Back to School 2011

We have survived the 'first day of school' excitement and things seemed to go pretty well.  Everyone was happy with their schedules and teachers, so it looks like it should be a great year!

I can't believe this was Austin's LAST time to pose for his traditional 'first day of school' pose for me.  Next year, he will hopefully be starting college in another state somewhere.  I get a serious pit in my stomach when I think of him going away, in such a short time.  (But that's for another post down the road...)

Austin: 12th Grade

Taylor: 10th Grade

Cooper: 8th Grade

Cannon: 5th Grade

Sophie: 3rd Grade

Happy Studying!

Shadow your Student

Yesterday was shadow your student day at the junior high.

I have loved going with my other kids in the years past and yesterday, it was especially fun to shadow Cooper. It is pretty interesting to sit in a classroom and watch what your child does from day to day... Who they sit next too, who they chat with, what they are learning, and so on. Observing the way the kids interact with one another in between classes was pure entertainment!

I was especially impressed with every one of his teachers and thankfully, he recognizes how fortunate he really is. You don't always get that lucky when you get into junior high and high school.

The highlight of the day was observing Cooper in choir! Good times is all I can say...

We bailed on the last 2 periods and went to Rubio's for lunch. I love to have one on one time with each of my kids! We had a great chat and I always seem to learn something new, that I wouldn't have known otherwise.

What a fun day... I love you Cooper!

Picture Day/Photo Shoot

Today is picture day at the elementary school.

Cannon could have cared less and Sophie had her whole outfit laid out before she went to bed last night. What a difference there is between girls and boys. Sophie informed me yesterday that she was definitely straightening her hair for pictures this year. I tried to talk her into curls, but her mind was made up and she wouldn't budge! So straight as a board it is today!

I've never been a fan of "school pictures", but I seem to break down every year and order them anyways. I guess it's just that tradition in me that I can't get away from. I think it is so fun to compare the way they change from year to year, even though school pictures are usually not the greatest quality.

So, I requested my own snap shot before they left to school and of course, Cannon was not having any part in having his picture taken this morning. Such a little stinker.

It was killing him to think of the possibility that he may loose some friend time before school. Therefore, he could barely crack a smile. He is not a fan of being late to school.

Sophie was a completely different story. As always, she had no problem letting me snap pictures of her. She is always so cooperative and makes my job fun!

One picture led to another
and another

and I couldn't stop

I wasn't planning on a photo shoot, but it sorta turned out that way

I love this girl and am so sad my kids are growing so fast!

I want to freeze time. I am enjoying these little ones so much! I am dreading the day that I won't have kids in elementary school anymore.

Happy Picture Day!

Back to School

I can't believe that the kids have been in school for 10 days and I am just now getting around to posting about their first day. Our lives have been a whirl wind ever since Emmie was admitted into the hospital 18 days ago. I still feel bad about the kids first day of school and what an emotional time it was for our entire family. Cannon had cried himself to sleep the night before and the whole morning was a complete blur for all of us. All I could think about that morning was getting back up to the hospital and helping my sister get her home ready for Emmie's last precious moments. Needless to say, I don't feel like I really absorbed all the milestones that were taking place here in my own home. Thank goodness for a hands on husband, who truly took the role of mom and dad for an important time in our lives. He took the kids to back-to-school night. Then went and purchased the rest of all the kids school supplies, that I had not yet finished buying and the list goes on and on of all he did so that I could be there for Tiff and her family. He saved my bacon.

One of the 1st milestones that happened this school year, is that Austin now has his license and can drive himself, Taylor and her friend to school every morning! Happy day. Both, Austin and Taylor are taking an A-hour this year and leave by 6:15 a.m. It is pretty brutal!

Austin: Junior

Milestone # 2:

Taylor started as a freshman at the high school! It was a big day for her, she has been looking forward to this day for quite a while. She feels pretty lucky to have her older brother around to show her the ropes. Coincidentally, Austin and Tay ended up with the same seminary hour and the same teacher, Brother Chatwin. I personally thought that was pretty cool that they were put together. They of course, think I am weird that I get excited about cheesy stuff like that!

Taylor: Freshman

Austin has been counseled to take good care of his little sister and to watch her back as much as possible. I just can't believe I have two kids at the high school!

Milestone # 3: Austin's new car...

The yellow banana

Isn't she a beauty!?!

Scott has had this car for a little while and decided it would be a great car for Austin to get around in for the time being. Taylor and her friends sure aren't complaining and neither is Austin. I love that teenagers are so low maintenance with stuff like this. They are just happy to have the freedom and independence to come and go as they please. No matter what it looks like. Scott and I have sure had some good laughs while watching him drive away in this beauty!

The best part about the yellow cadi, is the beautiful, yellow leather interior. It is pretty sweet looking!

Milestone # 4:

Cooper started at the junior high. He doesn't look too excited in this picture below, but trust me... he was so happy to finally be graduated from the elementary school and moving on to bigger and better! What a cutie he is.

Cooper: 7th Grade

and he is off to the bus stop, early and ready to socialize.

I can't believe Cannon is the big man on campus! He doesn't seem old enough to be in charge of his little sister, getting her to and from school. He got a great teacher this year and is loving her so much. We couldn't be happier.

Cannon: 4th grade

And last.. but not least, little miss Sophie. Our baby, who is not much of a baby anymore. I can't even believe she is in the 2nd grade. She also loves her teacher and loves school. She is a great student and takes a lot of pride when it comes to her school work. I am sure she will have a great year.

Sophie: 2nd grade

Our cute elementary school kids: it seems weird to me that I only have two left in elementary school.

I just wish I could freeze time right now.

First Day of School

I can't believe the school year is here again already....

Austin started his Sophmore year....

how did this happen so fast?! I just want to freeze the time, these kids are growing up way to fast. I can't even think about how little time we have with him living in our home. He is taking an A hour that starts @ 6:30 a.m. and then by the time he gets home from football it is 6:00. It kills me to think of how long he is @ that high school and how little influence we have anymore. When I think about it, I only get 3 hrs a day during the week. I have to keep reminding myself that this is the way it is suppose to be and the way it was intended. Its all just preparatory for when he leaves for college and his mission.

Taylor started 8th grade @ the junior high!

When she came home she made the comment that 2 of her teachers asked if she was "Austin Simas' little sister?" She was a little concerned about what reputation he had left for her to follow. I told her, she is probably pretty safe. No worries there.

She was so excited to get back to school & to socialize with all of her friends!

Cooper is the big man on campus... 6th grade!

He was pretty excited that he ended up with the teacher he was hoping for. Cooper is such a great big brother to Cannon & Sophie - he is very excited about his responsibility he has in watching out for them.

I am so glad they will have him.

Cannon is so thrilled about being a big 3rd grader.

He loves his teacher and talks about how awesome she is because they get to eat snacks in the classroom, whenever they want! It is so funny what makes their days so great.

Sophie started 1st grade.....

My baby is gone ALL DAY! What a strange feeling it was to leave the school empty handed with no babies or toddlers by my side, except Scott! We talked on the way home about what I was going to do all day and how fast the last 15 years have gone. My house was so quiet and peaceful, it just felt so weird. I had mixed emotions all morning thinking about the different seasons of life and if I was ready for this one, was I ready to leave Sophie at school ALL day? Knowing how excited she was made things much easier. She loves her teacher and was so excited to take her lunch and eat in the cafeteria with all the big kids. She couldn't have asked for a better first day.

Scott in charge of video and I am always behind the camera!

I love that Coop is not to macho to hold his sisters hand at school in front of all his peers...

That is what I call a TRUE MAN!

My mourning was all over when Scott called and suggested meeting me for lunch.....

It was a great day for all of us!

school pictures 2008

I had to make sure I did not leave the traditional school pictures out!  I am not a huge fan of school pictures - but there is something about tradition!

Austin John Simas

9th grade

He did not like this picture at all... but, oh well it will be fun to look back on!

Sorry buddy

Taylor Lynn Simas

7th grade

She also was not excited about this picture.

It's the... "I can't show my braces stage"

Although - I have to say, she blows my 7th grade picture away!

Sorry again

Cooper Scott Simas

5th grade

He looks like he was laughing pretty hard right before this picture was taken!

Is it time for braces?!?

Cannon Craig Simas

2nd grade

He is a spittin image of his daddy - it blows me away!

Sophie Rae Simas

Kindergarten

Our caboose!

I think she is a combo of my coloring and Scott's face

Tracey Lynn McCleve

3rd grade

I had to throw these in here... my kids love looking at our school pictures - it is so fun to pick out which child got which feature.  Taylor loves to make fun of my strawberry shortcake pin in this picture.  How about the SASSOON denim dress?  I still remember how much I LOVED it!!  I still get those cold sores - some things never change.  I was a thumb sucker just like Cooper and our teeth look pretty similar around the same age.

Scott John Simas

3rd Grade

Such a cute little boy... At least Cannon will know what he will look like when he is an adult!  When Cannon sees a picture of Scott (as a child) he always thinks it is a picture of himself. 

highland hornet

These past few days Cannon was the Highland Hornet for his class. Which means... star of the week! So we made his little poster with some pictures and then we had to follow the diagram they sent home. The inner circle is a picture of him and the 2nd circle is all the things that describe him and the things he likes. The outer square is all his hero's & people he looks up to. He came up with all of this himself....

Things he likes:

football

read

scriptures

boxing

skating

loves fires

cart wheels

wii

playing army

church

sponge bob

byu

soccer

front hand springs (which he is really good at)

His Hero's:

mom & dad

grandma's & grandpa's

austin

taylor

sophie

cooper

jesus

uncle jay

nephi

travis k.

hunter

payne

alma

It's always interesting to see how their little minds think. I am not so proud of this part of the story but I have to document it. I went to school the next day to help in the classroom and as I was sitting in there helping some kids - Cannon comes up to me and whispers in my ear that he scratched out JESUS' name on his poster! I first looked up to see it hanging on the board hoping he was pullin my leg. Indeed that was the case and I proceeded to ask why he would do such a thing and he said that some of the kids made fun of him for putting Jesus' name on his poster! My heart just HURT thinking how sad it is, that in 2nd grade you would be made fun of.... because one of your hero's is JESUS! Apparently we need to have a special "family home evening" on standing for truth and righteousness!!! I have not been able to get this off my mind. It makes me so nervous... what if he never has the courage to do this again? Am I teaching and doing everything I can to help my kids have the self esteem to stand up and choose the right? Raising kids is such a huge responsibility.

Anyhow, we love you - our little Highland Hornet - your the BEST!