Dance Recital

This weekend the girls had their Dance Technica Dance recital.  They were so fun to watch!  They are such beautiful dancers and have improved so much this past dance season.  Kadee performed 4 routines: Hip Hop, Jazz, Ballet, and Tap.  Kinlee performed 3 routines:  Jazz, Ballet, and Tap. Kadee is so excited to continue on with dance and gymnastics and is begging me to let her take an additional ballet class and do a trio next year.  Kinlee said she is going to do dance again but if she doesn't like it she's quitting, haha.  That is definitely a Kinlee thing to say.  

May Craziness

We have had a lot happen this last week. Tuesday Connor & Kadee has their field trip to the Curiosity museum at Thanksgiving Point. It is a really fun place with lots to see, but I think we would have a lot more fun there with just our family. It was a quick trip, but I'm so glad I was invited to go and spend the day with the kids. Actually, I think I'm going to add Thanksgiving Point to our Utah bucket list.  I was with Kadee's group the whole time so I didn't get any pictures of Connor, but I assure you he had a wonderful time!

We also had Matthew's preschool graduation for the second time, but not for the last time, haha.  He graduated from the 3 year old class and will be in the four year old class next year.  He has grown so much this past year and his speech has improved tremendously.  They sang some adorable songs and Matthew was so excited to have a cookie while we watched the slideshow.  He loves to play dad's phone, loves to have me read to me, and LOVES chocolate milk.

Lastly,  Kadence ran for Student Council Historian against one of her good friends.  She did such a good job on her speech and was a nervous wreck the day of elections.  When they announced that she had one her excitement was short lived because a few mean girls accused her of cheating.  She was so upset to think that someone would think she was capable of something like that.  The teachers handled the situation really well and talked to the kids about treating others with kindness.  She is now really excited to take pictures and to be apart of Student Council and, her and Ayva (the girl she ran against) are still good friends.      

Kadence for Historian!

Kadence won the primary votes and is now running against one other girl for historian.  She is super optimistic and excited for the elections.  She's made some awesome posters, stickers for kids to wear, and wrote an awesome election speech:

Hey everyone my name is Kadence Bradley; I am running for historian for the 2016-17 school year. Do you want to hear a joke? What did the pencil say to the pen, so what’s your point? My point is that I will be the best historian for Wellington Elementary. The reasons I am the best historian for the job is that I have some fun spirit Friday ideas.  I also have some really fun ideas for the yearbook. Finally, with all my talents and fun picture taking ideas you can’t go wrong voting for me. 

A few of my ideas for Spirit Friday are FFF (Fabulous Fun Friday) were we will all dress us as movie stars.  Next, how does face painting sound?  I’d like the student council to go around the school one Friday and paint everyone’s faces.  Finally, it would be so fun to have a Hawaiian Friday.  This is a day we can dress up, have a luau and wear leis.

On to the yearbook, I feel my job as historian would be to make the yearbook the best ever.  I’d like to make it bigger and have more pictures of everyone.  I really enjoy taking pictures and have some really great ideas for different poses and backgrounds so we have the best pictures ever.

Vote for me for fresh ideas, a bigger yearbook and fun spirit Fridays.  Be a pal and vote for this gal.  Kadence Bradley for historian.  

           Fingers are crossed, elections are this Wednesday, hope she wins!

Happy Mother's Day!

     I know Mother's day isn't until Sunday, but my kids have been spoiling me this week so I decided it's ok to celebrate a little early.  It started out as a yucky week.  I've been battling our insurance company over my Humira.  I must admit I've said some pretty nasty things about them, but it is out of my hands, so I'm going to have faith that it's all going to work out and I'm going to be able to get my medication for an affordable price.
    The week started to improve yesterday, Kadence and all the 4th graders at Wellington elementary got a visit from the Junior Weather Specialist at KSL.  He talked to them about weather and then took a picture of them for the news that night.  Kadee watched and was so excited to see their picture on t.v. She kept rewinding it because the weather man said, "What a great group of kids at Wellington Elementary."  She was so impressed that he would compliment them like that on t.v.  They really are a great group of kids! Kadee is running for historian this year.  She wrote an awesome essay about why she would be the best choice for historian and will find out tomorrow if they have to do a primary vote or will just do one main vote.  I'm so excited and nervous for her.    

On to the next kid.  Connor is getting so close to getting his second class scouting rank.  Last night he went to scouts hoping to get things wrapped up and came home with a frown.  He said all they did was work on lashings and he was so disappointed.  I told him to keep practicing and he would get it.  Then he said, "Just kidding, I passed off lashings, I made you a mother's day gift!"  He made me leave the room so he could, "get it ready."  I came into the kitchen to see a beautiful wood vase with glass bottles in it and fresh flowers.  He made it all by himself and did an amazing job.  His scout leader later sent me a text saying how careful he was putting it together to make sure it was perfect for me.  I was super impressed and excited to display it on my table.  After a LONG couple of months Connor is back to playing baseball. We are trying to be super careful with his arm and ease him back into it.  He is excited to be playing again and is looking forward to his first game back next Monday.

 















Today Kinlee had her Kindergarten Mother's Day program.  It was so wonderful!  Kinlee and Tadd were the door greeters.  They handed out programs and welcomed everyone as they came in.  The kids sang the cutest songs and Kinlee wore a nurses hat and said, "My mommy's a nurse who fixes and patches all of my hurts, sores and scratches."  She also got to play the bells with a small group of kids and they did 2 adorable dances.  At the end of the program they gave us our mothers day presents.  Each mom got a self portrait their kids painted for them, a necklace they made, coupons for chores, and book they made about moms.  It was a bittersweet day.  I loved watching the kids and the end of year slide show, but my heart broke a little knowing that our year in Kindergarten is already almost over.  She has learned and grown so much this year.  She is green in dibels, knows her first 100 sight words, is reading on her own, has improved her handwriting tremendously, and has learned so many new life skills.  I love, love, love her teacher and am so grateful for the love and hard work she has shown her students.  

Carbon Dance Classic

Neither of my girls danced last year and I've missed it so much.  They both decided they wanted to do dance and gymnastics this year and have absolutely loved it.  This past weekend was the Carbon Dance Classic.  Kadence performed 4 different numbers and Kinlee performed 2.  They both did amazing and and performed so well.  Dance Technica earned the Grand Champ award for the highest number of points.  Kadee took 1st in You Always Make Me Smile (Jazz), high gold in 5 more hours (hip hop), high gold and best technique in Dream Big (ballet), and 1st in Happy (tap).  Kinlee's team took 1st in I want you back (tap) and 2nd in Crazy Little Thing Called Love (ballet).  Their recital is in a couple weeks and I am so excited for the family to see how much they've learned and how far they've come. 

Connor went on the scout Spring Camporee overnight trip on Friday.  They went to the swinging bridge and he had a blast.  He won a really nice leather-man, flashlight, and scout handbook.  He slept in a tent all by himself and forgot the stakes, the wind blew that night and blew his tent over.  He said that was the only time he got nervous or cold.  Other than that it was a success and he can't wait for the next over-nighter.  One of his scout leaders, brother Wells, told me how well behaved Connor was and how impressed he was that Connor got up in front of the group to share the scout oath. 

Connor and Kinlee both got kudos club this week.  Connor's was from his Science teacher for making a positive effort and for doing well on his science test. Kinlee's was for improving on DIBELS.  They are all testing this week, Kinlee is doing DIBELS and end of year testing while Connor and Kadence are SAGE testing.  All the end of year activities are upon us and we have a crazy couple of weeks coming up.

I finally finished up the flowers I've been working on for No Grave Unadorned.  We ended up doing over 450 flowers! My fingers hurt but it feels so good to provide service.     
 

April Showers bring May flowers

It has been a wonderfully wet spring. I am enjoying the warmer weather, rain clouds, and the way spring makes you feel like it's a fresh start. This weekend the girls had their end of year gymnastics show to showcase what they've learned this year.   I was super impressed with their routines and am so proud of how much they've learned this year.  Matthew loves his gymnastics class too, but he wasn't part of the year end show.  

 I decided to help our local paper with their no grave unadorned project. Their goal is to have a flower on every grave for memorial day.  I thought it would be easy peasy and agreed to make 400 flowers, it has been a crazy amount of work!  I spent the weekend cutting the tablecloths to the right size, then had Sharon at work and the girls I do AmeriCorps with help me put them together.  I think I have about 100 left to do, but it has been a crazy amount of work!  I also agreed to put the flowers on the graves at the Wellington Cemetery.  I think it will be a good family service project.
 

The kids had crazy hair or hat day on Friday.   The girls were super excited to do their hair crazy, but Connor just wanted to wear a hat.  Geez, they get boring when they think they are too cool for things (haha).  I think it was a fun thing to do in the middle of all the testing.  Kadee has been super stressed about doing well on testing, I know she'll do great, but she is worried nonetheless.  I guess that's all I have for this week.  Here's to more April showers and only 5 weeks of school until summer break!    

Dallin & Kadence

Trent and Connor

Taylee, Kinlee, & Heber

Spring Concert

Kadee was student of the month for March.  This is the 2nd time this year she has earned the award.  This time it was for working hard and making a positive effort in school. 

This past Tuesday Kinlee asked her dad to bring Kilo in for show and teach.  This was the first time all year the kids got to pick what their show and teach would be, so she was very excited to tell about her new dog.  Kilo was very well behaved and Kinlee enjoyed telling her class all about our puppies, Kilo & Maggie.  We were too worried about Maggie jumping on the kids to bring her for show and teach, but her and Kilo are starting an obedience school this month so hopefully they can help us teach her not to jump.

  

This year's theme for the spring choir concert was through the seasons. The kids sang their favorite songs from the school year.  They started with Fall and went through each holiday and season until they got to the finale.  They also did some dances in the audience (YMCA, Cotton eyed Joe, etc.).  The kids did so great and I am always so impressed with how good they sound.  Matthew and Berklee sat together and were so stinkin' cute.  Matthew kept taking care of her and I caught this precious moment of him kissing her on the cheek.

Thursday Matthew had his preschool field trip to the dinosaur museum.  I couldn't make it because of my crazy schedule at the school right now, but he had a great time and lucky for me, my friend Sandy took a bunch of cute pictures.  His favorite thing was the great big dinosaur bones and he couldn't stop talking about how the dinosaurs would eat us if they were still alive today.  

  Friday we took a day trip to the zoo and to see grandma and grandpa Curtis.  The weather at the zoo was perfect and the kids had so much fun looking at all the animals and riding the carousel.  Matthews favorite animals were the spider monkeys and their babies, Kinlee loved the elephants, Connor loved the rhino, and Kadee loved the seals.  Rory & I loved the ice cream twist cone.  Saturday I volunteered at the Children's Justice Center Carnival.  Connor thinks he is too old for all that kid stuff, so he went to Landon's and the younger 3 came with me (plus Jocelyn, Ashlee's daughter).  There were several booths and bounce houses.  So while I worked the food booth, the kids had a blast going to all the booths to win prizes and jumping on the bounce houses.  It felt so good to serve and the kids had fun, so it was a double bonus day for me.