MES Spring Dance Festival

Time for the Spring Festival again. The format for it changes every year depending on what the Arts teacher and other teachers decide I guess. This year each class did a dance and Oh, BOY! were my boys not excited about it. In fact Charlie started refusing to go to school on the days he knew there would be dance practice. I had to write a note to his teacher explaining what was going on and try to encourage Charles to just participate. He eventually did do it and I was pretty proud of him, and Soren, for doing something they just really would have rather 'stuck a fork in their eye' than done! (family joke) 

So here's Soren doing the Turkey in the Straw Dance. He was pretty business-like.

Then, here's cute little "Chicken" Charlie! The first grade did the Chicken Dance that most first grades around the country do. I loved their little masks and tail feathers. They did a good job.

Each class had also made a class banner. Here are the boys in front of their class banners.

Soren's teacher is retiring after this year. So they made their banner in honor of Mr. Boyle.

Next year I'll get to see all three of the younger boys participate. James will join his two brothers at MES.

MES End of Year Awards Assembly

Every year the parents of the students of Monticello Elementary School have to sit through a lengthy assembly while all the athletic, scholastic and social awards are given out. It is NOT one of my favorite ways to spend an hour or two.  It seems as if every year, the same names get called over and over and over again and all the other kids sit there dejected because their name is never called. I especially hate the Field Day awards which seem endless. I wish they'd just give those out on Field Day. 

 I asked the boys if they would be sad if I didn't go this year. Charlie and Soren both asked why I wouldn't go. Charles told me he thought he had gotten a ribbon in Long Jump, so I resigned myself to the fact that I was going to GET to go. I did leave James home with Nina so I didn't have to wrangle him for the 1-2 hours.

This a panoramic shot of the student body of MES on the west bleachers. 

Unfortunately, enrollment keeps dipping and every year it seems smaller.

In fact, my boys did get their names called a number of times. Soren's awards were mostly scholastic. Charlie did in fact win 1st place in the Long Jump for 1st grade boys and got a blue ribbon. He also got a white ribbon for taking 3rd place in the obstacle course. He also earned scholastic certificates.

Charlie waiting for his award

Soren's turns

Towards the end of the assembly they announced the citizenship awards for each class. To my surprise and delight both of my boys were chosen for that award in each of their classes. It nearly brought me to tears. I told them as we headed home, that to me that was the best thing they could have won. Out of all the other awards scholastic and athletic, I was so happy with them for just being good boys, and being kind, friendly and helpful. It was a sweet Mom moment. 

Charlie with his citizenship award

With his Field Day ribbons

Soren with his Citizenship award

I ended up being really glad I went to the dreaded awards assembly. I rounded up my boys with all their stuff and we had a happy ride home on the last day of school. :)

Spring Band/Choir Concert

One of the regular events that takes place during May is the Spring Band/Choir Concert at the High School. We enjoy going to hear our kids perform and to see how much improvement they have made over the year. I'm sure thankful for their patient music teacher. She has done a good job with what she has to work with. 

Hannah, center in middle row, sings Alto

Sadie, in the center with long blonde hair, sings Soprano

This is the double trio that Hannah was a part of getting their certificates for their 

performance at State Solo and Ensemble. 

Sadie also plays the oboe in the High School Band. You can just see her right in the center of the photo, tooting away. 

James' Preschool and prep for K

 I didn't feel like James needed to go to preschool away from me, but felt like he needed something to do  to keep him occupied while everyone was at school and to help him learn a few things, so I enrolled him in the free online preschool program run by the state called Upstart. It uses the Waterford preschool program and is quite academic. I don't really care if he does great at it, I really just want him to do it to keep him busy.

When I enrolled him I told them that we had a computer he could use to do it on, but then the computer got damaged by the lightening and so when we went to the orientation, I told them about that and they supplied us with a computer for him to use. How nice! He's been very excited to have his 'own' computer. And thankfully the kids have been able to use it for their homework as well. 

The requirement of the program is to do the reading portion for 15 minutes a day. But they suggested we as parents require 20 min a day, which will move them more quickly through the material and have them better prepared for school when they go next year. So I do require James to do 20 min of reading and 15 min of math/science 5x a week. And he is very diligent. It's the first thing he does after eating in the morning. He has progressed nicely through the program and is now reading. He struggles more with the math, but I know that will come as he gets a bit older, so I'm not worried about it. Here are some pictures of James during the last few months, as we have done 'preschool' and helped him get ready to go to the grade school next year.

James had to go with me to the orientation in Blanding and had some evaluations done, 

so they'd know where to start him out.

Working away at his 'own' computer.

His first day using the program. He's feeling like a big boy!

Other parts of James' day and ways he's growing and getting ready to go to Kindergarten...

He likes to watch a little video after doing his computer work.

He often wants a 'picnic' 

He's hard to resist. This day it was a bit early for lunch so he had cookies and milk.

When the weather was nice, he practiced riding his bike, trying to get the pedaling part down.

After the weather got colder, we pulled out the Wii so he could do it for some exercise and call it PE.

running on WiiFit

bowling

Boxing

Way to hit him!

golfing

baseball

Way to go, HOME RUN!!

Sometimes we play games...

this is a consonant as the first sound matching game. He's got them down.

 We did go to a play group a couple of times during the winter so he could meet a few kids who will be in his same grade. He was shy the first week, but got braver the next time. I haven't done a good job providing him with social activities, but with a large family, you get lots of interaction at home.

Its somewhat hard to believe that he will be in school next year. He's really growing up and becoming a boy rather than a toddler. I am thankful for his chance to use this program, as I think it will help him feel 'smart' when he starts. I just hope he doesn't get too bored and shut down. He is now reading and working on a 1st grade level. So fun to watch reading click for my kids. I hope James learns to love learning and school and will be the best student he can be! Watch out MES and world, here he comes!

Blue Mt. Invitational

I finally got to attend a track meet this year, the Blue Mt. Invitational held at San Juan High School, on the 23rd. I helped Curtis run the javelin event but was able to watch and photograph the girls when we had breaks.

I didn't see Hannah long jump but she was part of the medley relay, running the 400 leg. Something she had never done before this day. I think it turned out to be harder than she thought it would. When she finished her leg, she fell to the ground and said, "I'm NEVER doing that again!" However, she was pretty excited when her team won, even against a 2A and a 3A team.

Here she is waiting for her handoff...

She was the first to receive her handoff and off she went...

I thought for sure that the other girls would catch up with her...after all it was her first time running this race... but she just kept going and kept her lead. Here you can see how much of a lead she had.

Here she is coming in to hand off to the 800 leg... We were all yelling for her!

I was so proud of her for giving it her all and very excited for her to have done so well.

Cambria has been helping with the runners as an assistant coach this year. She works with the relay teams, helps with starts and handoffs... it has been fun to watch her as she coaches her runners. I think she should look into becoming a coach. Curtis says she does a really good job.

Here she is coaching one of her runners as they come around the last 2 turns...

Here she is consulting with one of the boys' relay teams

Then I wandered up to watch Sadie throwing the discus. She decided she'd do track if she could throw only. She did not want to run. She throws discus and shot-put. (I wasn't able to watch her throw the shot because I was busy measuring javelin throws.) She has worked diligently to learn the techniques. It was fun to watch her. Wish I'd had the guts to do track in high school. I'm impressed with her dedication to learning and always trying to improve and perfect her throwing.

warming up

competing...she did set her new PR (personal record)

I took the boys with me that day, because I had no one to stay home with them. They had some fun, but then got really bored and antsy to go home.

Soren letting us know he was bored.....

James discovered that rolling like a log down hills is fun! 

Till you whack your head on the ground!

He did get up laughing.

I love watching Curtis coach our own kids/team but I love that he truly wants to help each athlete there do the best they can do. Here he's talking to some javelin throwers from Monument Valley about hand positions and how to plant their feet when they throw, keeping the tip up. 

He just cares about helping people and that's an awesome thing.