No More Pencils, No More Books

Today was the official last day of school!  Hooray!  I didn't sleep hardly at all last night.  I was worried Stockton would fall asleep somewhere and miss his 8:00 appointment.  I woke up at 1:00 and stayed awake until he came home at 6:45.  Boy was I glad to see him.  He went down and slept for about thirty minutes.  He ended up cleaning in his robotics class for about two hours.  With that finished he will have managed a 4.0 for the first two years of high school.  I wasn't sure he would be able to do that with calculus, but he works hard and did a great job.  It will be nice when his Drivers Ed class is over and he can finally relax.  He has everything finished except the final.  He got to that spot about 5:45 tonight.  The final needs to be proctored.  Drat. Now we have to figure out what to do.  The class was supposed to be finished today, so I'm not sure what is going to happen with that. Hopefully they don't just give him a 0 on the final and that is what ruins his GPA.  Also, hopefully they don't make him start all of the way over.  He has the road driving he needs to do as well.  It will be nice when that boy can completely relax.  He has worked so hard!

Jorja and Preston both had a half day of school today.  Preston got to have breakfast in his classroom. He has loved his teachers Mrs. Redd and Ms. Wu.  What a great year.  I realized late last night that I didn't have an end of the year present for them.  When I picked Stockton up from robotics I decided to just get them a gift certificate to Bahama Bucks.  We went there, but it didn't open until noon.  Next idea was Kneaders.  Preston had mentioned that.  I wanted to get them a gift basket, but there was only one in the $20 range.  The rest were in the $45 range.  The lady that does the gift baskets wasn't in.  I ended up getting them a package of orange sweet rolls, a loaf of cinnamon, blueberry and banana bread.  (Three different loafs, not all those flavors in one.)  We just had them in bags.  I hurried to Preston's school and found him.  He was happy I remembered.  I hurried home and dropped Stockton off and picked Maysen up.  Maysen wanted to take Zeke to the vet.  We were a few minutes late to that appointment.  We ended up being there two hours.  I was so tired!  I'm glad Maysen was able to get Zeke some medicine.  She was so worried!  Yesterday she thought he might die.  "Not today!" she told me.  That would have been horrible if what she remembers about her high school graduation is that her pet died.  Hopefully this medicine will help.

I had just walked in the door when Jorja called and asked me to pick her up.  She and her friends didn't take the bus home but had walked to the grocery store.  I got them and then spent the rest of the day trying to get ready for Jorja's party.  I thought I would have all day to do this....turns out I didn't even have a spare second!  Jorja invited friends over to have an after school burning of their homework party.  I also watched Bubs and Ange's kids so they could go to a pre-planning meeting of the trip they are going on with my dad.  They did good not bothering Jorja and her friends for the most part.  When Jorja's friends invited Lincoln to play soccer with him he thought he had gone to heaven!

Jorja

 Abbie, Jorja, Hailey

 Jorja, Denton, Hailey

 Katlyn

 Daxton wearing a flower, Abbie

 I think my backyard is pretty

 Natalie & Jorja

 Kate

 Katlyn & Jorja

 Jorja was sad to burn this for some reason

 Kate, Hailey, Noah, Jade, Jorja

 Mike, Katlyn, Kate, Hailey, Noah's leg, Jade

 Kate, Hailey, Noah, Jade, Abbie

 Hailey

 Kate, Hailey, Noah, Jorja, Katlyn's shirt, Jade

 Kate, Denton, Hailey, Noah, Katlyn, Jorja, Jade, Abbie

 Kate, Hailey, Noah, Katlyn, Jade, Jorja, Abbie

 Kate, Denton, Jorja, Noah, Jade

 Jorja....F-I

 R-E!

 Denton, Jorja, Hailey

 Denton, Jorja, Hailey's forhead, Noah

 Denton, Jorja, Noah, Abbie

 Noah, Abbie, Jade, Katlyn

 Maysen!, Abbie, Joey, Katlyn, Jorja

 Abbie, Jorja, Noah

 Katlyn

 Katlyn, Jorja, Abbie's eye and nose

 Maysen with ash all over her hair

 Mike, Daxton, Preston, Noah, Lincoln, Ella, Jorja, Jade

 Abby, Preston, Millie, Ella

 Preston

 Abbers

 Ella

 Amelia

We let the little kids throw homework in for a bit.  We had to constantly tell Lincoln to not hold the burning paper.  Ha!  He wants to be a big kid so bad!  Seriously though, I did not want to chance him being burned up on my watch!

Daxton, Abby, Ella, Lincoln

 Jorja's hand, Abby, Ella, Preston, Lincoln's hand

 Preston

 Preston solving the smoke hurts my eyes problem

We had hot dogs and s'mores for the kids to make.  One thing Mike and I definitely learned is we will never have hot dogs for a middle school party ever again!  They think it is absolutely hilarious to call them wieners.  Then they talk about inappropriate things that makes it really awkward.  Then the parents have to be . . . really? . . . and bother the kids.  Then the parents have to hope that one person in particular is not going to be a bad influence on their child.  The parents are also glad to know this . . . still, no hot dogs ever again.

Katlyn, Kate, Hailey, Daxton, Jorja

 Katlyn

 Kate, Hailey, Daxton, Denton, Noah, Joey, Abbie, Jorja, Katlyn, Jade

Jorja had a lot of fun.  Her friends seemed to have a good time as well. Jorja was really happy, and that made Mike and I smile.

Maysen's High School Graduation

Well, today is the beginning of the end.  My baby has now graduated high school.  I have been dreading this part of my life being over.  I have loved being a mom.  Maysen healed my heart when it was so hurt from losing my own mom.  She made everything better.  Still does.  I don't want her to leave, yet I want her to go after her goals.  I know she wouldn't be able to stand another year of high school.  I don't want to hold her back just because I want her with me.  It's a weird mixture of emotions.  I am so proud of Maysen.  She is definitely unique, and I love it.

Stephanie, Maysen, Mike

Graduation was held at the University of Utah.  We had our ceremony at 10:00 in the morning.  Perfect timing.  There were at least two schools having their graduation after we left.  Glad that wasn't us.  Here we had just arrived and Mike and Maysen are walking to the Huntsman Center.

Mike & Maysen

Mike and I had good seats.  I wasn't ready with the camera when Maysen came in.  I was expecting it to be in alphabetical order.  We usually have a long wait for 'S'.  The class officers came in and then it was Maysen!  What?  First in line!  That's my girl!

Maysen

It was nice and easy to find Maysen during the ceremony.  The teacher with the blue hair below is Mrs. Coleman.  She is Stockton's chemistry teacher this year and Maysen's two years ago.  Stockton really enjoyed her.

This year is the smallest graduating class Alta has ever had.  I think they said it was 380.  When Mike and I graduated from Alta we had a class of 714.  A lot of the kids went to the new high school when it was built.  After Maysen's year the high school wouldn't let kids transfer, so the other grades have more.  This will probably be the smallest class in history.

Mike and I sat right behind the sign language people.  Their translators were great.  Almost made me feel like we were back on the Disney Cruise.

My dad, Matt, Sam and Jeff all came.  That was nice of them. Graduations are not the most fun activity.  Maysen's wasn't bad at all. The talks weren't long.  Dallin Bytheway gave a great talk.  He related everything to Mario Brothers.  They have now reached the flag pole and completed level 1.

Up high is Dad, Matt & Jeff, Sam

 Maysen ready to get her diploma

 First they get their picture with a fake diploma

 Then they stand here while their name

is being read and they are on the jumbotran

Mike videoed Maysen.  Yay!

Maysen with random people who are probably important

 She did it!

 Someone brought beach balls.  That was fun to watch.

 Here comes Maysen!

 I love her!

 And she's done

We met Maysen outside.  She had to turn in her gown in order to get her diploma.  They gave her the diploma cover when she shook everyone's hands.  Now she has the official diploma to go inside.

Maysen

We stopped at home and picked up Stockton before we headed to Leatherby's.  Stockton stayed home and did Drivers Ed all day.  He is almost finished.  It will sure be nice when that class is over!  I called Stockton and asked if he wanted to come.  He said no.  I was surprised. I questioned him about it and he said, "Well, I didn't go to graduation, so I don't think I should go to ice cream."  Maysen overruled him. Stockton was excited to finally order the ice cream he wanted.  He always gets the same thing and is annoyed with himself that he doesn't switch the chocolate chip scoop to something more chocolaty.  This time he remembered!  He changed it to a brownie fudge.  There are two scoops and the other one is already a yummy chocolate one.  When his ice cream came they had switched the yummy chocolate one for the brownie fudge and he still had the chocolate chip.  Oh man!  One day he will try it the way he wants.  We laughed about that for awhile.

Stockton and Maysen

 Smiley guy, Jeff, Maysen, Mike

 Jeff & Maysen

I tried to talk Maysen into going to the graduation party.  She did not want to go.  She spent the rest of the day writing with her graduation cap on, and she loved every second of it.  Stockton went to the graduation party.  I let him go without his phone, and then came to regret it.

Maysen

This is what Maysen's room looks like now.  We got this bed for college, but her dorm has a full size bed.  I know it doesn't quite match this room, but I am still in awe at how beautiful Chelsea made this for us!

What a day!  We sure do love you Maysen!  I hope you always stay true to yourself.  I love it!

End of Quarter Torture

Maysen had graduation rehearsal today.  One more day of high school for her.  After rehearsal was yearbook signing.  I happened to look at Skyward to check on the kids grades.  The end of the quarter is always awful.  This quarter is no exception.  Let me back up.  We were getting messages from Stockton's French teacher that the last day to accept passports was Friday, May 20th.  Stockton had an A in French Friday morning.  On Saturday he had a B+.  I couldn't believe it.  I was just sick.  I didn't know what to have him do.  I wrote to his teacher to ask if he could turn in a passport on Monday since school ended up being cancelled on Friday.  I was so worried.  I decided to fast about it.  Yes, I know that this isn't a big deal, but it is to me.  Until his 4.0 is gone I am going to fight and claw with him to keep it.  Well, Sunday I said my ending of fast prayer.  I had my phone next to me and before I even stood up I checked my email.  That was weird, because I don't check my email from my phone that often.  I have no idea what I was thinking. Anyway, the first thing I saw was an email from his French teacher saying he scored a double I4 on the APPL test so he was getting an automatic A.  I couldn't believe it!  I was so happy!  Well, today I again randomly checked the kids grades.  When I clicked on Stockton I fully expected to see all As.  Wrong!  He had an A- in AP World History and a B+ in Robotics.  I wasn't worried about World History because I knew it would end as an A, but Robotics?  Really?  His last project he got 60/100 on.  This was done last week.  Stockton told me everything was working until it was time to present.  Then the motor broke.  He and his partner spent the rest of class frantically trying to fix it.  They came in during lunch and then stayed after school.  I couldn't believe this was what was going to ruin his 4.0.  He manages to pull As in calculus as a 10th grader, but this is the class that trips him up?  I was just sick to my stomach.  I prayed all day about this.  I asked for a miracle.  I know this is a stupid miracle.  I didn't care.  I was thinking, this doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.  It's not like I'm asking for my mom to stay alive.  This miracle isn't going to matter to anyone or drastically change any giant plan.  I didn't know how his grade would be saved, but until there were no options left I was going to hope for the best.  Oh man did it make my stomach hurt though!  I texted Stockton and let him know. I asked him if he could go talk to his teacher and see if there was anything he could do.  Stockton went and asked his robotics teacher if he would sign his yearbook.  He did.  Then the teacher asked Stockton if he was going to take his class next year.  He is.  He asked him how he liked the class this year.  Stockton said he liked it but was wondering if he could check his grade.  His teacher pulled it up and then told Stockton he would raise it to an A- if he came in and cleaned at 8:00 on Friday.  Stockton then asked him about a grade that was never put in. (Stockton submitted an assignment three times, but somehow it never got taken care of.)  The teacher put that grade in and it moved his grade up to an A-.  His teacher said now if he came in and cleaned on Friday he would give him an A.  Hallelujah!  I hate the end of the quarters!

In other news, Mike got a root canal today.  Have I mentioned I hate his teeth?  I sure hope this ends his problems.