Kosty reads!

Kosty is a perfectionist and if he can't do it perfect the first time, he gives up. This is why he hates the learning to read process. "Sounding things out" is really frustrating to him. He refuses to even sound out the words out loud and only does them in his head. Then when he thinks it will sound perfect coming out, he says it. Its been a challenge trying to help him, needless to say. This summer I decided every day after lunch we would have 30 minutes of reading time. He dreaded it and half the time so did I, because of his attitude. But I knew he needed practice and I had to nail him down with a schedule or it wasn't happening. Some days he would just flip through books in silence, and some days he would read a whole book, and some days I would just ask him to read a couple pages. Every day was different depending on his temperament. Hop on Pop was the first book he sat down and read totally on his own and every page. I gotta hand it to Dr Seuss for making such easy to read books, but most of them are so LONG! 60+ pages in Hop on Pop, Cat in the Hat, and Green Eggs and Ham. That's a lot of pages for a short attention span! Anyway, it was an exciting milestone, but as you can see, he tried to hide any emotion or joy in his face when I brought out the camera. He wanted just a picture of his face behind the book but I wasn't having it and so you see the second (glum) attempt. 

girls camp.

 I was nervous about leaving the kids for gils camp right when summer started, but Jer assured me and off I went. I was also nervous about spending 4 days in tents. Our stake is the only one I've heard of that doesn't have cabins or Camp Lomia. But the leaders I serve with are so much fun & I knew I would regret not going. Every night we would be sore and gasping for breath from laughing so hard. The group bathrooms and showers were enough to make an outhouse a luxury, and so we decided that we would rather go 4 days without a shower. But we finally broke down and took one on day 3. Our girls never even took one. There was plenty of eating, zero down time, and lots of hiking and chores too--I was beginning to wonder if there was any spirituality to be had at camp, until the Trail of Truth and testimony meeting. I am amazed at these girls and the testimonies. Surely strengthened my mine. All week I had this feeling that Bishop was going to ask me to speak in sacrament, and I was worried since I had had no great spiritual experience up until that last day, (plus lets be real I hate speaking in sacrament) and sure enough he started to inch his way towards me after testimonies. I tiptoed around the awning that night, making sure to talk to all the YW (and also to get him off my tail) when finally he shouted from across the awning, "Chelsea. You're speaking in sacrament." He also asked two girls and two leaders so luckily it was only a short assignment. Grateful to be among such good people in my calling. 

summer (part one)

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My kids always get excited to make our annual summer bucket list, and this year was even more exciting because I found a blast from my past, my all time favorite Mr. Sketch markers (that were the absolute coolest thing you could own as a girl in fourth grade). I was hoping they would excite the boys even a tiny bit as much as they did me. We spent an afternoon making our list and savoring those fabulous fruity scents. So we've been really busy doin a whole lot of what we do every summer. 

that one time we grew miniature carrots.

I always talk a big game about how I'm going to plant a garden "next spring"...I'm pretty sure I've said that for the last 10 springs. Truth is I have no clue how to garden and while I've checked out gardening books from the library and read articles online, I still feel completely overwhelmed by it and swear that I won't feel that way "next spring". We went to home depot to grab flowers for our pots and Brayden begged for some carrot seeds. I told him we would attempt to grow them in our spare planters out back and so we did. About 3 MONTHS later, I decided that they must be done growing and pulled one up. I was so shocked to see orange on the end of that green! Ok they were super tiny and surely we did something wrong here, BUT.... the kids and I were thrilled about our itty bitty carrots because dangit, they were orange! and you could eat them! and they even tasted delicious!   

school pics.

I always fight with myself over buying school picture "packages".  I know that when we do family pictures, I will get much better shots of my kids without a doubt. But theres just somethin about those cute faces with those sweet smiles and that awesome signature smokey blue gray background. I surrender. Officially. And they must be in the blurb book as well as on my bulletin board. 

Brayden's last day.

For Brayden's last day, the third grade had a water day and I went in to help. I ended up getting completely soaked from (dirty water filled) splash balls. They had 5 stations, one of which included washing all the 3rd grade teachers cars (smart teachers) and they ended with making ice cream in a bag.  I can't say enough good things about Brayden's teacher this year. Ms. Hufford is one of those special teachers that the kids love and adore and she loves them right back. She's one that he will always remember as his favorite. She has such a gift of helping them to learn to LOVE reading and writing, and Brayden blossomed in both this year more than he ever has. She set a goal for the kids to read 1 million words and he ended the year with 1, 160, 600. She would frequently send emails that said things like, "I wish you could see your child right now, immersed in his book and smiling and giggling, you should be proud." She was so nurturing and loving and just plain treated these kids like they were her own. She was also a big jokester and Brayden loved this about her. She just had a way of making school fun and Brayden had his best year ever, and never wanted to miss a day. She also frequently expressed how much she loved Brayden's writing and what a talent he has. She pulled one of his essays and had me read it during a PT conference, because she couldn't believe how good it turned out and that it gave her "chills". She would also remind me that I should be keeping them all in a "save forever" box. She also had the principal and the whole front office staff read it. (I will have to find it and post it on here later). She would always say, "make sure you give an autographed copy of your first book!" Oh man, she is just one of a kind! I love the way these pictures turned out of them and I think they sum up the mutual love and admiration they have for each other. 

Kindergarten graduation.

Mrs. Wilson

loving every minute of the graduation songs. Not. 

Mrs. McCarty the sub.

telling the audience what he wants to be when he grows up-- an artist. 

I know that gets kind of ridiculous that by the time you are 6 years old and you have already had 3 "graduations" but there is something sad about this time...its the fact that he is a 1st grader now! I felt like the last three years at preschool and pre K were just keeping him masked in the super young category somehow. Now I feel like that all came to a screeching halt and all the sudden he's so grown up. I totally wrote a huge "request" for Mrs. Wilson this year, and we were thrilled that he got her. She's sweet and patient and southern accent-ed. I found out later in the year that she was a grandma too--kind of shocked me actually. About 2 months before school got out, she fell out of her husbands golf cart and broke both of her wrists and had to go through tons of physical therapy. It was a huge bummer because the kids are all so sensitive at that age and need consistency--it was a rough adjustment. Luckily, her assistant, Mrs. McCarty was able to step in full time and take on the remainder of the year. It helped that the kids already knew her but it was still sad to end the year without Mrs. Wilson. She came to the graduation and the kids were so happy to see her. When Kosty came up afterwards, she said, "Koston, I really missed you and I thought about you every single day!" He was pretty happy about that. A few days before school got out, he was scrambling all over looking for a school picture of himself. I asked him why and he said he was making something for Mrs. Wilson and he wanted her to have a picture of him. I love his sentimental side! For his graduation gift he requested a snow cone maker. He had told me that his friend had an electric one and that he must be "so rich." Kids.

piano recital.

another piano recital and again with the lousy pictures! Gosh. They never seem to work out there. Anyway, Brayden was much more confident this time around and he played Sonatina and Jack and the Beanstalk so nicely. Love watching him progress in piano. 

Some journaling for Kosty. That first picture is when I found him during a very rare nap on the family room floor on a Sunday afternoon. He looked so snuggly, his eyes were slightly cracked open, and he was even smiling. Must have been a good nap. The next picture is what I find pretty much every night lately. He sneaks into our bed and makes himself at home, most of the time he's shirtless. Pretty cute. The next picture is just of him and his friends, he can be so funny and outgoing sometimes and I love watching him around his buddies. The last picture is when I came to lunch at his school (he told me I should since bean burritos were on the menu) and when I got there, his friends were all gathered around him asking if he would please pick them to sit by. Then one of his friends said, "Koston! Koston! We forgot the lunch boxes!" I guess they were in charge of lugging in the box with everyones lunches that week. When Kosty realized it, he did the funniest little thing, I can't really explain it, but among all of the kids talking to him, he calmly and cool-ey, took his time, waited with his answer, and then when it got quiet, he closed his eyes and kind of rocked on his knees and held up his fingers and said, "ohhhhh, snap." Perfectly timed his word snap with his finger snaps. The kids all started laughing and it was just something I hope I never forget, can't really explain it, but it was just a cool little moment. I loved seeing his bold, confident, and timely witty side in front of his class. This kid is cool. 

Just some quick journaling on Brayden. That first picture I had tried to get them both, but Kosty ditched out and Brayden remained ready and smiling--I love that about him. The next two are from Grandmas house one Sunday when he decided he wanted to make ice cream in a bag. People were telling him that it wouldn't work or that it wouldn't taste good or that it was a hassle, but he went for it anyway with a positive attitude that it would work and it did. The next picture is one day I found him reading the blurb books and giggling. I couldn't believe how giant he looked on my couch! The next picture is just one day that I was sitting on my chair in the living room, reading and thinking...Brayden came and sat on my lap and asked me what I was thinking about. When I told him some tough choices and things that were on my mind, he listened intently and then agreed that it was tough stuff. Then the first thing he said was, "I think we should pray about it." Then he got right into a prayer and prayed the most sincere and thoughtful prayer about my particular circumstances. He is such a special boy and example to me. I'm grateful that he is so insightful and I know Heavenly Father guides me through him.