Oral Language Festival

This year Blythe was selected to participate in the school's Oral Language Festival.  This amounts to students standing in front of their families and reciting some piece of literature-ish something with feeling.  Blythe is a dramatic child (she gets that from Kent) and likes to be the center of attention (she gets that from Kent too), so this was right up her alley.  I suggested she choose a Shel Silverstein poem and she selected the poem, "It's Hot!" from A Light in the Attic.  She had it memorized quickly and worked on it over a week, and she did a fantastic job the night of the performance.  She expressed a bit of nervousness, but when it was her turn, she spoke clearly, with feeling, and remembered everything.  We were certainly proud of her efforts.

Here's the poem, included because it's short.

It's Hot!

It's hot!

I can't get cool,

I've drunk a quart of lemonade.

I think I'll take my shoes off

And sit around in the shade.

It's hot!

My back is sticky,

The sweat rolls down my chin.

I think I'll take my clothes off

And sit around in my skin.

It's hot!

I've tried with 'lectric fans,

And pools and ice cream cones.

I think I'll take my skin off

And sit around in my bones.

It's still hot!

Field Trip Friday #31--Transfer Station and Mulch

Did I ever get away with something big today.  Tee hee hee.  Last week we had some curbing installed in the yard around newly created flower beds.  The guys who did the curbing used a sod cutter to create the beds, but the removal of the sod fell to us.  Yesterday I borrowed a neighbor's truck, and today filled the truck with large and small pieces of sod, dirt, and lots of rocks.  I had hoped to get the truck loaded quicker than I was able, and by the time school was coming to an end, I had a truckload of stuff to take to the transfer station.

Here is where the trick comes in.  For field trip Friday today, I told the kids we were going to go to the transfer station and dump sod, then make a quick trip to the nearby green recycling area and get a load of mulch, all in the borrowed truck.  We could stop somewhere on the way home and get a treat too.

I know, it's like I was trying to pull a fast one on the kids, making them do my work disguised as a field trip.  But wouldn't you know it, they were thrilled!  Brandt was super excited that we got to go in the truck (an old one, probably 1964 with a CD radio and a rear window that slides open), that we got to go to the dump, and that we'd get to see the front end loader fill the truck with mulch.  Brandt totally sold it to Blythe too, and they happily climbed in and buckled up after they got home from school.  Point for me!

It was hard work getting the truck unloaded.  There was 1500 pounds of sod, dirt, and rocks, and though Brandt did help me a bit initially, his interest in throwing stuff out of the truck quickly waned and he got back in the truck to take ridiculous pictures of himself and Blythe while I worked.  Quite frankly, I didn't care.  I was able to get rid of all the yard waste I didn't want and fill the truck with beautiful mulch I will spread around the front yard tomorrow.  And all for field trip Friday!

Thursday night, the kids were dying to go for a ride

in this super-cool old truck.

 

  

 

  

  

 

Front end loaded scooping up and dumping our mulch.

Date Night

Tonight Kent and I had a super fun date night.  At Christopher's invitation, we went to a BYU men's volleyball game.  Christopher has had season tickets for years, so we sat courtside, in comfy chairs, and got a water and candy bar snack under our seat.  BYU was playing the University of Hawaii, the number one ranked team, and they beat them in four sets.  The matches are played in the Smith Fieldhouse, which is a relatively small venue, and almost always packed.  It was loud and raucous, the match was super exciting, and the whole ambiance was super charged.  It was really a lot of fun and we were super glad for the invite.

Friday Field Trip #30--The Zoo

Tuesday was Grayson Norton's birthday, and a zoo themed birthday was planned.  Grandma Dawn called and invited us to join them at the zoo for animal entertainment, on Friday afternoon, our regular day for a field trip, and really, who can resist that sort of invitation?  Not us!  Right after school we loaded up kids and snacks and headed north.  Izaiah Wilson, Brandt's classmate and our fellow ward member, joined us too.

It was a lovely afternoon, a touch on the cool side, just ride for spring.  We met up with the Norton upon our arrival, looked at animals, rode the carousel, had hot dogs and plastic animal covered Rice Krispie cake, and rode the train.  The Nortons left before us as they had arrived before us, so after their departure, we wandered around to see more animals.  There seemed to be lots of areas devoid of real animal life, but the kids didn't seem to mind.  I also took lots and lots and lots and lots of pictures because all three children wanted their picture taken at various spots, and all three children wanted to be alone at the spot.  Silly kids.  Unfortunately, I didn't receive a single offer from anyone to keep the children right there where they belonged.  We need to go more frequently.

Chewie, Kylie, Grayson, Blythe, Brandt, and McKenna

I made Brandt climb on an animal.  

He wanted to sit on the bench, but I wouldn't let him.

He wasn't entirely happy with me.

Grandma Dawn and Papa Scott watching as we all turn by.

Grayson doesn't looked thrilled being on an animal either.

Happy birthday to Grayson!

The boys wanted to ride at the very back of the train,

while the girls wanted to ride at the very front.

Photobomb!

They are all growling like the polar bear that isn't actually behind them.

 

Lions, tigers, and bears, 

Oh my!