And just like that..... Lindsay graduates!

It's hard to believe Lindsay has graduated from high school!  It seems like as she has grown up, each year has gone by faster and faster and her senior year of high school went by in a blink of an eye!

Here is the stage for the ceremonies - the class came up with this as their class saying 'The world may be ending but we're just beginning.'  This came to be since the Mayan calendar ends at the end of this year, but I still think they should have come up with something a bit more inspirational.

Before graduation started, I caught a few of her friends talking with Mr. Dunnells, the favorite teacher of them all.  Mr. Dunnells taught these kids in AP sophomore English and a few took creative writing from him too.  From L to R - Mr. Dunnells, Colter Lowry, Lindsay, Makayle Weldert, Jordan Wheeler and Hayley Hudson.

A group of her girl friends - Lindsay, Hayley, Makayle and Avery Griffith

Marching in to pomp and circumstance

Makenna had seen them practicing for graduation and saw where Lindsay would be sitting. We sent her at 5pm to save seats and she got them at the end of the row where she was sitting - I was happy with these seats!

Look this way, I need a picture!!

Here she is walking to the stage to get her diploma

Waiting as they announced her name......

Getting the diploma

Walking off stage

Afterwards we had to take a few pictures  - here she is with her very proud family

Grandma and Grandpa Root (still inside)

Siblings...

Grandma Jackson

All her grandparents with Lindsay

Lindsay with mom and dad

The graduate!

We couldn't be more proud of Lindsay. She has worked hard all through her high school years and earned high honor status as she graduated.  We know that great things are in her future and can't wait to see what lies ahead for her - She will be going to BYU-I this fall.  She is on the fall/spring track - She's an amazing young lady and brings a special spirit to our home, we will definitely miss her and I'm happy she won't be too far from home! She has accomplished some wonderful things and I know she is ready to move forward,  I just wish it wasn't so hard to see her do that!  Congratulations Lindsay, we sure love you!

Baylie and Jace at the zoo

Baylie's first grade class had a field trip to the zoo and as always, they wanted chaperone's.  I had an appointment but I happily volunteered Lindsay to go.  She took Jace and met Baylie's class at the zoo.

Here are Baylie and Jace posing for a picture

Baylie with a few of her friends from school

They say tortoises

ostriches

Lions - Here he is pointing, making sure Lindsay sees it.  Jace was disappointed to learn that the tiger had died the week earlier

Luckily, Lindsay had a few quarters so they could feed the goats

Again Jace is pointing, to the pink flamingos this time

Cute kids in front of the swans -

It was great that Lindsay was able to go with Baylie's class and Baylie loved having her there.  They also stopped to play at a playground to eat lunch.  Jace also loved being able to go, he said he's never been to the zoo before......don't know if that's true.  So glad they had a good time together!

Pre school graduation

Last night was Jace's graduation from pre-school. It was a fun evening with a very cute program.  We started with the pledge of allegiance and I snuck in a picture of Jace.

Here a few pictures of him during the program.  It was filled with cute little songs about what they had learned through out the year.

 They also told one of their favorite stories, "Naughty Little Monkey" and each child had to memorize a part.  This was Jace speaking his part...... 'naughty little monkey, jumping on her bed. It won't be too much longer before she bonks her head.'  He had it memorized pretty quickly and was actually one of the only kids that you could hear and understand all his words.

Mrs. Natalie telling us some of Jace's favorites.  He told her that his favorite color is blue, his favorite place that his mom and dad take him is Hawaii, and when he grows up he wants to be an airplane captain.

Shaking her hand

Receiving his diploma

After all the diplomas were handed out, the kids came to sit with their parents so we could watch a DVD that Mrs. Natalie put together of pictures of the kids through out the year - each child got a copy of the DVD to take home too.
Proud little guy!

After it was over, Jace gave Mrs. Natalie some flowers and of course I had to have one final picture of them together!

We absolutely adore Mrs. Natalie and are going to miss her so much - she has taught Baylie and now Jace for 2 years and we've really come to love her.  It was sad to say good-bye to her and brought a few tears to my eyes.  I can't believe he will be in kindergarten next fall.....how time flies!

Senior awards assembly

Yesterday, I was able to attend the senior awards assembly.  The seniors from Hillcrest High School earned a total of $843,800 in scholarship money and I'm happy to report that Lindsay earned some of that!

She earned a scholarship from BYU-I, the award of excellence scholarship.

Here she is getting her scholarship from the BYU-I representative that was in attendance. My camera was a bit slow, so she is actually passing him after getting her certificate.

I was able to get a good picture as she walked back toward us

Lindsay also was awarded her 'honor cords' that she will wear as she marches in graduation on Thursday.  She was awarded double cords for high honors -

Shaking hands with Mr. Jackson (vice principal, no relation) and receiving her certificate for her high honor achievement

Jace was a good sport in sitting with me during this assembly but kept asking if it was almost over - Lindsay let him wear her honor cords...... here's hoping that one day he'll get his own!

Her scholarship, high honors certificate and honor cords.

We are sure proud of her and all she has accomplished during her high school years.  She has worked extremely hard and I am happy to see all that work pay off!  She also along with Kenna, got a new job yesterday.....they will both be working at the new subway opening in Ammon (pictures to come)!

First father-son camp out

This past Friday, May 18th( yes, amidst the chaos of Kenna's surprise party), Chris and Jace headed out for their first father-son camp out! Jace was so excited he couldn't stand it, he asked daily how many more days until they got to go!  There was a stake assignment for the men/sons to go to west piney and get things in shape for this summer when all the wards take the girls there for girls camps!

 We aren't really big campers, as a matter of fact, I hate it!  We do own a tent but it's big so Chris didn't want to take it. Instead, he took the seats out of the yukon and put a mattress in the back and that is where they  planned to sleep!

Here is Jace on the way to west piney

The camp -

West Piney has a HUGE slide, all my girls love going to camp because of the slide!  Jace, waiting his turn to go down - turns out, he loved the slide too!  He is holding a piece of carpet (makes you go down faster) with his friend Noah

Jace at the top of the slide, his turn finally arrived! He did say that he didn't like going back up all the stairs to get to the top of the slide - Kenna said there are like 500 but I'm thinking closer to 100!

Playing along the hillside with his friends Tyler and Carson

Our ward was given the assignment to get these logs chopped into fire wood and then place the wood at the camp sites.

 After the work was done, Chris and Jace headed out on a hike!  Isn't he just so handsome? I love this kid!!

Somewhere at the top of the mountain, Chris managed to get a picture of them both!

Jace had the time of his life! He came back totally covered in dirt, evidence of a good time, and he is hooked, he can't wait to go on the next father-son camp out! Chris enjoyed it too, here's to many years of these two camping together......let them begin!

Seminary graduation

Last night was Lindsay's graduation from seminary! I can't believe this is all happening so fast, I remember every moment of my pregnancy, labor and bringing her home - seems likes yesterday! I've watched her grow up and achieve things in her life - good things, the things parents want for their kids, and I will say I am beyond proud of this girl of mine, but I am no way prepared for to leave and go off to college!  It's come so fast! I know she will be amazing but it's still hard to get ready to send her out into this world without me by her side!

Here is the group from Hillcrest High School, from our stake, that graduated last night - Lindsay is right in the front row, almost center!

 Here she is with her friend Makayle Weldert

And, one with her VERY PROUD parents!

This was a great night, we are so very happy to be Lindsay's parents - she is such a beautiful girl who knows that she is a daughter of God. She has loved her years in seminary and has always said that seminary is her favorite class!  This is the first of a busy but emotional week for our family, I'm crossing my fingers I get through with only a minimal amount of tears!