10th day of 10th grade

Last month- August 30th! How was it last month?! That day I almost missed taking Savanna's photos! I remembered on the drive to school- and had a momentary thought of turning around to go back home and take them. But sanity won out and we just took them after school.

Having Savanna in 10th grade is much more of an adjustment than her starting 9th grade (for me.) I keep repeating that song 100 years to Live  and the line "caught in between 10 and 20."  I am excited for the years ahead of her, but want to hold on to right now.

 

If I asked Savanna how 10th grade is I bet she would say the same thing. That it is more of an adjustment than starting 9th grade. I think that she is excited about her future too, but I don't think she feels that she wants to rush it either. I'll ask her after school and see what she says.

I love my 15 year old girl!

 

first day of seminary

And they are off!
Savanna and Jay started their 2nd year of Early morning Seminary on August 27th and today marked their 3rd week completed. This is Savanna's 2nd year attending and Jay's 2nd year teaching. Every morning they rouse around 5ish and get ready for their day. Piano practice, showers, smoothies then off to the church building by 6 to meet with the class.

Last year they studied the Old Testament and this year they are studying the New Testament. I am proud of them both for going. To get up, to be ready and not complain (for the most part.)

I am thankful for the time they put into it. Both as student and teacher. The early mornings have been a hard thing to get used to. But I honestly think that this year is easier than last year.  Oh the appreciation we have for sleep though! Getting to bed earlier than we would like and enjoying the treat of sleeping in on a day off or weekend.

Survey says ... back to school edition 2012-2013

I love the survey's we do on the first and last day of school. I just went through all of them- It is so fun to see how each child has changed over such a short period of time. Even their penmanship!
Here are just a highlights from the first day of school 2012 surveys.

Savanna-10th grade

What did you wear today? 

My red pleated dress from the Trunk Hippie road show. My dad really likes it. 

(I do too, it is like it was made for her!)

If I could change one thing about my first day it would be:

I would like to have had a longer lunch period. I wish I had more classes with certain friends.

My favorite thing about summer was:

I LOVED  getting to go so many places! I stayed really busy!

My least favorite thing from summer was:

I didn't finish my summer reading list or my summer bucket list.

When I grow up I really want to:

Be a music teacher and a photographer.

What do we need more of in the world and what do we need less of?

More friendly, outgoing people. More color! Less awkward silences. Less homework.

Jack- 7th grade

What is great about being in 7th grade?

Having a locker.

I think my favorite class will be:

Art.

If I could change one thing about my first day it would be:

Keaton being here.

(I'm sad for you too.)

My favorite thing from summer was:

Photos.

My least favorite thing was:

Chores.

When I grow up I really want to:

Be some form of artist.

What do we need more of in the world and what do we need less of?

Kinds of art          war

(I love how all of Jack's answers are very to-the-point-one-word answers.)

Luke- 4th grade

I think my favorite subject will be:

Science

I am not looking forward to:

Math

One goal I am setting for myself this year is:

More A.R. points.

(that is going to be tough- but I am sure you will succeed!)

My favorite thing from summer was:

Swimming

My least favorite thing from summer was:

Heat

What do we need more of in the world and what do we need less of?

More happiness, less unhappiness

Anything else?

I'm upstairs this year!

(I am so glad this is exciting for you- moving up!)

Tucker- Kindergarten

What did you get to do on your first day of school?

Got to have a tiny party and stay in school all day. We had lunch in the cafeteria.

What was great about your new classroom?

Our cubbies were hidden! (where were they?) I can't tell you.

I think this year I will learn:

When we get in our room we start playing.

(hmm- I think there will be some adjustments!)

Something I am looking forward to this year is:

Getting the playground in

If I could change one thing about my first day it would be:

Having the playground in

My favorite thing about summer was:

swimming

My least favorite thing was:

the hotness

What do we need more of in the world and what do we need less of?

I don't want any floods.

Anything else?

My teacher was going to call you. I was sort of mad in the middle of school. The helper was giving me a lot of orderings. My teacher should be the one to do it. 

(Oh boy.)

Silver

Savanna is a part of her schools kayaking team. I think she even surprised herself that she joined!
She and her friends met at Lake Overholser at the boat house for practices.
She loved the practices but didn't always want to go. She quickly discovered that if she would just push herself to go she always came back energized/hyper and happy. (I just asked her about that paragraph and she said that was a pretty accurate description.)

Yesterday was the final race down on the Oklahoma River. Devon and Chesapeake both have awesome boathouses down on the river and it is fun to go watch any of the river races. There were kayaking, stand up boat races and rowing. Savanna competed against 9 other girls in the kayaking ocean sprint for 9th and 10th graders.

She came in 2nd place!

I loved yelling for her- and seeing her realize that she was doing well and how she gave it that extra push at the end.

I am happy that she tried something new- and that it ended up being something she really enjoyed doing.

This was her "fine Dad, I got my medal, see?!" after he yelled her name with a whoop and a holler!

Easter

Our Easter was memorable- We did the things we normally do to celebrate Easter, and added some new things. Some things went just fine, and others didn't go so well.

This (and the following instructions on her blog) is what one of our added things was supposed to look like. But instead it grew mold. I didn't even bother with the pictures of that.

I tested gravity to make sure all laws still applied.


They do.

This is a resurrection cookie that we make every year. I had a hard time finding the recipe. So I got off to a rough start. I added everything in the wrong order- and started mixing at the wrong time. But after the kids went up stairs I did a quick re-do of the dough and we put them in the oven overnight just like we were supposed to.

The idea is that in the morning when you open the oven, the tomb- the cookies are supposed to be hollow, empty inside. But not this year!

So after that- we all just laughed and finished our Easter prep ... our family was speaking and doing some of the music in Sacrament meeting. I don't think I have ever been so thankful for late 2:00 church. We enjoyed a simple Easter brunch with my Mom and then finished our preparations.

Savanna sang All Creatures of Our God and King and it was beautiful. I don't say that just because I am her mother. It really was beautiful. I just sat and took it all in- afraid to blink or shed a tear for fear I would miss a note.

Jack gave a most heartfelt talk and testimony about Christ. I love that he took it so seriously and had it prepared a head of time. I am thankful for his devotion.

Luke played his own version of As I have loved You on the piano. He sat down that week and taught himself by ear chords to go along with the melody in his mind. I am thankful he agreed to play and when it was time he willingly got up and played.

And Tucker helped by being semi-reverent. He sat part of the time down in the pews with my Mom, and part of the time with us up on the stand.


I cried through most of my talk- and Jay spoke with ease. We all felt relieved to have it over, but also very thankful to have been able to speak on Easter. We were asked a few weeks ago, and it gave us ample time to ponder what we felt like we needed to study and speak about.

We subbed out a traditional Easter dinner for simple appetizers. It was a great end to a beautiful day.

9th day of 9th grade

Huggage

There are those moments that make you melt. A moment that makes you forget all the other rotten, terrible, no good moments of the day. Moments that you are so thankful that you have a camera ready. Because seriously. You can't pose this stuff.

Anchor

Totally proud.

I am thankful my Mom came along to see Savanna perform in the middle school talent show. It was packed so we stood in the back. I had not planned to video it, just go and enjoy. But I am so glad my Mom thought to bring the video camera.

It gave me chills to hear her perform. I hear her practice at home all the time. She is always singing. But performing on stage is totally different.

Enjoy.

Because

We had a three day weekend and I thought it would be fun to take advantage of the time and go to the zoo. Usually just Tucker gets to go out and about these days.
With varying degrees of grumpiness the 5 of us set off.

As I was taking pictures of one of the many fits, (this one involved throwing himself to the ground)

Savanna wondered allowed why I took photos when they were unhappy.

I said," because."

She countered with her explanation of how she did not like it and that I should not take them of Tucker when he was unhappy.

Then that night she saw this and said "I take it back."

I am Alisa and I take photos of everything. My food. My laundry. My dirt. My kids happy. My kids sad.

Thirteen

Dear beautiful thirteen-

Sorry that it has taken me so very long to write. (2 1/2 months!) As you get older it gets more difficult for me to share you with the world. Not because I think I need to hide you, but because you have your own stories to tell and my perspective on your life is just that, mine. I find myself censoring what I write about you whereas I might otherwise freely share the same thing about your younger brothers.

I love you. Your Dad loves you. I don't need to write it now because you feel it. I know you do. But there will come a time, hopefully a long time away when you will doubt of our love for you. Right here right now at thirteen we love you more than we did when you were our only child. At that time we had no idea how much our love could grow, we could not imagine loving you more than we did. But we do. It just grows.

We love to watch you. Love to listen to your music. Love your drama. Love your crazy outfits. Love your accents and the personas that come with it.
We absolutely love watching you with your brothers. The love that you have for Tucker and how you are totally wrapped around his finger. How he only needs to look at you or speak the word "sister" and he has you under his spell. How hard you have to work with Luke for both of your theory in piano, and how you teach him- when you get it right, you totally nail it. Watching you share things with Jack and the way you tease.

Its hard to believe that you are thirteen. A teen-

We notice your compassion, your desire to help others and to understand what they are going through. We would challenge you to continue developing that compassion and to not judge others.

We believe in you. We are proud of you. We know you have it in you to do hard things. When those hard things come, (and they will!) know that we support you and believe in you. We really do love you more than you could possibly know right now.

Happy Thirteenth Year! We believe in you!
Love, mom and dad

(photos- July 2010)

8th day of 8th grade- (yesterday)

Savanna Camp

We packed this girl up with everything we could fit into one big duffel bag

and sent her off to Girls Camp last week. She had fun working on her Secret Sister gifts, and getting everything ready to go. I sent her off happy as could be and was totally prepared to pick up a tired, cranky girl from the crash of all the excitement, and lack of sleep.

Hardly.

She came back happier than I could have imagined. I think I will have to let her do a guest post. She came back inspired in so many ways- and set right to work on making an outfit for church the next day! I am thankful beyond words to the leaders that put so much time, and thought into making camp what it was. It was exactly what it needed to be for Savanna.

I had to laugh and wanted to remember for next year:

After picking Savanna up I asked her if there is anything she would like to take different next year, or if there was anything she forgot. One of the leaders spoke right up and said,"yea, how about a flashlight?"

Oops- I guess that would be a good thing to send her with. I will try and remember that for next year!

When I was your age ...

It is the start of a new semester for the kids and for Savanna that means a few new classes. As we were driving home yesterday we were all talking about how the day back was, and for Savanna how her new classes were. She moaned a little and told me about typing. I told her how much I loved that class and I just new that she would enjoy it once she got the hang of it. We went back and forth about it as she said she like to "peck" the keys. That it was much faster that way.

I asked what supplies she needed to get and she told me a few. But I thought she was leaving out something. I prompted... "So, do you need any paper for typing?"

Silence.

Stare.

"Mom, it's computer typewriting- I don't need to bring my own paper."

Oh. Right.

date

3/7/09