The end of another school year

Dante had to give a report on New Zealand. Could he have chosen better?! How great was it to be able to tell about something he has grown up with. We even have Maori things to show. He borrowed Uncle Lynn's piupiu (grass skirt) and came running in hollering Kia Ora! He went right to the front and did the Potene, Potene haka. Then he told about New Zealand and finished with Ka Mate. I was really proud of him--he was confident and bold. The teacher from across the hall wanted him to come and do a haka for his class, and then he told his class that he wanted them to knock his socks off, just like Dante did. I had a proud boy.

We even made trifle for the class. I took a picture (with the whipped cream on top since you wouldn't be able to see anything. It was yummy.

Jake's class went to the Natural History Museum at the University of Utah--Taylor and Simona and I got to be helpers. The kids were all sad who didn't get to be in Taylor's group. I think they got over it.

They had this "toadally" cool exhibit--it was all a bunch of toads. Some of them looked like they were recently painted.

I went to the planetarium with Dante's class. It's been newly redone and is pretty cool. 6th graders are just not the same as the 2nd graders. They are all wonderful, just very different from each other. I'm so glad I got to go to both field trips. Both my boys have had wonderful teachers this year, and I'm actually sad to see the year end. I don't think I've ever felt that way before. I love having them home, but I just wonder what next year will bring.

Graduation

Here's some personality!

Taylor announced--he really graduated!

There's my boy. I am really proud of Taylor--he had good grades and really was a good kid. I was always amazed at how much his teachers praised him and how happy they always were to have him in their classes. That's quite a compliment.

These are girls that Taylor met in the second grade. They all live in our neighborhood--fun to see them all grown up.

My serious family. Jake was sick that day so he and Dante stayed home.

The after-party. Taylor invited four of his best friends to our house to play Rock Band and eat, and play and eat. Food! The cake at the back of the table has the Hunter High school colors.

These are the buddies--Colin, Nathan, Taylor, Travis, Brandon.

It is really a strange feeling to know that I have a child who has "moved on." I'm not really feeling any older, but maybe like I should be more responsible or grown up or something. I'm not really sure when the maturity comes since I'm still waiting for it to happen. I think maybe one day I'll wake up and be the person I'm supposed to be.

I am happy for Taylor--he working at scout camp again this summer, but as a director this time. When he gets home, he wants to find a job and save until he turns 19 in December. Then, who knows where he'll be? That will be an exciting adventure.

The Falls

The Falls

Goofy Jake

The Whole Fam



More Falls



And again, more Falls

I love the Falls. Obviously Twin Falls was named for two falls, and I loved growing up near them. We spent a lot of time at the Falls. There are two parks with falls--Shoshone Falls and Twin Falls. They were the same, but different. I remember many family picnics at the Falls, ward picnics at the Falls, and mutual activities water skiing at the Falls. I had a boyfriend in high school whose best friend had a boat, so we spent a lot of time water skiing. I loved being on the water, gliding along. I haven't been on the water for oh so many years.

I remember one time getting stopped by a policeman while driving down the long winding road to the Falls. I was looking for a group of kids who were there for a Young Adult activity--we always had a hard time deciding which Falls everyone else decided to go to. They didn't show up where we were, so I volunteered to drive to the "other Falls" and see if they were there. I guess I drove too fast, and I got stopped. The policeman kind of chuckled and he made me go back up to the top and drive down again, this time counting how many speed limit signs there were. I was not happy, and now I was really late for the activity.

I remember climbing the rickety stairs (that are no longer there) and counting, and climbing, and counting some more. It was a big deal to say you had climbed those stairs. I know there were over 100, but I haven't been able to find out exactly how many, and of course, I don't remember.

I can look at many of the picnic spots and remember different reunions or parties that took place at those exact sites. I can see my aunts and uncles there, under a humongous pine tree, having family pictures. I remember one time we were planning a birthday party for Dad, and his sisters showed up. Of course we all went to the Falls. I can see Aunt Myrtle and Aunt Marion there, sitting at the table. I can picture playing catch and, naturally, doing a haka. I can see my parents young and vibrant at the ward breakfast, cooking on the big grills and keeping kids out of the stream. I can see my dad aged and feeble while his sons helped him across the lawn. I can see our last family reunion with all the kids wearing their Maori faces and sticking out their tongues. I can see family gathered, laughing and vying for a new pillow case.

I look forward to new memories; some will be similar, some people will be missing, but I can't wait to once again be at the Falls.

Here are a couple of books I've been reading. Again. I read these several years ago and decided to start over. They are murder mysteries, involving a caterer--so she gives great recipes--a little romance with a green-eyed cop, a rich friend and a rotten ex-husband.

I read the last of the Twilight books for Moni, Hook for Dante, several books for Jake, and now I decided to read these again, for me. They are fun, easy reading and I like the cooking info.

I finished the Book of Mormon at the first of the year, as well as finished the Illustrated BoM with Dante and Jake, but haven't picked it up again. I know that's terrible, but at least I'm honest. Why do I have such a hard time reading scriptures regularly? Sometimes I get going on one of the books (I almost finished the New Testament and then basically quit), but then I take a huge break. It's not like I can't read scriptures as well as a novel. I've read these books before and am reading them again. I love it when I do read scriptures, but when I get started on a novel, that's all I want to read until I finish. In fact it drives me crazy when I get to the half-way mark--I don't want to do anything until I'm done. But I'm just not that diligent with the books I should be reading.

I've never read the Old Testament all the way through. I know President Kimball did when he was just a kid. I guess that's why he ended up being prophet. I have read the other sets, more than once, but right now I'm just not. I should be a better example to my kids. My big kids read for Seminary, and that's wonderful. I'm glad Seminary motivates them--it's so much better than it was when I went to Seminary. I hated it. We had early morning, old, unenthusiastic teachers and met at the church. I admit I did like it my last year--and yes I am a Seminary graduate, but I didn't want to go when 9th grade started. I wasn't given the choice. Now I'm glad that my parents made me go--I'll never forget the shock on their faces when I informed them that I wasn't planning to attend Seminary. That's what I thought. My dad was up at 6:00 every day, made sure I was, too. He drove me to Seminary. Arlene was diligent--she was up even earlier because she had to be at school at 6:00 for drill team. She was always so good. Another thing for which I admire my big sis. Good thing I didn't have a little sister--she'd have been in trouble, I'm sure. I don't think Arlene ever did anything wrong. But, I digress.

So, I've rambled on. Hmm, where to go from here?

Read a book!