Since my last post, we have celebrated Caleb's 13th birthday, attended Tim Kessel's Department Retirement Party, attended an orchestra concert, dance recital, dance festival and welcomed the school-year's end.
Caleb took a group of friends to a space simulator for his birthday. There was lots of planning and discussion about whether or not he wanted to invite girls to his party. It was mostly revolved around one girl he has been friends with since second grade but knew he couldn't just invite her, so he selected two of her friends to come with her and four other guy friends. When I picked them up from the space simulator, they chatted the whole way home about the experience. They seemed to have a memorable time.
The next day, Mike and I headed down to California to attend his father's fire department retirement party. It was magnificent to get away together just the two of us! We biked along the beach, went to the movies, slept in, played board games and just relaxed. Many thanks to my mom who willingly stayed at home to watch the kids. It was heartwarming to see the kids hold on to the car's passenger side as we were leaving for the trip asking me, "Mom, couldn't you just stay home and Dad could go?" Oh, and to be woken up one morning at 6 AM by a panicked teenager not able to find something for school made. All this made me feel very loved and missed. It's good for the kids and Mom to take a break from each other.
May was a busy end of school year time. Caleb and Jake wrapped up their soccer seasons. Caleb had his final orchestra concert. He has done well in his first year at playing the violin. He was made first chair of intermediate orchestra. Pretty impressive. The girls had their final dance recital. We are so fortunate to have a talented dance instructor in our neighborhood. She choreographs the dances and designs most of the costumes. The girls have certainly enjoyed their first year of dance.
The elementary age kids had a dance festival at school. It's always fun to watch them dance to pop music with their classes and teachers. This year has been one of the kids' biggest adjustments with transferring schools. Michaela has made the adjustment smoothly--in fact, it benefited her the most. She flourished under Mrs. Wilbur's encouragement in math and mastered her multiplication facts and made several good friends. Last year, there were lots and lots of tears shed over schoolwork between us. Mike and I pondered and discussed a great deal about what to do and if we should transfer the kids to the neighborhood school and pull them out of Spanish. It was heart-wrenching for me to tell the kids, drop them off their first day; spend each night that first week wiping tears and holding them as they sorrowed over the adjustment. Jake had a particularly difficult time and still mourns over it. He was blessed with a good teacher this year, fortunately. I pray that Jake will eventually understand that loving your children often involves making difficult decisions, even when you know that at first, it will cause some emotional pain but be better in the long run.
I digress. Let's get back to what the Kessel family did these last six weeks. As I ran from activity to activity, I also put in more of our backyard landscaping. Mike helped me dig eight tree holes. What I could accomplish in one hour, he did in less than fifteen minutes. Sigh.
The boys, desperate to get the dilapidated trampoline replaced, took the old one apart and put the new one up, ALL ON THEIR OWN. I anxiously watched over my shoulder while they did it, and thought perhaps they were going to give up a few times, but they persevered and succeeded.
It is very important to me to help our children become independent, contributing members of society. That is why I allowed them to dive in to the trampoline project. They need to feel the sweet sense of accomplishment that comes from doing hard things. That is also why I am going to have them cook one meal a week during the summer. Caleb was the first one, starting today. He made clam chowder and baking powder biscuits. I stayed close by and jumped in when the milk was about to burn, but otherwise, he did most of it on his own and it was delicious. I want them to feel confident about their ability to take care of themselves when they fly from the nest. It is very rewarding, as a parent to watch them grow and to develop their abilities.
We have spent our first week of summer vacation. It has been delicious. It has been relaxing and there hasn't been too much sibling fighting. I. LOVE. SUMMER. VACATION! LOVE I-T!!! I love the laziness to do whatever and whenever we want as a family. We eat breakfast late or early. We sleep in. We head to the pool. We camp. We hike. We are just together. It's the best.
And that, my folks, has been our last six or seven weeks. I hope all of you have some relaxing, lazy summer plans, like us. I am going to milk every last drop of this summer by just being.
Here are some pictures of our activities:
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| Celebrating Caleb's birthday. Love all his freckles |
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| The birthday party gang |
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| Cap keeps me laughing every single day |
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| Mike and I riding along the beach--it was so good for the soul |
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| Funny pictures from the retirement party |
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| Caleb's orchestra concert--he is directly left of the conductor. It made my momma heart swell when he led the orchestra in tuning their instruments as first chair. |
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| Some of Caleb's soccer team. Wish I had gotten one of Jake's team. He had a great season, had some awesome saves as the keeper and really developed his footwork on the field. |
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| Girls' dance recital. Mike came right from the fire station. |
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| Emily's school dance |
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| Jake's school dance |
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| Michaela's class dance |
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| Our kindergarten graduate |
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| For my birthday, Mike and I hiked up some of the Timpanogos trail--until we hit too much snow to continue on. |
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| I had to take this picture because Mike was always in the lead, testing the snow, making footholds for me so I wouldn't slip down the mountain. Sigh. I just love his guts so much. I would follow him anywhere. |
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| The boys' finished product! (See the two new trees off to the right?) |
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| Caleb's homemade dinner--scrumptious |
