Mikenna~Tri-Cities Fever Football Halftime Show!

Mikenna had the opportunity to perform at the Tri-Cities Fever halftime show - they played for about 10 minutes.  The 3 Rivers Soccer Club Girls U11 scrimmaged each other.  Mikenna had such a great time!  She loved playing soccer with music and a big crowd to cheer!  She had a game earlier today in Seattle, and Toby booked it home with her back to the Tri-Cities so she could go to the Fever game and play.

Class of 2016

It's official!  Jaron is now registered for High School!  We went through his 4 year plan - and made sure he will get enough credits to graduate.
We along with Jaron's input picked his classes and even met with his cross country coaches and track coaches for next year.  Cross country practice starts in the summer - and he'll be able to do a cross country camp as well.
We signed him up for seminary - which is release time - so he will walk to the seminary building every day as part of his schedule.  Love that.  We found out that he will be losing 2 credits in the four years of his high school career - because they don't give credit for seminary.  So - the options are online BYU classes, or 0 hour or 8th hour.  8th hour isn't an option because he wouldn't be able to participate in cross country or track.  Luckily we found this out before registration through friends in our ward - or we wouldn't have done things right.  They don't say anything about seminary or losing credits at registration.  Right now we have him signed up for 0 hour to work in the school store to make up the 2 credits.  He will have to do that for two years - or if he ends up not liking the school store things - then we are going to have him take BYU online courses to make up the lost credits from taking seminary.  To me it is worth it.....I feel really strongly about him going to seminary.  He is going to need that daily strength and the friendship of those youth that believe in the same things he does.  I know I really relied on seminary every day in high school.  It's not an option for Jaron not to take seminary.  It's so important in my mind for him to do it.  It will give him strength, help him associate with youth and friends that believe in the same things, and also help him prepare for his mission.  I am excited for him.  He was wanting to take a Painting and Drawing class as an elective - but didn't realize he wouldn't be able to do seminary if he did that - and he quickly changed his mind once we figured out that he has only 1 elective to choose from and told us that he wanted to go to seminary.  It's one thing for us as parents to want for him to do it; but it made me proud that he thought it was just as important as we do and was willing to do 0 hour in the early morning and also give up the drawing class in order to have seminary be a part of his schedule.  I really feel like it's a blessing to have him do that - not a sacrifice and I am glad he is on board with it.  Richland and Kennewick's school district isn't so strict and allows after school sports to make up for the credits for students who go to seminary.  Not impressed with Pasco's school district when it comes to this; they are more strict.

I have talked with our bishop, the seminary teacher and Jaron's principal of the his middle school - which is a member of the church, goes to our ward, and used to be the Vice principal of the Pasco High School.  I also talked with some friends in our ward that have older kids and have gone through some things already and they gave us some great advice as well.  Mainly being that seminary needs to be a part of their lives in high school because they face many challenges these days and just need that daily strength from it.  They gave us some great advice on how to work Jaron's schedule to have him do seminary and also be able to make up the lost 2 credits.  I am so glad we talked to them before we got to registration.  Jaron's seminary teacher actually used to be our home teacher when we first moved to Pasco 6 years ago.  We brought home a Pasco HS t-shirt that says Class of 2016 on it.....needless to say - I am a little in shock!  I had myself a good cry yesterday when all the kids were at school -but felt much better after registration was over and I was able to meet counselors and coaches at the school, walk around the school, etc.  and that we got the whole seminary thing and 2 credits thing worked out!  My sweet husband took me out to dinner last night and cheered me up - and made me laugh.  Don't get me wrong I am excited for Jaron - it's just hard as a mom to see them grow up so fast!  It was like seeing him get on the school bus for the first time, but 10x worse - I think mainly because it's so in my face that he will be graduating in 4 years....unbelievable to me that we are at this point in his life already.  Here we go......

Mikenna & Brielle

 

 

Brielle had no kindergarten today - and Mikenna had early release from school.  Brielle was so happy to see Mikenna walk through the door.  Mikenna is such a great big sister - she walks Brielle to and from the school bus and always watches out for her at school.  Brielle loves her big sister.....we were just talking about how Jaron is going to be a freshman this coming fall because high school registration is tomorrow night....yep - I am getting old and so is he!  She over heard Toby and I say that he will be going on his mission before we know it and she became upset; like she had just realized that she is the youngest and Jaron and Mikenna will be leaving the house before her.  She started crying saying that she doesn't want to grow up and that she doesn't want to be a mommy someday - and that she wants to stay my baby and live with me, daddy, Jaron and Mikenna together as a family.  I am a little worried about how she is going to handle Mikenna being in a different school and bus than her next year.  I am sure she will do great once she gets into a routine and gets used to it.  Brielle loves her family and wants us all to stay together forever in our beautiful home as a family.  It made me tear up a little because I am kinda struggling with Jaron growing up so fast and registering him for high school tomorrow.  I just don't know where the time is going.  I am mentally checking off things that I have always wanted to do with him - some have been done, others have not.  It makes you look at how you are parenting and hoping and praying at the same time you are doing your job as a parent and teaching and loving them and doing the things that they will need to live a good, productive life once they are gone from your home.  I want his happiness and I want to do my best as his mom.  Some days I feel like I am doing great, others OK and others like I am failing.....but I guess that's life in general.  Brielle warmed my heart tonight!  Someday we will all be together forever as a family.  It was good to see her perspective and made me think about the big picture and ultimately why we are here and where we are going and how life in general is pretty short compared to our eternity together as a family.  My kids teach me something every day, and for that I am thankful!!

My Kiddos

 

Jaron~8th Grade Band Concert~Percussion

 

 

 

 

Jaron had another 8th grade band concert tonight.  He played 2 songs in percussion - 1 song he was running around doing all sorts of percussion instruments - he had a smile on his face the whole time.  He loves to create music at home - as well as perform in band.  We love to see his smiling face!!

Mikenna~Strikers Basketball Trophy 2012

My sunshine girl with her basketball trophy!

Mikenna~3 Rivers Soccer Home Game vs Harbor Premier~Tie 2-2!

Mikenna played great defense! The team as a whole was a little off today - but managed a tie!  My parents came to watch her play today - she loved having them there to watch her. She even gave them a front row seat to a kick that she made and nailed a girl from the other team right in the face right in front of where they were sitting. They ended up in a tie 2-2 against the Harbor Premier team. Afterwards we took everyone out to Costa Vida restaurant and enjoyed dinner together, came home and had some pie and ice cream and then we all watched the BYU vs. Gonzaga basketball game together. Gonzaga won - We had a so much fun spending the day with my parents - and the kids loved having them here. Mikenna had a huge smile on her face when they showed up to her soccer game……priceless!! So sweet.  Our record with two more games left of the spring season - is 2 wins, 2 ties and no loses.  This weekend is going to be crazy - we head to Seattle Saturday for a game - come home, and then Sunday we have a home game against a Yakima team.  After that - one week of no games - and then we prepare for State Cup season....and then Boise Tournament and then U12 Try-outs for 2 days, and then the fun Yak Attack Tournament in Yakima.  After that she will find out what new team she is on and it starts all over again.