Ellie first Soccer Game-

Last Wednesday was Ellie's first soccer game. We were not sure if we would let her do soccer again because last time she was on a team she worried more about how she looked than actually learning how to play the game. But she begged us to let her try it again this year, and how can you say no to such a cute little thing like her. :) She did pretty well, and I think she proved to us that she is older and ready to learn. He coach seems to be a good guy, who is very patient. She has a few friends on her team as well, which always makes the games fun. Anyway, here are a few pictures from her game.

Tuesday Tell All-

Keeping up with this months school theme...What was your favorite school subject or college course?

In Elementary I loved spelling. Spelling always came a bit easy to me, and I almost always got 100% on my Friday tests. When I was in fourth grade my dad told me that if I could get 100% on my tests for 4 months that he would let me have a baby kitty of my very own. It was a very exciting day the day I was able to go with my dad to St. George and pick out my very own Siamese kitten, whom I named Rascal the Raccoon because of the markings on his face. He was the best cat ever, and I loved him so much.

In Middle School, I loved Home Economics, and Chorus. I loved the feeling I would get by making something for myself, that actually turned out. I had the opportunity of making a sweat shirt, a big foot pillow, and apron, and a pillow case. In chorus, I always enjoyed singing with friends, and always had fun when it came time for the spring recitals. I still remember some of the odd ball songs Mrs. Johnson taught us, and the warm up exercises she also taught now entertain my kids.

At the Hurricane High School I loved the classes I took from Mrs. Trane. She taught Home EC, Interior Design (loved it) and Family Planning. She asked once in class what each of our dreams were. I told her I wanted a challenge as a mother. When she asked why, I told her I did not want life as a mother to be a cake walk, but instead a challenge. I remember her telling me to be careful for what I ask for. As I think about some of the challenges I have now as a mother I think to myself what was I thinking. :)

When we moved to Cedar City, I enrolled in a class there at the school that was called Graphic Design. I loved this class so much. Here I was able to fall deeper in love with Photography, and Video. I learned how to develop film in the dark room, and I think this is when I decided that I would like to have a Photography business of my own someday. My teacher was Mr. Anderson, and he was the best. He made learning fun, and made it so that all I wanted to do was design, and carry a camera around with me 24-7. I met some cool kids in this class whom I still think about today, and wonder what each is up to. Also in this class I had the opportunity to design logos, and learn printing. I wish I would have gone on in this type of thing. It was always so enjoyable, and relaxing to me. I think someday I would love to take some designing classes at the College.

Picnic and Fun at the Park

Today I told the kids that if they would help me around the house, that I would take them on a special trip, so after our chores were done I made us a picnic, and we headed off for our adventure. They had no clue where we were going, and I wasn't about to blow the secret. They were feeling bad because we were not able to go down south to the Jack Leavitt Family Reunion, and they figured that this long weekend would be a boring one. Well after I drove in circles (literally) around a vacant parking lot with their eyes closed, I drove to a park that they had never been to and told them to open their eyes. You would have thought that it was Christmas or something, they were so excited, and couldn't get out of the car fast enough. I forgot to take pictures of our fun picnic, but I did get some fun pictures of the kids playing on the playground. After we got done playing at the park, we headed over to Wal Mart, where we made some early Christmas wish lists, and Jake even made some requests for his birthday that will be not so soon in the future, but he thinks it is approaching rather quickly. Then we bought him a new twin bed to match the chest of drawers we bought him a week ago, and then we went to 7-Eleven where we got our favorite color of Slurpee, sat on the bench in front of the store and people watched while sipping on our Slurpee's, and then we headed home with exhausted kids. Ellie even thanked me for not letting them go to the Reunion. She told me that she is glad we stayed home cause the reunion wouldn't have had a fun day like this. haha, I am so glad she doesn't realize the fun she missed out on not going to the reunion, or else I think my big girl would be pretty sad at her mom and dad. Oh well maybe next year when Ray and I don't have things going on that keep us grounded for the month of September. Next time maybe we will hit the Zoo in secret or the Planetarium, or the living Aquarium, or maybe even the Tree House in Ogden for a day. All are places my kids would really enjoy.

I found this website a few months ago and thought it was a good time to start doing this.
This blog gives you ideas to post about...they present a question and you answer it how you want.
They post a new question every Tuesday, thus the name "Tuesday Tell All". And, since I am wanting to use my blog as a journal, or at least make it into a book once a year, I figured maybe this might help me out a bit.

Jake's First Day of School

Today is Jake's first day of Pre-School. He will be going 4 days a week this year. Mondays, Tuesdays, have Wednesday off and then go on Thursday and Friday. The bus picks him up between 8:15 and 8:30, and it will drop him off around 12:00-12:15. There are 3 other boys from our ward, and two of them live in our neighborhood that will be on the bus with him and going to the same school. He was so excited this morning, he was up early dressed and patiently waiting at the window. Mom on the other hand was a bit emotional. He seems so young still, and 4 days a week for half a day seems like a long time. I do believe he will enjoy it, and that it will be good for him, I am just going to miss him so much. He made sure that he had his pictures done before the bus came, and had to make sure I knew what faces he was making. so I will put the names of the faces above the pics so that you know what he was thinking. haha

Cheese

Woo Hoo, I'm really excited...

I can't wait till the bus comes to get me.

See my cool new Pack Pack.

Tuesday Tell All-

This week, for posterity's sake, share with us a school memory from your own childhood. What is your earliest memory of school, what did you love about the first week of school, who was your favorite teacher, subject, or playground game?

* My earliest memory of school begins on my very first day of Kindergarten. My mom was late getting me to school (at the time had had 5 older girls she needed to get to school and make sure they were each settled). The bell had already rang, and all the kids had already taken their seats. I was crying and embarrassed and was refusing to go inside. My mom was trying all sorts of things to get me to go inside but to no avail, then she said to me that if I would go in she would take me to buy me a lunch box after school, and that she would let it be the one of my choice (which just happened to be a Popeye one). So after much thought I decided I would go in, but was still very nervous. Then as I walked in a little girl came up to me and asked me if I wanted to sit by her and be her friend and I said yes. Her name was Carolee Stout, and we remained best of friends throughout our school years, and are still friends to this day.
* I think the one thing I loved most about the first week of school was the feeling that you could do anything. That nothing was going to stop you from being the best at whatever you wanted to do. I remember each year feeling like such a big kid on the first week of school (usually feeling older than I actually was).
* My favorite teacher was Mrs. Cornelius. I happened to have her for both 1st and 2nd grade. She lived in our neighborhood, and I was really good friends with her grand daughter Jessica. She was always very nice to me, and made me feel like I was very important.
* My favorite subject was spelling, which I always seemed to do really well at. I remember when I was younger I would read things my sister's would write and I always would spot the miss spelled words, and bring it to there attention. (they probably did not appreciate me much)
* My favorite playground game was tag. I remember that we would split up in teams (girls against boys). If the girls tagged the boys we got to kiss them, and if the boys tagged us we had to tell them who we liked. Ellie plays the same game now at school, except they can't kiss the person they catch, so they just tell each other who they like.

Ellie's First Day of School

Today was Ellie's first day of school and she was both excited and nervous to go. She was afraid that kids at school would make fun of her in her new glasses, and that she would not be able to make any friends. But as she returned home today she informed us that she had a very good day, and that she is going to love being in second grade. I am so proud of her, and I hope this year will be a good one for her. :)