It was the last week of school for Cheyenne and Calianne! We got their senior pictures back, made announcements, and they started handing them out. They finished their classes on Friday and don't need to go back. They told me, though, that school has been so much fun the last three weeks that they don't want it to end! They also have several small classes where they have bonded with their classmates and had "so much fun." 

They also finished track this week. Cali ran a final mile on Monday, but she will probably come back to the habit of running again and again in her life for exercise. We're proud of her! Cheyenne got to run her final 300meter hurdles in track on Thursday. She ran a 1:48 and came in 15th in state! Woot! We're proud of her! I'm so happy they've had such a good senior year.

Mariah did some running this week, too! She ran the Ogden Marathon with her companion from Harlem, Sister Marshall (who we are now trying to call Addy). She and Addy drove up Friday afternoon, ate lots of carbs for dinner, and went to bed early at a nearby hotel. They had to be up at 4am so they could be bused to the starting line and be ready to go by 7am. THEN they ran 26.2 miles. Mariah said it was beautiful! She ran at Addy's pace and Mariah thinks that may have added to the pain she felt in her legs throughout the race since her legs are used to a faster cadence. Still, she had a great time with Sister Marshall (Addy) and will be able to walk without pain maybe by tomorrow? We are proud of her! She has been working hard to train for that.

Savannah worked at Funfinity this week and did a day of subbing at the junior high. She seems to really like it, but word on the street is that there aren't any subbing jobs in the summer, so we will see what she finds to do! We know there are lots of things she does well!

Bethany had a couple more rehearsals for the summer play this week. She has been staying after school to talk and walk with her friends, one of whom is a boy she particularly likes! She also had her band concert this week! I'm so impressed with the progress her band has made from 7th grade to 8th grade. I thought they sounded great and played some fun songs. Their fingers moved a lot more than last year, too!

Benjamin decided his grades weren't what he wanted them to be, so he stayed after school twice so he could redo some Chinese work. We're glad he is motivated to do well! He had karate this week, guitar, and tennis. He also finished Firefight by Brandon Sanderson and started on Calamity.

I've been cruising along in my independent study statistics course. I've done two lessons a day so I can be done before our trip to New York. I take the final exam tomorrow! I'm looking forward to no longer dreaming in normality distributions. Where my brain goes during the day, it also goes at night! Crazy. But, the brain is a powerful thing and it's been fun to challenge it and see what it can do.

 Last week was Mother's Day! Kevin made French toast for breakfast and fried chicken for dinner! It was very yummy! Grandma and Grandpa came for dinner and all of us were together! Sarah, McKay, and Avery as well as Megan and Ammon, as well as the eight of us who live at home. Do you know what my girls did for me? They practiced together to sing "Walk Tall, You're a Daughter." Naoma played the piano. I cried through the whole thing. I cherished that song when I was a teenager and then taught it to my daughters hoping they would hold on to the beauties in that song with its hope and promises. Then there they all were in front of me with their own beauty and strength and promise. How could I not weep? Life is so, so good. How I have loved being a mother!

We had a very busy week! Cheyenne ran in the regional varsity track meet and WON the 300 meter hurdles! She beat her PR by 3 seconds which is a crazy big jump in speed. What fun to celebrate with her coaches and teammates and get to stand on the podium! That qualifies her for state which will be next weekend. She is so surprised to be going, but THRILLED! As are we all.

Bethany ran in district finals for track this Friday. She ran in the 4 x 400 relay and her team came in very last, but they sure looked like they were having fun! She also ran in the open mile (not the seeded) and I heard she did really well, though she didn't know she was going to do it and so I wasn't there. Ha ha! She also found out that she made it into the summer play and she had her first rehearsal this week, so that is something she is looking forward to!

Calianne's sweet boyfriend, Richmond, got his mission call this week! (On Tuesday, the twins went to FOUR mission call openings!) He is going to Barbados, English speaking, and he will leave Sep. 4. Cali is happy to still have him around for the summer! We are all excited for him.

Cali, Benjamin, Bethany, and I went to our ward's "high adventure" this weekend. This included going repelling at Red Ledges in Diamond Fork Canyon and then camping at the campground nearby which is near a river and very pretty! We had a devotional around the fire that night after dinner and after breakfast in the morning the rest of the crew hiked to Fifth Water Hot Springs. The Skinners had to leave before the hike but we still had a great time! (Cheyenne couldn't come because she had to work!:( )

Ben headed over the edge.

That's me! But look at the view!

Cali and Beth headed down!

All the youth on the trip!

That same night, Kevin was scheduled to speak at an Alex Boye concert. Alex Boye has been using his concerts to teach about mental health and try to reduce suicide among young people. Kevin was the therapist who spoke for ten minutes before the music. Conservative estimates put attendance at 2,500. Crazy! Kevin had free tickets so Savannah, Mariah, Megan, Ammon, and McKay all went and they said that he did great! Alex Boye was pretty good, too. See! Kevin really is a rockstar!

The next day, Grandpa Jim turned 80! Naoma has been working on a surprise party for him for over a month and at 1:30 pm at Little America in Salt Lake City, it all worked out! His brother and sister and their spouses came, Mike and Tyler and Kevin and all their families came, and Todd's kids came. What a great group! It was so fun to be together. We don't see each other nearly enough! We are all so grateful to have Jim Gazdik in our lives! Oh, and Megan made a Cahoot game with fun facts about Jim's life and McKay learned and played his favorite song from his youth, "A White Sport Coat and a Pink Carnation." It was really fun.

We blessed my sweet little granddaughter, Avery, last Sunday! Isn't she a beauty? What a blessing she is in all our lives! They had the blessing in Sarah and McKay's apartment and invited all of McKay's family and all of ours. There were a lot of us and it was very special and full of love. Afterward, we had a big dinner with contributions from everybody. What a fun and special event!

Savannah spent the week trying to get used to living gluten-free. She was also doing a doctor-prescribed liver detox which involved a mix she had to drink morning and evening. She described it as drinking "chocolate sand." She was not a fan! She made it to work at Funfinity this week and did D&D with friends Friday night and even went to see the new Marvel movie one night. Still, she misses BREAD.

Mariah is working her three jobs and got "hired" at the temple to work a shift a week. She also, of course, has been running a whole lot. She is wondering why she is tired all the time. Maybe she needs a liver detox, too? She had a couple of friends over Saturday night from her mission and afterwards spent the evening with Sarah when she went to Grandma's to take a shower since a water pipe burst somewhere on our street and we didn't have running water for around 12 hours. Good times.

Cheyenne had the BYU track meet on Friday. She says she really was enjoying being there until she actually raced and didn't do as well as she wanted! Oh, athletics! Fickleness is thy name. It can be so hard! She also worked at Heritage and on Saturday got her senior pictures done!

Calianne also got her senior pictures done on Saturday! (Yay! We found time when they both had free time.) Cali had a track meet in Heber on Tuesday. It was all day, but she had a fun time! She's been working at Funfinity and practicing piano and spending time with siblings and friends when she has the chance.

Bethany went to her first church dance on Saturday night!! They haven't had church dances for two years! This must be the trick for getting kids excited about church dances because so many people went! I think cars were lined up from Center street to 400 South. Whoever was in charge did a great job, too. The dance was in a church parking lot with pre-paid food trucks and a great DJ (who played lots of slow songs). Beth danced twice with boys a year older than her. She thought it was great. Beth also had a track meet again this week. Fun times!

Ben went to Xtreme Sports for his young men activity this week and his glasses got broken playing dodgeball. He and his friends have been playing sharks and minnows at recess and that same day he got hit in the mouth accidently during the chase. He was feeling pretty beat-up by the end of the day! Add that to running club and karate and a birthday party up the canyon Friday night and its no wonder this boy sleeps really well at night.

As you can see in these pictures, spring has sprung in Springville! It's been a beautiful week. I've been working on an independent study statistics class, but I also have been able to go walking most mornings up the canyon. Here are some of my pictures. So lovely!

Benjamin had a guitar recital Saturday evening. He played and sang, "She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain." He did super and even asked everyone to sing along on his last verse! He does a great job performing.  He also did running club this week and karate.

Bethany went to karate this week and also to track practices. She had a track meet on Friday. She ran the 100M hurdles, the mile, and the 4x400. She had a great time! For young women's, they had "cupcake wars."

Calianne worked at Funfinity. She also worked on her scrapbook and practiced piano. She had track practices and even ran eight miles one day! She and Cheyenne got their new track sweatshirts.

Cheyenne worked at assisted living. She also had track everyday and a track meet on Saturday, Tiger Trials. Kevin and I and Cali watched her run the 300M hurdles. She looked great!

Mariah worked at Provo Rec and Springville Rec. Saturday she worked for ten hours! She was tired! 

Savannah worked a bit at Funfinity. She had some health troubles this week, but she has been working with a holistic doctor and will be trying some new things.

Kevin presented at the IITAP conference this week and was the therapist chosen to interview the keynote speaker. He's pretty cool! He's also been researching the field of short-term-rentals as a new hobby.

I started a statistics class through independent study and I've been working on that. The weather has been better and I put my hammock chair back up. Here's my view on Saturday: