The Last Six Weeks Part 1

So I have a lot to blog about, don't I? And the truth is I still don't have time to do it. The truth is I'm 2/3 of the way through all the final papers (and revisions of previous papers) that landed in my inbox on Monday, but I told my students I'd have their grades done by the weekend and I darn well better get it done. Problem is a girl gets a little burned out after a while, so I'm taking a break and blogging. There's so much to catch up on that I'm going to have to break it into two posts. Today's post will focus on the kids, since that's what the Grandmas really want to know about, and the Grandmas are my most enthusiastic audience. So here goes!

Ethan

Even though Ethan decided not to try out for the Spring play, he's been quite busy, due mostly to the grueling test schedule that he's had to endure over the last month or so. Not only has he taken three AP tests (AP Chem, AP English Comp, and AP American History, otherwise known as "APUSH" by all the kids in the know), but he also had to take the SAT. Why the SAT you ask? Turns out that if you do well on the PSAT, which Ethan did, and want to qualify for National Merit Scholar, then you have to take the actual SAT as well. (It's a good thing there are counselors who tell clueless parents like me such things, because I have no idea how a lot of this stuff works. First kid = Guinea pig.) We're still waiting on his SAT score. He also took the ACT, which is the one that really matters, and we were thrilled when he got a 32 on his very first dry run try, with very little studying. He's going to take it again the first weekend of June, but there won't be much pressure because 32 is already a very good score. He's thinking of both BYU and Utah State, and I think scholarship considerations (which are probably much more likely at Utah State) will probably tip the balance, but we'll see. He's also working hard at school to make sure that this final trimester of his Junior year allows him to apply with a strong GPA.

He's been working on getting his Eagle project approved too. Finally. It was a giant pain in the keister trying to find a project that would pass muster, but he finally decided on building "field desks" (wooden lap desks that open to hold notebooks, pencils, etc.) for elementary schools that have a "forest school" program allowing kids to learn things while traipsing about in the wilds of Minnesota. Or at least in a field. Or at least outside.  He just met with all the Scouting honchos at Round Table (one word? two? And no, there aren't any knights involved) and is set to do the project this summer.

But it's not all studying and Scouting for Ethan. He still manages to spend plenty of (ahem) quality time on Reddit, his website of choice. But even better than Reddit? (Hard to imagine there's anything better than Reddit! Said sarcastically, and with a tiny bit of apprehension because I think Ethan will now read this and feel defensive, but whatchagonna do, I'm a mom.) Anyway, better than Reddit is baseball, which Ethan is playing with a group of friends from his speech/theater group, as well as a bunch of other boys who don't really know them and are probably thinking, "Hey, why are all these theater kids on my baseball team?" Ethan hasn't played since he was 11, and somehow Forrest got roped into being the coach (he's enjoying it, though, even if he has so very little time right now that he would totally sign up to do that Multiplicity thing that Michael Keaton did in that 90s movie). Ethan's having fun too and improving every game. It's a pretty relaxed bunch--a couple of Ethan's friends haven't played for a long time either--but the competitive juices still get flowing, even with in-house rec ball.

And then, once school is out the first week of June, Ethan's off to England with the theater kids again. It's an incredible opportunity for him to go, and it's been a bit of a sacrifice, but what a thing to be able to do! Bum around Great Britain with all your friends, see some plays, tour some castles. I'm jealous. Then, right after he gets back from England, the cast of his one act play is going to Nebraska for the National Thespian Festival after winning best one act at our state thespian festival. (I always want to say National Lesbian Festival, as well as National Lesbian Society. I can't help it. But what in the world would Ethan do at a National Lesbian Festival? He wouldn't fit in on a number of levels.)  So he's a busy dude. As soon as he gets home from Nebraska he is GETTING A JOB!!!

Wow. Ethan took up a lot of room.

Elise

Although I'm sure Elise will be just as busy when she's a Junior, it's been kind of nice to have her home more with a more relaxed schedule now that speech and choir have wound down somewhat. She's been busy as the new Mia Maid president in Young Women and really enjoys that, and has a good babysitting job lined up for the summer. She's also super excited about going to EFY the beginning of June and Girl's Camp in July.

Tomorrow she's heading to a "con" (anime convention) with her friend Sammy and is dressing up like Rainbow Dash, one of the My Little Pony characters. (If I haven't told you on the blog before, My Little Pony is a thing now among the teenagers.) Here she is, trying on her outfit and her excellent rainbow colored wig:

She also took a cute pic of the two of us on Mother's Day. Fifteen years old and still the best hugger, snuggler, and I-love-you sayer I know:

Jonas

Jonas is officially morphing into almost-teenager-but-not-quite-yet-hood. He has friends who are girls again. (Not girlfriends, but friends who are girls. Four-year-old Jonas had friends who were girls. Ten-year-old Jonas would never have had friends who were girls.) He's still the same dependable, obedient Joe, but I sense a flash of defiance and/or irritation occasionally sparking up in the air that has the all too familiar "Just you wait mom, my childhood is fleeing and there's nothing you can do about it!" feel.  He still hugs me though. Occasionally. Thank heaven.

He's enjoying being in Young Men instead of Primary and was so thrilled that he didn't have to traipse up to the stage on Mother's Day and sing. He's doing a great job passing the sacrament, although he keeps getting the confusing spot where you have to go out in the hall--but he's handling it with aplomb. He's also playing soccer. Because our weather has been so crazy they've pushed the season back a couple of weeks, but they're finally practicing out on the fields. On beautiful sunny afternoons, a soccer field is glorious:

 He's going to Scout camp this summer for a full week and has a bunch of friends who'll be joining him, so that will be fun. I remember being so nervous the first time Ethan went on a week-long Scout camp, but with Jonas I'm totally chill. Probably a combination of my much-more-chill mothering outlook and Jonas's general overall chillness as well.

I also took a video of his 6th grade choir singing "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" and doing hilarious choreography, but he absolutely refuses to let me upload it to the blog so I must respect his wishes. Sigh.

Wyatt

Wyatt has been SO THRILLED to finally see the weather turn. Nothing makes him happier than looking out the back door and seeing our neighbors Yuvraj and Aniraj out playing basketball on our other neighbors' (Anessa, Aliyah, and Amaya's) basketball court. Many gun battles with the boys and the girls have already commenced as well.

Not a good picture, but just for the sake of it: the neighbors' awesome basketball court which they let all the kids use whenever, and the partially obscured Yuvraj and Ani.

Wyatt's class also had a darling school play where they dressed up like barnyard animals. Wyatt was a dog. He's had a great Kindergarten year: a cute class, a nice teacher, and lots of opportunities to learn.  What more could you ask for? His reading has really taken off, too, which is always so fun to watch.

And most exciting of all, Wyatt learned to ride his bike! He's a little on the old side, but last year he was a bit nervous and Forrest and I decided not to push it. (Man--and this is becoming a theme tonight for some reason--how I pushed things back when Ethan was little. "It looks like most kids learn to ride their bikes before Kindergarten! You have to learn to ride your bike before Kindergarten even if you're scared!" Hey past self: chillax! Hey Ethan: sorry, hon :-/) But as soon as it warmed up Wyatt announced, "I want to ride my bike now," so Forrest took him outside and off he went. He's still figuring out the starting and stopping, but for the most part he's got it down. I have a great video of him taking off for the first time, but I don't have time to upload it. Maybe next post.

And that's enough break time from grading, and enough reading time for all of you, I'm sure! I promise I'll post part two sooner rather than later. After this weekend, I'm off for the summer!