Sarah's May School Happenings

What a great finish to a GREAT school year!  Sarah did exceptional this year.  She excels academically and continues to be a leader at school among her peers.  She ALWAYS wants to do her best and be her best on her schoolwork and in the classroom.

My School Year Rocked...

My Favorites!

My favorite thing to do at recess... "Play basketball, go on the tire swing."
My favorite subject... "Reading"
My favorite field trip... "is to the WSU basketball game."
My favorite special event... "AR Store"
My favorite thing to eat for lunch... "pizza"

My favorite book I've read... "Junie B. Jones"
My favorite new thing I've learned... "Math, multiplication, subtraction, addition, and division"
My favorite memories from this year... "When people make me laugh and I try to hold my laugh in.  When I got ribbons for getting 3rd, 2nd, 1st and I got all of the ribbons and I also got a participation award."

A few things about my teacher...

She really likes... "K-State, me, teaching, food, movies, popcorn, and she also likes funny people and running."
My favorite thing about her is... "She cares for us.  She teaches good lessons.  She is nice and pretty."

What were some of the worst things about this school year?

• "I pulled a stick for not dancing."
• "I pulled a stick for mommy not signing my planner."
• "Baylee yelling at me."
• "When I get in trouble."
• "When people get mad at me."
• "Spilling milk on myself."
• "When people don't like me anymore."

My Summer Break

What do you hope to do during your summer break?  "Go swimming, play with my friends, eat some candy and yummy food, play in the snow in Colorado, maybe find pretty rocks in Colorado and Arkansas, go fishing, go to my Aunt and Uncle's house, Nanee and Popee's house, Great Uncle and Aunt's house too."

What were some of the best things about this school year?

• "Going to the AR Store"
• "Eating school lunches"
• "Playing outside at recess"
• "Meeting new students"
• "Running in the Fun Runs at my school"

Tell me about going to the last AR Store of this school year?  How many points did you have to spend?

Sarah:  I had 151 to spend.  I earned 275 points for the entire year, but had already spent part of that at previous AR Stores throughout the year.  We got to go to the AR Store once during the last week of school to spend our remaining points.  We went in and looked around.  There were flip flops, bubbles, coloring books, art kits, water bottles that came with drink mixes to put in them, tattoos, CD players, water jugs, pencils, games, small toys, and books.  I looked around and was trying to decide what to get and I wanted a coloring book but then Austin pointed out a Guitar.  It was 150 points.  I bought it!  I also bought one tattoo, with my 1 point I had left.

Below is Sarah's 4th nine weeks report card.  One B during the 2nd nine weeks in Math, other than that, ALL A's!!!! Way to go Sarah!  Great job!  You studied and worked hard!  Great ending to your 3rd grade year!

What are your goals for the next school year?

1. "Get to 300 or more AR points"
2. "Make new friends at school"
3. "Learn to play new instruments"
4. "Be in the talent show"

Mom List

Blessed.  Mother of 3.  Wife to 1.  A mind that races.  Blood pressure that is high.  But, MOST importantly... a heart that is FULL.

My "Mom" List:  Caretaker.  Teacher.  Chauffeur.  Nurse.  Provider.  Maid.  Adviser.  Referee.  Laundry Lady.  Entertainer.  Defender.  Protector.  Judge.  Cheerleader.  Seamstress.  Comforter.  Hairdresser.  Personal Assistant.  Advocate.  Toy Repairer.  Party Planner.  Memory Keeper.  Banker.  Cook.  Coach.  Organizer/Planner.  Calendar Keeper.  Travel Agent.  Leader.   Ringmaster.  Guard.  Disciplinarian. Housekeeper. 

Sometimes things get crazy around our house.  We get busy.  We get preoccupied with things and stuff.  But then God finds a way to slip in those moments to remind us of what we have, the blessings in our lives.  I have 3 of them, 4 if you count my Hottie.  But, my littles, 1, 2, and 3, are super-fantastic.  I love them each with a fierce Mama Bear love.  They fill my heart with their hugs, tears, laughter, dirty hands and feet, smooches, mismatched clothes, crooked smiles, silly songs, dancing feet, handmade cards and pictures, their little prayers, hands holding onto mine, "goodnight"(s),  and "I love you"(s).  I am so thankful that I have Sarah, Phoebe, Silas, and Eric and that I get the opportunity to be all of the things listed above to them and in their lives.  I may sometimes wish for a little LESS laundry, or a little LESS fighting, or a little LESS messiness, but then my Hottie sings this song to me (For real.  He sings to me and I love it.) "You're gonna miss this.  You're gonna want this back.  You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast.  These are some good times, so take a good look around.  You may not know it now, but you're gonna miss this."  And, I know in my full Mama bear heart he is right.  So I hug them tighter and a little longer and I soak them all up because our time is short but my heart will always stay full.

Silas gave me two great cards that he made, with a little help, at church.  I love that he tore the pieces of paper for the pink card, and on the other someone helped him trace and cut out his handprint.

Phoebe made the pink card below for me at church.  There was one Hershey's Kiss and one Hershey's Hug taped to each of her handprints.  One for her and one for me.

Sarah made the card below for me at church.  Her class also had a little "Muffins and Donuts with Mom" party that morning too.  Her card says, "I love you! M + S {Mommy Sarah} Thank you for helping me, being nice to me, and making me look pretty.  Thank you for all you do for me.  Love, Sarah".

After church the kids and Eric gave me a few other cards and gifts.

Sarah's card that she made for me at school was like a newspaper article.  (below) She also made me the paper cup of tea which actually held a tea packet so that I could make a cup of tea for myself later.

Q. What do you like best about your mom?

A. She cooks good food and she helps me.

Q. What is the best advice your mom has ever given you?

A. Sprint at the end of races.

Q. What is the best thing your mom fixes for supper?

A. pancakes, soup, sausage

Q. What is something that you would like to thank your mom for always doing for you?

A. Making me look pretty.

Q. What is your mom like? Please describe her to me.

A. nice, pretty, helpful and blue eyes, and puts on makeup.

Phoebe gave me a small canvas magnet that she painted at school.  It has a picture of herself glued on it.  Very cute!  I love it.

Phoebe's card that she made for me at school... (below) "My Mother's Day Mini Book by: Phoebe"

My Mom is really good at... "macen dinl for me" (making dinner for me)

My Mom looks like this...

My Mom's favorites... food "sanwichis" (sandwiches) color "blue" animal "dog" hobby "go wunen" (go running)

Happy Mother's Day Love, Phoebe

A running shirt from Silas... "MOMS just WANNA have RUN".  Pajamas from Phoebe, and a Nike running outfit from Sarah.

That night we went out to dinner with my Mom and Dad.  It was also Eric's birthday so we ate delicious Italian food to celebrate Moms and Eric.  Back at home I made a Cherry-Chip Cake with Cherry frosting for us all to eat for dessert.  I remember my Grandma, Mom's Mom, Georganna Kienholz Grant, making Cherry-Chip cakes for special occasions when I was little.  Mom remembers that about her too.

One of my most favorite "Mom lines" of all time (to be read in a robot/monotone voice) ... from Despicable Me 2, "She kisses my boo-boos.  She braids my hair.  We love you Mothers everywhere."  Isn't it true?  Yes!  We ALL love our Moms wherever they may be, and think they are the best.  The BEST TRUTH is though that God gave each one of us the best for us.  He knew what we would need and gave us each a Mom that would love and care for us in the most wonderful ways.  Thank you God, and Moms everywhere for the gift of your time and unconditional love.

Another Birthday

We celebrated Eric's birthday last weekend.  He never wants us to make a big deal about his birthday, but we always do.  He says, "It's just another day."  We say, "It's your birthday.  It IS a big deal.  We are celebrating YOU."  We each gave him a present and the kids each made him a card.  Their handmade cards rocked this year.

I helped Silas with the writing on his card.  I helped him write exactly what he told me he wanted it to say, "To Daddy From your birthday From Silas".  There may not be a future at Hallmark for him....

Phoebe decided to draw some pictures on her card for him first.  A clown, a cake, a present, balloons and streamers, and a love heart.

On the inside she wrote, "happy Birthday daddy from Phoebe.  I am one smart Phoebe."  Then on the back of the card she wrote, "My dad is smart to."  Alrighty then.  Hallmark?  Maybe Dayspring?  Whichever it is, she sure has a sense of humor and we love it and her!

Sarah wrote a LOT on her card.  The front said simply, "Happy Birthday I love you! From Sarah

To Daddy".  On the inside however, she went for sentiment, humor, and smarts.  "My Story.  Daddy you are special to me.  You kiss me, love me, nice to me, your the best daddy in the whole intire world and you know it.  Wait! Save the crying for last! that means you! daddyyy because if you cry you will be a baby again and you will start your life over again way over daddy.  So you won't be 38! Ha! Well let's get on with it.  You always tickle me he! he! he! You cheer me up when I am sad.  waa! Boo! hoo! You do things that I want! yay! You help me! You are one smart daddy Mr. Brainy head! What is 9 X 38 = ____ write it if you know it.  I don't think you know it! I love you From Sarah"  On the back she drew one candle and used humor again, "baby 1 year old Cutie It's a boy".

Eric shared his birthday with Mother's Day this year.  So we went out to eat Italian food with my parents for his birthday/Mother's Day dinner that night.  Eric requested Dilly Bars from Dairy Queen for his birthday treat instead of a cake.  We saved his Dilly Bars for the day after his birthday and ate some Cherry Chip cake that night for Mother's Day.  The Dilly Bars were delicious!

Happy Birthday, Eric!  Even though it was just another day, we want you to know how much we love you everyday.  You give to each of us selflessly everyday.  Your commitment to God and our family is admirable and a true sign of the strong Christian man that you are.  You are kind, giving, honest, a hard-worker, and a man of integrity.  I am so glad you are my husband.  I love you today and always.