Fishlake SAR Conference

 The Fishlake SAR conference is good times because we can camp an I don't have to cook. The first night there, we bought dinner. The restaurant had a little general store and we bought grab bags for a $1.50. They had cheap candy and toys. We messed around with the necklaces and felt like thugs.

The next day, Mikayla found a snake. 

She was pretty excited about it. 

Kids were also playing in this river, catching fish. I'm pretty sure the fish were supposed to be left alone. I think they were spawning. I made her stop after a while.

The Howards were there and we played around on their boat one afternoon while Merril and Dave were in class.

The Fishlake enduro will go down in the memories of Jack and Merril. So, most everyone took off on dirt bikes and the rhino to ride a trail around the lake. I stayed back at camp because there weren't enough seats. About halfway, the trail became so covered with dead fall that the rhino and Shelly turned around. Merril, Jack and Dave kept going. They were dragging their bikes over dead logs and Jack said it was the hardest thing he's ever done. Shelly got back and asked where the guys were and I said they hadn't made it back. We didn't have to wait very long before they made it back but it was tough. Merril said next year, he's bringing a chain saw. 

And here is Jack asleep with potato pal, a stuffed plush he sewed that resembles a potato. I think it was supposed to be a teddy bear? No matter. 

Feels like Summer!

Seems like we start summer by dying someone's hair. Mikayla wanted her hair pink and Juliet did it for her.

I think it turned out great!

I also did something that is making me nervous. I wanted to get my old digital video tapes converted to digital format like mp4. It can be expensive and I have to ship them to a facility for conversion. The whole process makes me nervous because I don't have back ups. This is all the video footage I have of our early marriage and from when Maxine and Jack were babies. It's scary to put all those eggs in one basket and send it off. I'm sure everything is going to be fine. Hopefully I'll be looking at Maxine learning to crawl in 6-8 weeks.

Maxine's Graduation Day!

How cute is my girl!? She's grown up! Maxine and Kaylee Long.

Maxine and Jason Colby.

Maxine and one of her favorite teachers, Mr. Vick!

Maxine and Haylie Martin, one her junior friends on robotics.

Maxine gave a great speech that was heartfelt and short. The students struggled with the echo a bit. It was hard to hear what you were saying, two seconds after you've said it. She said the echo was killer.

Her speech was short and awesome and full of great advice. It made me tear up and Grandma Gordon as well.

Showing off her swag to Grandma Gordon and Aunt Jeannie. She was chosen as Salutatorian, just like me! She was given a trophy for being Salutatorian and I offered to let her wear my Salutatorian medal, which she did. How cool is that?!

Ellen, Amaia, Kaylee, and Maxine.

She's outta here!

Maxine's graduation and speech are on youtube. Her Speech and intro is from 26:30 to 32:00 and she walks at the 59:00 mark. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkT5rmxekds&t=1654s 

End of Year Academic Awards

I'm as pleased as punch with my kids' academic awards this year! They've blown me away! Mark earned outstanding mathematics student in his class. Mikayla earned outstanding language arts student in her class.

Juliet earned high honor roll and language arts student of the year.

Jack earned high honor roll.

Maxine cleaned house this year at the HHS awards night. So did all of her friends!

Maxine earned a silver H award, student of the year in US Government, AP Chemistry, Painting, AP Literature, Sterling Scholar General Scholarship, 4.0 as a senior, consecutive 4.0,  and named the school's Salutatorian. She just kept getting up on stage again and again!

 

I'm proud of how hard everyone worked this year! It was a weird covid year with masks at school and they did it with very little complaining. Awesome job!

Robotics Banquet

There was an end of the year robotics banquet! Maxine said it was fun to see all of her friends again! She got some sweet gifts from next years' captains. Mr. Vick made her cry, a lot. 

Initially Maxine didn't even know what robotics was, but Vick said he wanted her in and she trusted him. Maxine has said that finding robotics has been the most rewarding part of her high school experience. All the skills she's learned and friends she's made will help her for the rest of her life. These are her favorite people!

 

80s Dance Party

Jenny Chamberlain, who organizes the book discussion group I go to, invited me and the whole family to an 80s dance party. Merril was gone and I could only convince Mikayla to come. Juliet did my makeup, I received several compliments!

Not quite sure why Mikayla is pulling this face.

The Chamberlains have a tortoise. It's not an endangered desert tortoise but some other variety and it was large. Mikayla thought it was the coolest thing ever and kept feeding it weeds. It was fun for me because even though I never was a dancer, I do like to dance.

 

Fathers and Sons

 Just a quick post that the boys and Merril went to Fathers and Sons up at Lambs Knoll.

The boys took their mountain bikes and built some jumps. They had a good time and ate some good food.

Lake Day!

We bought some paddleboards and Merril and I had taken them out for a day date while the kids were in school. Later that week, I asked if any of the kids wanted to head out to the lake and try out the boards. Merril was gone to band practice and Jack didn't feel like going because he had been at work that day. The beach did not disappoint! It's everything I remember!

There is something so wonderful about the lake! 

We hardly went to the lake last year because we sold our boat but I've missed it. I was a little worried that the lake would be packed on a weeknight because people have swamped the lake since COVID but weeknights are the secret sauce! John Q. Public just likes to come on the weekends. I'm hoping with the paddleboards, and hopefully some kayaks soon, we'll be back to the lake more this summer! 

Field Trip with Mark

I was able to go on a field trip with Mark and his class to Staheli Farms. They teach kids about how much work it takes to grow food so we shouldn't waste it. Then the kids get to look at all the farm animals. Liam was there too.

Petting a baby chick.

I swear we had a good time but it's not really reflected in the pictures.

I told the kids about Mark's field trip and Maxine was convinced that I never attended any of her field trips. I was a little confounded because I felt like I had. Then I researched on my blog for just a second and found this picture:

Her class went ice skating and I went with. Ha! I totally went on a field trip with her! It's not the first time I've used my blog to figure something out! I'm glad I was able to take her ice skating with her class. February 2010. 

Love His Face!

I still love this face! And the feel of his face and his crinkly eyes.