7th Grade Science Fair

This year, Kyle was required to do a project and a research paper for the Science Fair.  It was a good chunk of both his Science and English grades for 2nd quarter. 

He did a great job, we are so proud of him!

From January 2012

He swabbed various areas in the school right after school ended one day, then built an incubator to grow the bacteria.  Each swab grew a significant amount of bacteria, with the lunchroom floor growing a massive colony that took over the entire petri dish.  Eww.  Needless to say, don't let your kids go barefoot in school. 

Skiing!

Kyle was given the option of having a small birthday party with friends, or me taking him skiing for a day.  It didn't take him long to decide he was dying to get back up on the slopes, so we headed out early the morning of his birthday to Snowbasin...

From December 2011

Most the snow was man-made, but that didn't dampen our spirits...

From December 2011

Kyle's only been skiing a handful of times, so we started out slow, heading up Little Cat first so he could feel comfortable.  One run later, we were heading up the Becker Lift...

From December 2011

From December 2011

From December 2011

He was great on the easier runs, but wasn't anxious to try something any harder.  I love to eat at the Needles Lodge, all the way at the top, so I dragged him up the gondola for lunch. 

From December 2011

From December 2011

After lunch, he had to face his nervousness.  As I was watching him attempt to ski the harder stuff back down (mostly falling), I realized what he was doing wrong.  I was able to explain it to him and even help him.  We went up the gondola a couple more times, and he did  much better.

My Shadow

From December 2011

On the lift

From December 2011

We had a beautiful, sunny, amazing day together.

We have a Teenager now?!

Kyle turned 13 on December 23rd.  We had a little party for him the night before...

Opening his gifts from Grandma and Grandpa...

From December 2011

And from us....

From December 2011

He got winter base layers and some Legos from us, and a Kindle Touch from grandma and grandpa...he was so excited...but of course being a teenager now, he declined to show it. 

From December 2011

The Cake...

From December 2011

(oh, and if you're wondering where Alec is in these pictures...he completely disappeared after saying hi to Grandma and Grandpa.  He's over it being Kyle's birthday...)

Happy Birthday my Kyle!

Kyle's Christmas Concert

From December 2011

Kyle did a great job at his Christmas Concert!

Kyle's Fall Concert

Kyle had his first choir concert this week.  I was so proud of him, he did such a great job!!!

From October 2011

From October 2011

He has the same teacher I had for choir in junior high...Ms Reeves.  She is extremely talented, she can play anything on the piano and choreographs as well.  It was fun to see her work from a parent's perspective...

From October 2011

From October 2011

Although a good portion of the 7th grade girls giggled through the entire performance (it irritated me), Kyle did a spectacular job. 

The first day of School...2011

How did it come to this?  Where did the summer go?  I think we got cheated by those cold, rainy weeks in June.  This morning, I got up early to make a nice hot breakfast for the kids on their first day, like I ususally do.  This year, however, that meant getting up a whole hour earlier, and breakfast in shifts because I now have a child in junior high. 

I made pancakes...I use Bisquick, but I have my own addition to the recipe that makes them delish.  Unfortunately, I wasn't fully awake when I started the first batch (morning is NOT my time) and I put in baking soda instead of baking powder...I ruined Kyle's share, with no time to fix it.  Oh well, it's the thought that counts, right? 

I'm glad he still lets me take his picture without a fight...

From August 2011

From August 2011

Sending my big kid down the street for his first day having to ride the bus to school...

From August 2011

And then I worried about him, so I walked down the street, barefoot and in my jammies, until I could see the bus and that he'd gotten on.  Yes, I was having anxiety. 

Then it was time for round two.  I made pancakes for Alec and Talia, this time the correct way and to rave reviews.  Alec is finally eating food, and the boy who used to eat nothing for breakfast but chocolate pop-tarts is starting to appreciate real food. 

My big 4th grader...

From August 2011

From August 2011

He was so excited to be out from under the watchful, sometimes bossy eye of his older brother. 

From August 2011

And another school year has begun!

Registration Day

From August 2011

It became all too real to me today, as I walked through the halls of the Junior High with my oldest child, that I have a 7th grader!

While I was only Mommy to 2 children....

Kyle went to scout camp the second week of June.  I sent him off, and didn't worry one bit about him.  I knew he was in great, loving hands. 

While he was gone, we had a low key week.  I hadn't realized how much easier it is to be a mommy to 2 children instead of 3...especially when the 2 aren't trying to kill each other 18/24 hours of the day.  :)
We swam, we relaxed, we just took it easy. 

On the last night before Kyle came home, we decided to take Alec and Talia to Lagoon. 

From June 2011

From June 2011

It was finally a warm enough day that we thought it would be ok to get wet, so Cole took the kids on the Hydroluge...

(me waiting)

From June 2011

From June 2011

From June 2011

I didn't quite catch Alec coming down the slide, but caught him right after...

From June 2011

Alec and I headed off to do Colossus...

From June 2011

My funny kids!

From June 2011

From June 2011

We ran into our wonderful friends having a date night...and I sneaked this picture (hee, hee!)

From June 2011

The sky as we were leaving...

From June 2011

We had a great time, but it was packed and after a few hours, we were ready to go home. 

Oh, and in case you're wondering, Kyle had a wonderful, fabulous, amazing time at scout camp...

From June 2011

but he came home like this...

I guess you can't listen to your mom warn you to put on sunscreen when you're 12...you have to learn for yourself that sunburns are no fun!

Bubbles

We sent Kyle outside with Talia one evening to occupy her while we got dinner together.  We sent them with bubbles....a sure-fire way to occupy a small child...

From June 2011

From June 2011

Talia wanted a turn...

From June 2011

From June 2011

From June 2011

From June 2011

Simple pleasures....

6th Grade Graduation...

Kyle graduated from 6th Grade on May 27th.  They had a really nice ceremony, with a program put on by the kids, and yummy refreshments. 

From May 2011

I went ridiculously early to get front row seats...and although I didn't cry, I did get a little teary thinking about the reality of it all. 

From May 2011

My Elementary School Graduate...

Now I have to face the reality of having a Junior High School student....

Shakespeare...The Finale

The 2nd night of Shakespeare started out really good.  Kyle's makeup job was even better than the first night...

From May 2011

Not to mention, the completely cool cobwebs Cole sprayed on right before showtime...

From May 2011

From May 2011

Kyle did a great job on his part again.  I was really proud of him (again :))

Some better pics, now that I've figured out my camera a little more, and removed the smudge from my lens. 

From May 2011

From May 2011

From May 2011

The cast seemed to lose their focus about halfway through the play.  A few missed cues, some flubbed lines...but overall it was great, and a really good experience for Kyle. 

Cast picture

From May 2011