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End of School Year Special!!!!

Naomi got bored during the EOG testing and this was the result of her boredom.  This picture tells the whole story.

June 3, 2016, Nicholas graduated from Lake Norman Charter Middle School.  I was one proud mama.  

Getting his certificate from Principal Holland and shaking hands with Mr. McAlpin and Mrs. Stein. 

Enjoying a funny moment with his classmates.  

He did it!!!! Congratulations, Nick.  

After the graduation ceremony everyone headed to the Davis Lake pool to celebrate.  I took may camera and caught some of the shenanigans as proof of the goofiness of this amazing group of kids.

Nick with his classmates and friends.  He is in the back on the left.  

Lake Norman Charter 8th grade class

June 4th we took the Young Men and Young Women on a hike to King's Mountain.  The girls who would be going to camp as 4th year girls had to bring their fully-packed backpacks as practice for the real hike at girls camp.  It was a fun day.  We watched a film that told the history of King's Mountain and it's pivotal role in turning the tide of the war for the South.  We then hiked to the memorial and enjoyed lunch.  It was a fun day.  

Naloni, Autumn, Celeste, Ravyn, Audrey and Journey. 

We made it to the top. 

Later that day we played another soccer game and lost again, but at least we had fun playing this game.  We decided to change our attitude about the games and enjoy them more.  Of the 8 teams in the coed recreational league, there were only two that had kids who had NOT played Academy.  Naomi was one of only two girls in the entire league.  It made for an interesting season.  After the game we had friends come over and roast S'mores to celebrate the beginning of summer.  

June 6th was an amazing day.  It was the first day I had been home all day in months.  I made the most of it.  The boys helped me transplant three bushes from the back to the front.  We weeded the front yard as well.  Inside the house I got two loads of dishes and six loads of laundry done.  I made doctor appointments for all the kids, paid the bills, balanced the checkbook, bought groceries, made dinner and folded all the laundry.  It felt good to finally be catching up on things that needed to get done. 

June 9th was the last day of school for CMS.  I no longer had a child at CMS.  Next year they will all be at LNC!!!  So excited!!!

Naomi's 4th grade class.

LET THE SUMMER BEGIN!!!!!

May 2016

Nick and Steve got to go to Black Mountain on the 8th grade field trip.  They stayed at a YMCA camp and had tons of fun with lots of different activities.  The highlights were the ropes course and hiking. Steve really got to know Nick's classmates and had a great time as well.  

Back at home we were having adventures as well.  The team digging up our neighborhood to install the Google Fiber lines tore up a portion of our driveway without giving us any notice.  I had to drive across the grass in order to get out.  It was ridiculous. Later that day, I went to the grocery store to get a few items.  As I was driving down the street that leads into our neighborhood I saw all the flashing lights on our street.  Google Fiber had hit another gas line and our street was blocked off.  I had perishables in the truck which I didn't want to have to haul up the hill.  I also did not want to leave the truck parked on a busy street.  The kids thought it was tons of fun to drive up the walkway that connects our neighborhood to the main thoroughfare.  I love my truck!!!

May 7th the YW took a practice hike around Reedy Creek Park in an attempt to get the girls ready for the girls camp hike.  Jeremy took the SAT.  Naomi's soccer team won their first game.  It was a great day.

The clouds at Striker's Soccer Center after our first game.  Naomi thought it was a sign for a good season.  

May 12th Nick got his braces off.  He was so excited!!!

Before

After

May 14th we lost our second soccer game.  We played a group of boys that were Academy level but wanted to play in the recreational league.  My team panicked and wanted to have extra practices in order to up their game.  I told them we would have one practice a week.  If they wanted more they could get together on their own because I didn't have another night to give.  

That night Naomi lost another tooth.  I told her to put it in an envelope and leave it for the Tooth Fairy.  She didn't move, looked me right in the eyes and said, "Mommy, are you the Tooth Fairy?"  I knew this moment was coming, but wasn't quite ready for it.  I like the magic of the whole Tooth Fairy scenario, but I knew I should never lie to my kids because then they would not be able to trust me.  I took a deep breath and asked her, "What do you think?"  She then told me she had suspected me and her dad for some time, but wasn't sure until she almost caught us.  I told her we were the Tooth Fairy.  She took it pretty well.  She then asked, "Mom, are you the Easter Bunny and Santa, too?" She was excited to know that she had figured it out and we had a good talk about how much fun it was to play all these magical parts and now it was her turn to share some magic with others and she needed to help keep the magic alive for others.  She felt so grown up to be in on such a big surprise.

Naomi lost another tooth and asked the loaded question, "Mommy, are you the Tooth Fairy?"

May 18th I had lunch at LNC with Mrs. Rogowski, Mrs. Daenkhart and Mrs. Ribbans.  I love working with these ladies in the Media Center.  They make me feel a part of their group.

May 19th Jeremy tried out the Yoga Club.  Let's just say that I will only be a one-time thing.

May 20th I got to help with 5th and 6th grade iPad collection.  We had 400 kids turn in their iPads during the school day.  It was an intense, but fun experience.

May 24th, while subbing at the high school I had the opportunity to talk with one of the other substitute teachers about the church.  She was excited to find out I was a Mormon and had a ton of questions for me about what we believed.  She had heard so many weird things and she wanted to find out what was true.  By the end of the conversation she realized that Mormons are Christians whose beliefs are not that different from her own.  It was a great discussion.

May 26th, Nick and our neighbor, Meeshack, walked to one of the neighborhood parks to play basketball.  I told him to take his phone in case he needed anything.  He called and asked if I could come pick them up.  They had walked to one of the more distant parks and overestimated their energy and underestimated the heat.  As I was pulling up to get them, another car had pulled over and was talking to them.  When the woman driving the vehicle saw me she took off.  I asked the boys what she wanted.  They told me she was yelling at them for getting her car wet.  Apparently, Nick was swinging his water bottle around making designs on the sidewalk and she said he got water on her car.  WOW!!!  Some people just need to take some Valium and calm down!!!  We got a good laugh about it.

Over Memorial Day weekend we drove to Knoxville.  Rick and Ella-Rene were in town because Bradden was being ordained to the office of High Priest.  On the way we stopped at our favorite Cracker Barrel to use  the restroom and stretch our legs.  I found this jewel of knowledge.

It was a fun weekend spending time with everyone.  We always have such a good time when we are together with Bradden, Sunny and the kids.  

We found this large Spirograph set at Cracker Barrel and bought one for the kids.  Our kids loved it as well.  

We played in the pool.  Olivia loved this game.  

Madi got in on the action.  Check out the look of anticipation on her face.  

Madi got even with Naomi as well.  The giggles were worth it.  

They are so alike.  I love this picture.  

The whole crazy gang.

May 31st was Jeremy's last day of his junior year.  Summer season is starting at our house.  Nick and Naomi will be done soon and summer can officially begin!!

April 2016

April 1st marked the 14th anniversary of us moving to North Carolina.  We had a fun dinner.  Nick invited his best friend to join us and sleep over.  After all the at-home festivities, Steve went and saw his friend and favorite artist, Kev, perform.

Saturday morning Steve and I got up early and went to help clean the church.  Sister Beckworth and I spent the entire time cleaning the chapel.  All the seats needed to be vacuumed because there were a lot of glitter dresses for Easter and the seats were rather sparkly.  It was a fun time.  We had a soccer game in the afternoon and I took Nick's friend home.  Steve and Andrew replaced three windows at our house and then went to Andrew's house to give it a good power wash.  During all this service we only got to watch three conference talks from the Saturday session.  Steve and the boys did their traditional run to Rita's and then to watch the priesthood session of conference at the church.

Naomi's soccer team - (front row left to right) Nate, Ryan and Nick.
(back row left to right) Coach Riggins, Jake, Naomi, Brandon and Little Jake

April 7th I subbed all day and was tired so we ordered pizza while we watched the finale of the last season of American Idol.  It was a tough one this time because we all really liked both finalists. Portia or Trent were both equally matched for the win.  During the finale the other contestants come back and sing as well.  One of the encore songs was "All By Myself".  The guy singing was from the South and had a slight accent even while singing and so it caused the words to be said slightly differently.  Naomi got very confused and then laughed.  "Mom, it sounds like he is saying 'Obama's elf".  We got a really good laugh over that one.

April 8th Nick came home from school limping slightly.  He had twisted his ankle really good during physical activity and it was quite swollen and very sore.  He is out of the frisbee and running business for at least a couple of weeks.

April 14th was a late night (until 7:00 instead of 4:30) rehearsal for "Jungle Book".  I got to go in and help with the pizza dinner to get the kids through the last hour.  It was fun to see all the hard work they had been putting into this production.  Each one of the kids was focused and ready to perform.  It made me even more excited to see the performances the next two days.

I subbed for Mr. Willits the week of the 11th-14th while he was on a school field trip.  One day I got to the high school and realized I didn't have my cell phone with me.  Mrs. Norris tried calling my phone to see if I had just lost it in the bottom of my back pack.  No luck.  The last time I remembered having it was over at the middle school and sending a text to Mr. Willits.  I ran back over to the middle school and there was my phone sitting right where I left it.  Mrs. Dettrey started laughing when I picked it up and told me that when it started ringing one of the students thinking it was his iPad frantically tried turning down the volume on his iPad.  You need to know that this particular student is constantly in trouble for playing music on his iPad in the middle of class.  Everyone got a good laugh about that.  Also, my ring tone is the Chipmunks singing "Funky Town".  When Nick heard it (his class just happened to be in the library at the time), he came over and unlocked the phone, took a selfie and reset my wallpaper to his photo.  The kids all loved that he bombed my phone.  What a nut.  Below is the wonderful picture that was waiting for me on my phone.

The kids did an amazing job on the 15th and 16th.  They put their hearts and souls into their performances and it showed.  The audience loved it and the cast was all smiles when it was over.

The cast and the sets.  Aren't they amazing?!!?!

Naomi as part of the chorus until it was time for her to go on stage as part of ...

...Kaa the snake.  

The cast bowing to a standing ovation. 

Naomi and her fellow members of Kaa

SheerKhan, Anusha the monkey and Naomi.  

The night of the 16th I got to drive some of the girls to a dance in Ablemarle (about an hour away).  It was such a blast.  I just sat and listened to the conversation while driving and trying not to laugh too hard.  Girls definitely have different topics of discussion than boys.  Very entertaining.  It was a fun night getting to watch all the kids having a great time on the dance floor.  

April 20-22 Steve and Jeremy got to go as chaperones on the Sound to Sea field trip.  They had a great time.   Jeremy especially had a great time scaring the boys he was in charge of.  They would not go to bed and so he would sneak across the floor and under the beds while they were talking and pop up and scare them.  It was a highlight for him.  

Steve loved this picture of a bird fishing for dinner.  

See all the birds following the fishing boat?  Kind of funny. 

Jeremy out exploring on the Sound side.

Little crabs everywhere.

Jeremy with his Uke, taking requests 

The whole group

Watching the sun rise one last time before heading home.  

 I got to sub for Mr. Patterson (physics teacher) and learned so much about circuits and how they work.  I even took our circuits game and let the kids mess around with it.  They had a contest to see who could get the propeller piece the highest in the stairwell.  

On the 22nd I picked up Steve and Jeremy and went straight to the elementary school to watch Naomi sing with the choir at their art show.  

The 23rd was a youth temple trip.  It was just me and the boys driving down as Jeremy needed some hours towards his license and we couldn't have anyone else in the car while he was driving.  It made for a relaxing drive.  We had a great day.

April 24th we were all really antsy during sacrament meeting and decided to go on a family excursion to get rid of that feeling.  We drove to Blowing Rock in Boone and had a great time exploring around there.  We also stopped in and visited the campus of Appalachian State.  Jeremy fell in love with the town and the campus and everything.  It is one of his top picks now.  

Waiting while we bought tickets.  

Doing a little rock climbing.

On top of Blowing Rock.

I just loved this picture and had to include it in the blog.  

Same with this one. 

Naomi is taking in the view from the observation deck.  It was stunning. 

Nick doesn't like heights and it was a long way down from the observation deck.  Jeremy is trying to persuade him to come take a look.  

Family picture.  

More rock climbing.  It looks like they are really far up, but the ground is just out of the picture. 

You go, girl!

Group photo on top of Blowing Rock. 

The view from on top of Blowing Rock.  

Blowing Rock from a distance.  Pretty impressive.

April 28th we were sitting at dinner as a family when Steve got a text from one of his scouting buddies.  Dennis asked him why he wasn't at the scouting dinner that was going on at that time.  Steve told Dennis he didn't think he needed to be there.  Dennis then sent a picture of one of the slide from the presentation announcing that Steven Cannon had been awarded for outstanding trainer for Mecklenburg County.  WHAT!!!?????!!!???  No one told Steve he needed to be there.  The next day Steve went down to the scout office and picked up his award.  Apparently the person who was in charge of making sure everyone getting awards was invited forgot to call everyone.  Oh well, the award is pretty, stinking cool and much deserved.  

April 29th I got to attend my first middle school pep rally.  It was so much fun and incredibly LOUD!!  The high light for me was watching the bouncy ball soccer game.  Below is a picture since words so not do this wonderful sight justice.  Some of those riders are teachers which caused all sorts of fun and mayhem.  It only took a couple of hours for my hearing to return after leaving the gymnasium, but it was worth it.

April 30th I found out that I will be the coach of Naomi's soccer team for the late spring season.  I was supposed to be the assistant coach to her current coach, but he had to back out after I had signed Naomi up.  This should be an interesting experience, but I am excited.  Wish me luck.