Saturday, June 15, 2019

10 Years, 4 Months...Growing up

We did tie dye in school at the end and I was not happy with how mine turned out!  It was bright colors, but only on 1/4 of the front of the shirt.  I was so disappointed and wore a jacket the whole day to cover it up!  We had a EEE picnic and we sat with Brynn's family.  We also were able to do our CREdX event.  I was so proud of all our hard work and the speakers.  Other than this, it was definitely a rough end to the school year.  For some reason, I did not really enjoy 4th grade and didn't feel a strong connection.  I am looking forward to starting over in 5th grade.
It has been fun watching Emily finish up preschool and head to kindergarten summer school.  We took her to her first Open House and I think I was as nervous as she was.  I couldn't wait to see her after her first day!  It was also nice to watch her graduate from Walnut Street Day School.  She is growing so much, but I'm not sure I am ready to share a school with her!
I started 7 days of summer school at EEE.  The first week was a class on kites and origami.  I had a blast making and flying the kites, and learned origami on my own.  I had a perspectives in art class for 2 days the next week and learned so much!  We also had a field trip to a museum and went swimming twice.  Then I started the Fine Arts Explorers program.  Like last year, I didn't want to leave EEE and was nervous, but have had a blast since I started!
I have been keeping busy with my friends.  Lila slept over once, and I had a playdate at her house after school another day.  We walked around her neighborhood and ate ice cream.  I had a sleepover at Madelyn's, and I went to Ella's for a play date.  We attempted multiple play dates with Keri, but her family was busy.  I got super disappointed each time it happened, but she is at the Fine Arts program, so I am able to hang out with her now.  I also went to Sofia's birthday party at Sky Zone.  It was so good to see her!
Our family did several fun things together this month.  We celebrated Dad's birthday at Nana Arden's house, and went to Lisa's for BBQ on Memorial Day, and celebrated Camille's birthday. We went to Art in the Park and Emily and I got a caricature drawn of us which was a lot of fun.  It also renewed my interest in elephants!  We volunteered at the Food Bank and packaged pasta.  I really enjoyed it and want to do it again!  We went to Bonkers as well and I had a lot of fun playing with Emily.  I went to the first and last of Emily's swimming lessons, but stayed home reading for the rest of them.  I am now into the Twilight books.  Team Edward all the way!
We had lots of rain and flooding this month, and even  had to go downstairs during a tornado warning after we went to bed!  Emily, Mom and I played outside with water toys at the end of the school year when it was hot.
I went to the orthodontist because my retainer wasn't fitting anymore.  He said I probably don't need it anymore and that my mouth is keeping the right shape.  I only have one more tooth to lose and will probably be ready for my second set of braces in the next 6 months or so!  I also got about 2 inches cut off my hair because it was damaged from having mom french braid it all the time.
I have kept myself busy with volleyball and piano lessons as well.  I am in my second book in piano and Mrs. Renwick said I am really doing well.  I have had several open gyms for volleyball with both Club CoMo and Missouri Juniors.  I will try out for both teams in July.  I am really nervous, but my last open gym went great!
Playing at Nana Arden's with Corinne and Emily
 At the EEE picnic
 Ellie reading to me after a trip to the library
 Celebrating with Lila after CREdX
 The whole group
 So proud of ourselves
 With Lila and Isabel
 More proud pictures
A golden retriever puppy! At school!  And I got to hold it!!!!
Water fight
Last day of 4th grade, Teacher: Miss Geha, I want to be an actress or an author, 5/28/19
Last day of 4th grade pictures
Emily in on the action
I got in on her day too!

The feast afterwards
The whole family at Emily's graduation
The Boyer girls with Miss Kristina, the best preschool teacher EVER!!!  It was her last day too.
Sister love
With Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Tom
Trying on Daddy's jeans
With Papa Rodney
Balloon fighting with Nana Arden


Checking out the sky through the telescope
Team building at Fine Arts Explorers
Vacation shirt day (I am in the back, right in the middle with my Gulf Shores air-brushed shirt)
Playing on the little playground with Lila, Emily, and Ainsley
Balloon play with Nana Arden
I was the only one uninjured in this little adventure!
Playing on the slide with Emily at Bonkers
Walk like an Egyptian

Thursday, May 16, 2019

10 Years, 3 Months...Lots of stress!

CREdX, choir, piano, Student Council, and Girls on the Run are all coming to an end.  Lila and I got to present to the FTO to ask for $500 for CREdX and we got it!  I didn't actually do any of the talking, but was still nervous anyway.  I had MAP testing this month.  I really thought it wasn't too bad and none of the questions were too hard.
I was asked to try out for 5th grade honor's choir.  Mom had a meeting, so Mrs. Renwick brought me.  One of the judges said she knew my mom, but even so, I cried because I was so nervous and had to start over.  I was convinced I wasn't going to make it.  Dad picked me up and took Emily and me to  McDonald's and Burger King, and Mom met up with us.  I found out two weeks later that I made it! I tricked Mom into believing I didn't make it!  Their feedback was that I came in on the wrong note on one song (a Cappella) but stayed on key and only missed one of the memory pieces!  All 7 of the Cedar Ridge kids who tried out made the honor's choir!
We had a couple of other events at school.  There was Donuts with Dad's and Dad was able to free his schedule to come which I really appreciated.  Our grade went on a MO River field trip-we got to see crawdads, pet a scaled fish and catfish, and painted the scenery with watercolors.  Several classes at our school (not ours) hosted ducks and we got to bring two home one night.  They took a swim in our bathtub!  It was so cute and funny, but the poop was pretty gross!
Volleyball is starting up again!  I have done the Missouri Jrs. skills clinic, and went to a couple of open gyms.  I have improved so much and am looking forward to trying out this summer!  Lila and I are going to try out together and hopefully we will make the same team.  It would be amazing to play with her!
Papa Rick came for a visit before Easter by himself because he and Nana Peggy were not able to make it over Easter.  He stayed with us for a couple of nights so we had some quality time with him.  We had a BBQ with Aunt Lisa's family at our house and celebrated Easter.  We went over to Lisa's to celebrate there and got to solve riddles to find our Easter stuff.  I love that kind of thing!  Our family also played spoons and had a blast!
The day before Easter, we were able to have a normal celebration at Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Tom's.  I really enjoyed hanging out with my cousins.  On Easter Day, our choir was able to sing the National Anthem at the St. Louis Cardinals game!  I was really nervous and Dad said that after we finished, we would probably have about 40,000 people cheering for us!  It really was amazing to be on the field singing!  Papa Ron and Chase came and we all went to The Old Spaghetti Factory before going home. We celebrated Easter at Nana Arden and Papa Rodney's without Dad later in the week.
Emily and I went to MU to do some memory studies one Saturday morning.  It was a lot of fun, and I got paid and a free book!  I can't wait to do it again!  I got to watch several of Emily's soccer games this month.  We went to the Kids on Track kick off, and then to Mom's friend's open house for her counseling center.  It was pretty cool!  Lila spent the night that night.
I would like to be an actress or an author.  I decided that's how I was going to "put Mom and Dad in a nursing home".  Dad celebrated his 50th birthday this month.  We didn't do much, but he didn't want to do anything.  I went to Makayla's birthday party, but didn't sleep over like the rest of the girls because I had the Girls on the Run 5K the next day.  I ran with Iris instead of Mom, but Iris had an asthma attack in the middle so I waited with her until her mom got there.  Even with that setback (and the rain), I still ran under 30 minutes!  Papa Ron, Grandma Kathy, and Grandpa Tom came to see me run and were going to watch Emily's soccer game, but it got cancelled because of the rain.  We went out to eat at Texas Roadhouse afterwards because I loved the rolls!  We visited Nana Arden for Mother's Day the next day.
I had my EEE Learning Fair the next day to showcase what I knew about greenhouses.  I didn't talk much, but was really proud of my quiz score because I prepared myself to take it!  Mom, Dad, and Mrs. Tatlow were all proud of me too!  I designed and made a mini-greenhouse with Johnny Jump-up flowers and gave it to Mom for Mother's Day.  I was really proud of that too, and I think Mom appreciated it as well (although she asked if I would take care of it-I think she is worried about killing them!)  I stayed home alone for about an hour that night while Dad was at work and Mom took Emily to an event.  I like being able to slowly show that I can handle it.
I have had some struggles this month with getting along with other students and my behavior.  I was annoyed by a classmate asking me a lot of questions, and I was caught rolling my eyes and ignoring him.  Dad came up to school immediately and we had a conference with Miss Geha.  I was grounded from books for the weekend, but did go to Ella's birthday party since it was for her birthday.  We rode horses and had a sleepover.  Jonathan's birthday party was the next day, and Corinne was also tired from a sleepover.  It was a pretty miserable weekend overall though.  However, I got in trouble the next day for attempting to cheat on a quiz in EEE.  I was really stressed out and hadn't prepared, and Mrs. Tatlow was very understanding and concerned about how much pressure I was putting on myself to do well.  I got in trouble again.
Not only have I been getting in trouble for how I treat kids and cheating, I have also been getting in trouble at home for my behavior.  I talk back and argue and refuse to do things sometimes.  Mom and especially Dad are not happy with me for that at all!  I am hoping to improve my behavior and have more peace at home.  I am really looking forward to the summer, which will include EEE summer school, the Fine Arts Explorers program, and more volleyball!
Solving the Easter riddles
Look at that cash on the table!
 Spoons!
Attempting a puzzle on the last night
 Easter egg hunting at Grandma Kathy's
Counting my loot

 Pre-game and singing
Panoramic of Busch Stadium on Easter Sunday 2019
 CRE takes the field




 With Lila and Madelyn
With Emily and Chase
Family photo at Busch Stadium
It's been a long day!
 Official Busch Stadium pictures

Hanging out in a Harry Potter-like chair at The Old Spaghetti Factory
 Having a blast at McDonald's

 Playing with Molly
 My first horseback ride!
Volleyball warm-ups and drills
Ducks in our bathtub!
 And Molly in our backseat!
 Before the 5K
 Iris and me
 The whole team
 After the 5K
 With Emily after the 5K
Our awesome coaches this season!

Painting on the walls at Mom's friend's counseling office open house
 Presenting at the EEE Learning Fair (although I didn't say much)
 Happy late birthday and early Mother's Day Grandma Kathy!
 Mother's Day with Mom
Harry Potter anything makes me happy!
Family game of spoons
Mrs. Renwick dancing with Fredbird prior to singing the National Anthem
Finding Easter eggs at Grandma Kathy's
Cedar Ridge Choir taking the field-the National Anthem video was too long for Blogger!
Using a kazoo to freak out Molly
First horse ride
Getting off the horse
Demonstrating a volleyball drill
Set and spike!
Demonstrating a spike (practice spike with ball)
Ducks on the move
5K start
Finishing the 5K
Drill with Lila and Carrie