERYWHERE. By 10, we decided to head to bed. I couldn't sleep and stayed up looking out the windows until 1:30 just sure that he would show up. Of course, I was saying prayers throughout all of this. I went to bed and woke up at 6:00 a.m. and knelt to say one more prayer. Afterward, I had the strongest impression to go back and look in the shed again. (Kelly had already looked 3 times.) The night before I had felt prompted to look their again, but brushed it off when I walked up and Kelly had the door open. So I looked a bit over the bank and again felt the impression to look in the shed. I walked over and peered through the window to find George all curled up in a pot we were storing. I know now that when I am prompted I need to do it right away! Poor George suffered an entire night trapped in a strange place because I didn't look where I had been prompted to. I am grateful to a Father in Heaven who truly answers our prayers.

Track Meet/ Eagle Project/ Prom!

These next few weeks are going to fly by in a whirlwind of activity. This past week Casey decided to ask Bronte to the prom! Never mind that the prom was on Saturday! He convinced Joe to help him create the letters P-R-O-M on the beach at Wapato Point. He then put on Kurt’s pants and his own white shirt and had Joe escort Bronte down to the beach where he met her with flowers. She said yes! We spent the rest of the week ordering a tux, flowers, buying tickets, and getting ready for the big night. Casey decided he wanted a white tux but didn’t think to order shoes as well. So, I was elected to drive down Saturday morning and pick up some white converse tennis shoes. On Friday, we traveled to Peshastin to watch Casey compete in an Invitational Track Meet. He is quite the sight to see. I love watching him run.

His relay team PR’d. I’m not exactly sure what the time was but they were certainly excited about it. Saturday began with Kelly and Casey heading to Chelan to help the Hinkley’s move into their new house. They then went to the school to spend a couple of hours working on Casey’s Eagle Scout project. They had some great helpers (Toolson boys, Vanderholm boys, and Willie Picton) come to help spread the sand. They did a great job!

Casey then headed to the Vanderholm’s to get ready for the big event.

Harry Potter!
I must say that I am loving this year in 4th grade! I spent the last week of summer frantically decorating my classroom and have had many requests for pictures of what I have done. I’m not done yet but here is what I have so far.
Potions!

Notice the House point jars! These work awesomely.

Common Room Fireplace:

Professor’s Desk and Stairs to the Headmaster’s Office. Notice the sorting stool in the corner :)

Professor Sprout’s Greenhouse Corner and Word Wall:

Owlry and Hedwig

Wouldn't be complete without Honeydukes! (Although more to come)

Top of the Stairs and Entryway

Last but not least my PINpleted classroom door for spring! Look closely...the sun is made out of pencils and the rain and stems are melted crayons. My kids loved making this today!