Field Trip

Before I decided to take Dash out of school for State Track, I double checked with his teacher about what he would miss in school.  In an email, she mentioned that they were hoping to plan a field trip to the Animal Sanctuary for the week following State, but they were unable to get any response.  Well, just about that time Brandan came home from lunch and within minutes he had called Mike and set up a time for the kids to come.  Mike did, however, suggest that Brandan come with them and help with the tour and so Brandan really had no choice but to go to his principal and explain that if he wasn't able to go with the Kindergartners on their field trip, they wouldn't be able to go at all.  Well, Mr. Wilson would have to be heartless to not let Brandan go and so it was that he rode over to Spearfish on the bus and I came over in the van with the other kids so that we could drive Brandan home for his afternoon classes as soon as the tour was over.

Colt, Dash and "his best friend Rhett"

 

Now that's a happy boy.

 

Looking at the tigers.

 

The group - Kindergarten and 2nd grade (with 3 little stow-a-ways)

Kindergartners can sure be good for your self esteem.  At one point, Brandan was sitting in the back of the bus while I followed right behind and one of the little guys told Brandan that his 'Mom' (aka me) was pretty.  I'm choosing to focus on the pretty part and let the Mom comment slide.  Another little boy, one of the smallest little peanuts in the Kindergarten walked up to Brandan holding his Denver Broncos lunch box.  Brandan is 6 ft which was obviously impressive to this kid because he looked Brandan up and down and asked in awe, "Do you play for the Toncos?" 

Track Coach of the Year!

The track season got off to a slow start because of the random snow storms through the month of April, but May finally brought nice weather and lots of track meets.  Brandan loves coaching track and does a great job with it.  In fact, he does so well that he was nominated the 1A NE Conference Track Coach of the Year!  Brandan is really a fantastic coach, but the truth is, this award typically goes to a head coach rather than an assistant.  Because of this, Brandan feels convinced that the Upton head coach, Mick Tonkel, was the one nominated, but he asked the committee to give it to Brandan instead.  I don't know if this is true or not, but I'm proud of him and we are both touched that Mick would think so well of Brandan to do something so kind.

Brandan's picture in the local paper.

 I took the kids over to Casper to watch the State meet and we all had a really good time.  It's sort of a lot of work to get four kids to and from a hotel and in and out of the port-a-potties a million times, but we all love watching the races and field events.  Per their usual, the boys were precociously involved, tallying points, giving advice (like, "maybe next time you'll do better if you would lean into the finish line"), cheering and sharing a little too much (such as, "my Mom said you kinda died at the end").
 

Sissy is 6 Months!!!

It seems unbelievable, but Breeze is six months old.  We all love watching her personality develop, but everyone, including the boys, tell Sissy that she is not to grow up without our permission!

Some Sissy facts -
* 25 1/4" (20%) and 15 lbs 15 oz (43%)
*She talks and yells at everyone all the time, especially during Sunday School which is suspiciously convenient for Brandan who has to take her out regularly
*She is starting to sit up on her own, but in Colt's words "she still is a little wobbly"
*She rolls and scoots in every direction and frequently maneuvers herself to the bookshelf where she tears up and eats the magazines
She recently discovered the kitchen garbage while out exploring in her walker
*She has one sharp little tooth
*Her fears include partially deflated balloons, Angry Bird hats, and Sister Neilsen

Sissy is wearing my dress from 30 years ago!

 

Doing the family trick.

 

Breeze, Colt and Sport snuggling under the blanket and reading stories

 

Breeze has been anxiously anticipating solid food for weeks now.  She loves to sit at the table and watch the spoons go by.  But, in keeping with my "thou shalt stay small" rule, I decided not to offer solids until 6 months. 

Everyone wanted to be involved in the first feeding.

 

Sissy didn't love her first taste of cereal.

 

Or her second.

 

Or her third.

I guess that teaches her not to covet more than her Mom can give her.  Sis also hates carrots, applesauce, and bread.  She does, however, love Mac & Cheese.

We love you Baby Sis!

So I'm 30 now.

Well, I'm 30. Or in other words, I recently celebrated my second 29th birthday. Despite the dreaded anticipation, I had a great day, complete with chocolate cake and a small party (aka Dash brought a friend home from school, but first he made his friend make me a card out of the cover of his notebook.)

My birthday cake.  As you can see, I had already started dishing up slices when the boys decided they wanted to blow out candles.  And I do mean they wanted to blow out candles.

So a couple of days before my birthday I got a little gift card in the mail from Mom.  Dash saw it and asked if I would be willing to donate the money to the basketball hoop fund.  I kind of hemmed and hawed around it and naturally he interpretted this as a yes.  Later that day, he announced that with the addition of my birthday money, he only needed $50 more dollars to buy the hoop.  He felt confident he would be able to gather that amount by the weekend.  I asked him what his plan was for getting the rest of the money and he replied, "well, I counting on you getting more birthday money".

Also, I should mention that I had a great Mothers Day this year as well.  Brandan got me a bike! I absolutely love it, and I think it is a subtle hint at what he would like for Fathers Day. Colt and Sport gave me some of the chocolate bar the church gave out as gifts to the mothers and Dash made me a gift at school with a list of things he would do for me.  These included doing the laundry, cleaning the house and giving me a back rub.  He's going to make some lucky girl very happy one day.

 

 

 

 

 

The Spring Play

Recently, Dash and the other K-2nd graders put on the annual Spring play.  Dash was cast as a chipmunk and thus it became my job to create a chipmunk costume.  I scrounged around the house and came up with something sort of recognizable.

The play was adorable and Dash did a great job.  He recites his lines perfectly, but I think Dash might find he is a more natural director.  There was a little microphone confusion during Dash's scene, but just like a boss Dash grabbed the mic and shuffled the other kids around so that everything could proceed.  And then later, I noticed him holding his fingers in the air and turning around in the stands to indicate to the other kids what scene was coming up next.  I don't know what they would all do without him.

While everything went well, Brandan and I quickly noticed that Dash seemed a little nervous throughout the performance.  As things progressed, we realized what was happening.

This is how Dash's costume is suppose to look.

 

Dash saying his part.

 

Notice the anxious look on Dash's face.  This was his expression throughout most of the play.

 

And this is why.  At one point Dash's tail fell off and he spent the entire play worrying about how he would hold hands for the final bow.

 

Big News, Family & Salt Lake City

After what was surely the longest three weeks ever, Brandan was invited to interview for a teaching position in Mountain View, WY.  We have been really excited about possibly making a move to Mountain View because of its proximity to Salt Lake and our families in Idaho.  The school size is also a little larger which provides a few more opportunities for our kids.  The principal at the school encouraged Brand to bring his family so we could all check out the town and some of the teacher housing available, so we decided to make a family trip of it.

We never openly talked about moving with the boys because we didn't want to upset them if it came to nothing, but we underestimated how observant they are.  We got into Mt. View with some time to kill so we drove around the town.  I saw a house for sale and pointed it out to Brandan and Dash piped up from the backseat and said,  "Yeah it's for sale because the people probably want to move to Upton since IT'S THE BEST TOWN ON EARTH!" Okay. He made his position clear.

After the interview and our town tour with the principal we thought Dash was probably going to get his wish.  Brandan felt like the interview went well, but as we were all saying goodbye things seemed to get awkward and the principal told us the hiring committee would meet again the next week and decide if they wanted to keep interviewing or possibly hire one of the applicants they had already interviewed.  It felt kind of abrupt and we drove into Nate and Cierra's house in ill-disguised bad moods. 

Visiting with Nate and Cierra and planning out our Saturday helped lift us a little, but nothing could compare to the unexpected phone call that came before we left the house Saturday morning.  The principal called to offer Brandan the job!!  I guess things went better than we thought.

Slumber party in Nate & Cecil's basement.

So with much lighter hearts, we headed into SLC to take the boys to Temple Square and meet Shann and Jared and the girls, who were in town that day, for lunch. 

Nate and Cecil bought everyone candy apples.

 

Sport really liked them.

 

Colt checking out the flowers on the Temple grounds.

 

Sport stopped to smell the flowers...a lot.  Too much.

 

The family by the Temple.

 

Dash had requested that we go see where the Prophet talks.  And, yes, Colt is doing his infamous pose.

 

Sport was really concerned about the statue.  While we were taking this picture, he kept saying "Jesus, wake up!.Wake up Jesus!"

 

I just like this picture of Nate and his man-bag.

 

Sport enjoying a donut on the way back home to Upton.

Thanks to Nate and Cierra for hosting us and Shann and Jared for the visit!  It is only with constant promises that we will see more of all our great family that Dash and Colt are able to bear the thought of leaving all the great pseudo-family we have here in Upton. 

Prom

Dash was asked by the Junior Class to be the crown bearer for the school Prom.  He was really excited to be a part of a high school event, but not as much as the girl crown bearer who told everyone she met that she had been asked to be Prom Queen.

Dash walking to prom.  No limo for the crown bearer.



It was a little muddy so he tucked his pant legs into his socks to keep everything clean.

Dash and Breeley posing in front of the decorations.

 

The theme for the night was "Masquerade Ball" so they did the Grand March in masks to Phantom of the Opera music.  Interestingly enough, Colt and Dash both really liked the songs.

 

The Crown

Oopsie

Dash and Davis, his "helper"

 

Waiting for them to announce the winner.

Brandan and Breeze were in charge of photography.  Another lady at the prom thought this was so cute so sent us this picture.

 

After the winners are announced, the parents are invited to share a dance with their student.  The boys weren't thrilled to dance with me even though I offered to do Ring-Around-the-Rosies.

 

Dash and Breeley dancing.

The King and Queen.  Dash was thrilled that Judd, his favorite 'player', was voted King.