He's Home!!

My boy is home.  It's wonderful.  It was so fun to see him coming down that escalator at the airport!  It's been wonderful having him back.  I know that readjusting to life at home is difficult but he's doing his best to stay busy and get needed things for school taken care of.  We are so proud of him and the hard work he has put in over the last two years.  He served the people of Kansas with all his heart and hearing him speak fluent Spanish is wild.  He's headed off to BYU in 5 weeks so I'm trying not to let myself get too attached again but it's hard.  Having everyone back home feels so good.  If only we had taken a group photo!  I'm so mad we didn't get one.  We brought signs and wanted to take one, but it's so how we roll that we didn't.  We just got this one.

Summer Catch-Up

So many days have passed since my last post!  Summer has just flown by.  Bella has been working nearly 40 hours/week trying to make money for college.  Christian has been working on marching band and attending daily cross country practice and gym lifting sessions.  Peter and I have been having a blast doing crafts, visiting library summer programs, and playing in the backyard pool.  We have had a great summer so far.

We've visited Sky Zone and

Greenfield Village:

Peter and Kelly have gone on multiple motorcycle rides just for fun.

He took him up to the temple on one of the rides.

I took Peter to Cleveland to the science museum.  We had a blast down there.  

Although the highlight was the escalator, more than any actual exhibit.  We ran up and down that thing for a solid 20 minutes.  At first I let him do it alone but then I thought, that looks like a lot of fun and I'm just bored here at the top, so I joined him.  He grinned from ear to ear when he saw me coming to join him.  He was right - it was a lot of fun.

The other highlight was the build your own thing with all the wooden pieces.  Peter's favorite creation was his funny guy.  I think it's interesting he chose to build people rather than cars or machines.

Our real reason for visiting Cleveland wasn't the museum, but actually the temple open house.  Peter had been asking to see the inside of a temple, so I took him down there to see one.  He really liked it.  He especially loved the celestial room.  We were all alone in there and after a while I asked him if he wanted to move  on to another room.  "No, I want to stay longer," he said in a quiet whisper.  He said he loved the way he felt in there.  It was really special to share that with him.  This is my effort to "take a picture like I'm holding the top of the temple."  Mom stinks at camera tricks like this.  Dad is much better.

We also visited the science museum in Ann Arbor.  This place is so much more fun each time we go as he gets older and more able to do things on his own and understand things better.  It's awesome.  I am continually amazed as he grows and learns so fast.

The nation wide library summer reading theme this year has to do with dinosaurs so this was the display at one of the libraries we visited.  Peter always wants to take pictures at things like this.  I never ask, he just always runs to them, sticks his head in and begs for a picture.  As you have seen in previous pictures in this post.  He finds them everywhere.

The 4th of July was wonderful.  The 100 degree weather abated for a bit and we were able to attend a church breakfast and then the whole stake went to the Plymouth Parade together.  Afterwards we played at home, had a BBQ, fireworks, and played a completely spontaneously invented baseball game with poppers and a dustpan.  So simple but so fun.  

The first thing this summer was Pioneer Trek.  Kelly and I were in charge (among a few others) of the trek for all the youth of the stake.  It was a time-consuming and overwhelming responsibility, especially for Kelly who took on the brunt of it, but it turned out amazing.  We had about 60 youth for 3 days and it was a blast recreating the handcart trek of the pioneers and playing games and getting to know each other.  Christian and Bella were in different groups and I tried to get some pics of both, but mostly got pics of Christian.  I know we all learned a lot and definitely grew our testimonies of the truthfulness of the gospel and an appreciation for all that the pioneers went through so we could have what we have today.

Practicing making whistles out of acorn tops and grass blades.

Christian got to rest in the handcart after having pulled it most of the morning.

We had to take the carts through the river at one point.  I almost went under as I encountered a deep section.  It felt pretty good on that hot day, though.

There were also group building activities - like these group walking sticks Kelly built.  They had to coordinate movements and race across a field against other groups.  It was so fun to watch. 

This was Bella's group.  It's a photo I was texted, so the quality is very poor.  Bella was the only one on trek who refused to wear pioneer clothes.  She felt no guilt or embarrassment that she was the only one and that was not a battle I was going to fight.  It all worked out.  Honestly, I wish I could have just worn normal clothes too, but I got used to it.

Miscellaneous extras:

Peter insisted I buy this aloe vera leaf.  He saw it in the store and had no idea what it did but wanted to wear it like a spear growing from his hand.  So he did that for a few days and then we cut it open and used it.  I thought it was very creative and he had a blast.

This was at the playground.  He had to have a picture with it.

He found this box in the garage and wanted to make a robot.  He drew a face on the front, attached rulers like arms, screwed some wheels he found in the garage to the bottom and attached led lights and a catapult to the top (not pictured) and he had a robot with which he played for days.  He has so many cute ideas.

My buddy Gabe turned one this month.  His mom invited me and Peter to come to the party.  I watch him regularly when she has to work and I adore him.  We get along amazingly well and when I'm alone with him, people always assume he's mine.  I don't correct them.  The girl taking the picture did it while squatting which makes this photo unbelievably unflattering for everyone involved, but oh well, it's the only one I got.

Christian told Peter he'd pay him $5 if he could build a Keva Block tower taller than Christian.  He got his $5.

Peter wanted to make a monster mask.  This was his creation.

Bella works all the time but she still finds ways to hang out with friends doing fun stuff.  Here she went to Chic-fil-A on a day when you got free food if you came dressed as a cow.

Peter has to do 2 chores, practice piano, and do pages in his school work book every day during the summer.  Here he's cleaning the microwave.  Everything is so much harder when you're little.  He did a great job, though.

End of the School Year

Just a few extra things to document in addition to the main events for Bella - I got to chaperone Peter's class trip to the aquarium and Lego Land.  I enjoy getting to see him around his friends and getting to know all those kids better.  We had a great day.

This is Cooper - Peter's best friend.  I prayed and prayed at the beginning of the year that Peter would make at least one friend at Webster and Cooper was the answer to my prayers.  Peter really likes him and it appears to be mutual.  If only he weren't a 2nd grader.  The school as combined age classrooms, so 1st and 2nd grade are together; 3rd and 4th grade are together, etc.  That means that next year, Peter will still be in the same class, but Cooper will move on.  I pray that Peter will find another friend as kind and patient as Cooper.

Because of Bella's graduation, we were going to miss the Spring Piano recital.  So the teacher held a private recital at her house with just her first year students so Peter would still get the practice of performing and the others would get a practice run-through before the big day.  It was so cute to see all the littles playing.  Christian and Peter played a duet which was adorable.  I stupidly was so focused on the music that I forgot to make a video.  Only at the end did I think to even take a picture.  Not one person had a perfect performance, but everyone did very well.  It was a good first chance to play before an audience.

Peter's school also had a choir concert.  He was not excited to be singing but I thought it was adorable.  They sung songs like Do Re Mi from The Sound of Music and several I'd never heard before.  It was so impressive to see all that the teacher had been able to teach them in just one lesson a week.  I love his teacher because the district eliminated band in the 6th grade but this one teacher refused and said he'd still teach it.  So Peter's school is the only one with band class.  If it weren't for band in 6th grade, none of my other 3 would be in band today so I know how incredibly valuable it is.  (Little Peter is in the front row on the right in the blue shirt.)

Peter wanted to build a hydraulic press after church one day but was struggling bringing his thoughts to fruition.  Thank goodness he has such a smart, kind brother.  I found the supplies in my craft and science supply stashes and they built a really cool hydraulic pump together.  I love when my kids are getting along and having fun together.

The classroom pet in Peter's class is a stuffed elephant they can take home.  Peter got to take Ellie home last week.  They are supposed to photograph themselves doing things with Ellie so show the class.  Peter wanted to play video games with her and read her books.  I thought they were so cute together.

Although, I still miss the live guinea pig that Benjamin's class took home on weekends and holidays.  Twinkle was a regular at our house and she was a lot more fun than a stuffed elephant.

Tomorrow is the last day of school.  May my sanity hold out this summer.  It's going to be crazy with Benjamin coming home and two leaving for college plus Scout Camp, FSY, YM camp, Pioneer Trek, marching band camp, and a trip up north.  Hold on tight.

She Graduated!

 May has been a big month for Bella - 18th birthday, scholarship ceremonies, sky diving, and graduation from high school.  She's been busy.

Our sweet girl became an adult and the things she asked for were nearly entirely dorm stuff.  Moving out shifts priorities.  So we got her a laundry hamper full of toiletries and dorm necessities.  She also decided now that she was 18, she wanted to go sky diving, so we paid for that.  I worried all day about that but she had a wonderful time!

She also won a scholarship through a local family that wanted to honor their mother.  She founded the Livonia Arts Council and recently passed away so they decided to use her remaining money to assist high schoolers from Livonia in pursuing degrees in art.  They plan to give money every year and Bella was their first recipient.  They awarded it at an award banquet with other recipients of other city grants - a whole ball room filled with representatives of non-profit organizations.  It was a great experience being with so many people all trying so hard to make the world a better place and were working so hard doing it.  Unfortunately my phone camera was broken so my pictures came out terrible and this is all I got.  4 hours at the iphone store later that week and now my pictures are better again.

Then came the clap-out.  That's a Livonia tradition that I absolutely love.  The high schoolers go back to all their previous schools and walk the halls in their graduation gowns while the current students, teachers, and parents clap for them.  It was so fun to see Bella back at her preschool, elementary school, and middle schools. I also loved seeing all the friends and teachers she had while she was there.  

Mother Hubbard Preschool - Bella's school when she was just 3 and 4 years old.

Bella homeschooled for Kindergarten and attended a charter school for 1st grade but we didn't get a picture there.

Webster Elementary - Bella went here from 2-6th grade.

Mrs. Rost - Bella's 2nd grade teacher:

Mrs. Gezahegn - Bella's 3rd and 4th grade teacher and Peter's current 1st grade teacher.  That was so fun to get a picture of them together.

Mrs. Macek - Bella's 5th and 6th grade teacher.

Some of the other kids who had been in 5th and 6th grade with Bella in Mrs. Macek's class.

Friends who met in  middle school who are still friends today - Elijah, Bella, and Alyssa

Madison and Bella - they met as 3 year olds in pre-school!

It was such a fun day of remembering and marveling at how much she's grown and how fast the time has gone.

Then came the actual graduation!  I didn't cry with Benjamin at all but for some reason, as they called Isabella Katherine Dalton and that sweet girl walked across the stage and took her diploma, I just lost it.  Kelly handed me a tissue and I cried over just how proud of her I was.  She has put so much work and time into these last four years.  She juggled working, studying, playing three instruments, 4-5 different music groups, getting her eagle scout award, getting her driver's license, national honor society, multiple church callings, and early morning seminary while still getting a 3.99 GPA and I didn't ever once have to remind her of anything or push her in anything.  She did it all on her own and all I did was correct an English paper now and again.  She's a rockstar and I was just so proud to be her mom.  She's going to be amazing at whatever she does.

This is Laith.  He and Bella have been in all their church classes together since they were born.  I was their nursery leader when they were just 1 year old.

After high school graduation came Seminary Graduation.  As her seminary teacher, I got to say a little about her and the other seniors.  I was happy to do that.  However, the high councilman in charge of the event decided to make it a "Seminary Celebration" not a "Seminary Graduation" and so he tried to honor all students who attended seminary and it really took away from the event for the seniors.  I was very disappointed.  Not to mention, they didn't even hand out diplomas!  They were just sitting on a table and the seniors picked theirs up on the way out!!  I was not going to stand for that.  I had Bella go up to the stake president and made him hand it to her while I took a picture.  It's clearly a bit awkward as Bella's face shows, but better than nothing.  It was our first graduation in this stake and now I know what to expect.  I will make sure future ones are better.  Those kids worked so hard for four years!  They deserve something more.

Alas, a second child is done.  Benjamin comes home in just 6 weeks and then they're both off to college.  Everything goes so fast.  Before I know it, this little guy will be gone too.