Kyler and Jeanette: Yearly update

Showing posts with label Yearly update. Show all posts

22 July 2024

Family photos 2024

While we were at the beach, we took family photos.

First ones with all of us in six years!

First Day of School, 2023/2024!

First day of school!

Grades 7, 5, and 2.

Yup, that's right. Grade 7.

Junior high, can you believe it? Instead of her bus picking her up across the street, Calista now has to walk a couple of blocks. It's still not far, but it gives her some independence... and me some Mom-anxiety.

Calista is ready for the challenge, though. And the challenge of a new school and switching classes with TWO-minute passing periods!

I decided that, for the first day, I'd drive Calista to her bus stop and continue on and drive the boys to school. Their backpacks are so heavy that first day! So we got everyone in the car and headed the few blocks to Calista's bus stop. When we got there, I decided to check the bus delays app... and discovered her bus was 90 minutes late. Well, that's not going to work. Um, what can I do instead? It's too early to take the boys to school, and if I take Calista to school first, they'll be late. I decided to drop off the boys at their bus stop (early) and hope they didn't get into trouble, then run Calista to school.

Does this look like a face that would get into trouble at the bus stop?

Definitely not! Actually, he did really well. Being the oldest Rasmussen at the school means he's got some responsibility for his little brother that he didn't really have this year, and he's doing great.

He's sad summer's over, but happy school is starting again. Craig loves sharing his knowledge and trying to know more than his teachers. If he can correct their mistakes, even better!

Caleb was a bit of a wild card, but he waited with Craig at the bus stop very well (and I remembered that Kyler was working from home and so could run out and check on them, so I have a reliable source).

Caleb started ADHD medication about a week before school starts, so I'm hoping that helps him be able to be successful and do awesome at school this year.

Maybe he'll grow as much as "Piney" did over the summer!

All in all, a successful day. The morning didn't quite go as planned, but I got them all where they needed to be in the end.

Going back to school is exhausting.

19 August 2023

What a tween!

While my family was in town, it was also Calista's birthday!

Because summer is busy, we mostly actually celebrated the day before her birthday.

She got her favorite meals,

played in the park like the child she (still!) is,

And opened presents.

Finally, she got to have her cake.

Calista She asked for a raspberry cake with chocolate frosting and Loradona helped me deliver.

The cake was flavored with real raspberries and topped with more, fresh from my garden.

Yum! Even if Caleb said he didn't like it because it had too much raspberry flavor, although he also generously forgave us for making a cake he didn't like... Whatever. Calista loved it, and it was her cake!

On her actual birthday, Calista had a stake YW day camp. She went to a ropes course, ate pizza, and went on a hike in the river valley...

...where she saw a moose! I'm not sure her day could have been any better.

Happy birthday, my baby girl! Bring on twelve!

18 September 2022

First Day of School 2022

This is the first - and only - year that they all are at the same school with the same schedule. I have to enjoy it while I can!

Caleb, Grade 1, 4’0”

Caleb wants to be a paleontologist and wants to have shovels and pick axes. Accordingly, his favorite thing to learn about is dinosaurs! He loves them. He’s not sure what his favorite book is, but he likes to read Yertle the Turtle. He also likes to play video games and eat goldfish and crackers. Oliver and Jackson are probably his closest friends, and he’s looking forward to exercising and doing jumping jacks at school. His favorite color is yellow and he wants to have exercising time in grade 1.

Craig, Grade 4, 4’4”

Craig wants to be a geologist and study rocks, which is what a geologist does. So it makes sense that his favorite subjects at school are either science or math. His favorite book is all the Harry Potters, and he loves to play video games. His favorite school lunch is crackers and cheese, fruit bars (not the mango ones), Kit Kats, and school safe bars, and Craig’s closest friends are Mom and Calista. He is looking forward to playing on the new playground! His favorite color is blue and he wants to read at least 25 minutes every day.

Calista, Grade 6, 4’10”

Calista wants to be a marine biologist when she grows up and loves to study math at school. Her favorite book is Wings of Fire, right now the third book but if she gets more books it might change. Playing piano is a hobby she enjoys, and her favorite school lunch is a bagel and an apple. Karen and Miranda are her closest friends, but Miranda is going to be gone this year. Calista is looking forward to seeing her friends that were in the other class last year. Her favorite color is royal blue and she wants to finish the PATs and maybe get a good grade on them? They're pretty important.

As is tradition, the kiddos all had blessings the FHE before school starting. I love listening to what their Heavenly Father has to say to them.

Caleb was told to remember his family loves him and wants him to succeed. He also was blessed to be able to focus and solve problems and told that Heavenly Father loves his energy and passion for life.

Craig was told that Heavenly Father sees him and watches him and is proud of the boy he are turning into. Heavenly Father also loves his thirst for knowledge, his love love, his ability to see the good, and his laugh. Craig was blessed to see the people around him and work to be their friend, and also blessed with clarity of mind, a full heart, and that he'd able to do well in his studies and focus. Heavenly Father knows Craig sometimes feel alone, but also that inside him is a gift he can give to others.

Calista was advised to develop a strong relationship with Heavenly Father, to practice reading scriptures and saying prayers, and to begin building habits. She was blessed with the confidence to call on Heavenly Father and to receive comfort and guidance, as well as that she'd do well in school, absorb information, and learn to solve problems. Calista was advised to discover the skills she is good at and reminded that her Heavenly Father loves her and that whether she does things well or make mistakes, she should forgive herself.

And now all of my children are in school all day, every day. What do I do with my time?

27 August 2022

Family Photos 2022

While we were at the beach in Oregon, we got family photos taken.

Even if it wasn't quite the whole May family.

Still, we had to document what we had.

Caleb Year Six Retrospective

Since Caleb is now six, it's time to look back on this last year!

Craig Year Eight Retrospective

Craig is 8!

A little about this guy and the last year:

Craig speaks in bulleted lists.
Loves video games and will wake up at 6 AM Saturday morning to go play before we have to go do things. His favorite games this year have been Lego Harry Potter, Diablo, and Forager.

With a memory like a steel trap, he loves to read non-fiction and learn facts. That he will then share by saying, "well, actually..."

He still gives the best hugs.

He has no patience for my silly interview questions. He doesn't care what the best part of being 7 was, or what he is looking forward to while being 8, or what advice he'd give himself. But he has great thoughts if you know how to ask him. I'm still learning.

I've been calling Craig "Toothless" since he lost his first tooth in October (2020).

He's up to 4 lost teeth now, and while some of his adult teeth have started growing in, he still is lacking those main two.

I'm sure they'll show up any day now!

Another year of school, and it was full of Covid protocols.

Craig had lots of online learning due to Covid cases in class, definitely not his favorite. Although he liked sleeping in a bit and wearing shorts in the winter.

And, in spite of the disruptions, Craig still learned a lot and made tons of progress in school: his teacher said he matured, was eager and excited to learn, and made the day more fun!

Taking a little bit after his father, we have occasionally caught Craig sleepwalking. He'll be trying to brush teeth, join us in bed, or go to the bathroom while not actually awake. When we talk to him, he doesn't respond and although he seems to vaguely understand what we're saying and what he's doing, he can't quite do all the details of any particular task he's attempting. With a gentle physical direction, we can steer him back to bed, and he won't remember any of the interaction in the morning.

Of course, he doesn't need to sleepwalk to end up outside of bed...

Craig is old enough to do activities at church now, although they've been intermittent due to Covid.

Still, he's gotten to do things like go snowshoeing.

Our family had a fun year visiting the mountains,

with trips to Calgary (and Banff),

Southern Alberta (and Waterton),

and Jasper. Craig was mostly a really good sport and we had a lot of fun.

Although he learned how to peddle a while ago, this year Craig learned how to be independent on his bike.

He can now start and stop all by himself.

He said he likes riding bikes better than playing video games!

Calista and Caleb are probably Craig's best friends.

They most of the time even get along.

Craig and Caleb have gotten a bit closer this year,

And it's so nice... when they're not fighting. Let's focus on the times no one is yelling or kicking, okay?

I love the way Craig's mind works, even if I don't always understand it.

He likes to do experiments and learn,

and he usually narrates a story while he draws. It is hilarious to listen to if you can get him to do it. Which, don't try. Wait for him to decide on his own, it'll be easier that way.

Craig has had his first music lesson, which was more fun than he thought it'd be. He immediately came home and built a metronome out of Lego.

Of course, he didn't want to do piano/music lessons at all, so we're taking things slowly. But that's also kind of par for the course for Craig. He'll enjoy an activity, but he doesn't want to participate in a class. He tried Tae Kwan Do, even playing lessons and teaching Caleb in between his trial classes. But when it was time to sign him up, he refused. He refused to be signed up for more gymnastics, didn't want to do hip hop class, and shook his head at curling. We wouldn't take no for an answer for music, though, and he seems to be liking it. Apparently that's what we need to do: ignore his protests and sign him up anyway.

I seriously love this guy.