A quick update!

Lexis made it onto the Junior Varsity and Varsity Volleyball team again this year! She has been really struggling with her shoulder injury and sees a physical therapist a couple times a week. Because of this she will not be playing in the games until later this month.
She is officially signed up for Driver's Ed and should be a legal driver in just 60 days! Consider this your Warning! :)
She has dove right into her classes. The other day she asked me to quiz her on some 50+ note cards that had parts of the body written on them and their medical name. She knew every one! When I asked when her test was for this, she told me she didn't have one but decided to memorize them anyway! Yes, that is MY 16 year old Junior in High school! The kid is going to go far!

Noah tested into the Pre-Algebra Math class and was very pleased with himself as we were. The homework is a breeze for him but he is struggling on the tests/quizzes thus far. Looks like a call to Teacher Carly is needed. Noah also scored a great 6.2 level on his Reading Assessment which I was thrilled to see.
He started Club soccer and is on the same team as his great friend, Bowie. Practice twice a week and a game once a week keeps his schedule is busy. He plays defense and is quite aggressive. He played a great game the other day that I was able to watch until Michael ran out of M&M's and then that was the end for us.

Grace is loving her teacher who is man this year- Mr. Bellak. She brought home a Math facts quiz the other day that was timed. She let me know that her teacher took it along with the class and she was still first to finish.. it is now on the honored spot of the refrigerator door! I've noticed she is signing her papers, "Gracie" but have yet to get the full story on that one.
Grace has also decided to join the Concert Choir at school much to the joy of the Choir teacher who told her she has been waiting for Grace to be part.
Grace is incredibly excited about going to Becky and Bret's house for Christmas this year. Most recently I was waiting to hear back from Verl as to whether he would give his "okay" for the trip as well and Grace told me, "I know Dad will say yes because I got a fortune cookie for dinner tonight that said 'You will get a call with good news.' She has taken it upon herself to provide Christmas for all Filipinos with at least one project a day. She has decorated an old apple juice jug with "Philippines' Donations" on it's front and gone door to door in our neighborhood asking for donations. They collected some $15 before Mom intervened. She has sewn a dozen toiletry bags out of bubble and rubber ducky fabric and has begun filling them with toothbrushes and combs and tissue, etc. that she purchased at the Dollar Store.

Michael has been to school for four whole days now and is really doing well! The Behavioral Team from Provo School District has made a great impact. They were able to observe him the first day and then jumped right in the second. I have been attending along with him each day to watch and learn and help. I am learning a lot from each of them and Michael is responding so well!

Michael's First day of School

Michael started school this week! He looked very handsome in his new school clothes and spiky hair. The van came to pick him up at 8:30am and his special helper, Miss Rachel, came to the house to ride the bus along with him. We ended up waiting a little longer for two of the Behavioral Team people to come to the house as well as they wanted to ride the bus with him as part of their observation of Michael and his day. I headed to school right behind them. I then spent the day meeting with the Provo Behavioral Team, answering questions regarding Michael and helping out where possible. Michael did quite well much to the surprise of his teacher who dealt with him the last two years as well.
Friday was a little harder for Michael as I believe he now understood that school had started. Additionally, the Behavioral Team decided they were done observing and ready to jump right in with some of their ' tricks of the trade.' Again, I spent the day with Michael and learned quite a lot. I am excited for the progress he is making already and for the the obvious knowledge this team is bringing to the table. Here's to a great school year for my little 5 year old!

Lexis' First Day of 11th Grade!!!

My GORGEOUS, 16 YEAR OLD, JUNIOR in HIGH SCHOOL started school today!

She looked beyond darling in the outfit we specifically chose the night before.

She had to be out the door by 7:15am!! I don' t remember it being that early when I was in school.
I snapped picture

after picture, as she wasn't interested in posing for me at this early in the morning.

WOW! I am lucky! She is an amazing young woman who, although doing it way too quickly by her Mom's watch, is growing up to be simply Wonderful!
Here's to another Great School Year!

1st day of School

The First day of School is here! Where has the summer gone? Oh ya, we've been in Washington for forever! But what a nice summer it was~
This morning was warm (as it is still August for Heaven's Sake!) but Grace insisted on wearing her new, black, "skinny jeans" and Noah donned a 'Jonas Brother inspired' vest.
Noah is in 6th!! grade this year, which is still in elementary school~ Thankfully! And Grace is in 4th.
We had practiced getting to bed early and then waking to the alarm in the morning but it still took a lot of convincing to get Noah to get out of bed on the actual day of school! He was considering it more of a D-day. Both kids sported new haircuts and both felt at ease as they are quite accustomed with their school after a number of years attending.

After school (which gets out at 1:30pm for the first two weeks of school!), Noah gave me a thumbs up but his comment that his teacher was "great" was even more reassuring.

Grace was just a little more enthusiastic, said her teacher was "Awesome" and gave two flying thumbs up after her first day.

A Winner

Last spring the kids' elementary school had an Art Contest. They asked all the students to draw their depiction of the theme, "Children around the World." Grace was excited and sat down at the kitchen table with a plate to trace her circle and the world map laid out in front of her. Her picture turned out really Great but was quickly forgotten as summer arrived.
At Meet Your Teacher night the kids and I walked in to Rock Canyon only to have the first family that passed us by Congratulate Grace. We were clueless but smiled. The next family did the same and this time we stopped to ask what this was about. The small 6th grader held her Rock Canyon folder high and there was Grace's drawing on the front! Grace was very proud! I was very proud of her. Grace's drawing is on the front of each and every student's Rock Canyon folder and each and every student's Rock Canyon Planner. Very, very cool!
The above is a scan of the actual Rock Canyon folders.

Carol's Birthday!

Carol's husband, Scott, planned a birthday celebration for Carol's 34th this year.

(To be completely correct, Lisa called Scott and told him he should put something together because she wanted to have all of us girlfriends gather together for Carol's birthday--she is a kick!) After spending a vast majority of the month of July in WA, driving back and forth with a car full of small children, I had no plan of being there. As the event quickly approached, Lisa contacted me again to see if I were going. I hated the idea that I would be the only friend in our little "group" that wasn't going to be there and so only a few days before my brain started to churn. The older kids were in California with Verl completely enjoying themselves and as per usual calling very little. Michael and I were simply hanging out at home. I really did not want to make that drive again and did not have money for the cost of it all and this is where Lisa offered to have us ride with her and her husband, Jay, to Seattle. I arranged for Michael to stay with his Dad while I was there, called Mom to ask if we could stay a night there and back with her rather than have the cost of another night in hotels and raced to the University mall to quickly search for something to wear.

We left the next day, Thursday morning, and drove to Pasco. The drive was long and littered with numerous stops for soda and food and bathroom breaks, etc. Michael was not extremely happy that we were back in the car a mere week after returning and my arms fell asleep as I wrapped them awkwardly around his car seat to keep him from hitting, but eventually we made it. Dear Mom let us crash in her back bedrooms, only to have us wake up first thing the next morning and leave again. Without showering and full of coffee, we took the Vantage path to Seattle. Kim and Kari left a half hour before us from the TC, but we still managed to meet up in Ellensburg at virtually the same time for lunch. Kari had lived there while attending Central and took us to this really great deli where I had an awesome spinach salad-- the carry over from spending weeks with Mom and Becky and their 'green' diet which frankly speaking makes you feel really great. (Now all I need is the uber-expensive juicer!)

Lisa had found a good deal on a very nice hotel and so we went there first to check in and get ready for dinner. I got a terrible scare when the lady at the front desk said my credit card wouldn't go through. It ended up being that my Bank had put a hold on my account five days before because of a random charge they were unsure about. It was the $14.95 fee to begin Carol's Voice Quilt and my birthday gift to her. Guess I am glad my bank is aware but boy, it made me nervous.

Once we were all cleaned up, the cameras came out and were not put away until we found ourselves in our own beds in our own homes two days later. Kim asked that I drive her mini van to the restaurant as she is scared to navigate around the 'big city.' I agreed and it didn't take us long to find parking. Once on the street, the four of us girls and one husband, Jay, searched for the Wild Ginger restaurant. With no less than two GPS systems in hand we struggled for quite some time trying to find the restaurant. I had to get a picture of our crew standing on the street corner, moments after we realized it was DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET!

The restaurant was very beautiful and very busy and we were quickly ushered upstairs for the "Decker party." Many friends and family were gathered as we were a little late and Scott welcomed us warmly. I scanned the crowd and asked him where Carol was. He smiled widely and pointed to this lovely woman who was standing amongst her guests, her back towards me.

Carol had made a goal that if she was going to have this big ole' party she was going to WALK IN BY HERSELF AND IN HEELS! AND SHE DID JUST THAT!

We got in a hug a piece before cameras started flashing again.

Dinner was amazing! Such yummy food! And as is the case with most large gatherings, the conversation was sporadic as everyone was spread out but between the two large tables of the party. Our table was definitely the most boisterous!

After dinner, slices of rich chocolate cake with fresh coconut shavings and a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream were passed around. Carol's piece held one lit candle and after Scott had proposed a lovely toast to Carol and the loved ones that had gathered we sang "Happy Birthday" to her. Scott threw his arm around Carol as they blew out the candle together. Tears freely slipped from my eyes as I remembered just last year on Carol's birthday and the changes a year of time has made. Last year, she lay in Intensive Care hooked to countless machines and fighting for her life. She was rarely conscious, her body ravaged with sickness and most unaware. I am overwhelmed with gratitude and amazed at her tenacity to overcome such circumstances.

Carol was quite tired and decided to return home after dinner. The six of us, Kim, Kari, Nicole, Lisa, Jay and myself, walked around the corner to a local hang out and did just that..hung out for a little while longer. Again, we took pictures and of course continued to laugh and laugh.

The next morning, I personally was graced with a loud and annoyingly cheerful wake-up call from Lisa. I was told to get up and get in the shower. I was also told that breakfast would be at 9am, only to later find out everyone else was not planning on eating until 9:30. (Carly pulls that trick on me as well.) Breakfast was delicious and the company was better. Nicole brought her husband and two darling children and it was nice to see them. For dessert? Hugs and, of course, more pictures.

I must admit, I adore many of the pictures that were captured. Not because I look all that great but because so many of them capture Carol and me sharing that 'special something' we have between us. At dinner, I loved that she knew she could turn towards me to ask what was in front of her or for more sparkling water or which direction to 'look' for the pictures...anything. I love that she would turn to me between camera flashes to whisper some hilarious comment about this or that only to have the next photograph capture me -eyes closed and mouth wide open in laughter and her quickly recovered in smile.

We returned to Utah on Monday. It was a whirl wind trip but I am so very glad I went. I am so glad I got to spend time with some great friends. Each of us has our quirks. Each of us have spent time not in constant contact with each other. But this weekend, each of us echoed their gratitude that we have gathered once again together as dear friends.. Perhaps that can be considered a positive stemmed from Carol's incident. For me, it truly is. I am so glad that I was able to celebrate Carol and her 34th birthday! So grateful!

Complete copy and Paste of an Hilarious Blogger, "Token Asian Friend"

"I'm not good with idioms or colloquial phrases. I hear them around me, I know how to use them, but I struggle with putting all of the right words together.

Without a bit of exaggeration, this is what I have been known to say:

You hit the head on the nail!

All's fair that ends well.

All minds think alike.

That takes the hat!

I've got eagle ears.

That's the needle that broke the camel's back.

If I heard that every time I got a dollar...

He's got to dot his t's and cross his eyes.

Beggars can't be winners.

We need to nip it in the butt.

(and oh so many more...)

--------------------------------------------------

Sad, I know. But, don't judge me. Just give me an E for effort.

After all, the person who taught me English learned English as her third language.

And I think she did a dang good job."

from the HILARIOUS blog "Token Asian Friend"

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Elayna Grace

Lexis' 1st email home from Panama!

Lexis left for PANAMA Saturday morning at 4am! She will be there for almost 3 weeks with her Spanish class. She called me on Sunday morning to tell me she had gotten there safely which I so appreciated!


Monday, June 1st
Hola familia!

We just got done with our first day traveling around Panama! It is so humid here and very hot! Everyone is in tanks and shorts all the time...and we are all so amazed at those who can stand to wear pants in Panama!

Our families last name is Araya. They have three kids: Nicole 7, Mimi 4, and Gabrielle is almost 1. They are so cute and Carrie and I play with them all day. We are always playing horses or princesses or sitting outside when it rains. Our family speaks english but they are speaking spanish most of the time. Im not doing too good on responding but i can listen and comprehend most of what is said.

This morning we woke up, got dressed and went over to the local store to buy batteries. It is so different. Police are everywhere on the streets and at stores. We came back to the house and were the last ones to be picked up by the bus. We made our way to Panama Viejo but on the way one of the girls threw up three times in the car. We had to stop at a car wash and get the car washed because it smelled so bad. While we were still on our way to the car wash i was covering my face with a newspaper so i wouldnt smell it and when i took it off there was newspaper ink all over my face. Everyone took pictures and it was very funny. After starting the day off with so much adventure we made it to Panama Viejo. It is the ruins of the old panama city built back in the 1500s. It ended up being closed until tomorrow. We decided to walk around the mini market and we got a cold smoothie made from pineapple. We decided to switch today and tomorrows activities. So we drove over to the Panama Canal. We ate at the resteraunt there at the canal that was outdoor and looked over the canal. I found a hair and some kind of octopus tentacle in my food which was not what i wanted to expect out of this suppousively nice resteraunt. After eating we went down to the museum and walked through four stories of museum and learned about the canal and how it works. At 315 we watched a boat from the US go through the canal that contained cars, it was on the way to South Korea. The way that the canal works is so interesting, you guys should look it up. After standing out in the hot sun forever we are now home at our families homes. Tonight we are going out to dinner with our family and i hope to not find anything in my food this time.

I am having a lot of fun. There are TONS of mosquitos and they get worse as you get closer to jungle. I have around 8 mosquito bites already with many layers of repellent on. We got one of the best families compared to the others and are very lucky to get picked up last and dropped off first. I cant believe we still have two weeks. It seems like we have been gone forever already.

But i love you all and miss you. Hope the birthday party went well noah and have fun at fifth grade camp this next week. Dad i will call the Lambs tonight to get their fax number and will call you with it. Mom, i hope your not stressing out over me and Grace i will try to email you all the time! :)

Lots of love from Panama! Adios!

Happy Sweet 16, LEXIS!

Memorial Day 2009

Each and every Memorial Day for the past number of years the kids and I visit the Orem Cemetary where Grandma and Granpa Thurston and Aunt Ann are buried. It has become a tradition of ours that after we've laid flowers on their grave markers first, Mama tells a story about each of them and next we wander the busy cemetary standing up the flowers and flags and wreaths that others have brought their own loved ones and have since been knocked over. I truely love watching my small children as they take the initiative to reverantly walk the rows bending to pick up each fallen container of mums and repositioning each garden gathered bouquet of flowers. It is a special day for remembering.

LEXIS' Sweet 16 Dance Party!

Noah's 11th Birthday Party!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Happy 11th Birthday, NOAH!