Dear Family and Friends

School is out for the year!  Taylor isn't officially out till next Friday but since he is home anyway, we can say that summer is officially here.  And there is a rumor that the summer temperatures will finally start coming our way this week.  Rain and cold with the periodic gifts of sunshine and warmth are getting old.  My kids are ready to break out swimsuits.

Friday evening Robyn had her preschool graduation.  It was cute and short - the best kind.  Their teacher had little graduation gowns and caps for them to wear and to receive the 'diploma' in.  Robyn woke up the next day quite concerned that she needed to go to kindergarten that day.

After rain-outs last week Allison finally had her first soft ball game.  She is loving playing catch in the backyard and hanging out with friends.  Her first time at bat she had three strikes and took it a bit hard but kept her stiff upper lip on.
 

Allison and two of her friends on her team - Breanne and Andra

Not much learning took place at school this week.  Spencer is quite pink all over from their 6th grade graduation - a field trip and BBQ at a part and from having a field day.  And he learned all about the TV show wipe-out which he will gladly tell you all the details about - in detail, over and over - since that is what math and science time are for this week.  He was quite happy with his 3 A's and 2 B's.  Since one of those B's was in math we were happy too.  He is going to repeat this math class next year which means he will be on grade level instead of ahead.  He had to do a lot of extra work these last few months in math to get his grade up.  Not for lack of trying, just didn't quite click.  So next year should be much easier for him.  Allison had parties in every class it seemed like too.  One day she needs to bring her swimsuit and a towel for water games, another day hotdogs for a BBQ, another day their teacher has a crepe party for breakfast.  School is so hard.  And Allison is quite proud about getting straights A's in every subject especially in math as they jumped her ahead to be with the 5th graders this year.

Allison lost another tooth.  The tooth fairy was a little late but left her a good note.  She had Jeremy write out his name so she could compare handwriting just to be sure.

I posted summer jobs on the fridge and was expecting some loud groans.  But kids actually seemed eager for their summer routine to start and got up Saturday ready to start summer jobs.  Spencer hit the lawn mower and Robyn started her first piano lesson with me.  (I personally was planning to take the weekend off but who can argue with enthusiasm like that!)

Allison was our photographer.  She was insistent that Robyn's first lesson was a huge milestone that needed a picture.

Taylor is doing a bit better.  He started eating a little bit again and Jeremy can force the issue a bit to get some bites in him now.  Tuesday is when we see the surgeon and we really hope he can take the abductor pillow off because it is driving us ALL nuts.  He keeps rolling everywhere in an effort to move and ends up crammed in very uncomfortable positions.  One of his side bandages came all the way off and he has a big shiny 10 inch scar there now.


Jeremy had a quite a few photo events this week which he is enjoying while at the same time feeling the pressure to process them.  He had to cancel and re-schedule a few shoots because of weather.  He even got to go golfing with his work one very cold and blustery day.  Right now he is teaching the 5th Sunday lesson for another ward in our stake - a repeat of his Stake Women's conference talk on the internet.

I have been puttering a lot this week getting things done in the garden and house.  Put together the class gift baskets for teachers and TAs at school.  We finally fixed our swing in the back yard.  One more thing to cross off our infamous list on our fridge.  I started painting the playhouse but only got the shutters done.  I need to wait for the warmth and sun to come back.  Ran my first three a day this weekend and realized I need to do more of those before Ragnar hits in a month.  My body was done afterwards. 

Had a few moments this week where you realize where your kids are actually at and where they should be at - or rather where you want them to be at.  It either makes you cry or pull your hair out but hopefully will give us some motivation to make some needed changes.

No beach or pool for us this Memorial Day with the cold weather.  We are hitting the stores to get new pants for Spencer (he has grown another two inches!) and having some neighbors over for a BBQ.  Its been nice to just hang out this weekend and relax.

Love to you all, Heather

Robyn had her last gymnastics class this week.  Summer session starts in two weeks.