Preparing for School

Colton starts at the high school this year.

I've never been so nervous about something.

Ever.

But, Big Sis Amia will be there... just as she always is.

Tuesday, Amia, Colton and Mama LaLa went and toured the school.

Amia did a map of the school for Colton so that he knew exactly where he needed to go for each class and how to get there.

He came home feeling MUCH better.

Mama is still very nervous.

Mama LaLa and Colton met his Math teacher and one of the assistant principals, who he was very adequately able to communicate his fears to.

I am so proud of this boy of mine!

He is very capable and works very hard to be extremely independent.

Here's to an amazing sophomore year for this boy of mine!!

Video Game-Making

Jackson, and some of his classmates, made a video game in their Digital Media class. The State asked them to participate in a contest with their video game. Jackson spent Wednesday at the DATC with his classmates and his game.

This kiddo is going places, I tell ya!!!!

Wax Museum

Josh went and saw Colton do his wax museum yesterday. He said Colton was so nervous and wasn't able to do his speech. Poor little guy. I wish that accommodations would have been made to allow him to do it in another way. But, they weren't and so we go on! I am grateful that Josh was there and that this is in Colton's rear view mirror!

Mommy Martha & Anubis

Colton has his Egyptian wax museum and presentation coming up at school. He has chosen Anubis. Below is a picture of Anubis. Creepy if you asked me! You didn't, but I'm going to tell you anyways. Anywho, while talking to Colton about Anubis, Kaydon chimed in about what Egyptian figure he was at his sixth grade wax museum. I couldn't remember who he was because I wasn't there - see previous post. I asked Kaydon if he was sad that no one was there to see him at his wax museum. He said, "Mom! Heidi came, remember?! I wasn't alone. She was there!!" Then I started to weep and went to my room to put myself in timeout.

Heidi is Mommy Martha. Mommy Martha was there for my boy because his mommy couldn't be there. He wasn't alone because she was there. It wasn't weird to him that his real mommy wasn't there because all he cared about was that he wasn't alone. What would I do without Mommy Martha?!

We are never alone. God always answers prayers - not in the way we might want Him to - but He does answer them. He has put Mommy Martha in our lives because I need her, and so do my kids.

Back To School Shopping

Saturday was very fun. Uncle Brandon and Aunt Carrie met us at Farmington Station and took the boys - two by two - to buy school clothes at the shops. Uncle Brandon, Aunt Carrie, Uncle Logan, Uncle Skip, Papa & Grandma, Nana and Pops all donated money to the school clothes fund and the boys were able to get some great clothes for the year!

Brooklyn played on the equipment and Josh and I hung out on the padded benches while they did the hard work! We are so blessed with a supportive family!

Grandma LeAnne bought the boys clothes right before school started and Papa Bruce gave them each money for their birthdays so that they would have spending money. We love our family!

Boys' First Day of 2015-16

Jackson started tenth grade at Layton High.

Kaydon started seventh grade at West Point Junior.

Braxton started eighth grade at West Point Junior.

Colton started sixth grade at West Point Elementary.

Mommy started crying as soon as I dropped the last one off.

The end.

Back to School Dinner & Theme

We had our back to school dinner last night. Brooklyn started school last Monday and the boys all start next Monday. Josh grilled steaks and I made rice pilaf, green salad, and corn bread. Dessert was our favorite - Christensen Diabetes. It's an ice cream sandwich dessert that is amazing!

Our theme comes from Elder Boyd K. Packer. It is: "If you stumble, rise up, go on." I read from the talk that Elder Packer gave. It talks about keeping your body and your mind clean. It also talks about the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and how because of that we can always rise up and go on.

I explained to our kids that we are not on Earth to be perfect. We are here to make mistakes. Stumbling is okay - as long as we get back up and go on in the right direction. I told them that they are going to have times during this school year when they stumble. I told them that there will be bad days. I told them that they will struggle, but that because of the Atonement, they can get back up and move forward.

This year, we will have a tenth grader, eighth grader, seventh grader, sixth grader, and first grader. I am beyond grateful to be their mother. I am so proud of them and the choices they have made thus far. I am also eternally grateful for Josh, who by all accounts is the greatest patriarch our family could have. His focus is always on those kids.

KK Graduates

Kaydon graduated from the sixth grade today! When he saw me sitting in the audience, he said, "Mama, it made my whole year that you are here!" Mine too, KK. Mine too.

Back to School

For our boys, today is the first day of the new school year. Jackson is a ninth grader at Central Davis Junior High. Braxton is a seventh grader at West Point Junior High. Kaydon is a sixth grader at West Point Elementary School. Colton is a fifth grader at West Point Elementary School. Brooklyn is a kindergartner at Heritage Elementary School. Brooklyn started a couple of weeks ago because she is in year-round. Last night, Josh grilled up some amazing steaks, corn on the cob, asparagus and fat boy dessert. He also introduced our theme for the school year. "Do you measure up?" We will be using this theme in our family home evenings and in our dinner talks. More on that later... Last night, while I made sure that the boys' backpacks were ready to go, Josh made sure paperwork was signed and boys were ready to go with their schedules and locker locations. He also put new tubes in bike tires so that the two youngest can ride their bikes to and from school. While Josh was at coaches meeting last night, I wrote each of the boys a letter and left them on the kitchen counter. When I got up this morning and got ready to leave, I noticed that Josh had taken a red pen and signed "dad" next to my signed "mom" on each of the letters. The love this man has for his five kids is out of this world. They are ready for this school year and they will succeed this school year in large part because of him. He amazes me. Here's to a great 2014-15 school year!

"That's William Penn to You"

This morning, I got to go to Kaydon's class this morning. He had to do his Colony Presentation. He wanted me there. I wanted to be there! When his teacher introduced him, she said, "Kaydon Jorgensen is ready to present." He said, "Um, that's William Penn to you." My kid is rad. This kid, who could barely read last year (in fourth grade), stood up there and read like a high schooler! I could not be more proud of him. He has come SO far! He isn't too fond of human beings, but he loves his mama. He rocked his presentation!