Summer is Coming

This picture is the last day of class for Elinor's beginning speech and debate class.  She did not love the class for most of the year.  It was stressful and hard and there was a lot of homework.  She was uncomfortable and there were tears.  But being the good parents that we are, we told her she didn't have to take the class again next year, but quitting mid-year this year was not an option.
Lo and behold!-- by the end of the year she loved the class and was sad that it was over.  She cant' wait for the class to start up again in the fall.  Ten points for good parents!

 Here is the elite speech and debate Clark and Bethany have been in this year.  They've both enjoyed their time doing speech and debate over the past few years, but they will not be continuing next year.  Bethany will be more involved than ever with violin and orchestra and Clark will be focusing on robots and college applications and mission papers.  I can't say enough good things about their involvement with Sam Martineau and this debate league.  At a bare minimum, they've learned to organize their thoughts and present themselves confidently. 

In honor of Memorial Day tomorrow, I give you a summer kick-off picture of Peter on a pool raft.  He was so happy and content in the water at a recent Prototype X end of year party.

I adore this picture of George jumping off the diving board.  Our friend Andrea has moved from this amazing house, so our swimming days here are numbered as it waits to sell.  Faith, Cannon, and George all learned to swim in this pool.  George is at the age where it's somewhat uncomfortable to watch him swim as he kind of looks like he's drowning, but he's totally good.

The team and families watching the end-of-year slideshow.

In other endings/beginnings, the young man in the middle is Jakob Thygerson, the first Prototype X team member to leave on his mission.  He setting a tremendous example to the others and we were so happy to go to his mission farewell a week ago.  He's headed to Berlin, Germany and I think he will be fantastic!

So many changes and adventures in store for these young people over the next few years.  

Abe is happy to have additional helpers for lawn mowing duties.

Just goes to support my childhood theory of why parents have children--- free slaves.

No joke, this is truly and absolutely the scene I came upon in the backyard this past week.  Do you know what they are looking at?  Prepare yourself.  It's kind of dreadful.

It's a curled up ball python.  Yep, my toddlers face was about six inches from a snake.  I was understandably concerned and questioned Clark with the safety of such and arrangement.  He assured me Peter was in no danger.  Still, it seems horrible doesn't it?

 Peter LOVES the snake.  I was hoping that when Clark left in on his mission in about year we would finally be a snake-free and reptile-free home.  It's a reasonable wish.  But now with Peter's new found passion, I'm afraid we're going to have to start all over again!  Give me strength!

Then the other two little boys came out to observe the snake.

And that provided me with one of my all-time favorite pictures of the boys all together.  How lucky are they to have each other?

But back to these two.  They seem to be cut from the same mold... intense, driven, focused, strong-willed, maybe a little on the moody side.  They are separated by 15 years, which is probably for the best.  They seem to understand each other and I believe will be a blessing to one another throughout their lives.  Clark told me as I came out to find them like this that Peter was copying whatever Clark did.  If Clark put a piece of grass in his mouth, Peter did them same.  If Clark spit it out to the side, Peter copied.  In so many ways, I will be happy if Peter follows in Clark's footsteps.  And Clark can talk me through Peter's teenage years and help me to know what he's thinking.