2012 Summer Baseball

This year Chandler is playing machine pitch again and Preston is playing coach pitch.  They are both having a great time and doing really well.

Preston, Ashton and Chandler before Preston's first game of the season.  (Chandler hadn't received his shirt yet).

Ashton and Mom--aka the cheerleaders

Preston at bat

Chandler at bat

End of school year 2010

May 26, 2010

The First graders did an African drum dance for the dance festival this year. They were accompanied on some real African drums being played by students. It was really cool. They each made their own bandana to wear on their head and had their faces painted.

Chandler in his 'costume'

Getting ready to dance.

Another highlight of the end of school was field day. Chandler has been talking about the big race all year long. They take the top 3 boys and girls in each class and then have a final race with all of the first grade boys.

Chandler got second place in his class race. He was beyond thrilled. He didn't even realize he would have to run again.

He got Fourth place in the final race. We are so proud of our little athlete. :)

That same day was the First grade talent show. Chandler decided to show a picture that he had drawn. He did a great job presenting it. It's a rainbow house.

Preston finished his second year at preschool this year. This is him with his teacher. He is already an excellent reader and still has one more year before Kindergarten.

Both boys with their new fishing poles that they got for successfully completing another year in school.

Baseball 2010

Chandler is playing coach pitch baseball this summer. He's having a great time, but we still have a few things to work on.

Notice anything wrong with this picture?

There...that's better!

Bring a grandparent to lunch day 2010

February 2, 2010
Last month was the read-a-thon month at Chandler's school. As part of that, they had Bring A Grandparent To Lunch day. Wynn & Joyce were nice enough to come have lunch with Chandler at the cafeteria at his school. Fortunately for all, it was pizza day! Thanks for coming! It was "Grand!"

Finally...a lost tooth

12/18/09

Chandler (according to him) was one of the last first graders to have all of their baby teeth. He finally found a loose one, but held onto it for about 7 weeks. That sucker was dangling by a thread, but he didn't want anyone to pull it. Jared finally asked to feel how loose it was. Using his professional skills, he yanked it right out. Chandler was a little mad at first until he remembered the tooth fairy would be coming!

The empty socket (I don't know if that's the technical term or not. I'm sure Jared will correct me, eventually).

Yep, a straw fits where the tooth used to be!

Chandler's Poem

Chandler wrote this poem last night, and it was too cute not to share.

Me by Chandler Hemmert

No one looks the way I do

That is true.

I am special

I am me.

There is no one I 'd rather be

than me.

I think the lesson here for us all is obvious. We sure love this kid!

First day of school 2009

My big First Grader.  He was so excited to go to school this morning.  He had a great day and made lots of new friends.

Getting on the bus.  Preston was pretty bored without his big brother around all day.

A child's perception of MJ

Preston has been getting a lot of press on the blog lately, so I guess it's Chandler's turn. Thanks to Comcast-on-demand and YouTube, Chandler is now a HUGE Michael Jackson fan. He loves Thriller, Bad, Beat it and Black and White. Out of this and the on-going TV coverage, he has come up with some pretty humorous questions.

1. "Is Michael Jackson a girl?" I'm sure it's no surprise where this question comes from. Make up, long hair, etc, but it's still caused a giggle or two from me.
2. "Did both Michael Jacksons die?" he asked. "What do you mean?" I asked him to clarify. "The one with the brown skin and the one with the white skin."
3. "It's a good thing, he named his song 'Black and White' since he used to be Black and now he's White.
4. After hearing his talking voice, he said, "Is Michael Jackson a grown up?"
   

There's probably a couple of more, but those are the ones I could think of immediately. Kids are too honest for their own good sometimes.

What an imagination...

Chandler came home from school last Wednesday very excited and said that it was his "school" birthday on Monday (today).  His real birthday is the 21st, so I was a bit confused, but figured his teacher must want to spread it out since  his falls over Christmas break.  Without a chance to contact his teacher since it was Thanksgiving break, I bought treats and sent them with him today with strict instructions to bring the treats back if it wasn't his "school" birthday.  His teacher just called me and wanted to double check when his birthday was since he thought it was today and had already passed out the treats out and had everyone sing Happy Birthday to him.  He even shared his big plans to play laser tag today with the class.  I don't know where he gets it, but this kid has imagination to spare!

The problem with learning to read...

Today was our Primary program in sacrament meeting. Chandler was unexpectedly nervous when he got up to do his part in the program. Instead of reciting the part we had gone over dozens of times at home, he looked down and read what was written on the script word for word. "I can help strengthen my family by share one way you can help strengthen your family." He then sat down and the primary choir sang a song. The primary president, probably feeling my pain, then let Chandler get back up and say his real part. "I can help strengthen my family by being nice to my brother." We got a good chuckle out of it, as did most of the congregation.

What self-esteem?

Chandler was watching something on TV and a commercial for some sort of wrinkle cream came on. "Mom, you should get some of that green stuff! You would be so pretty!" Honesty....sigh.

"Preston, who's your favorite mom?" I asked, thinking I was a shoo-in. "Grandma!" Oh well...

Back to school-part 2

Well life as I know it is over!  Chandler started Kindergarten today!  He was so excited and not nervous at all.  I thought this would make it easier for me.

All ready to go!

He has been dragging his new backpack all over the place (filled with toys) for the past couple of weeks, but last night it was empty and waiting.

Waiting for the bus.

Posing for the requisite pictures.

He was the last one to get on the bus.

I managed to hold it together until I got back to the house.  I didn't expect to be so emotional.  I was really excited for this day.  While waiting at the bus stop, it hit me that my baby was really growing up and going off to school.  I guess I'll get used to it....sigh.  He is home now and had a great day at school.

Could this be the next Roger Federer?

Chandler did a session of beginning tennis with the city this summer.  He really liked it even though the majority of what they did was learn to balance a ball on their racket.  I've been taking tennis lessons for the past few summers and have had so much fun with it even though I'm not very good.  You'll have to depend on the paparazzi for those photos.

Learning to hit the ball.

What a little stud, huh?