End of Year Program

My kids are fortunate to attend Spartan Station.  They love it!  Though many would argue that home is the best place for kids to be (and they are probably right for THEIR kids), I think this is the best place for MY kids to be.  Here are my reasons:

• They love going there and they love all of their teachers!  Their teachers all love them!
• They LEARN so much (basically they are in pre-school from age 2)!
• They have friends and they learn to positively interact with others.
• They are better eaters because they have to eat whatever weird school lunch they get that day.  At home I just give them the same things over and over again.
• They have positive experiences with lots of different kinds of people.  They know "little people," girls who wear veils, people with tattoos and blue hair, people of different skin colors, and people who look just like them.  It sometimes lends itself to interesting discussions in the car, but at a young age they are learning to accept and value diversity.
• They are much more structured and routine than I could ever be at home.  Though I love the summer, I'm a bad stay-at-home-mom.

Anyway . . .  I'm so proud of my kids and what they learn and how they behave (most of the time).  I'm so grateful for this wonderful place to take them every day.

We had a bit of a battle at the end of the school year because the school district had decided to cancel the unfunded (by state funds) bus routes to two elementary schools and one route to a junior high.  This included the route that picked up kids from Spartan Station to take them to Liberty Elementary, the school Molly and 7 other kindergartners will attend next year (nearly 20 kids total, mostly teachers' kids).  It put many of us parents in a predicament and gave us some challenging opportunities to address the issues with our district leaders and school board.  I even had the unique opportunity to sit down one-on-one with our district superintendent, Steve Hirase, and discuss the matter. That was quite a learning experience for me.  

Poison Pen Petersen hasn't struck in quite a while and I realized that some of my strengths include the ability to write poignantly, problem solve, and also that people look to me in a leadership position when I get involved.  I haven't had an opportunity like that in a while.  

Long story short . . .  the problem isn't solved, nor did we as teachers get any credit for putting on the pressure to solve it, but one bus route did get extended for one year and we now have that year to figure out a more permanent solution.  

This post was supposed to be about my amazing children and their ability to recite difficult text.  The year end program had a patriotic theme.  Here are the results!

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal . . .  - Declaration of Independence

“A thoughtful mind, when it sees a Nation's flag, sees not the flag only, but the Nation itself; and whatever may be its symbols, its insignia, he reads chiefly in the flag the Government, the principles, the truths, the history which belongs to the Nation that sets it forth.” - Henry Ward Beecher

Jack - 3 year old doctor visit

Jack went to the doctor the for his 3 year old visit.  The 3 year old visit is a big milestone at Dr. Havlik's office because it is the first time the kids get their blood pressure checked, do an eye exam, and get to wear the fancy night gown instead of just sitting in their diapers/underwear.

Jack thought the night gown thing was a little weird, but put it on anyways.  After a couple of minutes, he'd had enough though.  He called it a dress and he called it jammies.  Either way, he didn't want anything to do with it and would rather bounce around the office in his undies.

3 year old stats:

• Weight - 34 pounds 7 ounces (79th percentile)
• Height - 39 inches (85th percentile)
• Heart Rate - 101 bpm
• Blood Pressure - 97/62 (he had to have it take several times because he wouldn't hold still)
• Eyes - 20/40 in each eye (I guess this is fine.  Eyes don't fully develop until about 1st grade)

Happy Birthday #3 to Jack!

Happy Birthday, Jack!

Jack turned 3 today.  I can't believe he is already that old.  He has a bit of temper if the right thing sets him off, but he is otherwise my super happy, lovable little boy.  He loves to laugh and just has a natural sense of humor.  He still likes to give hugs and lay his head on my shoulder.  He's a pro at going to the bathroom and doesn't really need any help except to make sure someone here's him announce that he needs to go.  He's all boy and is full of farts and burps.  He thinks they are the funniest thing anyone has ever done.  He climbs and crawls and bruises around everything he can.  He's always hungry and loves to eat.  He's filthy dirty nearly every day I pick him up from school.  

He throws a fit at "button pants" and dreads knowing that Sundays are approaching and he must wear them.  Sorry, kid, no stretchy pants at church.  At church he's the best talker in the nursery and likes to look after all the other kids.  He's a stinker when I go in and do singing time with them, but he's finally started letting me go back to primary without a fight.  

He got full reign of the red tricycle after Molly's birthday and today Aunt Chris brought him Max's old big kid bike with training wheels. He's a little bit nervous, but will warm up to it, I'm sure.

He doesn't like bugs or thunder.  He doesn't like shoes and socks.  He'd live outside if he could.  He'd never wear a seat belt if he could.  He could spend hours watching Peppa Pig or Tractor Videos on Youtube. He loves his sister even though she can be a major pest, but they are a good team.  He loves to help his dad do anything outside.  

Happy Birthday Jack!  I can't wait to see you grow up another year!

Wedding, Art, and Missionaries

This week included (as mentioned above) wedding, art, and missionaries.

On Wednesday, my cousin Emily got married to Brandan Shelley.  They got married in the Oquirrh Mountain Temple and there were quite a few members of the Huber and Stapley families there, though no Shelley's.  (Note to self: I hope and expect that my kids choose to get married in the temple. However, if they choose something contrary to what I would have chosen for them, I will still show up and support as much as I can.)

The weather was a bit cold and windy for a day in May, but it was still a nice morning.

I dropped the kids off at school and taught my first class, then left to head to the wedding and returned for my last class.  The wedding was short enough that James and I had a chance to go out to lunch before I had to be back to school.  That never happens.

The reception was at the Old Meeting House and the kids had fun dancing around.

On Thursday night we went to the Ward Barbecue.  The kids decided to ride their bikes.  This was the first time Molly has been out of our cul de sac on her bike.  It was a bit challenging for both of them to get to the church and back, but we made it (with lots of pushing from mom).

On Friday, Murray High hosted the annual Arts Fest.  It's a fun time with a ton of work put into it, but I like it because I get to go find my own kids and hang out with them for part of the day.  We tie dyed shirts, made buttons, ate food, played with clay, made first aid kits, got free stuff from the national guard, and probably a few other things.

The kids really wanted to play on the pottery wheel and waited very patiently to have their turn.  Jack was finished in just a minute or so.  He was kind of weirded out by the texture of it and mostly just like pushing the gas pedal to get it to spin.  Then, of course, in true Jack fashion, he biffed it and hit his chin on the wheel.  He survived.  Molly, on the other hand, thought this was the coolest thing in the world and probably could have sat for an hour at the wheel.  The guy running the booth got her started, but then she kept pressing her fingers into the clay and shaping her pot until it was so thin that it broke.  They had fun.  

Here is the finished product of our tie dying.

On Saturday morning, we helped pull some weeds and things at my Grandpa's house.

On Saturday night we joined my parents for a quick jaunt to Fruit Heights to crash the reception of a missionary companion of my brother.  Willie had asked that we try and go to the reception.  I contacted the groom, Elder Stuart, via Facebook and he finally responded later in the week with details of the reception.  While there, we also met another Lithuanian missionary, Elder Morgan,  Not to discredit other missionaries or other missions, but there is just something unique about all of this crazy kids in Lithuania.  They are all extremely smart, extremely well spoken (my mom would call it social capital), and very responsible.  I think they have to be.  The language is very difficult to learn and they are pretty much on their own as far as interaction with their mission president and adults in charge.  I believe all missionaries are sent to where they are supposed to go for a reason, but there is just something special about these crazy Lithuanian kids.  

Happy Birthday Molly!

Happy #5 Birthday to my #1 Daughter!

This week Molly turned 5 years old.  She is growing up so fast and I love her very much.  She is a little crazy and dramatic and I still never quite know what might set her off (though she is getting a little better), but she is also a sweetheart who likes to share things (just not with her brother) and is concerned about other people.  She loves to draw and color, make notes for people, play outside, find bugs and make habitats for them, dance around, cook things, and be in charge.

James and I decided that she needed a big kid bike for her birthday.  Jack was pretty excited, too, because that means he gets to take over full reign of the red tricycle without having to fight for a turn.  Unfortunately, we've had a lot of rain since the birthday so the bike hasn't been out for much more than a few circles in the garage, but so far she seems like a pro.

We celebrated her actual birthday by going to Chick Fil A and taking Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies to school, but that's about it.

We decided to let Molly have a "friend" birthday party this year.  She has been talking about it and inviting people to it since last fall.  We invited just her friends from school (all the 4-5 years olds) and our neighbor Asher.  We had 15 kids total and it was honestly an insane 2 hours of somewhat organized chaos.  My mom came and helped me out which was wonderful, but I think had any of the kids had ill intent, they could have tied us up and taken over at any point in time.  

We played silly party games and whacked a pinata.  We opened presents and ate cake and ice cream.  Molly picked a "fish & shark" theme and then a My Little Pony cake (great combination, I know).

It was a fun time!

On Sunday, we continued the celebration but decided to let Jack join in as well.  We celebrated with both sets of grandparents, Annie, Ross, and family, and Jason.  The kids were wild and crazy, but had a lot of fun.

Kindergarten, here we come!!