Elementary school end-of-the-year events

4th grade rockets: Monday, May 23

Winnie didn't catch hers either time (I think the smaller rockets that the 4th graders have are harder to catch), but she had a grand time launching and chasing after her rocket.

Watching her classmates' rockets launch and waiting in line for her turn.

All four of these kids did this little excited hoppy thing after placing their rockets on the launcher.

Liftoff!

Chasing.

6th grade track meet: Monday, May 23

After watching Winnie's two launches and running inside to see Ana perform with the ballroom team for the Fairview students (see earlier post), I drove over to Thunder Stadium at Bonneville High School, saw that no one was there, rechecked the flyer and then drove to Thunder RIDGE Stadium at Thunder Ridge High School (seriously ... how is Thunder Stadium still the name of the stadium at BHS when we have a Thunder Ridge in the same district?!?) to see Miriam run the 200 and participate in the softball throw. She didn't place in either event, but I brimmed with pride because (1) she did her best and (2) a mother told me that Miriam had been cheering on all her classmates and checking in on them to make sure they were doing well. I responded to her compliment by telling her that Miriam has a big heart, and she readily agreed.

Running the 200.

Sitting with her classmates to receive instructions for the softball throw.

Throwing the ball.

6th grade rockets: Thursday, May 26

Miriam caught her rocket after both launches and had a grand time with the whole event.

Miriam smiles at the 4th graders who had been calling out her name from behind the backstop.

Liftoff!

Patting the head of her friend's baby sister.

Catching after her second launch.

Giving Winnie a hug and a kiss before heading back with her classmates. I'm going to miss having those two in the same school together.

AR assembly and field day: Thursday, June 2

I got to see Winnie and Miriam (and a bunch of other kids) acknowledged during the Accelerated Reading assembly, then volunteered at field day.

Winnie in the 200 point club.

Miriam in the 1300 point club.

Miriam headed back to sit with her class after receiving a candy bar for earning the most AR points in her classs.

Winnie sitting her her class during the assembly.

Miriam hula hooping at the field day obstacle course. I helped with nine square during the 5th and 6th grade portion of field day, but someone else took over for the 3rd and 4th grade portion, so I helped a little with kickball and got plates of whipped cream ready for the kids to smash in the principal's face because the school met their fundraising goal.

Winnie running through a hula hoop during the obstacle course.

Field day selfie after someone took over the nine square.

Miriam and her classmates play tug-of-war against the other 6th grade class. The other class ended up winning.

Miriam and her friends getting sprayed by the fire truck.

Winnie getting sprayed.

Ringing the bell: Friday, June 3

After seven years of being a Falcon, Miriam graduated from Fairview and got a turn to ring the bell in front of the school. Then she made sure to say goodbye and hug all her former teachers (some have moved on, so she didn't get to hug them) and get every single staff member she could find to sign her yearbook.

Miriam rings the bell.

Miriam gives fives to all the students lining the path for the 6th graders.

Miriam hugs Mrs Jenkins as she goes down the line.

Miriam hugs her teacher, Ms. Moore. Miriam had hoped to get Miss Johnson for 6th grade (everyone wants Miss Johnson because she's loads of fun), but I assured her that she would love Ms. Moore just as much. And I was right. I had confidence in Ms. Moore because Rebekah also had her for 6th grade, and she loved her.

Miriam posing with several of her classmates after the bell ringing.

Ana is 15

On her actual birthday (Tuesday, May 24), she went to school and then to her Young Women activity.

On the Sunday before her birthday (May22), we invited family over for dinner and cake. 

We had pineapple chicken and coconut rice for dinner, and Ana made herself a gorgeous chocolate raspberry cake. (I offered to make her birthday cake, but she was more than happy to do it herself.) Aunt Rachel and Uncle Justin were in Italy, so their kids came with Grandma Susan and Grandpa Dennis. Uncle T and Aunt McKall forgot about the dinner (they have a newborn, so they're allowed to be forgetful), but they brought a bag of Lindor chocolates for her later.

We had hoped the weather would cooperate so we could have the dinner outside, but it was unseasonably cold, so we hosted everyone inside.

Lighting 15 candles on her cake while Hudson watches.

Then she opened presents: a card with cash from Grandma Susan and Grandpa Dennis, a gift card to Joann from her parents (she also received a LEGO bonsai tree on her actual birthday), a beautiful art kit from Aunt Rachel's family, and a shapeshifting box from Grandma and Grandpa Scott.

Her cute popup card from Grandma Susan

Opening her Amazon box on her actual birthday. Surprise! (She had picked it out herself.)

Andrea and Ana with our array of sauces at Super Chix for Ana's birthday dinner. Ana likes to try new places out, so we got chicken tenders and fries after she decided to eat here on Saturday, May 28.

Then on Monday, May 30 (Memorial Day), Ana invited some friends over (Jacie Klingler, Lilli Mickelsen, Samantha Park, Emelia Bare) to play Jackbox games, eat pizza and watch Heart and Souls. We didn't go fishing at Henry's Lake this Memorial Day weekend because the weather was cold and snowy in Island Park. So it was easy to get things ready for her friends to come over on the last day of the three-day weekend.

Piano recital

 Okay, so this happened a while ago, but I didn't get the video edited and uploaded until recently.

Ana performed in her last piano recital (we have the girls take lessons until they're finished with their freshmen year, then let them decide if they want to continue), and Miriam and Winnie performed in their not-last piano recital. All the girls did an admirable job, and we're proud of their hard work.

One of Miriam's songs was a duet, and I got to play the secondo. It's the first time I've performed in a piano recital since I was probably younger than 8. We had a false start (totally my fault), but it was fun to be able to play with her.

Standing for a final (silent) ovation in the St. Leon chapel on Sunday, April 10.

You can watch the girls perform their numbers here.

End of the year concerts

 Band! Ballroom! More differenter band! Fencing at band!

Rebekah had her final jazz band concert of the year on Thursday, May 5 in the Little Theater at Bonneville. 

Soloing from this angle.

And soloing from this angle. This is probably my favorite shot of Rebekah from her concerts this year. The Little Theater has more ambience than the gym.

Then on Saturday, May 7, Rebekah competed in state solo and ensemble at Madison High School in Rexburg. First she performed her solo in the library.

 

Playing her solo with the judges in the foreground.

Getting feedback from one judge.

Grandma Susan and Grandma Hendricks watching/listening.

Winnie reading on her Kindle while Grandpa Scott, Grandma Scott, Miriam, Ana, Grandma Susan and Grandma Hendricks listen.

Then she performed with a brass quartet in a classroom. Matthew Sorenson (who, we found out, is the son of someone Grandma Susan used to babysit in Rexburg back in the day. Grandma Hendricks and Matt's grandma had a lovely chat while waiting for their progeny to perform), Alex Randall, Rebekah and Caiden Anderson.

Then we booked it home so Rebekah could go on a day date (escape room) and then get ready for prom.

Seth trying out his tactical laser on Rebekah's sequined dress. It was very reflective.

Rebekah pinning a boutonniere on her date, Ashton Murdock.

Couple picture taken at Jacob Brigg's house. The group ate dinner there, then went to the dance at The Waterfront at Snake River Landing.

Miriam had her band concert on Thursday, May 12 in the newly remodeled Rocky Mountain Middle School auditorium.

Seth and Miriam hold up their sticks during the concert. After playing a few numbers, Mrs. Bull invited the students to retrieve one guest from the audience so they could come up and get a quick tutorial on their student's instrument and play "Hot Cross Buns." Seth felt like he lucked out getting to play it on the marimba.

Miriam playing percussion during their last number, a tune from Pirates of the Caribbean. 

On Monday, May 16, Ana had her final ballroom concert of the year. 

JV Cabaret "Superman," which Ana was an alternate for. She got to dance in it that night.

"Sax."

"Dance with Me Tonight."

"Betty Boop." This was a new number that we hadn't seen before. A kid on the silver team choreographed it. Poor Ana didn't have a partner because the kid she was paired with didn't ever show up to class.

Ana received "most improved" female on her team. She got a T-shirt and some recognition for all her hard work this year.

Green team's lindy. This is a fun, cute number.

"Bugle Boy," another new one that included all three teams.

And then Ana and a few other ballroom volunteers performed "Jai Ho" during the Idaho Falls' choir concert at the Colonial Theater on Wednesday, May 18.

The girls got to do fun hair and makeup.

You can watch the dance here.

Rebekah performed with the pit orchestra during Bonneville's spring musical, "Anastasia." We went on closing night: Saturday, May 21.

A blurry photo of Rebekah standing on her chair so she could see out of the pit before the musical started and the crab puppet Alex was manning in the corner of the pit.

Rebekah emerging from the pit during intermission to visit with Miriam, Grandma Susan and Ana.

Playing music in the pit after the bows.

Ana and the ballroom teams performed numbers at several elementary schools, including Fairview. I sneaked in after watching Winnie launch her rocket (post to follow) on Monday, May 23 to see the ballroom team teach the 1st-3rd graders how to dance to "Cotton Eye Joe."

"To the right."

And Rebekah had her final symphonic band concert of the year (combined with orchestra for a few numbers) in the Bonneville gym on Wednesday, May 25.

Rebekah laughing during their number with a guest performer, the head of the tuba department at BYU-Idaho. They played "Party Potatoes," which was written for this professor, and includes the longest tuba solo you've ever heard.

Rebekah shaking hands with her band director, Mr. Bull. Rebekah received the "Outstanding Service" award for the year.

Rebekah playing clarinet during the combined symphonic band/orchestra numbers. 

Rebekah and her friend Kiera Bake were the surprise during the final number of the Rocky Mountain Middle School Band concert on Thursday, May 26. While the band played "Pirates of the Caribbean" (a number that every band played this spring), Rebekah and Kiera performed a choreographed fencing duel.

Rebekah posing in her pirate costume with a fire truck in the background. This was the second time in a week that fire trucks had been to the property north of us to take care of a fire. 

Kiera and Rebekah fencing during the number.

You can watch their entire duel here.