So Proud!

I must brag about Damien, and I think the letter from his Principal that we requested so that he could earn his Scholarship Merit badge, says it all:

To whom it may concern,

Damien Escobar is a 6th grade student. I have known since he was in first grade. Damien is a young man of character. He is a kind hearted, young man who is a good citizen. He cares about what is right or wrong and he makes good choices for himself in school and at home. Damien exhibits strong character for such a young person.

Damien is an excellent student academically. His teacher has selected him to receive the President's of the United States Award for Outstanding Academic Education Excellence. Damien is one of two boys in his classroom who will receive the Heaton Bulldog Trophy for outstanding Citizenship and Leadership. Damien will receive the Honor Roll trophy for earning all "A's" and maybe a few "B's" this entire year he has been in sixth grade. During the Sixth grade Moving-On ceremony is where he will be honored with these awards.

In conclusion, I give Damien the strongest recommendation; I have no doubt in my mind that Damien is the perfect candidate who has earned and should receive the Scholarship Merit Badge for Scouting.

I read this letter before he received any of these awards, or even knew that he was getting them. Tears came to my eyes, I gave the Principal a hug, returned to my seat where I sat with a huge smile on my face awaiting for the program to begin.

Here he comes!

President's Award



Damien with his Principal

The haul!

Heaton Bulldog Award

Best Buds!

Teacher

I am so proud of Damien. Time does fly! Can't believe he is in 7th grade now. I remember when he was younger, wondering what kind of student he was going to be, and being worried cause he was sooo energetic and not the best listener at home. However, year after year the teachers would have nothing but high praises for Damien and loved having him in their classes. I was shocked and pleased. (I must have done something right). I am thankful that despite the adversity he's experienced in his life, that he's been able to rise above it, and excel! Love my Damien!

Reptile Fun

So this summer I have been on the prowl for good deals and the first of my good deal seeking began last September when I scored 5 season passes for the Island Waterpark for $125!! Next I grabbed the schedule for the library entertainment programs, plus a reading log for the boys so they could earn prizes for reading. They've earned their 2 prizes (unfortunately they didn't pick the food coupons for some kid meals, oh well). Then we read 10 more books for a free book from Borders, we picked those up after we went to the Reptile show at the library. Max and Jesse did so well at the puppet show last week, we grabbed tickets for the Reptile show. They are at the perfect age for this stuff. Makes me happy that they enjoy going and I don't have to pay anything! The entertainer calls up volunteers for their shows and Max and Jesse have gone up for both shows. Here are some pics from the Reptile show:

Max has hands open awaiting reptile



Now he's gettin' a little nervous about what's going to come out of the box



Oh, it's just a big SNAKE! (Notice hands no longer open)

"I'm not too sure about this..."

"Ok, this is cool"

Now Jesse's turn to touch the HUGE snake!




Max and Jesse glued in!

Eeeewwww! Letting the lizard kiss him!

We topped off the morning with a trip to Jamba Juice! (gift card used of course)! Had a good morning with Max and Jesse!

Who's the Man?!

Just wanted to brag about my wonderful hubby. This weekend I mowed the lawn and apparently Mike wanted to do it, and was upset that I had done it. I didn't mind since I usually do it and I was in the mood. So, since he wanted to do something around here I suggested mopping the floors (which is usually done by me). I didn't think he would do it since it wasn't "manly" but he did. Saturday he set to work. He moved the couches, desk, rug and T.V and mopped the whole floor. While he was busy cleaning, I called a friend to ask if she was going to the Relief Society activity and since her hubby was training for his job, she didn't have a babysitter, and might not go. Once off the phone with her I asked Mike if he would be willing to watch her 4 kids ranging in ages from 2, 4, 6, and 8. And his only reply was, "she probably needs a break" and laughed at the thought of watching 7 kids all by himself :) I called her back to give her good news and she was shocked and happy. We returned that evening, 2 hours later to a happy hubby and kids having fun. He said they were no problem. What a relief! What a wonderful husband I have. So willing to help another mother, knowing that she's had to do a lot while her husband has been in and out of town training. While we were at the BBQ she worried a little about how things were going back at my house, and I told her not to (in the back of my mind I was hoping I was right) and I was! And to top it all off I have clean floors (for now, no surprises under our couches).

The Scout RETURNS!

Here is Damien BEFORE Scout camp, all loaded up and about to fall over if a gust of wind came along.

Here are some pictures of him when he came home. Below is a picture of a pocket knife holder that he made to earn his leatherwork Merit badge.

Stained hands. Even some cuts. His shirt and shorts had blood stains on them too. A true, rugged Scout.

And, he came home with a new belt:

A true Scout must be resourceful :)

All in all he had a BLAST! Canoed, Kayaked, even canoed out to the other side of Shaver to camp under the stars. That was his favorite activity. Earned 5 Merit badges, Citizenship in the World, Leather work, woodworking, Environmental Science, and rifle shooting. All he needs his one more Merit Badge and he earns his next rank. I am soo proud. He passed his swimming test, after 2 attempts. On his first attempt he had trouble breathing cause of his asthma and the air being soo thin. Thankfully he brought his inhaler. The food was alright, his favorite meals were breakfast burritos, waffles, and fried chicken. A squirrel liked the trail mix he brought and ate through his pack to get in. Took only the nuts, of course! Damien wanted to do a stake out to get it. Should have brought my squirrel bait that we use to keep the squirrels out of our garden. But, I guess killing squirrels in nature isn't very Scoutly. He called me everyday on his cellphone to tell me about his day, up until the phone died. Then he called less often from someone elses phone. Loved that he thought of me and wanted to call and tell me about the fun he was having. He enjoyed staying up with his buddies and goofing off. Once he thought he heard a bear, but it was just someone snoring. Ahh the joys of camping. He was glad to come home to a warm shower, we knew that by the the shouts of joys from the bathroom :)

We are glad to have our Scout back. Now we need to take him to the Island WaterPark. He missed the first two trips.

The tooth fairy already??

I'm not sure when kids are supposed to naturally start losing their teeth (since Damien had to have one of his top teeth pulled when he was 3, after chipping it on the concrete). Well, today while we were welcoming Damien home from Scout camp, in the church parking lot, Jesse whispers for Damien to come and take a look at his tooth that he just pulled out. I really wasn't paying attention to that exchange until I heard something about Jesse's tooth, and I look and his tooth was in his hand, and there was a hole in his mouth where the tooth used to be. Damien thought we already knew about it since he had been gone for a week. NOPE! It was a shocker for all there. Joy with Damien being home, hugs all around, and more smiles and happiness after Jesse's tooth came out. He had been wiggling it for weeks since he had been to the dentist and the dentist pointed it out to us that it was slightly loose. Thankfully Max has done well with this whole experience. He hasn't shown signs of being jealous or wiggling his teeth to prove he has a loose tooth too. He even handled Jesse getting $1 from the tooth fairy without a problem too.

And here is the smile you've all been waiting for:

Today has been a good day in the Mejias household! Now when I look at Jesse I can't stop looking at the new hole in his mouth. My baby's growing up! How many remember Damien's toothless smile? I wondered if those teeth were EVER going to grow back in. Anyways, enough reminiscing! I am one proud momma!

Out of the mouths of babes

While making lunch after church today, Jesse was sitting on the couch fliping through our Gospel Art picture book. I didn't pay any mind to it as I was putting Sunday clothes away, and getting lunch ready. I did think it had been a while since he, or rather any of us had looked through that book. He came up to me with the book and showed me this picture:



While looking at the picture, he pointed to the top left corner and said,"Mom, I'm right here, see me, I'm waving my arms, and Max and Damien are with me." I just smiled, and told him to tell his Dad. He went and told Mike the same thing. Caught him off guard too. He smiled as well. (I don't think my description of our reactions do the moment justice). Sorry. It was really sweet though.

At moments like that, as parents, we really learn a lot from our children. It just brings a little bit of heaven to our home, and seemingly lifts the veil.

The faces of........

the worlds next 2 Kindergarteners!!

This was Max and Jesse's last week of Preschool. What a year they had! They had two great teachers that really helped lay a solid foundation for them as they move on to Kindergarten. Their teacher says that they are more than ready. They know all their letters and recognize their numbers up to 10 (that's all preschool is required to test) but I think they know more. We are working on counting up to 30 and the pattern of counting after you hit twenty. They can write anything she puts in front of them. She commended us as parents and our efforts saying, "Whatever you are doing, keep doing. They came to me prepared because of you." I was like, "Really? Are you talking about my kids?" I have learned, after Damien, that my kids tend to be different for others than for me at home. That is both a good thing and bad. Oh well, at least they are good for their teachers. She says they are respectful, and well behaved. They have made some friends. We've had good memories of singing songs, story time at the library, first firedrill, lunch at school, lots of reading,learning how to write their first and last names, recognizing the names of their friends, recognizing upper and lower case letters, lots writing, drawing pictures about the story they read, new rules and expectations (yup, not only a mommy and daddy thing, rules are everywhere), planted seeds and observed their growth, counted money, learned how to weigh things, and so much more. They learned way more in preschool than they could have at home. Being in their classroom took me back to the days when Damien was in preschool. I am a softy, and teared up a little on their last day, especially as they sang their usual "going home song", I think I premeditated that one all year :)Now, I think I am ready, to send them on to "offical" school where everything counts, more than preschool. I am excited, yet, I know I will probably tear up again as I send them off to their first day. I love hearing good things about my kids from other adults, it gives me hope, and encouragement. The teacher laughed when I told her my husband's shock when I told him all the great things she said about Max and Jesse. If she only knew :) We barely made it through our last 3 days of preschool since the stomach bug decided to hit our home on Sunday. So they didn't go on Monday. They cried and cried, and said "I hate not going to school," but it was for the best, so they didn't infect everyone. Went back Tuesday, but even then Jesse started complaining about his ear hurting, Motrin cured that. But after school on Wed. I had to take Jesse to the doctor to get an antibiotic. GOOD GRIEF! All the while I am in an internal panic worrying about myself getting this stomach flu and not being able to be apart of the end of the year festivities for my children. All worked out, and I did not get sick, even though Michael and our sitter friend did! Phew! Yes, what a week we have had here. Lots of ups (really good ones) and some downs. Gave our teachers some yummy cake balls that I made, and a card. Can't believe I was able to do it. I even squeezed in some last few hours helping in their classroom, wished I helped more, but running errands without the boys seemed too tempting all those weeks :( Oh, well, the teacher said I was a "Blessing, an angel, and a great help," so I'll just have to believe I did enough. I am proud of Max and Jesse, and look forward to many more good things from them next year.

Good Times

To commemorate Memorial Day and the new swing set in my parents back yard we were invited over for a Bar b q. To our surprise and Max and Jesse's delight, not only was Katelynn there, but Bruno and Coco, Anna and Ben's huge dogs. After a few years of getting used to them, now they love them and can't get enough of playing with them. And as you can probably see by the pictures, the dogs don't mind them either. We have had our screams of fear, but they have been replaced with squeals of delight and dogs barking for the ball to be thrown so they can "fetch". Now they always ask if they can go to Aunt Anna's and play with Bruno and Coco. They must take after their father because I don't have a dog lovin' gene in me. (I know, so pathetic and inhumane). I can do without dog drool, and dog poo. I have kids, thank you very much, I get enough (of drool and poo). Plus, I have had too many run ins with MEAN dogs that have caused me to draw the line. So, with all that being said, all four of the men in my life have been asking and begging for a dog and telling me all the great times they would have with this dog. Maybe one day, I'll cave in, like Anna. But I do not want to take care of it. Enough with my rant, on to the pics of our day.


Lovin' the new swing set

The dog whisperers

A Good Sport

Dad was a good sport and allowed the kids to all pile up on him to see if he could hold them all....and well he DID! They all got down and I said, "Do it again so I can take a picture...so he graciously did, and held it while my camera finally turned on.

I do love moments like this in our house. And for the record, Damien is 99lbs, Jesse 48 and Max 44 lbs.