On to middle school with top awards!!!

Kennedy has finished 5th grade. Next year she will be in middle school. It all happens so fast. She had her 5th grade graduation and awards ceremony last week. She recieved all sorts of awards for excellence in different categories (these were class awards), and then she received two amazing awards that were for kids chosen out of the entire 5th grade.

The first one was a Gold Presidential Award, for getting the highest scores on F-Cat and having excellent grades for the past two years. She got a letter from the president and a certificate. I was so proud of her as only a handful of kids got this award.

The next award is called "The Principal's award". The principle picks one child from each class that has been an amazing example of attitude and academics for the whole time they had been at Avalon elementary, Kindergarten to 5th grade. She says she even interviews past teachers. KENNEDY GOT THIS AWARD! We were so surprised and so pleased with Kenna. I think this kind of award is quite an honor.

Kennedy being awarded the "Principals award"

This is Kennedy's teacher Mr. Ogle. He told me that it was an absolute no brainer about who the award should go to . He is an AMAZING teacher and should be teacher of the year. He does this amazing method of teaching where the kids practically "live" the history they are learning about through an eleborate year long social studies game. The details to that are the makings of a whole different post. But we love him to say the least.

Kinsey's Sweet 16 Beach Party

Beach-friends-birthday-fun!!!!!!!

It was pouring rain at our house as the kids were arriving...HELP! But no fear...the beach, a mere 40 minutes away was clear and beautiful. 4 hours of beach bliss. I just sat back and watched it happen...through the lens of my camera :)

Thanks to my helpers and drivers Danielle and Stef

Happy 16 year old

Seriously...the Cake Boss makes this look way easier than it is!

Back to the house for cake, a slide show of Kinsey's life (which I probably cried over 4 times as I made it), and an awesome game of "Werewolf" (like Mafia but WAY more fun...thanks to Chris Dowdy). Fun night for sure!!! 8 hours of birthday fun! Whew! Luckily these are really great and well behaved kids. Fun was had by all...and when the last kid left...I think I passed out on my bed while my sweet husband cleaned up the house and cleaned out the cars. No recollection of the end of the night.

First Date!

With significant birthdays, come significant events. Yes...Kinsey's first date. On her 16th birthday, she got asked out...and went out a few nights later. Clay, one of the cutest and nicest boys around, asked her out with a cute little poem taped to a football...that she found waiting on the front porch when she got home from school. She was a very excited girl. They had a picnic and played some football and other games and she says it was a great night. The only downfall was that I was in Utah during the date. Dang. But I made sure Kennedy took a picture of them. I'm sure Kinsey is SO SAD that I wasn't there to document the whole event :)

Sweet sixteen

How does this happen? How does your first child turn such a significant age like 16 in a blink of an eye. Yes... such a predictable thing to say, especially for a mom...but it's true. On May 17th, Kinsey turned 16 years old. Kinsey was my first, and my only child for 4 years, and I remember every moment of her growing up. I can't describe the joy I felt being a first time mom and getting to stay home with my little girl and raise her. I had prayed long and hard for that. She was such a joy in our world and such a blessing to us. Every little thing she did was an event. She was always so grown up for her age and now that she is grown up...I can't believe that little girl is gone. But how blessed we feel to know that Kinsey has turned into such an amazing young woman. Truly someone that we are proud to be parents of. When she was young, she had quite the strong will and could throw some serious temper tantrums. I used to say to her "Use your will for good". That strength in her, that may have caused a mother some moments of frustration, is now one of Kinsey's shining qualities. She is so strong when it comes to her standards and the things that she believes in. What I love the most about Kinsey is the way that she can light up a room when she walks in. And it is a quiet and humble light that she carries. I don't think she knows how beautiful she is, yet inside and out...it shines. What a pleasure to have her as a daughter.

Kinsey....on her 16th birthday!


Kinsey through the years

Happy birthday to my sweet 16 girl!