School's Out!

School's been out for three weeks now, but I have been compiling photos and reminiscing about Mika's Kindergarten and Ramona's 2nd grade year. I finally got around to looking at all the pictures on their classroom websites and enjoyed hunting for my children in the various scenes. They learned so much and had a lot of fun, too! 

First week of school:

Bethke Elementary Wellness Day:

2nd Grade--History Fest at Greeley's Centennial Village (September)

 Kindergarten--Miller Farm Field Trip (October)

 Kindergarten Halloween Party:

Other Kindergarten classroom photos:

Book Buddies:

 2nd Grade Old Town Fort Collins Field Trip (November)

 Kindergarteners at an assembly: 

2nd grade program Dec. 6:

Kindergarten wacky hair day:

(Even though Paula wasn't in Kindergarten, yet, her bed head frequently qualified her for wacky hair day a lot of the time)

Kindergarten--Australian animal project (Mika chose Kangaroo):

 

2nd Grade Dr. Seuss Week:

I missed the memo that this spirit week was just for 2nd grade and also put Mika in red and blue for "One Fish, Two Fish Day." At least I didn't accidentally have her participate in Wacky Wednesday or pajama day.

JUST Ramona dressed up for Wacky Wednesday:

But Mika did get to participate in hat day a few days later:

Good grades:

Ramona's ukulele blister from music class (I was so proud):

Bethke Spring Showcase:

Kindergarten--Adams Mystery Theater Field Trip

Mother's Day--Mika says she loves me because I always walk her to the bus stop 💚

2nd grade Mother's Day picnic:

The kids composed partner poems in the style of Margaret Wise Brown's "Runaway Bunny." Ramona's partner was April. They each took turns reciting them for the Mother's Day program.

April: If you run after me, I will turn into a clock and hide in a school.

Ramona: If you turn into a clock and hide in a school, then I will become a teacher and I will look at you.

 Field Day:

After the morning activities, I came to pick up Mika and eat lunch with the kids on the playground. While I was getting the picnic food ready, Mika and Paula found a toad and chased it around the parking lot.

On the playground:

 All-School picnic!

Farewell picnic for carpool buddies Oli and Finn:

Kindergarten celebration:

 "My name is Mika and when I grow up, I want to be a teacher."

Mika with Mrs. Eddy

Extra celebration with ice cream afterward:

School was great. Now it's out!

10 Years

May was a crazy month. The day after Ramona's baptism, as soon as all of our company left, Paula started throwing up. And she didn't stop for several hours. A couple of days later, Ramona and I caught the virus. Poor Ramona had to stay home and miss her class field trip. Next week, it was Forest's turn to get sick, and the final installment of illness fell upon Mika a few days after. She started throwing up early on the morning of our 10th anniversary. As an added surprise, it snowed that day. It's definitely the latest I've ever seen snow in Colorado. Our backyard looked like this in the middle of May:

We spent a good portion of the morning caring for/cleaning up Mika, still trying to recover from our family's two-week battle with the stomach virus. Forest and I canceled our plans to do sealings together in the temple, which was disappointing, but at least we still surprised each other with some anniversary gifts.

Forest went to work for the afternoon, then returned home at dinnertime with roses and chocolate. Although there was no celebratory feast, and few would describe the mood in the house as romantic (the words sleep-deprived and vomit-infused are probably more accurate), it was still our anniversary and we were together.

If there is one thing I have learned from 10 years of marriage, it is that ups and downs are inevitable. You can't change the bumpy terrain of life's roads. But you can hold on to one another through the journey, love each other, and share the joys and sorrows. And you can feel grateful that you don't have to clean up ALL the vomit by yourself.