Good-bye Taylor Elementary

Tuesday, May 19th, was Jonas's 5th Grade Promotion program. One of the greatest privileges of my life is to watch each of the kids grow...and eventually go. I have only been a part of the other kids lives for (almost) 14 years (if we count from when I met them the first time), but it has been a honor to be a part of Jonas's life from the beginning. As I have loved each of the kids, it was hard to let them go, especially the more time I got to have them at home...so you can imagine how hard it will be for me with Jonas. I want to keep him close, but the greatest thing he can do (and sincerely what I want for him...even if it's hard for me) is to find his own space in the world...and he is.We are so proud of him! We are proud of the consistent effort he has put into his academics over the last 6 years at Taylor Elementary and the student/classmate he has been. I can't believe we're closing the chapter on elementary school altogether! When Danny left the school, I knew I would be back, but today was most likely the last time I will ever step foot in that school. It felt weird knowing that as I exited the doors. And yes, I cried during Jonas's promotion. I tried to hold it back because I didn't want Jeff to tease me, but as I heard the kids sing "For Good" and looked at all the classmates Jonas has been in classes with over the years, I couldn't help but shed a tear or two. Jonas has had some awesome experiences at Taylor...and he's had some learning and stretching experiences too. In two more days, he will walk out of that school to probably never return again. I'm grateful for the teachers and staff who have cared about not only his academic performance, but about him as an individual. I'm grateful for the kids who have showed him kindness and even the kids who have taught him patience and the value of a sincerely delivered apology. As I listened to the students talk about the school's motto (R.O.A.R - Reach for your potential, Own up, Accept everyone, and Remember who you represent), I realized how valuable those lessons have been for the last 6 years...and how integral they will be for the next 7. Jonas embodies what it means to be a Taylor Tiger. He always strives to be better and do better. He accepts responsibility for his actions and tries to make amends if necessary. He tries hard to be kind to everyone. And he always remembers who he represents - he is a Taylor Tiger, but more than that, he is a Southwick...and most importantly, he is a child of God. I'm excited to see what new adventures will greet him in the coming years. I'm sure he will have some epic moments, and I'm sure he'll have moments he would rather forget. I just hope he remembers they are all moments. Jeff and I enjoyed watching Jonas quickly (and I mean quickly! I barely got a photo.) take his place on the "podium" to be recognized as a "graduate" from Taylor. Laurin and the kids came too. Laurin made Jonas a fun ribbon lei with the school colors - blue and orange. Carter and Everly shouted Jonas's name as he was recognized. And just like that...it was over. We snapped a few photos after the program then Jonas ran off with his friends to enjoy the rest of the school day at the Payson Pool. That evening, Jeff and I took him out for a nice dinner of his choice. Even though he kept reminding us that this wasn't a "real" graduation, we still wanted to celebrate him. Way to go Jonas! Good-bye Taylor...and hello Valley View Middle School.

Thursday, May 21st, was his actual last day of school. I have been weepy all week. I just want to savor all of this! I don't want him to grow up too fast...but I seem to have little control over that. I flipped through all Jonas's first-day-of-school pictures from preschool to 5th grade. Where did my little boy go? Don't get me wrong, I'm also very excited about the new pages of adventures he will write, but I am mourning this chapter that is closing. I saw this post on Instagram that summed up how I felt: "Everyone else is celebrating the graduate. And you are too. But somewhere deep inside, you are also saying goodbye to every younger version of them you carried along the way. This is the strange grief of faithful motherhood: you grieve not because something has gone wrong, but because something precious has done exactly what it was meant to do. They grew. They became. They are beginning to leave childhood behind and you heart is trying to rejoice and mourn in the same breath." We took Jonas's last day of school photos (then compared them to his first day), and I watched him get on the elementary bus for the very last time. I remember the first time that large, yellow beast swallowed him whole. I was sad then and a little sad now. That's the wonderful beauty of being a mom. Jeff and I (because I still haven't unlocked the skill of driving with my leg brace and crutches) picked Jonas up after school and took him to Dairy Queen (his choice). And just like that...summer is here! I'm super grateful that he'll have a few weeks with already planned activities as June starts because I'm still limited in what I can do, but I'm definitely motivated to get better so we can have fun this summer. Bring on all the events, holidays, endless nights, and fabulous fun of summer!

From preschool to kinder to 5th grade

April Adventures

We started our month with a week full of Easter celebrations...and we kept rolling from there. The following week was Spring Break. I'm glad that the two weeks didn't collide, but having them back-to-back was pretty crazy too. Traveling during Spring Break is always a little tricky because of increased crowds and prices, so we opted to stay home again this year. However, each day, Jonas and I chose something fun to do. We started the week with "Movie Monday" (April 6th; yes...we tried to label each day with a catchy alliteration). We actually did a little spring clean-out in the morning. We went through all Jonas's clothes and donated the ones that didn't fit him any more then went shopping for new clothes. We are to that point that I can no longer just buy his clothes for two reasons: (1) the sizing varies so much with different brands and (2) he is finally getting more opinionated about his fashion choices. We headed to Old Navy where we found several t-shirts and some shorts and pants too. We actually had to bump up to the men's sizes to find shorts that would work. I can't believe how quickly he is growing. Once we finished shopping, we headed to the movie theater to watch The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. The Mario Bros music always takes me back to my childhood when Nintendo first came out. The movie was cute too. We ended our day by taking Carter, Everly, and Ava out to dinner at Cracker Barrel so Casey could take Laurin out for her actual 30th birthday. I love that we live close enough to these kiddos to be able to do things like this.

Tuesday (April 7th) became Tulip Tuesday. Today we grabbed Beau (whom I watch on Tuesdays and Thursdays) then met up with Laurin and the other kiddos at the Ashton Gardens Tulip Festival. I love these gardens. There is something serene and therapeutic about being in nature (even with crowds). We spent a couple of hours admiring all the colors and textures of the tulips, enjoying a picnic lunch in the secret garden, and letting the kids expend their energy. We even honored little Ava's actual 1st birthday. Finally, we were ready to go. We headed straight from the gardens to the Payson park where Jonas got to meet up with his basketball buddies to shoot some hoops. I played with Beau in the park until Jacob came to get him. After an hour or so of playing basketball, Miles invited the basketball crew to come over to his house to hang out. Jonas spent the rest of the evening playing fugitive, games, and just hanging out with Miles, Madden, Winston, and Spencer. He had so much fun!..and I realized that more and more Jonas's friends are going to trump time with me. That brings all sorts of feels! I'm excited to see Jonas mature and gain his independence, but I miss that little boy who was just content to hang out with me. (Kaia and I met up the following week with Zavia and Beau to see the tulips as well. I'm grateful that I have these opportunities to hang out with my niece and grand-niece.)

Next up, Wet Wednesday (April 8th)! We decided to try out the new recreation center in Spanish Fork. Prior to that, however, Jonas decided to try a little baking experiment. He has recently been watching random baking shows on Disney+ or Netflix. Each show inspires a different creation. He once stacked pancakes like a cake with a Nutella, banana filling and buttermilk syrup glaze. This morning, he tackled a cookies and cream pastry. He used puff pastry then made a cream cheese filling with Oreos. He split the pastries, added the filling, topped with crushed Oreos, then sandwiched with the other half of the puff pastry. They were really good. I love that he has an interest in trying things in the kitchen. He'll never regret having that skill. Because of how much fun he had with his friends the night before, he asked if we could reach out to them again to see if anyone could join us at the rec center. Winston, his brother, Myles, Madden, and Spencer joined us. I know having them there made the experience way more fun for Jonas than just having me there. In fact, I'm not sure I needed to stay. I honestly could have (and perhaps should have) dropped them off then just designated a time to come pick you up. Still, I stuck around (hence the pictures) but tried to stay back to allow Jonas his space with friends. We spent almost 4 hours there between swimming and playing basketball. It's actually a pretty decent rec center. I'm sure we'll be back to try the outdoor slides/pool once they open in the summer.

There was no catchy alliteration for Thursday (April 9th). We picked up Beau in the morning then went to the Provo Skate Park to kill some time before going to Lowe's Xtreme AirSports. Jonas has enjoyed riding the scooter lately. He's been trying different "tricks" and wanted to take his skills to a skate park. He challenged himself with some jumps, even though it seemed scary at first. We spent about a half hour there before making our way to Lowe's. Jonas and Beau then ran wild (ok...maybe Beau ran wild and Jonas just had fun). After Lowe's, we grabbed lunch at Ashton's Burger Barn in Salem before heading home so that Jonas could mow the yard (and Beau could nap). I set Jonas up with my earbuds and phone so he could listen to music. He actually enjoyed the experience, even though it took him two hours to complete. (That will get shorter as he feels more confident on the mower.) 

Spring Break flew by and it was finally Free Friday (April 10th). This was the only day we didn't have planned. We woke up and deliberated over our options before deciding to go to the Labyrinth. The Labyrinth is a slew of mini escape rooms. This time we invited Jonas's friends, Sam Carrick and Lane Richmond, to join us. They had fun rotating through all the rooms. Some were more challenging than others. Some we couldn't even conquer, but they had a blast. We spent about an hour and a half then we grabbed some shakes on our way home. And just like that, Spring Break was over.

Saturday (April 11th) we did chores and just hung around the house. I did get to meet up with Laurin and Everly to cash in on my pedicure birthday gift. It was so fun to do it together, especially since it was Everly's first time. She was so intrigued by each step of the process. It was cute to watch her experience it all...and to choose her purple, sparkly polish. Back at home, Jonas and I have been enjoying the Percy Jackson book series. We read it together before bed. He decided to start re-watching the TV series on Disney+. This inspired several outdoor battles throughout the day. He also pulled out his dirt bike to ride, rode the scooter, strapped on his rollerblades, baked a cake (yup...another TV inspired activity), etc. It may not have been the most thrilling way to end Spring Break, but I think we all appreciated a little downtime after the crazy weeks we've had.

Throughout the month of April, Carter participated in a recreational soccer league. He was so excited to finally be able to play any team sport. He loved running on the field and kicking the ball. He wasn't super aggressive at stealing the ball at first, but he got better over the season. Casey got to be his coach too, which he loved. I'm so glad we live close enough to attend these games.

Speaking of sports, Jonas attended his last elementary school track meet on Tuesday, April 21st. He chose to do the 100 meter, 400 meter, and softball throw. He did well in each event, even if he didn't make it to the finals. I love the way he pushes himself. He doesn't just quit because things might not go his way. He sees it through, deals with the disappointment, and moves on. To be honest though, he performed really well. He was at least in the top third in all events. I can't believe we're starting to check off some of these "final" elementary school moments.

As if that wasn't enough sports, Jonas and I spent a day in Saratoga Springs supporting the Tanner kids in their sports. Addie is playing soccer and Nolan and Lincoln are playing flag football. We spent hours watching games and hanging out. Thankfully, there was a skate park adjacent to the fields where the kids rode scooters in between games. We love supporting family!

So as not to feel completely unbalanced with all this sports stuff, Jeff and I also attended a musical production, Hunchback of Notre Dame, at the Hale Center Theater. I am constantly in awe of the incredible vocal talent and breathtaking stage production of each of these productions. We have definitely been enjoying this season's shows.

We ended the month by celebrating Audrey's graduation from UVU. Yes, technically she finished school in December, but they didn't have a winter commencement so she walked on Thursday, April 30th. After the commencement ceremonies, we gathered for lunch at Via 313. We are so proud of all our kids and their hard work in their educational and career pursuits.

And just like that...we're on to another month!