Christmas Programs

Alex and Carter both had their Christmas program before Christmas.

Don't they look handsome?

 Carter's class sang the chipmunk version of "Christmas Hurry Fast" complete with hula hoops gestures-- pretty cute stuff! They also sang "Frosty the Snowman." 

 As usual, Carter was in the front row. He is second from the left.

Alex's class sang and signed the "Twelve Days of Christmas."  He did a great job!

  Alex is in the second row and is fourth from the left.

A snow storm postponed Hallie's program until after Christmas, but I am just going to include it here. Not all middle school students participate in the Holiday Program, just those in choir.  They sang "Let it Snow" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."  You'll find Hallie on the second row all the way to the right.

Hallie has recently been asked to audition for the Honor Choir next year.  

She was very excited and of course we were proud!

Long Overdue Update With A Promise of More to Come!

I am so far behind on my blog.  Life has been crazy since June.  I apologize for those of you who were checking my blog.  Because I am so far behind and because I primarily blog as a place to organize myself for my blurb books, I am going to keep my posts as simple as possible.  My goal is to be completely caught up in a week.  So please check back.  Or better yet, type your email address in on the sidebar and subscribe to my blog.  That way, you'll automatically get updates when I post.

Hallie turned 13.  

We have two teenage girls at our house.  Yikes!

Hallie requested Danish rice pudding instead of cake.

 Doesn't she have a beautiful (no braces, yah!) smile? 

Picky teenagers get money.  She had to verify it was real!

Hallie is a huge Hunger Game fan.  

Aunt Paula got her the Hunger Game blanket she is sitting on.

Goofy Kids!

We ate dinner and celebrated her birthday at home just as Hallie  requested.

She is a pretty simple girl.

We had fun teasing her about how she always tilts her head to the side when we take pictures!

More to come soon!

Busy Days.......

Considering it has been a month since my last post,

it goes with out saying that we've been busy getting back into our school routine.

It's been a good busy, but busy nonetheless.

Hallie has transitioned nicely into Junior High.  

She loves it and is doing very well. 

 She has really kicked it up a notch

and has been very responsible about  her school work and home work.

She even gets up on her own at the crack of dawn  to get herself ready each morning.

In fact this morning, both girls woke up at 6:00 (while the rest of us slept), straightened and

 curled their hair and smothered on lip gloss!  

Times are changing around here. 

Our third bathroom downstairs was meant to be. 

The timing of it couldn't be better!

And it's so close to being finished. 

We just need to tile the shower!! 

Nadya is a big sixth grader and 

she has a great teacher and has great friends. 

She is still very serious about school and manages to 

stay on top of everything even with adding an additional night of gym.

Alex is enjoying his second year with his teacher.

Not much to report with him as it wasn't much of a change.  

His teacher said  Alex is her "go to guy" and she really appreciates all of his help.

Carter has transitioned nicely into his new school as well.

It was a rocky start, but I am happy to report it has been smooth sailing for the last month.

Carter was a bit chatty at first (LOL- Imagine that!!!)

But he has figured out when he can and can not talk in first grade and is doing awesome!

In fact, today I was in volunteering  and Carter's teacher 

pulled me aside to tell me just how much she is enjoying him and his inquisitive nature.

She loves his comments and said that they are always spot on. 

I was pleased to hear that she is enjoying him.  

He really is a fun kid. 

So, that's our school update and I promise to have an overall September update soon!

I'll leave you with the fun picture of three adorable kids on Crazy Hair Day!!!!!!!!!

School 2011

Hallie started school first this year.

In our district, the school starts just the 7th graders

 a day earlier than the 8th and 9th graders.

That way, they are all lost together and they don't have to worry about the older kids.

(Well, for one day at least!)

Hallie had a great first day! 

We didn't think we were going to take her the first day, but it turned out we did. 

She started school on Friday, August 19th. 

So, on Monday, August 22nd the rest of our crew started school.

The boys are in a class together.....

Love it....

For once, I encourage tattling!  

Alex said he was fine with Carter being in his class as long as Carter doesn't embarrass him.

I'm sure that won't take long.

We just finished our  first week of school and all the kids are loving it!

Carter and Hallie have both transitioned nicely to their new schools and

we are all just working our way back into a schedule.

Our mornings start earlier around here since Hallie has to leave at 7:15 to catch the bus.

We've offered her a ride, but she prefers the bus.

A true sign that she is entering the teenage stage.

She doesn't want her parents dropping her off at school.

How uncool would that be?

7th Grade

Hallie is about to enter Junior High....

Unbelievable.

A friend of mine told me that your Kids' Elementary years go slow and 

Junior High and High School go super fast.

I sure hope not.  

I am really loving the age that Hallie is at.

She is so grown up, easy to talk to, very happy and content with doing pretty much nothing,

and she is really starting to grow into a beautiful young lady. 

I love our conversations and the little glimpses that I get into her world.

Watching her personality take fold and loving the person she is growing into.

I tagged along with Hallie on her "walk through" at her school 

 and considering she is going to be with her mom

on her first day, I thought I'd post about it instead of her first day. 

To say she is excited about Junior High is an understatement.  

She is ecstatic!!!!!!!

We made our way around her maze of a school and found her locker pretty easily.

We practiced a few times and after a few attempts she opened it successfully.

Finding her classes was another story though.

Hallie's school is incredibly confusing.

We were lucky though..... 

I ran into a former student who also happened to be the older sister

of one of Hallie's classmates and she gave us the grand tour.

She walked us through Hallie's entire schedule, from first period to seventh!

(Not that Hallie will remember any of it!!!)

After I took Hallie to Cold Stones to celebrate.

Hallie will officially start school on Friday, the 19th.

Her school starts just the seventh graders a day earlier than the 8th and 9th graders,

so they can all be lost and confused together......With out all the older kids laughing at them!!!

I'm so excited and so proud of her!

Twelve!!!!!!!!

Hallie Jo turned 12!!!!!

I can't believe we will have two teenage girls in less than a year!

Yikes!!!!!!

On Face book we shared 12 things we love about Hallie through out the day.

We went pretty low key this year considering last year we went all out.

Hallie requested sushi and rice pudding instead of cake, so we obliged.

We opened gifts-

Hallie wanted mostly money  and she also got a couple of outfits,

hula hoops and an otter box for her ipod.

(Love, love otter boxes.  They are a most have for kids!

We learned the hard way after Alex dropped Nadya's and cracked the screen!)

Hallie was not a fan of spankings this year.....

The kids explored the yard and we all took turns playing with the hula hoop.

Stay tuned next year for 13 things we hate about having TWO teenage girls!!!!

Unbelievable!!!!

*This post was brought to you by the color green, Hallie's favorite color!!!!

6 and 12 Check Ups!

Both Hallie and Carter had their well child check ups.  Carter actually had his appointment the end of April, but I forgot to blog and considering I like having it as a record, I'm inserting it now.  It's nice to be able to look back and see that he is growing adequately, especially after we've had concerns/scares with his growth rate.  All in all, he grew 2 1/2 inches this last year, so we're good.  He officially weighed in at 41 pounds which is just above the 25 percentile and he was 43.5 inches tall, just below the 25 percentile.  He zoomed through the eye appointment, peed in a cup (All by himself!) and didn't whine or even flinch when they pricked his little finger to check his iron level. Luckily, he didn't need any immunizations.  We have decided to move Alex, Carter and Hallie to Nadya's pediatrician, so this will be our last check up with the old one.  We just really like Nadya's pediatrician and originally went with her because she had experience with Orphans. 

Hallie had her 12 year old check up on June 6th.  She was due for a couple of shots before she can enter 7th grade.  I did record her height and weight, but considering she is getting older I will just say that she was around the 50 percentile for both height and weight. Not sure how she would feel if I posted her weight on the blog.   She passed her eye test with flying colors too!  I will say that even though she is getting older, she wasn't too old to hold my hand as she received her shots.  She did very well with them.  It was really more the thought of getting them that freaked her out in the first place. 

Our Graduates...

Last week was a busy week for us.....

Two graduations-

Kindergarten and Sixth grade.

I can't believe it!

First up-

Hallie Jo

The kids all had the opportunity to share some wisdom.

Hallie spoke about honesty and how her best friend is always honest and that she admires that.

She is so sweet.

Pictured right is Hallie receiving her certificate.

They sang a few songs... (With almost all the lights out! argh!)

After she got flowers from both her Mom and Dad

and we all posed for pictures with the graduate.

After the ceremony, the entire 6th grade went to Hollywood Connection for the day.

Hallie had a blast.

I remember sitting in Hallie's Kindergarten graduation holding my newborn baby thinking-

Hallie will be graduating sixth grade  when Carter graduates Kindergarten.

Little did I know that day would come so quickly.

Boo!

Next up----

Carter Jay

Each graduate had the opportunity to share their favorite part of Kindergarten and what they want to be when they grow up.  Carter's favorite part was Art and Lilly (their class hamster) and he wants to be a scientist when he grows up.  They sang a couple of adorable songs and received their certificate. I loved their shirts.  They each drew a self portrait and they were all transferred onto a t-shirt.  It was so fun to see all of their art work.  Carter drew extra long eye lashes on his.  Cute boy!  He does have long eyelashes and often receives compliments for them.

After the ceremony there was a small reception and they each got gifts and had cake and punch.

I took Carter with me to Starbucks and I asked him if he wanted a "I just graduated from Kindergarten hot chocolate."  He replied, "Really, it says that?" I laughed........  And then we were handed his hot chocolate!

And my cute graduate who reads quite well, said "No, that doesn't say I just graduated Kindergarten today, It says I just graduated from Kindergarten YAY!"  We laughed........  And then the barista threatened to pop his balloon!  Love that boy!

And I couldn't leave you with out sharing this cute song.....

It was towards the end of the ceremony and the kids were a little stir crazy, but still super cute!

Misc. May

Nadya had her annual Gymnastics Team Sleep Over.

Scratch that...  There was no sleep involved.

Not sure if I'll do it again. 

Mother's Day-

I was really hoping for new couches,

but we got new pipes instead...  ARGH!!!!

But, I did get new bedding for when I paint the bedroom this summer.

 I've already got the best kids in the world and couldn't ask for anything more!

I love all the XOXOX's from Carter and Alex and I love how Nadya signed the card.

"You picked me now your stuck with me!"  Cute girl!!!

Later that night, we had dinner at my Mom's house. 

My Mom had a Birthday.

We celebrated with lunch at Market Street Grill.

We planted a Japanese Maple for her yard. 

Alex lost his third tooth on May 25th.....

His top right hand side.

It wasn't that loose but he had it out in less than a day!

It fell out  at school and he wore it

around his neck in a special tooth box.

He played a trick on the Tooth Fairy and hid his tooth in his dresser.

He claimed it was to find out if the Tooth Fairy really exists.

He claims the REAL Tooth Fairy would have tooth radar

and would know where his tooth was regardless of where he put it.

So, when he awoke Friday morning and discovered his tooth,

he declared that the Tooth Fairy is not real.

Huh?? 

Hallie finished her Country Report on Puerto Rico.

She did an awesome job!

One of my former 5th grade students is graduating from High School (Wow!) and she asked

if I would take her Senior Pictures.  We went out to the Great Salt Lake and got some amazing pictures.

She is a journalist and a dancer so we tried to incorporate her hobbies into our pics.

Here are a few of my Favorite..... She is so beautiful.  It made my job easy!

Carter Sang at the Strawberry Festival at School.

He is so serious when he sings.  I love it!