Last Day of School

Payton and Mrs. HoldawayThe blessed year of Kindergarten is over today as of 11:45 am. Payton has had a terrific year and his teacher did her job because Payton loves school! We attended his Kindergarten graduation yesterday where the kids sang songs letting us know if they learned nothing else they learned to sing...and did I mention he loves school. Last week I went with our neighbor {Jen} who also has a Kindergartener and we ate lunch with our kids in the lunch room...just so they would know what it was like. Then we showed them the playgrounds they would play on and all the fun things they get to do next year as 1st graders. Porter's ready to go to school too because of the taco and chocolate milk we had. It's so fun to see Payton growing up and he's so excited about changes. He doesn't get that from his mom. I hate change...unless it's the kind in my pocket.Congrats, Payton! You made it through your first year of school...and so did your mom! I gotta admit that I got a little emotional when their graduation was about over and the principal said, "I give you the graduating kindergarten class of 2010!!" Silly, I know, but my emotions got the best of me when my eyes teared up a bit thinking he's getting so "old".I knew he had grown but this shows how much

SEP Week

Payton with his "pet" horny toad, Rocky

-he's no longer a pet and was returned to the wild-

So this week is SEP week--although i can't remember what SEP stands for. Payton is out of school all week because of the great Kindergarten testing that is being done. Monday morning Payton woke up, got dressed and came in ready for school. When I told him he didn't have school that morning he started to cry...YES, CRY! He really wanted to go to school. Todd said, "Write this down for something to remember. When he gets older, this will never happen!"

Well, Tuesday he got to meet with his teacher and show off his stuff. In true Payton style he answered every question! It was funny because I was listening to the little girl being tested just before him and if she didn't know the answer, she just said, "I don't know." Not Payton. He had to answer EVERY QUESTION even if it was wrong. I think he gets that from Grandpa Turek. Always have an answer for everything.

His teacher told me how well he was doing in school and shared a story about how he shows interest in one little boy that has some "challenges" that requires help from an aid in the classroom. Payton really likes this little boy and has told me a number of times about Eann, his friend.

This morning we all got up because I had to work. Payton came in again with his school clothes, shoes and back pack and said, "I'm ready for school!" I just looked at him and smiled thinking how great it is he loves school. Then I broke the news to him again. Same reaction. More tears. Can't wait for Tuesday to roll around so we can get this boy back to school. At least we'll have something to do this weekend to occupy they boy. It's the Wynn Turek Reunion on Cedar Mountain!! Yippeee!!!

Back to School is oh so Cool!

Payton's FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!
we rode our bikes to school for the first day

Back to School night duds...

making pizza with morgan the night before school started
Payton is officially a Kindergarten boy! Last night was back to school night and he wanted to wear his new school clothes and shoes...even though it wasn't any longer than an hour worth of wear. He's so ready for Kindergarten and as I dropped him off today I know he's going to be such a good student. I don't know his teacher very well..ok so not at all...but I think he'll do great in school. This morning when I woke up I thought he was still sound asleep. As I was in my closet getting my shirt on he walks in with his new clothes and his back pack on...ready for school! Here's a couple things I want to remember before he's too old I can't remember:

-Things he could do before Kindergarten-

..write his name

..ride his bike

..tie his shoes by himself

..loves to comb his own hair

..can trace around objects with his crayon

..loves to cut things out

..projects involving glue...NO PROBLEM! HE'S INVOLVED.

I didn't think I would get emotional at all with him going to school because I was so ready for him to go but as I gave him a hug goodbye so he could line up with his class I got a bit choked up thinking he's so big and can do great things without me. I'm attributing the emotion to my excitement for him. I can't wait to pick him up today and find out all the great things he'll get to do this year in school!

Two Experiences....One Day

Today I got to experience back to school shopping as a parent. Payton is so excited to go to Kindergarten this year (and so is his mom). We went with Tiffani and her two boys to get a few school clothes for the big new school year. Payton was ok to shop with....if you don't look at him dancing around to every kind of music the store is playing, trying on a new hat at every store thinking his mom is going to buy it at the check out stand, and I think he thought I was going to cave on the goulashes he tried on at every store. Other than that, we had a great time! I'm really going to have to ask the Children's Place if they have a copy of their music because it really got Payton moving to the beat! I was so glad my mom was willing to keep the other two kids so I could have this time with Payton. Todd won't like how much I spent but I figure that's part of going back to school...and it's "just money", right?
After a full day of shopping we came home and brought my niece Morgan with us. She's staying in Utah for a week to have a break from her mom in Henderson...at least that's what I tell Morgan. It was after we got home that I got a lesson in "tough love". I've never felt sooo bad for punishing one of my kids as I did tonight.
Just a bit of background; we decided to go for a bike ride/walk to some bike jumps a few blocks away. Payton decided he could just take off before we were all ready to go. STRIKE ONE. Then when he was heading back to find us I yelled at him to come over by me so i could talk to him. I knew he could hear me but he just turned around went back the way he had come. STRIKE TWO! Then when we got home I asked him to finish his dinner before he had any cake g-ma Turek had shared with us earlier that day. He decided he knew better and deliberately chose to eat the cake right in front of me. STRIKE THREE!! That should mean he's out, right? Well, I gave him one more chance to prove himself--which was a mistake. He wanted some apple juice (this is the worst part because it was over something so dumb). I told him he had enough and could have some water instead. Did he listen?? NOPE! I heard the fridge open and told him NO AGAIN. That's when he broke down crying and I sent him to his room. He had to open and slam the door about three times to let me know he was ticked off. I gave him five minutes to get in and out of the shower and then it was bed time for him. The other kids got to stay up and watch a movie. (Yeah for Swiss Family Robinson!)
That was the hardest thing I have had to do to Payton. He Love LOVE LOVES movies and to ban him from watching a movie with the rest of the kids was TORTURE--not just for Payton. I want him to spend time with his cousins and I love to see him happy but I'm tired of being walked all over by him. He assured me he would listen to me know if I would just let him watch the movie. I laid by him in bed thinking to myself, "I wonder how many times Heavenly Father feels this way? He really wants to reward us but once he's laid out the consequence he can't really change his mind, right? That's what makes him such a great Father. But it's got to be really hard to see his son's and daughter's so sad because they can't have what they really want because of choices they have made earlier."
Needless to say I cried with him while we were in his bed tonight. It's hard to see one of my kids really unhappy because of something I had to take away from him. I just hope it makes a difference in future choices. I'm not likely to forget it soon and I hope neither is Payton. (Bet you weren't expecting that novel, eh? Welcome to my REAL journal entries)

The results are in

One day he's wearing only your

church boots with his undies,

the next day he's off to school...

Today I was informed that they had the lists posted of next years teachers and who would be in their classes. I feel a bit silly because ever since I heard it I've been wanting to just go look and see who Payton has for a teacher next year. It's a whole summer away but it reminded me of all those ball try-outs and the lists they post of who made the team. I actually got that anxiety feeling when we pulled up outside the school to see the list. I scrolled down the list of Kindergarten teachers expecting Payton to be in one of the afternoon classes and lo and behold.... Payton will be in Mrs. Nay's morning kindergarten class this August. I don't know Mrs. Nay (nor did I know they other Kindergarten teacher) but I'm so excited for Payton to start school! Too bad I didn't recognize any of the other names on the list so I don't have a clue who any of the other kids (or their parents) are. Yeah for strangers and making new friends!!