Dear H, O and B,

Summer is here, and we’ve kicked it off with some somber and sentimental activites. We’ve also started our “Summer of Sous-Cheffing” so that is a blast!

We attended a benefit BBQ for Officer David Glasser, who was killed in the line of DUte here in Phoenix on May 19th. Dad and I knew him and his parents. It was very sad to hear of his passing and we wanted to support his family in some way. There were hundreds of police officers at the BBQ. It was extraordinary to witness the ways that a community bands together in the face of such devastating loss.

We kicked off our cooking extravaganza with homemade chicken nuggets and pizza rolls:

We posted flags at the veteran’s cemetery for Memorial Day:

We took a trip to Butterfly Wonderland with Kristi, Hannah and Hailey — which was fun because they had never been there before — Hayden, you were quite a tour guide!

We also started talking about prayer as a lifeline (we created a prayer wall) as well as started working on some of our academic stuff — handwriting, counting money, etc.

I LOVE having you all home with me for the summer. Making memories with you is my favorite thing to do.

Love you,
Mama

Dear Hayden,

Today, you finished the second grade. It was a very interesting year for you. YOu learned so much about American history, did a 6-week study on Charlotte’s Web, studied insects extensively, including completing an individual project on the grasshopper with a 3D model you made out of clothespins. Almost everything academic came easy for you this year. You had 3 teachers this year, too, because halfway through the year, Mrs. Clipner had a baby and Mrs. Severson took her place teaching your class with miss Chatel.

There was a lot of social learning this year, too. You had some rough moments with friends that you had to work your way through. You also learned a powerful lesson about telling the truth — one that I know I don’t need to recount here because I don’t think you’ll ever forget it.

You are more artistic than ever — so very creative. You continued to love art class this year and choose art as your preferred activity and you participated in the third quarter art club, too. You also enjoyed music class a lot.

In addition to school activities, second grade brought you basketball, and another successful year in both piano lessons and girl scouts.

I am endlessly proud of who you are. You have a sense of self that shines through as true authenticity. I adore you.

Love you,
Mama

Grasshopper Project:

Charlotte’s Web Fair:

Last Day of Second Grade:

Dear Owen,

Today, you are 5 and a half! You are such a cool kid. You are always thinking about something. You are often quiet for a little bit and then you’ll ask a question or two. I’m consistently impressed by what you know and what you are able to figure out on your own. You are a sensitive little guy, too. I love to see the way you think about how certain situations will affect others. You are a very dynamic human being. I am so lucky to be your mom!

Love you,
Mama

Dear Owen,

Tonight, you are a preschool graduate. I have so many emotions about this! You are such an amazing kid. You are sensitive, smart and funny. You have the best laugh I’ve ever heard and you are reading like a boss. I am so grateful to Miss Sue for the 3 years she spent investing in you, Owen. She has loved you endlessly, been so very patient with you and taught you more new things than I can even begin to list here.

You are a part of a very special group of boys because of preschool, too. You are all very special friends and you have just a fantastic time together! You are going to miss these little buddies like crazy. Lucky for you, though, I’ve become pretty close to their mamas, so we still see them quite a bit!

I am so proud of you and all that you have accomplished. I am excited for you to start elementary school and experience everything new and wonderful about it. If I’m totally honest, though, I am a little bit sad. This milestone marks the end of your little years. You won’t be my morning muddy a couple of days a week again, like this year. I will miss you tremendously. To put it in the words of my very favorite book about being a mama: “If I could keep you little, I’d keep you close to me… but then I’d miss out on seeing you become who you were meant to be.”

Love you, Buddy.
Mama

Dear Owen and Bennett,

You have had such an amazing year in preschool. It was interesting to have you both in preschool at the same time — I drove to Miss Sue’s every day, it was just a matter of who got dropped off! Anyway, Miss Sue is awesome and she created such a special place for you to learn and grow.

Owen, you were in class with the same 4 guys you’ve been with for 3 years. Bennett, you were in class with 4 of the cutest little girls in the whole world!

You both had some amazing experiences and a ton of fun, so I wanted to be sure you had some of the pictures here!

Love you,
Mama

Dear H, O and B,

We got to spend some time with your cousins this weekend. It was so nice to see them and you all had a great time together. I really, really wish we lived closer to each other!

Love you,
Mamam