Last Day of School and Memorial Day

James thought he was funny and put his pants on his head like a hat. Then he forgot about it.

Erica got her glasses! She loves them. She says she always thought she would look good in glasses. She doesn't really need to wear them outside of school and I'd rather she didn't wear them playing so if she forgets to wear them most of the time, that's fine with me.

James got all his shots for kindergarten. When I took him to our doctor in March they were out of the polio shot and since my doctor was the last pediatrician in the practice and was retiring, they weren't going to order more in. So he got his other shots but not the polio. Nothing like dragging out a 5-year-olds immunizations. We had to go to the health department for the last shot but I kept putting it off for when I had another reason to go to Provo. 2.5 months later I never had another reason so I just decided one morning to just do it! I didn't tell him what we were doing until we were almost there because he told me that's how much notice he wanted. "I don't want to know all day." So long story still long, he was a champ at getting his shot, didn't cry or flinch. He was so brave and stoic about it all. I let him pick any treat and he thought about a doughnut but settled on a Slurpee. And then he wanted pancakes for lunch which I was more than happy to oblige. He told everyone after school that he was all done with shots for 6 years.

On Thursday Justin and I celebrated our 16th anniversary. We dropped James off at my mom's then went to lunch at the Block restuarant. We had never been there before but heard good things. The food was really good and I want to go back for dinner sometime soon. After lunch we went shopping for shoes for Justin (this isn't the first time we did that on our anniversary.) After that we saw the new Top Gun movie and picked up the kiddos. Then after they were all in bed we snuck out and got ice cream at Handel's. Their ice cream is so good but mine was a little soft so I ate it faster than I would have liked.

Last day of school! The first day of school was so rainy but the last day was beautiful!

First day v. Last day

Sarah loved 7th grade. She made a few new friends but still spends most of her time with her old ones. There was a little bit of drama here and there but overall she's very happy. The transition to 7 class periods was a cinch. She had just a bit of homework now and then. Her favorite class was orchestra. She's taking orchestra next year, student council, and advanced math next year at the junior high.

(Erica's pink shirt was super dirty so she didn't wear it.) Erica loved Mr. Curtis's class. She was so nervous being the new kid in class but she was actually like 1 of 4 kids new to the school. She has a new best friend Delaney (Madison is still her best friend) who was also new this year and lives like a quarter mile from our house. She loved math and recess. She's looking forward to playing with friends all summer and going to the big-kid playground next year.

(We could tell by the sliver of shirt showing that this is what Henry was wearing under his hoodie.) Henry had a great year! Mr. Groneman was a fantastic teacher. His class was very obnoxious and I'm sure Henry contributed a lot to that but Henry is a good kid. We had an incident with a classmate picking on Henry and his friend but once Mr. Groneman and the principal were involved by his friend's parents, that seemed to put an end to it (at least from what Henry tells me). He loved serving on student council and I'm proud of him for being so responsible. His best new friend (Wayne and Conner from SF are still his best friends) is Taylor but he spends more time with Isaak and Beck because they live closer. He is excited for middle school next year because he gets to ride the bus again, get home earlier,  and most importantly see his friends from Rees Elementary again. He's taking orchestra and extra P.E. as his electives.

You can't bring up that Henry won't be in elementary school with Erica anymore or she gets really sad. She depends on Henry so much. Sadly, they won't be in the same school ever again (Sarah and Henry will reunite in HS when Sarah is a senior). But she is excited for James to be with her for the next 3 years. 

Mapleton doesn't have a 5th grade graduation (Haleluah!) Instead they took a photo with each kid like this and I love it.

The kids got out at noon. Sarah went off galavanting around town on her bike with her bff Sam. They went to the gas station, played pickleball and ended up at Sam's house. They both came over that evening for hotdog dinner and homemade ice cream sandwiches.

And then it was pinata time! Sarah's friend Sam, Erica's friend Delaney, and Henry's friend Isaak joined us.

The next day (Saturday) we left that morning to drive to Moroni to visit the cemetery there where my dad's family is buried.

It was cold and windy! The grave on the right is for my grandparents, the left is my aunt Ilona and her husband. I've got grandparents buried in this cemetery all the way back to the pioneer settlers.

Like James Syme. He was a baby when he came to the Utah territory with his Scottish father John.

As kids we were always intrigued by these 9 graves. Nine babies dead between 0-2 years old. What did they die from? Was it all the same thing? Could you imagine every hear giving birth or burying a baby? My theory is a hereditary heart defect or something.

I looked the parents up on family search to see if they had any children that survived. They had 3 that lived to adulthood, including their oldest. Would it be inappropriate to try to track down a living descendent and ask what the cause of deaths were?

From there we went to my uncle's house. This house was once my dad's Grandma Syme's house. Her name was Clyde. The original house is the full-brick 2 story part.

This was the front door back in the day. It doesn't function as a door today.

My dad says these elm trees are older than him.

Sidenote, they have a gorgeous yard.

This is Great-grandma Clyde in front of her washhouse. (I'd like to think she was holding a cake)

And here is that same washhouse today, just moved to the side of the yard.

We said goodbye to my parents, aunt and uncle, my sister and her family and continued our family history tour in Spring City a few miles away. This cafe was once Nadine's grandfather's candy store. Now it's a German cafe and that's what we had for lunch: brats and sauerkraut.

And next door is her grandparent's house. Her second cousin lives there now.

A few blocks down the street is the prettiest church I ever did see. It looks like a castle. I should have had my wedding reception here.

Justin's dad's former boss now lives in Spring City. We walked to his house and found an amazing swing we had to try out.

It was a little tricky.

From Spring City we "drove over the top" and went down to Scofield to the Dye cabin. Grandma K is selling the cabin so this was most likely our last trip there. There were a lot of people there which felt right and made it fun but man it was loud. It didn't help that the weather was pretty bad so everyone was inside most of the time. We spent 2 nights but we slept in Corey and Nadine's trailer. 

There was nice weather long enough to get a little fishing in.

We went to church there on Sunday then left Monday afternoon so that Justin could take Sarah and Henry to see Top Gun (he was dying to see it again too.) That wraps up May!

Henry Turns 11

The kids (minus the birthday boy) stayed up late to decorate for Henry's birthday and to set out his presents. They look forward to this so much.

Henry requested a Y made from streamers and Sarah obliged.

At 7 am sharp Henry woke me up. I was not amused. I told him, "It's your birthday, not Christmas. And it's a Saturday so we're in no hurry to get you guys off to school." He tried to tell me everyone else was awake but I had a hard time believing it. I made my way downstairs 30 min later. Everyone was awake.

Justin was at the church filling the font for baptisms so we videoed him in so he could watch the present opening. If he were home he'd be in the kitchen cooking breakfast so maybe this was better??

Erica got Henry a balloon.

And a card. She is the sweetest.

James gifted his remote control car which was Henry's remote control car that I made him give to James a couple months ago because Henry threw James's car and broke it. It was a very kind gesture. 

Little Debbie cakes, as requested.

New shirts, not requested.

A hatchet from Justin. They are reading Hatchet together these days. He'll put it to good use camping and for wood for the firepit.

He had no idea he wanted one so bad.

A shoshibo cube, as requested. Apparently they are all the rage in fifth grade.

He also got Dr Pepper and a box of Lucky Charms.

He told me all week he wanted pancakes, round sausage patties and eggs for breakfast but the night before he said he wanted doughnuts. So after presents he and I went to Daylight Donuts. He likes doughnuts.

Then he got an extra long turn on the computer while I worked on his cake. White cake, whipped ganache filling, buttercream frosting with a BYU Y with blue sprinkles. Ta-da!

I baked his cake in a 9x13 pan then cut it in half and stacked it. It made for a very cute size. It fits on my pretty tray and is much easier to cut than a round cake so I  might do layered cakes this way more often.

Justin got home from baptisms around 1:30 so after he changed we took pictures. Who does he look more like?

Then we went for a late lunch to Burger Supreme with Justin's parents. 

Few people love burgers more than Henry loves burgers.

What is up with Erica and tomatoes? She is obsessed. She picked out two tomatoes at Reams the other day "just to eat."

From there Sarah and James rode home with Corey and Nadine so we could have room in the car to pick up Wayne and Madison and bring them home with us so that they could play together for the rest of the day. When we got back my parents came over to open presents.

Birthday money from my parents...

And a BYU hat, baseball glove, and a hiking backpack from Justin's parents.

Football cards from Wayne

I think you're old when you can light your own birthday candles.

After that more kids started coming over. They played flag football forever.

This was how it was for like 3 hours.

Meanwhile Madison and Erica were being all cute.

The boys managed to hold still for a minute so I could take their picture.

And while I was putting James to bed Henry opened his presents from Isaak and Taylor but I missed it. He got more nerf guns and I don't know what else because they were back to playing when I came back out.

Other fun facts about Henry:

1. His allergies are back. Last year he didn't have any symptoms at all so I thought he was done. Nope.

2. He cares about how he looks. He cares how his hair is cut and combed. He is particular about clothes and very particular about shoes.

3. He's our best eater. He's not nearly as picky as he used to be and when he eats something he likes, he's so enthusiastic about it.

4. He quotes Studio C all the time.

5. He loves to cook, especially on the grill. He also likes to bake cookies and he made the best cake the other day (and I've had a lot of cake) It was white cake with a whipped chocolate ganache frosting and strawberries.

6. He reads nearly exclusively comic books these days but not the comics you're thinking. Think Calvin and Hobbes, Garfield, Baby Blues, Pickles, and Fox Trot, Family Circus. You know, newspaper comics.

7. He didn't play basketball this year. He wants to play football in the fall and is kind of wishing he played baseball since he loves watching James's t-ball games.

8. He makes this dumb face and this weird "uhhhh" sound when he doesn't get his way or is told no.

9. He is still my early bird. All the males in this house are early risers.

10. He is so fun to joke around with. He's fun to tease because he either goes along with it or rolls his eyes which is just as rewarding.

11. He gives the best hugs and I know he means it when he tells me he loves me. 

*Bonus*

Henry was Patrick Henry for his 5th grade wax museum.

"Give me liberty or give me death!"