Last Day of School 2019

We've only done school for two years, but even so, I was so ready to be done with the routine about two weeks ago. It got really bad a week ago when the kids started taking an entire hour just to eat breakfast and get dressed and even that took intense prodding. So for the last week of school, the kids had hot lunch at school because we no longer had the mental capacity to add making lunch to our morning.

I'm pretty sure I would have just let the kids stay home the last few days of school if not for the promise of field day. Oh field day, a morning filled with all things fun outside. Last year the last day of school was surprisingly cold, but this year was the exact opposite - 96 degrees.

One of the field-day activities was coloring all over the play ground. Doodah was all over it making his coolest robot guy ever. 

 Another field day activity was snow cones. Here's Chewkie with two of her sweet Kindergarten friends.

Ms. Nielsen and Ms. Miller, two angel teachers who loved my children, fostered supportive classroom cultures, and helped my babes work at their own pace, even when it added to their already over-extended workload.

And because I always forget to take a last day of school picture before school, I was pretty proud of myself that at least I remembered to take one after they got off the bus. Hallelujah to have 12 weeks of lazy days, even if it means I don't get to go grocery shopping by myself or have lunch dates with Matthew.

This is what we have planned for the summer. The kids loved the coupon idea so much from their mother's day cards that I decided to make coupons for the summer. Most of the ideas came from them, and many of them like "go to the park" have lots of repeats. But hopefully we will manage to have fun this summer while not stressing me out with filling every moment of every day.

Hooray Summer!!!!!

Seminary 2018-2019

I LOVED having my babies at home with me, but I have been excited for both of them to be in school and have the house to myself. I was excited to pick up some hours and get some extra spending money and help us towards our financial goals. But then I got asked to be a seminary (early-morning scripture study class) teacher to 18 seniors. At first I was so nervous. It felt like such a daunting task to be these student's last seminary experience before fending for themselves, but I could not have asked for a better class. Even when, with senioritis and heavy school workloads hit and attendance dropped, I still loved every day I had with them.

At one point early in the year I was trying to figure out how to balance working and seminary and keeping my house together. When I prayed about it, my answer was simple, "Don't try. Just focus on seminary and let me take care of the rest." So I did, I told the firm I contract for that I no longer had the time I thought I did, to which they responded that it was probably for the best since the projects they had for me fell through.

A few months later when I prayed to know what goals to set for the new year, I was dismayed that I didn't feel strongly to focus on anything in particular. Again, the answer was, "I've given you seminary, just worry about that." And so, while some may be able to balance many things (and last time I taught seminary I did), that wasn't in the plan for me this year. Honestly, I am grateful. I know I would have burned out months ago if I were trying to do more.

So I taught and loved and supported my students (adopted children) as best as I knew how. This morning I fed them breakfast, and we reminisced about their 4-years of seminary. It was THE perfect way to end a magical gift I was given last summer. Thank you my darling kids.