Last Day of School - 2024

I can't believe the school year is already over.  It seems like we just arrived in UT, how could it have already been one full school year!?!?!?

Trek left for a 2.5 month TDY helping run field training on the last day of school which was kind of a bummer for both me & the kids.  He won't get back until right before school starts again in August so we have to spend the entire summer without him here.  But we decided we were still going to have a great summer, even if dad was gone.

Canyon finished the 5th grade & ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.  Can you believe that?  He starts middle school next year.

Craiger finished up 7th grade & will be an 8th grader next year at the middle school. Canyon & Craiger are excited to be in the same school together.

Taya finished off 10th grade & will be a JUNIOR next year.  That's crazy to me.  Times flies way too fast.

And Bladen finished his freshman year strong & is ready to be a Sophomore next year.

I dropped my high schoolers off at school (they were 2 of 3 kids who showed up on the last day), then walked Canyon to his last day of school.  On my way home I noticed a hot air balloon in the air over the middle school.

Chick-fil-a actually landed their hot air balloon on the middle school soccer field.  It was hilarious.  It was an emergency landing so it wasn't planned at all, but all the kids came running out of the school to watch it.

It was a short day for the last day, so I went to pick Canyon up from school & got to watch the 5th graders do their "Last Day of School Dance" for all the parents.

Then all the kids went to our neighbor's house for a watermelon drop & water slide party in their backyard.  It was a wonderful start to summer vacation.

 

Bees Baseball Game - Military Appreciation Night

The Salt Lake Bees contacted Trek & asked if they could recognize him on Military Appreciation Night the day after our backyard campout.  They gave us tickets to the game & took Trek & the boys out on the field.  It was great.

They showed pictures of Trek's military career & let him wave to the crowd.  It was really special.

Then we got to sit in the stands just about the Bee's dugout for the rest of the game.  It was GREAT.

The kids had a lot of fun & really enjoyed being together.  We will definitely go to another Bee's game. 

 

Backyard Campout

Nothing beats a backyard family campout.  We had every intention of going camping for real, but life went crazy on us & we ran out of time & couldn't book an open campsite for memorial day weekend.  So, we improvised & had the campout in our backyard instead.  I think I prefer it that way.  We had way too much fun.

We roasted hot dogs for dinner. . . 

And smores for dessert.

Trek & the kids set up the big tent in our backyard & got everybody situated inside.  I swear I married the best of the best.  He dragged a queen sized air mattress with extra pillows & blankets because he knows I freeze at night without them.

We set up a projector & watched a movie on the side of the tent.  It was SO MUCH FUN.

 until we woke up the next morning & found our basement flooded from a break in the water line.  OUCH!

But the campout was a blast. . . & we were able to fix the water line break that morning thanks to an after hours plumber.  Life is good.

 

Craiger's Last Band Concert

The day after Bladen & Taya's last music concert, Craiger had his at the middle school.  I am SO impressed with the music teacher at the middle school.  He's incredible.  I can't believe what talent he pulls out of those 6th-8th graders.  It's insane.

This last concert was movie themed & was fantastic.  All the songs were so fun.

My favorite song of the night was written BY THE STUDENTS!!!  They found an adorable little cartoon short on youtube & decided to write a "score" for it.  The whole band worked together & watched the cartoon several times & discussed what kind of music would be happening during the story.  They wanted to tell this story through their music.  For the concert, the band director played the cartoon short on a projector while the band played their song.  It was INCREDIBLE!

They also played the main theme from the tv show: "The Mandalorian."

And "How to Train Your Dragon."

"Wonder Woman" was fun. . . 

As was "Star Wars" 

(I thought it was fun that all 3 of my teen kiddos played Star Wars at their final concert of the school year.)

Craiger is getting really good at french horn & loves it.  He can't wait to continue next year.  We are so very proud of him.

 

Last Band/Orchestra Concert - Taya & Bladen

For the last music concert at the high school, both Bladen & Taya performed.  I always enjoy listening to them play.  Music is my favorite.

My favorite song of the night was the Star Wars theme played by ALL the instrumental classes at Alta High School.  They did a great job.

I'm so proud of both Bladen & Taya for sticking with band & orchestra this year as new students.  Next year will be extra fun for them both.  Bladen made it into the intermediate percussion ensemble class & Taya made it into the wind symphony class (which is the highest level of strings in the school).

I sure love these two kiddos.