2nd Grade

A couple of stories about Michael and Easter and also a few pictures of our easter egg hunt

So, do kids really believe in the Easter bunny? Is that actually a thing? Because I was under the impression that it was a fun story but nobody really perpetuated it as truth. And that's why I took my kids with me to buy candy for our easter egg hunt. We were standing in line at Target, our basket full of plastic eggs and treats, other Moms eyeing me discreetly, and Michael asked why I was buying so much chocolate. So I told him, "It's the Easter bunny chocolate."
He looked at my sideways, then shook his head and said, "Mom, the Easter bunny brings his own chocolate."
It took me by suprise, but it was loud and crowded and I decided to let it go.
Then on Sunday morning while I was brushing my hair for church he asked when the Easter Bunny was coming.
"Michael, we did our easter eggs yesterday, remember? With cousins?"
"Yeah, but that was you. When is the Easter bunny coming?"
"I am the Easter bunny. The Easter bunny is just pretend, just for fun. Parents are the Easter bunny. " I glanced out of the bathroom to see Michael and William and Ivy and Christofer all staring at me. "...I thought you knew that."
"Okay," he said.
Christofer stared at me meaningfully.
"Uh, does that make you sad?" I asked. "Is it alright?"
"It's fine." He shrugged. Then he went downstairs to wait for us while William and Ivy and Christofer and I finished getting ready.


Picture interlude! On Saturday I hosted a big Easter egg hunt for the kids and cousins. We hid plastic eggs in the back yard, then the big kids had a treasure hunt inside the house to find the big treats. (I might have gone overboard with the clues, there ended up being around 45.)

On Sunday nights we have Family Home Evening after dinner. We say a prayer, sing some songs, have a little lesson, then usually eat a treat or play a game. While we were cleaning dinner up, Michael got out his notebook and a pencil and told us he was writing a talk for our Family Home Evening lesson. It took him about five minutes. This is the talk he wrote (with some spelling corrections; everything else exactly as he wrote and read it):

I am having a talk about Easter. Easter is very important. We celebrate
Easter because Jesus was resurrected and because he died on the cross.
Easter is not about hiding Easter Eggs. It is not about the Easter bunny. It
is about Jesus. I have a testimony that Jesus died for us. In the name of
Jesus Christ, Amen.

basketball

Michael just finished his first season of Jr. Jazz.
He tells me he was the 2nd best player on his team.
That may or may not be true; regardless, he did a great job.
He loves to shoot. He doesn't love to pass.
His coach told me that is common at his age.
(You'll notice how his tongue is sticking out in almost all of the pictures. He looks like my older brother, Dave, who always played basketball with his tongue hanging out, too.)
I hope this is the first of many basketball seasons to come.
(I happen to like basketball.)

this is halloween (halloween, halloween)

(We're going to pretend like I didn't disappear for two months, and just get back to business, okay? okay.)

First Day of School

Michael is a huge ball of excitement and nerves right now. Last night on the way to back to school night he suddenly exclaimed: "I'm so nervous!" He couldn't settle down to sleep at bedtime. This morning he talked compulsively, smiling and fidgety. I took him to the bus stop and waved goodbye and realized I am nervous, too.
But just look at this handsome first grader. How could his year be anything but wonderful?

baseball wrap-up

Michael did Coach Pitch this summer (which, for those who may not be familiar with little-league-talk (like myself earlier this year), means the coaches pitch to their respective teams).
These pictures have been sitting in my camera for months.
Because I am tired.
And also lazy.
And also I broke my toe last month. Did I mention that? It has seriously impaired my ability to do things, like upload pictures and not eat chocolate.
But anyway. Baseball. It was great.









































I didn't realize until the first practice that I had placed him up a year, but it was fine. He's a pretty good little player.













































Batting was definitely his favorite. Of course, since most kids didn't really have the coordination to consistantly catch with their mitts, batting was everyone's favorite.









































I love how nonchalant he looks in that last picture.
Just hanging out on first. What up.




He's already talking about next year.

the fourth

six

Last week this guy turned 6 years old :

and we decided (last minute) to throw a big birthday party.



It was so fun. Or, as Ivy is fond of saying, it was so so so so so so so so SO fun.

Michael loved it.

We all loved it.

I finally dragged them off the slide about 6:30 pm. We were exhausted and sunburned, but so so SO happy.

Happy birthday, Michael! Every year with you is a gift. I have a feeling this one will be amazing.

christmas spirit

Yesterday was the school sing at Michael's elementary. He was extremely excited for us to come watch him perform. He talked about it all week long, and reminded me repeatedly when to be there.

For someone so excited, he looked awfully serious. (He also looked awfully handsome.) (Although please note, I did talk him out of wearing this full three-piece suit. "But I am supposed to look handsome," he told me.)

Nothing like watching a bunch of 5-year-olds sing Feliz Navidad with homemade maracas to warm my grinchy heart.

Michael's first day of Kindergarten

He was so excited.











































We were at the bus stop very early. Luckily, so were some friends.



and...Finally! He's been looking forward to riding the bus ALL YEAR.











































He's going to love kindergarten, I really think so.

the five-year-old

cardinals baseball cap and slight black eye included.

pease?

"Mikah. pease? pease?" she says, thrusting the book against his chest . "Pease?"

"Okay, but not all of it," he answers smiling. "Holding it up makes my arms tired."