Long overdue

I know that I haven't been updating blogs as often as I have in the past, but I didn't realize I had let more than a month go on yours and Kates!  Sorry!!

So... I'll start at the beginning and go back.

Baseball (t-ball) starts tonight.  Dad took you for your first practice.  And don't worry, I'll get plenty of time on the field because Grandpa Lafeen wants to practice 3 times a week!  Three times a week of driving through rush hour traffic to Herriman (35-60 minutes away depending on the time we leave) to practice.  Every spring I say this is the last year... and every year we do it again.  I hope you enjoy it, but I also know that you enjoy your time with Grandpa, so it's worth it.

We also went up to Baby Animal Days in Logan this past weekend.  It was kind of a last minute decision and a bit too cold for your liking, but I think you had fun.  We invited Grandma and Grandpa Lafeen and Gordon and Jessica to come with us.

You spent a night at the Lafeen's and I think you may have learned how to ride your bike without training wheels.  Grandpa said you could do it down the driveway, but it was seriously so cold and rainy ever since you guys came home, we haven't been back out to see for ourselves.  This week should be better though.

You and Kate started Gymnastics last month.  It's pretty entertaining -for all of us (except maybe Milo).   I've been pretty impressed with the instructors and the set up.  It's at a local community rec center, but they bring in all sorts of stuff.  Beams, trampolines, last time they even had the uneven bars.  You are quite athletic, especially when it comes to climbing and swinging on stuff, so you've really enjoyed it.

We went to Kindergarten orientation last week.  And before I get too far, I'll remind you (and anyone else reading) that 1-the third times the charm and 2-women are known for changing their minds!  Despite the feelings I had about you going to Bella Vista your dad wasn't quite convinced.  He started looking into a charter school in the valley, which I wasn't very excited about.  Longer commute, unknown results (it's still very new) and I just have realized that I believe in the public school system.  So... it was in the midst of these doubts and discussions when I received a call from the district.  I had put your name into the lottery for a Spanish dual immersion program at Midvale Elementary (still not our neighborhood, but a bit closer than Bella Vista).  Most other programs (Spanish, French & Mandarin) start in 1st grade, but because Midvale is a Title I school and has all day Kindergarten (and perhaps because many of their students and even more of their parents speak Spanish as their first language) it starts early.  They sent out the initial email in January, but I never received it.  We accepted the position (so know you were registered in 3 schools) and so far, that's where you're going!  Dad and I are both really excited about the dual immersion program, and I hope that if we're able to start you in it now, when we're able to move in the next couple of years we'll be able to get you in on of the other Spanish programs.  Not to mention, once you have a sibling in the program they usually let the other ones in as well.  So, it looks like we're on the way to being a bilingual family (everybody but me, probably).

We had our week in Palm Desert with Mimi and Papa and everyone last month.  You loved it.  You love anything and everything that involves vacation houses, being with family, pools, and playing all day long.  You weren't so thrilled with the drive, but then again, none of us really liked that!

We had a few fun days when Stella (and her mom and dad) were in town right after our trip to the desert. We had dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Hardcastle's and then went to the children's museum downtown later in the week.

I think that gets us up to date.

Hyrum-isms

Go, go power rangers.  They can do anything.  Except lose.  [Singing to the power rangers theme song]

Why did the penguin cross the road?  So he could play at someone's house.  

I wonder how I got ketchup on my leg.  [Me: That's blood] Oh, is that what human blood looks like?

Did you know if you have sugar and spice and everything nice and chemical X you can make the powerpuff girls?  I know we have sugar, but do we have spice?

I have good news and bad news. The bad news is Kate's eating with her fingers.  The good news is I have a jig for you. 

I want you to hold these pieces of string cheese and pretend you're a tree and I'll pretend I'm a giraffe.  [I did]

Do worms live above ground or below? [Me: Below] But people are buried in the dirt. [Yes, but their bodies are buried in caskets, like a big box, so worms can't get in.] Okay, I just didn't want them to get hurt. 

[I was putting a bunch of toys in the dishwasher to clean them] Mom, it's called a dishwasher not a toy washer. 

I love you most.  [No, I love you most] I love you until the end of all the numbers. 

I want to go three places on my mission.  Outer space.  Tokyo.  And... where do people speak Spanish?

Everyone in the world has germs.  But the good germs are battling the bad guy germs but the good guy germs always win. 

I'm going to sleep over at Grandpa Lafeen's for ten thousand nights.  I'll miss you mom, but that's what I have to do.  

I love you more than I love Grandpa Lafeen.  [Oh, wow, thanks.] Well, actually I love Grandpa Lafeen more.  But I love you more than people like Gordon and Jessica and Grandma Hardcastle. 

New School

This post is as much for me as it is for you.  

Once upon a time mom's and dad's waited until spring when the registration letter came in the mail for a upcoming kindergartner to enroll in kindergarten at their local elementary school.  That was it.  (Okay, I know private schools have been around forever, but for normal people in Utah, that's how it went).  

Then came open enrollment.  And charter schools.  And more affordable (or at least accessible) private schools.  And dual immersion programs.  All day and half day programs.  And that's just elementary school! You add junior and senior high schools in the mix, and there's even more options and possibilities.  

It's a bit overwhelming.  

I knew that I didn't want to send you to our neighborhood school.  The boundaries changed this last school year, and it's a school that has some of the lowest scores in the district and area, and the rest of our ward goes to another school, East Midvale.  East Midvale is a Title I school, which for us means, more money and more resources being funneled into the school that any of the other local elementary schools.  It means a bit more than that, but I didn't see it as a negative, I actually saw it as a positive aspect.  Smaller class sizes, all day kindergarten (which I think you would do great at -you hate not 'going somewhere' at all times, and since you'd be almost 6 when you start I get the feeling you'd excel in that kind of program).  

So,  I went into East Midvale last week to complete, what I thought would be, a simple task of requesting admission into the school.  I was wrong.  Because it's an all day kindergarten I guess this school is coveted by many parents.  I was informed that I could certainly request the move, but I wouldn't know until September (after school starts) if there is room for you at the school and to enroll in our neighborhood school in the mean time.  

I went to plan B.  Your cousin (Leila) goes to another school in the district, Bella Vista.  This is about 10-12 minutes away, which is still 3 or 4 minutes shorter than our drive to preschool, but I was really looking forward to cutting that down since Kate will also start there next fall.  Bella Vista told your aunt Shondel  that there's no waiting list to get in there, and they'd be more than happy to have you go.  They'd also work with us and put you on an unofficial waiting list, so if you DID get to go to East Midvale the computer wouldn't show that you were already enrolled in a school that wasn't our neighborhood one.  

I finally made it up there today during dad's lunch break.  It was such a strange experience.  I just felt different walking into the the office than I did at the other school.  I gave the secretary the paperwork and she explained that you'd get in the computer with this, and they'd send out a letter in April about registration and such.  I know I was supposed to explain that I didn't want to do that quite yet, but I didn't for some reason.  I just thanked her and walked out.  I was almost overcome with emotion and I knew that this was the school that you were supposed to go to next year.  

I've been stressing about where you should go to school, and didn't want to commit to another long commute (come on, 15 minutes one way to kindergarten would be considered a commute, right?).  We'd like to move in the next couple of years, and although this school is more in the direction of where we'd like our next home to be, I don't know how far south or north we'll be.  I've been conflicted on making such a big deal about the school anyway, it's mostly parent involvement that makes or breaks a child's education at this stage.  But, it's just something that has been weighing heavy on my mind.  Until today.  

For now, you're going to go to Bella Vista and I'll know that the drive is worth it and rushing to get you and your sister to your schools will be worth it, and hopefully you'll be just as happy in Kindergarten as you have been in preschool.  

Your Christmas

You have been SO excited for Christmas this year.  I imagine that's how it will be for the next 10 or 15 years.  This year you asked for something specific, a Batman Blaster (something you saw while I was looking on Amazon.com for another item) and stuck with it.  I did my best to remind you of what you wanted and asked Santa for, so we didn't have any last minute changes this year.

We had professional photo's with dad dressed up as Santa, and then again a week later with Stella while her dad dressed up as Santa.

After your school program you guys all sat on Santa's lap, which was on the only time this year.  This particular Santa was a little less than jolly, but you didn't mind him.

We spent Christmas Eve at Grandma Colleens house with the Lafeens.  A yummy dinner and time with Grandpa Lafeen, it was a great night for you.  You got your first gift card.  Or, as you put it, "I can buy ANYTHING I want with it?"  For the rest of the night, any time someone opened another gift card, it was an "Anything you want card".   We didn't manage any pictures from that night (oops)

Later that night the Lafeen's came over and spoiled you kids rotten!  You and Kate both got your own tablet's... along with a whole bunch of other toys.  You got quite a few Avenger toys, Batman pj's, some art supplies, batman toys, and a kit to paint and put together wooden race cars.  It was quite a haul.

Our neighbor brought us a GREAT gift the night before, sugar cookies with frosting.  I was planning on making cookies with you guys but completely ran out of time, so these worked great.  I just found some sprinkles for you guys to add to the them.



Santa is a bit more modest and has decided to stick with "Something you want, Something you Need, Something to Wear and Something to Read".  So, between the big guy and mom and dad, we had you covered.

You got your batman blaster (not quite as fun as it looked like it would have been online), some chapter books, socks, underwear, and a new pair of jeans.  You also got a coloring book, some slime that makes farting noises, and a card game.  Kate got you a light sabor (saver) and you also got another lego kit from mom and dad.

We met at Mimi and Papa's for brunch with the Goughs.  It started out with a whole bunch of Lego's.  Each of you got a Lego tray and new lego's to play with.  You also got these amazing hand made monster blankets from Nikki, Ethan and Skyler's mom.  We got a new game from Laila and Nolan and a framed picture from Konner.

We also lucked out and got a few pictures from Shondel.

  

From there we headed to Grandma and Grandpa Hardcastle's to have dinner with the Hardcastles and open presents again.  Great Grandma Hardcastle gave each of you $20 that we'll deposit into your bank account. The only picture I managed was one of Kate.  You got a cool, handmade superhero cape and little bug that vibrates around anything. You got a bunch of clothes and toys from Grandma and Grandpa Lafeen and a few other toys that I can't seem to recall right now.  

We rolled back home around 10 pm, and all three of you kids were still awake.  It was a LONG day!