Jaiden's Birthday Party

Jaiden's birthday is next week (she will be seven!) and we decided to have her friend party today.  I enlisted the help of Janika and her friends to give the girls makeovers.  The teenagers did the younger girl's hair and nails and makeup.  The girls also played some games, decorated foam picture frames with their picture in it, opened presents, and ate cake and ice-cream.  The boys didn't want anything to do with this "girl party" and so they all took off to friend's houses.  Look at Jaiden in this group picture.  I can't believe how much shorter she is than everyone else!  She looks so tiny! 

 

Sleeping on the Tramp

To celebrate the first day of summer, Rick and the kids all slept out on the tramp -- even Jenna!  I was a little worried about that but Rick said she was laying right next to him and would be perfectly fine -- and of course she was.  The temperature was perfect with just a light little breeze.  They were all asleep here and I woke up Rick to take the picture -- oops!  They actually all made it through the night.  Janika and I opted to sleep in our beds... 

School is Over!

School is officially out -- Wahoo!  Jared came home with the Gold Medal Award and Presidential Fitness Award, but what really made his day is that his name was chosen out of the drawing for reading minutes and he won a scooter!  He was pretty stoked!

Josh's Pre-School Graduation

Mrs. Kathy said that this is her 25th year Anniversary of teaching pre-school!   Josh was excited for his program, picnic, and prize!

 Josh and his buddy Gage Schmutz!

Jared's Fifth Grade Program

Tonight Jared "graduated" from elementary school.  Our elementary school opened the year he started kindergarten, so his is the first group of kids to start and end at this school. Next year he will go to Intermediate school (6th and 7th)!  Jared is such a great kid -- witty and bright.  He has such a fun personality and always keeps us laughing!

 
 

Seminary FHE

The kids had a great time at our Seminary Faculty Party tonight!  They played tag with the teachers -- kids against the dads!  It was pretty wild at times -- I am glad no one got hurt!

Seminary Graduates

Rick is really going to miss his Deaf Seminary class.  It was so neat to see these four deaf students participate in Seminary graduation tonight and to have FIVE seminary graduates from our little Deaf Branch was awesome!  Since Rick is also their Branch President, he got to announce and give them their certificates. I might not have come tonight had I not been asked to play the piano for it.  But I am so glad that I did!  One student from each ward in our Stake either gave a talk or did a musical number. They shared their testimonies of the gospel and related how much Seminary had changed their lives.  One of our Deaf youth, Hilaree Sargent, gave a talk in sign language and I was so touched by her spirit and her testimony.  Hilaree has only been a member of the church for a year and then you may recall that Natalie was baptized just last month.  Indio and Marion are not members of the church but they also graduated with a certificate from Seminary.  

 Rick Jensen, Indio Shepherd, Hilaree Sargent, Natalie Gutierrez, Marion Wall, Kelly Bunting (who has been their school teacher for many of their school years including both kindergarten and high school!)

Our Branch graduates:  Indio, Hilaree, Natalie, Marion, and Grayson Pemberton

Jaiden's Dance Recital

Tonight was Jaiden's Dance Recital.  She has only been taking lessons for nine months and I think she did pretty darn good!  I couldn't resist posting the videos on You Tube so the grandparents could watch.  The links are below.  She is the one on the left.  Rick had obligations at the temple and so he couldn't come.  Janika and Jase were with him doing Baptisms for the Dead with the youth group and Jared was tending the rest of the kids.  So I was alone and trying to both videotape and take pictures of each song, which is pretty tricky!  I had to cut off part of the video to get some pictures, but I was too far away to get very good ones.   

Afterwards I gave her a long-stemmed carnation and she was thrilled!  I was hoping she wouldn't notice that some of the parents got huge bouquets for their little dancers (which I think is totally overboard).  But she didn't seem to notice that and was thrilled with her very own flower.  We got home and she hurriedly ripped off the plastic causing the carnation to break right off.  Of course she promptly burst into tears.  But I took the baby's breath and went around our yard and cut a rose and some other flowers and made a little bouquet and that saved the day.  Whew!

Dancin' Queen

Slippin' Through My Fingers 

Stake Family Fun Day

We had a fun time at the annual Stake Family Fun Day today!  The kids enjoyed the bounce houses and slides, free cotton candy and snow-cones and playing at the playground.  The weather was so beautiful and it felt wonderful just to relax outside and watch the kids play.  My only complaint was the food -- hotdogs, chips, and cookies (most of which I can't eat).  But the kids liked it!  I will just have to bring my own lunch next year.  The boys hiked the Mulberry trees to get some berries.  I am not sure how they did it since the berries were very high up and there were no lower branches to climb up on.  But apparently Jared doesn't need that as he also climbed up the pavilian pole to the the top of the roof at the firehouse park (next post).  He is a little monkey!