We Survived May

 How is May always so crazy?  Especially this year with Kate graduating.  I tried to enjoy the moments and not just feel overwhelmed... 

Kate and I started off the month taking a sour dough class my friends did.  It was fun to learn.  Kate of course figured it out no problem.  Her first loaf looked much better than mine.  Since then she's been feeding us lots of delicious sour dough food.  Yum!

I did a mountain bike race.  No, that's not a typo.  When I got a new mountain bike over a year ago Jake told me I had to commit to doing a race if I was getting that bike.  I agreed (hoping he would forget).  He did not forget, so I finally said I would do this fairly small weekly race that was being held on trails that I ride all the time.  It wasn't horrible, but I have no plans on doing another one.  I did ok and didn't die.  And have now fulfilled my commitment.  

For Kate's actual graduation the grandparents were nice to come.  No one enjoys graduation ceremonies, so that's true love.  Kate's class had like 590 kids.  Crazy how big it's gotten here.  Instead of dealing with a crazy busy restaurant after, I decided to have dinner catered at the house.  By catered I mean I got food from a mexican place.  Best decision I made.  It was delicious and so nice to be able to chat at home. 

For Christmas this year Jake got concert tickets for all the girls to go see Kane Brown.  That also happened in May, right after graduation.  We had a lot of fun.  The concert was good!  Sage loved every second and now wants to go to all the concerts.  This is an expensive desire. 

Kate's first sour dough loaf

RS on Mother's Day.  We had all the women come in and the YW prepared a bunch of food for us.  It was great!

One of Kate's scholarships.  

All of the kids in our community who got scholarships.  They gave away like $300,000 in scholarships just from community donations.

Seminary graduation

Ringing the bell at the elementary school

My race.  Did I mention Sage and Jake did it as well?

Of course stopped at Crown Burgers before the concert

Jake and I went to dinner at the Homestead one night.  Then we walked around and saw all the things the tourists see when they come.  

Bike ride with Jake.  Top of Wolf Creek Pass.

Kate The Great

 Kate graduated high school!  I now have 2 kids who have graduated, which is craziness.  I'm so proud of Kate and her hard work.  She managed to graduate with a 4.0, and she did that while taking tons of college and honors classes.  Somehow she made it look easy.  She graduated with 30 college credits, a seal of biliteracy, and she went through the whole teaching pathway that they have at school.  Which means the last semester of school she got to do an actual internship in a classroom.  

It's been fun to watch Kate through the years.  She has a lot of grit and determination.  She struggles a lot with anxiety, but has worked so hard to not let it hold her back.  When she decided she wanted to teach piano I was a little nervous.  She seemed young, and I think it's hard to put yourself out there like that.  But she figured out what she needed to do and went for it.  And she of course did a great job!  At one point she had 25 students.  I call her the child whisperer because she's so good with kids.  It's a true gift she has.  

Now she's heading to St George and Utah Tech.  Capitalizing on her gift with kids to be an elementary teacher.  I can't wait to see the things she does and the experiences she has.  

She's also discovered she has a real love for traveling, so of course has figured out ways to make it happen.  She's already traveled a ton: Ecuador, Puerto Rico, and this summer going to Washington DC and Zimbabwe.  We're definitely going to miss having her at home.  But can't wait to see her embrace life!

Kindergarten graduation!

Kate signing a contract that means she's guaranteed an interview in wasatch school district when she's done with school

All of her scholarships.  $1000 through the community plus full tuition all 4 years at Utah Tech

Seminary graduate!

We have the best tradition where they bus all the graduates back to their elementary school and they get to walk the halls and then ring the bell

April Fun

 I thought for sure I already wrote about April!  Drat.  April had a lot going on.  We started off with spring break.  This year spring break was a little different.  We spent the first weekend in St George.  Jake and Sage did the Frog Hollow 6 hour race.  This is becoming a fun little tradition.  Me, Jake, and Sage headed home and Kate stayed in St George.  Her friends joined her for a fun little senior vacation.  Meanwhile, Jake and I headed to Texas for one of his builder meetings.  Sage got to experience staying home by herself.  She was a little hesitant, but soon realized it's kind of nice to be on your own for a bit.  Although she was really on her own because everyone in the valley was gone for spring break.  

Jake and I went to Galveston and then Beaumont.  Galveston had beaches, and was ok.  Beaumont was not my favorite place.  There was actually nothing to do there.  It's difficult living in Midway because most places we go just aren't as nice.  I love where we live, just wish there were less people who love it.

Prom happened for Kate right after spring break.  She looked beautiful and her date was super nice.  Even brought flowers for me:)  It was his first date, ever.  Maybe his first extended conversation with a girl.  Lucky him to go with Kate who is so nice and makes everyone feel comfortable.  She had a good time, maybe her best dance.  Out with a bang!

Sage experienced dry needling.  It seemed very painful, but then she wanted to do it again.

Toquerville Falls

We went to our first crawfish broil (I think that's what it was called)

Kate and Sage went to the Johnson Files while we were in Texas