School Year Wrap-Up

 End of school excitement!

Sera as Harriet Tubman and her friend Alyssa as Walt Disney for the Biography Tea Party

Performing patriotic songs with hand bells

Last day of school with wonderful Ms. G

Emerson dressed up as Effie Trinket from Hunger Games for dress like your favorite book character day

Fifth grade promotion and farewell to Ms. L, who has been an awesome teacher for not one but two years!

Last day of school with teacher gifts

Recital night for my little studio this year--so glad this bunch have kept me teaching during a wild year!

Celebrating our favorite teenager!

Asher's birthday brunch--so spoiled!

Birthday Sea World for Asher and Cora--love these super-serious buddies

But I mean . . . this is what they were watching--I think they were nervous for this amazing Tahitian fire-dancer there for the Seven Seas festival.

Always love seeing Polynesian dancers wiggling their hips like nobody's business

Happy birthday, Asher! You've had an amazing year, and we're so proud of how much you've grown!

Around the house

Saturday dutch braids

Sunday baby (I think I have one of these for practically every Sunday of her life so far)

And Sunday afternoon creativity from Emer and Sera

We redid bedrooms! Here's the boys' island themed room--surfing and pirates!

And the girls' Paris themed room!

And Cora's room, where I love nothing more than rocking her to sleep

And because I don't remember posting photos of the library, where I also teach my KinderKeys classes

These are actually post-recital--usually the keyboards are in the middle of the room so everyone can see me. Our kids enjoy practicing and making up their own music during the summer here.

Where Did the Time Go?

Easter eggs--sort of camouflage-style this year?

Love this Easter bunch!

They released butterflies at the end of the Easter sermon at Calvary--they loved our little flower!

Emerson and Cora disappeared for a while--here's where we finally found them!

Looking lovely for dinner at the Heins

And what a fabulous dinner it was! Best salmon I've ever eaten.

Visit to Coronado

Soaking in some rays in front of the Hotel del Coronado

Love these sweet sisters

Wide open beaches for flips and cartwheels

But especially cartwheels

And more beaches!

Love all these girls!

Aaron spent some serious time persuading us all to join him for the Long Beach Grand Prix--as you can see, he was totally in to it (ha)!

Overlooking Long Beach

Mock trial courtroom at Cal Western University

Study area overlooking San Diego at Cal Western

USD Law School

A visit to our old house in Fort Wayne en route to Indiana Tech Law School

Still my favorite backyard

This isn't Indiana Tech, but I had a wonderful visit there, not least with an old friend who is currently an assistant dean at the school. He really helped me think through my options from several perspectives.

Lucky Asher got to accompany the Young Men in our ward to Salt Lake City to see two sessions of conference. Good looking kids!

But this little cutie definitely missed her big bro.

He's also had some good times with this awesome group of friends--stopping at In-n-Out after a stake dance, here.

Birthday party time for these cool cats--missing one of Emerson's friends in this photo.

So much trampolining, followed by a taco pinata and cake!

A visit from my sisters Aubrey and Tenille and Tenille's family--so much fun cousin time!

Journey to Atlantis for all those who were brave enough!

Swenson House luncheon

Hours of fun outdoors, including bounce houses and this fab rock-climbing wall that everyone had a chance to try . . . also loads of Aggie Creamery ice cream.

My grandma's sister Beth and sister-in-law Merla

My grandma's other sister, Margaret, reading Aunt May's poetry

The first snow these kids have seen in years--by the side of the road on the way to Bear Lake

Some good boat time! Asher and Addy were brave enough to get out on skis, but the grown-ups were too wimpy.

Happy birthday, Cora!

One year old! Where did the time go?

We're not sure whether she recognized Cookie Monster or not--either way, she found him a little creepy . . .

At least until she realized that he was great for finger-painting with!