Zoo Day

I was able to join Jessica, Liam and Zander for a few hours at the zoo last week.  We had planned for Chantel, Scarlett, and James to join us, but Scarlett ended up with a high fever the day before and spent most of the day sleeping and getting better.  We will go again.

Selvie on the train

The mountains around the zoo and the landscaping in the zoo was so green and beautiful.  The weather was perfect, even the two quick rain storms we had were nice.

This is Liam's favorite one on the Carousel 

Apparently I can't do a real smile either, and Zander is not
in favor of this picture for some reason.

It was a fun day to enjoy the Hogle Zoo.  Can't wait to do it again....................

And the exciting news just keeps on coming......

I fixed the announcement on the grandchild board to reflect the two little twin granddaughters who are coming in October......

and then this became officially announced on FACEBOOK.  Although Gary and I knew for awhile, the rest of the family did not know that.....

GRANDCHILD #9 IS ON ITS WAY IN NOVEMBER!

BABY RUSSELL #3 

Isn't this announcement darling for a November arrival?

Jessica got right on that and made this darling collage of all of the grandchildren--first time appearing together!    Scarlett, Niki, Liam, Zander, James, Cooper, and Baby A and Baby B and Russell #3.

And so now the Grandchildren Board is truly updated!

This might be all of our grandchildren and I feel so lucky that they will be close in age and that we will be able to build memories with them for the rest of our lives!

Graduation Day--final one

from public schools.  Students with disabilities have the opportunity to attend post-secondary schooling until the semester after they turn 22.  That would mean that Jena could qualify for one more semester, but due to the fact that Jena is busy with many things and only has ever attended part-time, her teachers felt that she might as well graduate now (or last December).  So Wednesday, May 16, Gary headed down to Provo to pick her up and bring her back to get ready for her last graduation (and ours, too.)

It was held at the Vista Education Center where she has been attending.  It was a sweet program with 30 graduates.

Jena's teacher, Shannon King:  She talked about each of the students in her class.  She has been Jena's teacher for the 3 years she has been at Vista.

Jena getting her diploma from Tammy Bradford, who was the principal over her program at Vista.

Jena and Shannon

 Jena with Tammy Bradford

 Jena with Olivia, an aide, that became friends with Jena.  I don't think she was even in Jena's class.

Jena at the flag pole outside, posing with flowers and her diploma.

A friend who also attended Clearfield with Jena

And dinner at the Panda Express to celebrate.............

And Jena's fortune that night: 

Nothing can keep YOU from reaching your Goals!

 It seemed like a perfect fortune for graduation day..............

Jena earned her high school diploma and was awarded it for 2015 the time when her class graduated from high school.  Now all five of my children have diploma from Clearfield High School.  Go, Falcons!

Congratulations, Jena, on all of your hard work and on to your next goals!!!!

(And up at 5:15 a.m. the next day to catch the Front Runner back to Provo with Vicki.)

So final graduation....until the grandchildren start!

Tuck Everlasting

was a book that Jena had to read for her children's literature class for Wonderwood Academy.  Over the Christmas break, Gary, Jena, and I watched a movie of it on Hulu.  It was interesting to talk about the differences between the book and the movie with Jena.  So when I saw that Tuck Everlasting was one of the plays for Hale Theatre this year, I decided that I should take Jena along with Sara and Emily to the theatre to see it.  Personally, I wasn't sure that I really wanted to see it or not.  Although I liked the overall message of the book--"Live a well-lived life.", it wasn't my favorite story.

However, I actually loved the play and it was fun to share it with the three girls who also loved it.  For one thing, it was a musical which I hadn't expected.  The music was gorgeous and the songs enhance the story and its messages well.

It was in the Jewel Box Theatre at Hale Theatre in Sandy--Emily and Sara had never been there before, which added to the joy of the experience.  Sara left with the goal of being an actress on stage.

 Before the show started, a shot of the theatre.

This is the young actress who played Winnie Foster.  She shook hands with each of the girls and talked with them briefly.

The only downside of the whole evening was the drive to Provo to their apartment after the play which meant they missed family night and got there about 10:45 pm. and I got home to Syracuse about midnight.  I was glad that I had taken them though.  It was fun to talk about the book and the play with them, but mostly watch their faces as they enjoyed the play.  Life theatre is a special experience.