Patriotic Program & Parade

Daniel was so excited about his program today - American Symbols On Parade! 

I knew today was going to be a busy day at the elementary school - Sophi and Natalie had their Patriotic program at 10:30, and I am grateful that the 4th and 5th grade are combined for that. It is one less thing to do for me since they were both in the same program. I started to get ready at 9 (getting little kiddos awake and fed) so that we could be on our way at 9:30, cause I wanted to get a good parking spot. We got there at 10, with a few parking stalls to spare. The school wouldn't let us into the gym until 10:15, cause the AM Kindergarteners were still clearing out from their program. So DPK played at the playground for 10 min, then we went in. Since we were over at the slide instead of in line, we didn't get a good seat inside. But that's ok. Sophi and Natalie both saw me, so I get participation credit. Natalie in a red USA shirt - 

Sophi in stars - 

Not a great close up of either of them, but that was the view I had. Can you believe I have two teenagers AND two elementary girls that ALL steal my clothes! 5th pic here. Steal might be too harsh, especially since I for Sophi to wear this star shirt. They usually borrow, BUT sometimes they never return, and then I find the clothes a few months later as I'm looking through their donation piles! The part of the program where they sing all the songs from the different branches of the armed forces is always a tear jerker, especially as the different people stand up who served in that branch. After the program, they handed out awards to the kids. Sophi and Natalie both got  

After the patriotic program, then it was the state float parade. Natalie scooped up Katharine to go sit with her and her class. Waiting for the parade of kids to begin...

This was our best "float" yet - all I had to buy was two poster boards, and some ABC stickers from Dollar Tree. I'm happy if we do this kind again next year for Natalie's float.

After the parade was over, we headed back inside to kill a few minutes before the kindergarten program. 

Peter was hungry, I hadn't brought food, and I didn't have a car, cause I asked my friend to pick up carpool for me today, since it was at the same time as the kindergaraten program. She has a 4th grader too so she was over at the school with us for that, I gave her my van key, she left to pick up carpool. So without any means of getting Peter food, I ended up going inside to Sophi's classroom and asking her to give Peter her graham bear crackers, which she had just received as part of her treat bag for earning the Gold Granite Grizzly Award. Both she and Natalie got that award (some things you had to do were to enter Reflections, to have all Cs and Us on your report card, and stuff like that. (Might be good if we do a family "granite grizzly"-ish challenge for summer, or for throughout the school year? Hmm.) Sophi willingly gave her grahams to Peter, in exchange for an IOU payment from me for one chocolate donut. Daniel's program was great and short, perfect. Video of him singing and dancing here. 

Cute kindergarteners from years past - when Sophi was Lady Liberty, Natalie was an eagle, and I guess they didn't do it Owen's year? Cause we were still kind of in Covid mode? Just looking things up on the blog here... he had an outdoor picnic but yeah, no program. After the performance today, we went to the kindergarten room for refreshments. Daniel showed me his desk.

We read a book - 

The kids were happy to gobble up cookies, and play in the kindergarten classroom. 

Soon school was our and my friend was back with carpool and the van. Natalie had a friend coming over for a playdate, and they wanted to walk, so I put P&K in the car with my friend and Lily and she went to park the car while I walked home with kids. Then I took a short nap with Katharine, and kids were calling "MOOOOM" for the next three hours until we left for our date tonight. Corey and I went to Aubergine again. We ordered the same dishes as last week (Cashew melt and Spicy Curry Bowl) but also ordered a Mediterranean Salad and got two Nice cream desserts this time, not just the Brownie Layers. It was yummy. Congratulations for us for surviving the day. Tomorrow is going to be busy too. I think this might be our busy-est Maycember week this year, so good job surviving another day. I woke up this morning and took a deep breath, knowing how busy it would be. Corey and I went on a ride and took it nice and easy. It's great going on a ride together. We talked a little bit as we rode up the trail, but usually we are both listening to podcasts (Unshaken or Follow Him). I listened to Follow Him on the way up today, and then listen to my music on the fast ride down - which right now is mostly Take on Me and Venus (so fun!) We did stop and stretch briefly today too. Looking at the rocks kinda seemed like life - it's crazy and fast and swirling by and all around us (video here). Can we be calm in the storms of life, like the rocks that are firm in the river? It reminded me of this quote from a talk by Elder Richard Maynes "The Strength to Endure" 

“You must become the rock the river cannot wash away.”

It is 1 am, and I stayed up blogging this until. I need to catch up on Feb/Mar/Apr. I did finish January though! I finally finished it a week ago on May 9th, yay. It's nice to be able to get some stuff done though. Hoping to do more tomorrow. Goodnight.