I'm 18 years old today!

 

Well as you can guess, we got a dog.  Finally my dream came true.  This has been a very eventful year besides my turning an adult.  I continued diving and pole vaulting.  I even hit a PR at 9'9".  I'll be going to the Barrett Honor's college at ASU studying Biological Sciences (Conservation Biology & Ecology).  Luckily my parents can take Bear for walks on the campus so I can still see him.  This will probably be the end of my birthday chair photos.  Can you believe I've done 18 years of this?  

I'm 17 years old today!

 

Another year has gone by and it feels like I've been driving forever.  I'm really good at driving a stick now too and in fact, I'd like my first car to be a stick.  I've been driving to school this whole past year which is probably why I'm so good now.  I switched to Diving instead of Swimming and I did pole vault and javelin for Track this year.  I'll probably continue both sports next year.  I can't believe next year will be my senior year.  My parents might give in and finally get us a dog.  Stay tuned for next year's post.  

I'm 16 years old today!

 

Yes I'm finally 16 and that means I can get my driver's license.  I take my driving test tomorrow and if all goes well, I'll have my license.  I'm still not great at driving a manual but I'll be practicing more once I get my license.  This past year, I did swimming and track and field again.  I added javelin and high jump to the field events besides pole vaulting.  I can't believe I'm half way done with high school already.  Before you know it, I'll be a senior and graduating.  I'm also taller than my mom but shorter than Cole.    

I'm 15 years old today!

 

Yes it happened!  I finally got my cell phone.  I still can only text on it but baby steps.  This past year we returned to in-person schooling for my freshman year.  I did swimming and track and field pole vaulting for sports.  I don't really have much more to say other than I got a cell phone!  Oh and I might have caught covid for my birthday.  We'll see what the PCR tests say but fingers crossed.  

I'm 14 years old today!

 

Not sure if you can tell but I just got my braces off!  Just in time before I enter high school.  This has definitely been one strange past year.  I took all my classes online which was great because I could wake up late, roll out of bed, and still make it to class on time.  I did a lot of puzzles, reading, swimming, and push-ups this past year.  Oh and I also got really good at the rubik's cube.  My fastest time is just under a minutes.  Oh one thing that I didn't get this year was a cell phone.  I'm thinking maybe next year for high school but we'll see.   

I'm 13 years old today!

Finally I'm a teenager now. In 3 short years, I can start driving but first I need to get a cellphone. I thought I might get one this birthday but sadly no. One of these days it'll happen. In the meantime, this has been an interesting past year. Luckily we did a ton of traveling at the end of last year with trips to Hawaii, New York, Seattle, and Disney World because the past few months we have been sheltering in place at home. I've been busy with school assignments, playing games with my family, and giving Chester, our cat, lots of love. I also got braces on again for phase 2 and hopefully the last time. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to show you a cellphone in next year's photo. :)

I'm 12 years old today!

My last year before becoming an official teenager. I still didn't get a cell phone this year and supposedly according to my parents, I won't be getting one till I'm 21 or something. I finished my first year in public school and despite homework and tests, it wasn't too bad. My parents had a harder time adjusting than I did. I also tried track and field. I did hurdles, high jump, and 4 x 100 relay. Some practices I had to be at school by 6:30 in the morning. After taking some time off from swimming, I'll be doing a summer swim team. My favorite event is still butterfly.

I'm 11 years old today!

Finally the last day of school wasn't on my birthday. This is my last year at a Montessori school as I'll be switching over to a public middle school. The days of no homework are over. I'm still doing gymnastics and swimming but I dropped chess this past year. I went mountain biking for the 1st time too. Hopefully I'll be able to go more when it cools down. No cell phone this year. One day. I am happy to report that we are going to Hawaii this year but it wasn't a birthday present. My grandparents are celebrating their 50th anniversary.

I'm 10 years old today!

Last day of school on my birthday again. 2 years in a row. No phone to show this year but any year now. :) I love to read, swimming 2x a week, doing gymnastics, and still playing chess. I can now do a back handspring with a spotter. I asked if I could go to Hawaii for my birthday but I have a feeling that wish isn't going to come true.

Zoo lights

We checked out Zoo Lights this year and although it was crowded, it didn't disappoint.


Here's a picture of the kid's and the grandparents. Christy was off to the left as this was the most people I could fit in since I had my prime 35mm lens on and couldn't zoom out anymore.


These lights were all choreographed with music.


Photo op with the komodo dragon. Cole did a research project on it for school this year.





Never too old for the carousel.


The bright butterfly is actually a huge lego construction.

I'm 9 years old today!

Today was the last day of school for me. I finished 3 years in lower elementary with the same teacher and now I'm headed to upper elementary with a new teacher. One of these years I'm going to show you a new phone in these posts but until then I'm still swimming, doing gymnastics, and playing chess. I also got a new gear bike this birthday. Can't wait to try it out.

Merry Christmas!

Signs of growing up

Lauren elected not to wear any sunglasses during her last visit to the dentist again. This makes it two times in a row now.


Cole on the other hand still wore them. I didn't get a shot of him in his shades but here's one before his x-rays.

Real world education

We've been very impressed with the Montessori education but you have to love the snack that the students served us during our observation and parent/teacher conference. Glad to know they are teaching the finer skills of making good coffee.

July 4th Tradition

Is that time again where we go to our old HOA 4th of July Picnic celebration. Here you can see the Fire Engine cooling off the crowd.



Cole is enjoying the snow cones...


...and Lauren enjoying collecting the cicada shells.



The kids are waiting in line for the water slides. Amazing how times have changed and they are the smallest ones anymore. Here's Cole in line 3 years ago. Here's Lauren in line 5 years ago.


Lauren still closes her eyes...


and same for Cole.


Lauren participating in the hula hoop contest. I also participated in the parent contest but didn't last long enough for anyone to take a photo. :)

Summer reading fun

If only all moments could be this quiet and peaceful.

I'm 8 yrs old today!

I finally lost some of my baby teeth including my two front ones as you can tell. I'm dressed in my PJ's because it was Pajama day at school today. I'm also sporting some of the handmade jewelry I received for my birthday. I still love reading and would have finished the Harry Potter series if my parents didn't regulate which books I could read. I just read the 3rd book in the series and finished it in about a day. I still love my stuffed animal doggie and if I could have one wish, I'd wish for a dog despite being allergic to dogs.

Not a kid anymore

Lauren opted to skip the sunglasses at the dentist this time. She's growing up. Here's one of her previous visits.

Tucson Spring Vacation Trip '15

We recently took a short vacation down in Tucson. The first stop was Kartchner Caverns which is about an hour past Tucson. Cole is being his silly self.


Lauren and Cole fit through the holes. They could become cave explorers.


After the caves, we went back to the hotel so the kids could hit the slides and pool.


The next day we checked out the Pima Air and Space Museum.


Lauren and Cole standing in front of a MiG-29.


The kids were playing some game and started becoming more interested in that than the planes.


The next day we went to Sabino Canyon. It was the first time we had been there and we were wowed by the desert scenery which isn't easy considering we live in Phoenix.


Lauren smiling at the end of the last tram stop.


Lauren and Cole were playing by the stream passing through the canyon.


Luckily the water was just a trickle.

The Next Bobby Fischer?

Lauren's 2nd chess tournament.