Back to School

Well, school started on August 15th.  This is how everyone is doing so far..

Janika started Tuacahn as a Junior and is loving it. She auditioned for Hyperion (the advanced musical theatre class) and was excited to get into that.  She has already gone to several "friend outings" with kids from school.  Recently she was asked to go to Homecoming and is excited for that.  She is also WAY excited to start Carolers again!  Janika was asked by the Stake Presidency to speak in our Stake Conference this past weekend (which was held at the Stake center and broadcast to two other buildings).   She wasn’t exactly thrilled with that opportunity (I think she would have much rather sang a solo) but she did a great job and we are proud of her!

Jase is now in 9th grade and started Seminary.  He told me that he wishes he only took Math and Science Honors and not Language Arts and Geography Honors because he has WAY too much homework and way too many papers to write (and he hates writing).  I have yet to see him actually doing any of the vast amounts of homework, however, and he still seems to have plenty of time to play the Wii.   He is a lunch worker in order to get free school lunches but has complained everyday that the school lunches have changed and that the food portions are way too small (for a growing boy like himself) and that they now force you to eat fruit and changed the fries to "veggie fries" and on and on.  I told him that instead of whining to me perhaps he could put his writing skills to use by writing a letter to whoever might have some influence in the situation. 

Jared is in 7th grade.  He is excited that his good friends A.J. and Boots are now going to his school.  He came down with a bad cold a few days into school and has already missed a day and a half of school.  I went to back to school night and was impressed with his teachers.

Janelle started 4th grade with Katie Jones.  School comes easy for her and things seem to be going well! 

Jaiden started 3rd grade with Wendy Cox.  She made a new friend named Carolina and a new friend named Sydney.  Sydney told her she will make her clip on earrings that look real.  Both girls got glowing reports from their teachers from their SEP's.

Josh started 1st grade and is in the Chinese Dual Immersion Program.  This is a new program at our elementary school and we are really excited about it.  His teacher, Mrs. Chen, is from China and is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and also English.  She isn't allowed to speak any English in the classroom though so the kids met the day before school started with their other first grade teacher, Mrs. Thorton, so that she could explain how everything would work.  Josh starts out the day with Mrs. Chen.  The first day of school was pretty rough.  Josh had been sick with a cold for several days and still wasn't feeling well.

I think he was also nervous about starting off the day in a completely different language (which is understandable).  Before school he cried and refused to eat breakfast.  But he was fine by the time I brought him to his class and came home happy and even taught us a couple of words in Chinese.  The second day was a little rough too because he tripped on the way to class skinning both knees and was crying again.  But by day three everything was going well.  Josh now notices everything that says, "Made in China!"   There was an article and youtube video about it in our local newspaper (Josh is in it).  

The other kids are all doing well in school too.  I attended Jared and Jase’s back to school nights.  They were long because they have a general meeting and then have you follow your kids’ schedule going to every single class.  I like it though because I can see what kids are in their classes by their parents who are there (at least the ones I know).   I was impressed by their teachers overall. 

I have been busy too!   I am interpreting two college classes every week and also teaching my ASL class at Dixie State.  I love getting out and interpreting.  The college classes are fun because I am always learning something new.  But it does make it much more difficult to keep up with the house, laundry, meals, and so forth.  And I haven’t had any time to exercise and blog!  I am hoping to find a time to squeeze that in.

I've also been very busy helping Jase with his Eagle Scout Project heavily the past few weeks.  We will both be glad to get it finished!  I decided to pull Jase out of piano lessons – they are expensive and he has been begging to quit for a long time.  I finally agreed on the condition that he still practice 30 minutes a day learning the hymns, and if he would still walk the piano teacher’s dog (to help offset the other kids’ lessons).  He whole heartedly agreed! 

The next week he was called to be one of the pianists for our branch (he came home and said sarcastically, “thanks a lot, dad!”)    He will actually have more time to focus on the hymns now that he doesn't have to do all of the rest of his songs.  So now he will play the closing song in Sacrament meeting every week (he has done it three weeks so far).  This gives him a chance to work towards something specific as he works on the song for that week and reviews the others.  So know Janika and Jase both have “adult” callings in our branch.

This past weekend we had a family from our deaf branch stay overnight.  They live in Cedar City and had been asked to speak in Stake Conference Saturday night.   They didn’t want to drive an hour each way to come back to the Sunday session and so we offered our house.  They have four kids the same ages (and even two with the same names) as our younger kids and they have become good friends.  It is nice to have another strong family in the branch.  

We have been reading scriptures each morning as a family.  We did in the summer too but now it is an hour earlier.  Rick gets up early and fixes breakfast for everyone (I know, we are spoiled!)  Only the kids don’t seem to be hungry that early and so most of them don’t eat much.  We all meet at 6:40 a.m. around the table to eat and read (except for Josh and Jenna – we let them sleep).  Right now we are studying “The Strength of Youth.”  I really love having that time in the morning where we can “connect” and discuss the gospel.  

Everyone is doing very well and I feel extremely blessed!