Thank You

Here is the cutest thank you gift I got.

And here is the nicest note I got:
It was addressed to the 3 of us.

"You are all so perfect! Is it because you have spent years of experience with mentors and nurturers that were perfect? Have you had years of experience developing as perfect people? Kind and caring people that smile in the morning, say kind words, help to heal the sick by calling for substitute teachers when needed in a hurry, help to heal bruises by nurturing and giving advice, offer comfort and encouragement with comfort food, (and recipes, I hope!) But most of all, just plain caring! Dear perfect friends, thank you for being you!
Love,
____ ___

Clap Out

Going in early

Only one and a half hours of school today

All done by 10 15

Clap Out at 9 20

Looks like we made it

It's over. It went so fast. I so loved working there this year. I started as gal who asked so many questions. It's so hard to be new. You have to interrupt and ask questions and just sit and wait for time to ask and a new project. You have to told and shown everything.

I walked to school most days. That was a joy. I loved walking home. Thought about the day, cleared my head, sometimes called my sister to vent. I saw all seasons as I walked to and from and that is one of my favorite memories of this year.

Now as the year ends I am proud of myself. I learned alot and I know the answers to the questions. I know what questions to ask (most of the time) and I can find the answers if I need to. I learned how to do my paperwork and I can do it without any help. I joke when I pretend to answer the phone, Saratoga Shores Elementary home of the revolving door. We had over 400 students move in and out this year. That's a lot. That's my job to keep the files current and it was busy. After today I am done.

We have a clapout at 9 20. The principal plays a sappy song over the intercom and the 6th graders walk through the halls one last time as the other students line them and they can either touch their hands as they leave or clap as they walk by. Then we have 2 teachers leaving and they walk through. It's emotional. I think the music has alot to do with it. I love it.

When today is over I am done until August. What will I do? Well, there is a little cleaning that needs to happen here and some yard work I am itching to do. The first week my daughter is attending girls camp and my son is attending a basketball camp. What I want to do is stay home and watch the sun make patterns on the carpet as it moves across the sky and streams in through the windows. Then the next week I am watching my sisters dogs. Well, not me watching them I don't like to touch them but they are here for my family to enjoy. Then that next week my son comes home from college in WA. Then summer can start!

Schools out for the summer

I now have a 8th grader, a 9th grader, a sophomore at UVU and a super senior at CWU

I hope it's a great day

And it will be!

Almost over

Class Parties, Swimming Pool Baseball, Pinatas, Otter Pops and Cake...it's almost over



What a fun day! The day passed in a blur. Kind parents coming and going, checking in and out. Talent shows and games. The faculty won the baseball game against the 6th grade, 5th grade is playing "in it to win it", the fun just keeps on going.



The Jr High came and got my 6th grade files. Just like that they were gone. I felt a little sad. Like a little piece of me gone. They were in perfect order. All the same, registration sheet, guardianship, proof of address, field trip permission, health forms and then all the test scores and report cards in order from K to 6th grade. I was proud of how they looked.



One more day and a half.

lunches, walking together and a beautiful morning

3 more days to make lunches.....why oh why do I hate making lunches so much?

I walk out Kelsi and Logan and grab the newspaper and move into the street and watch them walk together to the bus. Today is a beautiful day, the sun is streaming and shining off the houses and the sky is blue and they walk together. They put their heads together as if to tell a secret, he is now taller than her, and they are best friends. I feel a pang in my heart, time is moving too fast. Next year they will go to separate schools and then they will meet up again the year after. Will they still be friends? She will be 16. Will she still have time for him? This year is almost over and it has been great. She's called him when she has needed him. (Logan, come and help me bring in my simple machine and he comes and helps her carry it into school) She's helped him on homework. They ran track together and had A-1 Debate class together.

Today is a beautiful morning after the snow we had yesterday and all that wonderful rain! Little worms in the driveway and road in the morning just like Washington!

last Monday of the school year!

School assembly today. It was the Ken Graff Automotive sponsored reading program drawing for a bike and a school talent show. What a fun time. Our principal purchases more bikes and adds to the ones Ken Graff provides so in all 6 bikes.
2 cute stories to share from this:
One-both a brother and a sister from the same family each got one and a boy from 2nd grade was sad he did not win. His teacher said Issac, did you read? I don't remember giving you any tickets to put in the containers. He said well no. The kids who won had lots of minutes, the mom says they are always reading. (For every 100 hundred minutes you read you get a ticket.)
Two-a boy who won the 3-4th grade bike was riding a pink bike before he won his today!

Today was the last early out Monday!
I refused to call any parents who forgot it was early out Monday. I mean come on it's over. When the kindergarten teacher walked them in who had not been picked up and there was four of them I said nope not calling. Let them sit. It's the last one. Sure enough they all got picked up. Then at the end of A track a boy waited at least 45 minutes and at the end of B track a girl waited 35 minutes.

I cheerfully gave ice, band aids and called parents for new clothes due to kids sliding in the mud. After all it's almost over!

And lastly, I moved the 6th graders out, moved all the kids up a grade in the file drawers and got half of the new kindergartner's in the drawer!!!!

When they say on the job posting you have to be able to multitask and work well in stressful situations they are not kidding.

Today was cookie dough delivery plus the book fair.

14,000 dollars of cookie dough to distribute.

Parents coming to get dough when we sent it home with child and they did not even ask kid or wait for them to get home with it.

Parents picking wrong boxes and we call to get it back.

Kids taking wrong boxes and parents bringing it back.

Boy who tells his friend that he wants her order of dough for his birthday and she gives him the order. He takes home!

Kids crying that they were sure they had sold dough.....nope. checked it out with mom.

Phone ringing non stop.

No copy of order to give with dough so please photocopy all this meanwhile the phone is ringing nonstop, kids standing there, parents checking out student with a can you help me now look, and a kid needs a bag of ice for a non existent wound. Plus new student packets please and I am moving into your area.

gotta love first graders

A boy comes down to call his mom. Carla says go over to the student phone and push 9 1 801 and then your number. He struggles I cheerfully say come here and I will dial it for you.

He comes over and I say what's your phone number?

He looks dumbly at me.

I say it again. What's your phone number?

He says I don't know and I say how were you going to call your mom and he said I thought I just dialed 9 1 801 and it would be her.


Another one that I like

They come down to call their mom and I say give me the number to call your mom and they say my mom? what number? and I say if you were calling your mom what number would you use. Give me that number and they say my home number? or my mom's number? and I say where ever you think your mom is at (through clenched teeth). Oh my gosh it's not a game just tell me a number. If she works give me her cell if not give me the home number.

And this happened today:
A 1st grade boy came in who had an accident in his pants. Before my helper left she gave me his name and his teacher's name. We called his mom on cell she was at airport so we called dad. We left 2 messages and never heard back. Finally after at least one and a half hours I called the dad again and got him live. He said it would take him an hour to get to the school which is the end of this boys' day. Knowing that he had been there so long I went to his teacher to get something for him to read.

I went to this class and I was told the boys name wrong and his teacher wrong. The boy whose dad I had been calling did not wet his pants and had gone home on the bus. I had to find out who this boy was and call his parents and call and stop the other dad from coming home one hour away to a false alarm.

We called this boys' mom and got her message machine and then she called back and came and got him. He had sat there about 2 hours and there was no need. Luckily this mom likes us in the office and came in laughing.

(He wet because he was in the book fair trying to buy something and did not know where to put it while we went out to the bathroom so he wet. His teacher came and got him and took him to the book fair and let him get his items while he waited for his mom and then brought him some books to look at.)

Happy Mothers Day

I love being a mom! I have great kids who I love! Today I am grateful I have the chance to tell those kids I love them and I am proud of them! They make good choices and are growing up fast!

The sweet mother of my husband, Kim. She raised him to be a great dad and she is such a good mother and an example to me. She gives service and never speaks ill of any one. A great lesson to me. She works in the temple and has served service missions and has a great testimony to share.

My sweet mother, how I love her. She raised me to be who I am and I like who I am! She is so giving, talented and kind. What I love about my mom is that is always working and trying new things. She can make or do anything. She loves the gospel and builds my faith everytime I talk with her.

It all happened on Friday plus more!

It's busy now at school.

This past week was teacher appreciation week. We have the best room mom coordinator who made this past week amazing for your teachers and staff. She planned and helped the room moms honor our teachers every day with a different theme. (Mints, Popcorn, TrailMix) She made huge letters spelling out teacher appreciation week and hung them over our front doors. She changed the bulletin board in the hall every day. She gave us all a candy of the day with a cute saying and organized a breakfast bar, lunch and an ice cream sundae bar. She had the room moms work in the class for one hour decorating the door with the students while the teachers got a massage plus more. She was wonderful, tireless and from Georgia so she has southern charm and all her colors matched all week! Of course I noticed that. Her theme was green and pink.



Now to Friday. Friday was funny and busy and one thing touching.

Friday was so busy I ate lunch at 1 50 and used the bathroom for the first time at 2 25! We have 4 lines that ring into the office and they never stopped ringing.



I went to PE to find a first grader. 2 first grade classes were combined because there is no way this would have happened if they had not been. I asked for Abby Dayton but there was also an Abby Deeton. Abby Deeton came with me and I walked with her back to her class, told the teacher I was taking her and went on ahead back to the office where I found out I was supposed to get Abby Dayton. I told Kjristina to send Abby Deeton back to class and I went to PE to get the other Abby. When walking the other Abby to class to get her things she said I knew it was me because I have a competition today. (well, why didn't you speak up little missy) I saw the other Abby crying, wandering in the 2nd grade 3rd grade hall. I said Abby what's wrong. And she said I don't know where my class is. I said honey we got you out of PE or your class go back there. She was all confused. I took her back to class with her teacher. Too many Abby's.



A second grader had a hole in her pants up by the top. We called her mom and she could not come for 2 and 1/2 hours. She just looked so worried so I said how about you go into our bathroom here and take off the pants pass them out and I will turn them inside out and tape them. She looked at me horrified. Really it was not the worst idea ever was it? She tied her sweatshirt around her waist.



Another second grader came in after lunch because she had spilled on her new pants and my mom told me to be careful cause these are good pants." She wanted to call home. I said no, "Mom's are amazing they can get stains out" and then I said,"I know because I am a mom." She scrunched up her face stared at me and said, "you are a mom?"



This happened while I was getting 3 phone calls and I could hardly speak for the lump in my throat. Kjristina's husband got a mothers day present for a 3rd grader who's dad moved away since they are divorcing. She called the girl down and explained since she did not have a dad to take her shopping to get something for her mother for mothers day would she like this gift? The little girl burst into tears and ran around the counter to give her a hug. So very sweet.

4th year at Womens Conference BYU 2010

My 4th year to attend Womens Conference! Every year we do it differently. The first year it was just my mom and I and we could not get enough of the BYU brownies. We pretty much made fools of ourselves.

The second year we added my sister Faith to our group and we struggled getting into classes because of the sheer volume of people there but we happened in on some great ones.

Year 3 we attended most classes in the Ballroom and outsmarted the masses. We added my other sister Shannon to our group so there was 4 of us. So very hot that year. My friend Denise taught a class and we made it in to hear her. (By standing in line the class before)

This year we stayed in the Marriot Center most of the time due to the fact it was snowing...on the last days of April, crazy I know. We shared 2 brownies between 3 of us....WHAT? I know. My sister Faith could not make it due to work and my sister Shannon from Texas came back. My friend, Denise spoke again down at the Joseph Smith Auditorium and that was a great room. Too bad it was so far away. We could have just camped out down there but so far to go when it was so cold for the guests! Another thing we did different this year was to stay for the service activity. What a sight to behold. We made school kits since Shannon and I both work at schools.

2nd day - My mom, me and my sister, Shannon. We lucked out on these top row seats and we had a place behind us to put our bags....legroom!


This is my friend from high school (so many years ago) that I just admire so much. That makes her sound old but that is not what I meant I meant that she is a long time dear friend. She spoke now 2 years in a row and is a regular. The girls from California behind us during her class did not know we knew her and just complimented her over and over during and after her talk.

Her mother came from WA and she looks just the same!

We stayed in the Marriot Center for a talk on Thursday. A lady in front of us pulled out the whole box of Chicken in a Biskit crackers and carefully opened it and opened the bag inside. We looked at each other with the same thought, "the whole box? Not a Ziplock bag?" Then my mom whispered, "I hope she brought some dip." We lost ourselves to laughter when she brought out of her bag a can of Easy Cheese. I tell you we could not stop laughing. Then Shannon had to say,"She is putting her initials on the cracker with Easy Cheese."

The next morning while Shannon was in the shower I put a box of the same crackers and a can of Easy Cheese in her bag she was taking to Womens Conference that day. Then she ran it down to my moms bag downstairs. We had the best laugh!!! (yes, we had the crackers and the cheese in my pantry....my mom could not believe it)

Truly a great time spent with my mom and sister. I am grateful they made it work to come and attend with me!

There is always hope

This is hard to write because I don't want it to be too personal but I have to share:

My whole married life to Kim, 25 years, Kelly had been inactive in the church. Because of this sweet lady, Jeanette, Kelly has a family, he is active, has been rebaptized and has the priesthood. He loves her and her children call him dad. This man, Kelly has waited his whole life to be loved this way and I thank her and love her for it.

I have to say that my sweet mother and father in law have long prayed for this day for him in his life and I think of her, my mother in law waiting for this to happen.

We asked Kelly while he was here a very personal question but one that I have continued to think about and that was while he was not in the church did he still believe it was true and he answered that yes he always had it deep in him that it was. Oh,how very sweet that is to hear.

We can't wait for their next step which is to go to the temple and we hope to be with them.

Kim's Brother visits for General Conference weekend

We laughed so hard with the kids in these Velcro suits we cried. We had to pry them off the inflatable. They did this over and over for one hour. So very fun and funny.

They had such a fun time here at Jump On It.

We took them around to see the new Utah temples. Both to Draper and to the Oquirrah Mt one. Plus Kim and Kelly lived in Utah for a short time when they were in grade school . We went by their old houses and they relived memories. How very sweet it was to hear them reminisce.

Kim has a brother named Kelly. After we moved to Utah Kelly married Jeanette. Jeanette has 4 children and they brought 2 of the sweetest girls to Utah with them to visit us, Emily and Jessica. We had never met Jeanette, Emily or Jessica but when we met them they were family. Oh, how they fit in. We had the best weekend and enjoyed getting to know them so much.

Trip to Las Vegas

We rented a cute,little fast car, loaded up Kelsi and Logan and drive to Las Vegas to watch Jake run. I had never driven to Vegas but Kim has and Logan has been to Scout camp down in this area of Utah and they had been down here to run in a summer track meet. So off we went.
Beautiful Scenery!

The St. George Temple!

Embassy Suites with a great breakfast, making omelette's for those who like eggs and this stream with 2 swans and bridges.

Bellagio! Timed perfectly to see the fountains dance to Proud to Be An American. What a sight!

On way home I almost lost it. I am not a good car sitter. I put a Life Saver Gummy around a Teddy Graham and cracked myself up. It saved the day for me! So glad we went. I got to see Jake run which I will never get enough of since I have never seen Colby run since we moved away. I also got to see some of Colby's high school friends who attend UNLV. They are getting an education like he is and I am so proud of all of them.

Oh the weather I've seen to watch a track meet!

Kelsi at Lehi High running for WillowCreek Jr High. Nicest warmest day!

Logan in middle of field at Lehi High running for WillowCreek Jr High. He was practicing he handoffs with his 4x400 team.

A beautiful Saturday at East High in SLC, Jake is running for UVU in a meet sponsored by University of Utah. We took our coats on and off today and wrapped in a blanket some times.

Jake warming up for his triple jump at UofU meet at East High in SLC.

Jake figuring out where to start his jumps and run for his triple jump. He has to measure and walk it off and then run through it several times.

Jake with his UVU team in Las Vegas for an invitational track meet at UNLV at the start of the outdoor season. Cold day, even by Las Vegas standards.

Jake doing his warmups at UNLV in Las Vegas for the track invite there.

I like this part he rocks back and forth getting ready to run and jump. He is doing his run throughs.