Blake Responsibility award

They have an assembly every few months to hand out awards to a student in each class that has characteristics of the value being highlighted.  Blake received the Responsibility Award in his First Grade Class.

This is the email I got from his teacher letting us know that he was going to receive this award:

Hi there!

I am excited to tell you that I have nominated Blake for the responsibility award!  He will be receiving his award at the character assembly next Friday, the 26th at 7:45 AM.  I hope that you will be able to attend and see him get his medal!  Please keep this a secret from Blake until the assembly - we like the students to be surprised when their name is called!

Thank you!

Courtney Kuhlmann

1st grade teacher

Charles L. Kuentz Elementary

Update:  Later in the school year on March 26th we found in the hallway all the totem poles for the awards for the year.

Lego Creations

Brayden likes to read the free Lego Club magazines that he and Blake get in the mail, and often wants to enter the Lego building contests that are advertized.  He usually ends up building something and then forgets to submit the entry.  (Or maybe his parents aren't good about remembering to help him).  Here are some of his latest creations.  

Kylee's birthday

Since it was Kylee's 14th birthday and she is now legal to go to church dances, Matt decided to make a disco ball and dancing cake.  

A few things about Kylee

Favorite books - Harry Potter, Maze Runner Series, and Aragon Series
Favorite color - Turquoise
Favorite Food - Chicken Rolls
Favorite Dessert - Brownies
Favorite TV show - Psych
What do you like to do in your free time? have friends come over, spending time w/cousins
What are your hobbies?  Drawing and Reading
What makes you happy? summer
Where would you like to visit? Italy and Hawaii
Who are your friends at school? Kathryn, Abby, Sofia, and Molly
church? Stephanie

She likes to be on pinterest and always finds beauty ideas she wants to try.  For one of her presents she got a free makeover at Sephora with $50 worth of makeup.  She is excited about it.

Yard Work

Apri 21

Matt had someone come and terrace our backyard, so it could be more functional.  They did a great job.

May 24

Matt had a truckload of mulch delivered at the top of our yard.  The kids helped with wheelbarrowing it down to the two sections that had been terraced.  They also did some planting on the sides.  The kids friend Quatro even helped.

June 14th

We all helped to clean up a rock bed that had overgrown with grass. It meant taking out all the rocks, getting rid of the grass, putting a landscaping cloth down, and filling the rocks back in.  It looked so much better afterwards.   Blake helped with dancing entertainment, and Julia pulled Asher around in the wagon, and Brayden dried to make rain angels when it started to sprinkle. 

August 22

Matt had a vision of making a wood walkway going down the hill. He started working on it at the end of the summer.  It looked great.

Money Desktop Package

Matt received a package for the kids while we were gone in Mexico, so they opened it the morning after we got home.  When we visited Utah the kids were so excited about Money Desktop and Brayden was asking if they had money desktop items, like shirts.  So, the kids were super excited to get a package from Uncle Ryan and Uncle Nathan.  They were so excited to put on their shirts and shoot their guns.  It provided many hours of fun that turned into fights for getting hit in the face or for bullets lost.  There was even a special bag for Asher with a sippy cup, baby snacks, and a bubble blower.  The older kids got a gun, green gumballs, a shirt, glasses, and a glow stick.

Carlsbad Caverns

Matt and I had been talking for years about stopping by Carlsbad Caverns on one of our trips between El Paso and San Antonio.  We both enjoyed going when we were younger.  I had looking into going to caves here close by and they were so expensive and not nearly as large as Carlsbad.  We decided that on the way back from our trip to Mexico would be a good time to go. Everyone thought it was really neat and enjoyed going.   

Dallin's Birthday / Thin Air

The Gaspar de Alba family came down our way for the wedding of Monica Gaspar de Alba (Joey's sister) in Austin.  Camille tagged along with her boys to hang out with us.  It was Dallin's 12th birthday so Camille decided to celebrate by going to Thin Air with the cousins.  Gabbi had gone recently with a date and thought it was really fun.  The older boys ended up spending most of their time in the dodge ball area and the rest spent most of their time jumping, flipping, and falling into the foam pits.  It was fun for everyone.  

Camille asked Matt if he could make Dallin a cake.  Matt was a little reluctant because he didn't want it to turn into a expectation with so large an extended family, but he relented and made a Raymond Raving Rabbids cake for him surrounded by onlookers.  It turned out pretty good and Dallin liked it.