2nd graders at Festival of Trees

 It's been a tradition for a few years for the 2nd graders at Eaglecrest Elementary to donate a tree to Festival of Trees.  The parents make donations, the students make decorations and the teachers decorate the trees.  I think it's a great plan.

This year the tree was based on the book, Duck for President.  It was a farmyard theme with a patriotic twist.  It was a very cute tree and the kids did great on it.  It was featured in articles in both the Daily Herald and the Deseret News.

(I didn't get a picture at the Festival because the tree was always surrounded by kids.)
This year, the students were asked to sing at the Festival as well.  The kids did such a wonderful job.  They sang five songs that were cute and full of energy.  Enoch was on the front row and we had a great view of him.  Greg and I laughed through the entire program because Enoch's attention was everywhere but on the songs - on the row behind him, the girl next to him, the ceiling.  He did sing some, but performing isn't his forte.

 

After the performance, the kids were able to walk around and look at the trees.  Greg already headed to work, but Kate, Guard and I tagged along with Enoch to see some trees.  We didn't last too long.  Kate decided to go with Taylor and her Mom (Taylor's brother, Chase is in 2nd grade too) but Guard was fading quickly.  I tried to feed him, but you know Guard, he will only eat on the same couch, in the same spot at home.  It is soooo annoying.  Guard was upset, when I found Kate, she was bored so we headed home.  Enoch said after that it was a long time looking at the trees before they rode back to the school on the buses.

It was a fun experience for the 2nd graders and I'm glad that we went and supported Enoch and the Festival of Trees.  It brought back memories of when my mom did trees when I was young.  It was a fun morning.

Coal turns One!

Our puppy is officially not a puppy anymore.  Coal turned one today.  She has been such a happy addition to our family.  We really can't imagine life without her and she truly is one of the family.

(I have such a hard time getting good pictures of her.  She is such a pretty dog, but with her black fur and dark eyes, it doesn't work well in pictures.)

She was born on a ranch in Coalville, Utah, on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, 2011.  She came home with us on January 3, 2012.  She was the cutest little puppy and such a joy from day one.

 She is so sweet, loyal, protective and playful.  She adores Greg and Gavin.  Enoch loves to play. Kate will snuggle with her on the floor and call her 'pretty girl'.  Kate always counts her as the second girl when we count how many brothers and sister we have.  I was quite worried about she would be with Guard, but she is very protective.  She has never, ever been aggressive toward him and actually likes to 'play ball with him' and lick his face, hands and feet (Guard doesn't seem to mind).  Someday Guard will actually throw the ball she drops in his lap.

The night we brought her home, we stopped at Petsmart and picked up some supplies.  We got her a little stuffed animal, a purple rhino, we named Hippo.  She needed something to sleep with since she was used to snuggling with her brother and sisters.  Hippo has been with her since.

Well, Hippo has been well loved.  She has no stuffing left, holes all over and is a bit smelly (even after washings).

So, for her birthday, Coal got a new Hippo.  She loves her and doesn't seem too bothered that she is new.

She also got some new tennis balls - her favorites.

 

Happy Birthday, Coal!  We love you!  You make us so happy.

(The kids were a bit disappointed that Coal didn't have a real party with treats and friends, so next year, we might have to do more.)

Guard at 5-6 months

Cute, little Guard is growing up so fast.  I love to see his personality develop and shine, but it is hard to see the days go by so quickly.

 

 He is still happy, so happy.  I count my blessings that Guard is such a happy baby.  You can always find him with a smile on his face and a laugh waiting to break through.

His eating is still driving me nuts, but he still has his chubby rolls and is getting enough to eat.  He loves his solid and his favorites are applesauce, pears and peaches.  He hates plums.  When I fed him plums for the first time, he pulled an awful face and scraped out the plums with his fingers from off his tongue.  A few days later, we tried plums again, and he clamped his gums closed and would not open them.  We haven't attempted them since.

I love this face!  He does this thing where he compresses his lips between his gums and hums.  It is so cute.

Guard loves books, playing outside, hanging out with Gavin, watching Coal, being held by Dad, going for walks with Mom and Kate and listening to Enoch read.

 

We love him so much!

(A video for Grandma and Grandpa:)

Enoch's Reflections

Enoch loves to participate in school activities.  I have to limit him to what we have time and energy to complete.  I do have a difficult time saying no to Science Fair and Reflections, so he has done those every year.
This year the theme was The Magic of a Moment.  I asked him about a magical moment in his life and he excitedly remembered his airplane ride from Denver to Provo.  His brain started to spin and he thought of everything airplanes.  He came up with the ideas of having his Grandpa Dee help him weld a metal model airplane or making paper airplanes.  I admit, Greg and I stealthy steered him toward the paper airplanes.  It seemed easier for all involved.
He went with 3-D Art so he could do a sculpture.  It turned out incredible!  Before we turned it in the morning of Reflections, he took it to his classroom to show his teacher.  She said, "It doesn't surprise me he came up with that all on his own.  He is so creative."

Enoch won Grand Prize in his category.  Greg and I are so proud of him.
He was so surprised at the Reflection assembly when they announced his name.  (Sorry the pictures are bad, the lighting in the school gym is not the best for pictures.)

 Now, on to district!

Scattered Thoughts

1.  Guard's new trick is to shake his head back and forth.  He laughs and laughs when he does it.

2.  Coal is officially going through her teenage years.  She is such a little stinker.  She now has doggie doors from the laundry room into the garage and then from the garage into the backyard.  If I am ever missing something, I know Coal has dragged it to the backyard.  I have found my tennis shoes in the garden, Guard squeaky toy, Sophie the giraffe, halfway buried in the lawn (it does look somewhat like a bone) and Kate's underwear scattered throughout the yard.  Dang dog!

3.  Gavin is now officially taller than Greg.  That is a bit unnerving.

4.  Enoch has decided he is going to be a chemist so he can "mix liquids together and blow them up!"  He has decided to get a jump on graduate school by reading Greg's advance physics textbooks from college.  The other day he lasted 45 minutes.  I'm not sure what he got out of it, but I chuckle to myself every time he pulls that heavy book off the shelf.

5.  Last week was our Sacrament Meeting program.  Enoch read a scripture from John and did a great job.  Kate and I had been practicing her part for weeks.  She knew it really well, but I wasn't sure she would say it in front of everyone.  She hesitated a bit when she got up to the microphone, but she squared her shoulders and spoke right into the microphone, "I feel happy when I choose to help my baby brother."  I about started to cry!  She did such a wonderful job and I know how nervous and scared she was.  I am so proud of her.

Burning Pumpkins

This afternoon I asked Gavin to throw away the jack-o-laterns.  They were shiveled and moldy.  It was time for them to go.  He was a bit sad until...
I wish he would have asked me first.

 I was a bit surprised to see smoke in the backyard.  I guess I trust him with fire.  He has had experience in Scouts and camping.  But still.

 

It looks a little freaky.  The inside ended up charred, but it didn't burn completely; still too moist.  Well, I've been told we have a new Halloween tradition.  All the kids loved it.

Preschoolers at the Grocery Store

The Treehouse Preschool went on a fun field trip to Kohler's in Highland.  I wasn't on the schedule to go, but Kate wanted me there and I thought Guard might like it too.  I'm glad we tagged along, it was fun and actually quite interesting.

 (Kate and her best friend, Taylor.)

We started the tour by getting kiddie cones from the deli and Kate said that was her favorite sample they gave them.  The kids also got apples, fruit snacks, cookies, chocolate milk, string cheese and crackers.  Score!  Lunch is served.

We visited all the departments and went 'behind the scenes'.  Kate liked going inside the huge ice cream freezer, seeing the boxes smashed and watching how they made frosting roses in the bakery.

We had a great time and the preschoolers were so well-behaved and loved the tour.  Guard rather enjoyed it too.