Junior High Band Night

The Mesa High hosted their annual Junior High night.  The Jazz Band performed as well as the combined MHS concert bands.  Taylor Junior high performed two numbers, one of which featured Mr. Brooks as a soloist.  In the end the TJHS and the MHS concerts combined to perform Pirates of the Caribbean. Their was a video that the showed alongside the music.  It was a great concert and I enjoyed it very much.

Mesa High Band 

Performing

TJHS and MHS bands

Josh and Zach

MCC Student

Josh is an official MCC student.  He had the opportunity to get college credit through a jazz band class that he takes after school, since the instructor works at MCC.  Since Josh is a sophomore in high school and didn't take the AIMS test last year, he had to take a placement test at MCC.  He did very well on the test and is exempt from reading and can take pre-calc at MCC right now if he wanted.  He still has 2 1/2 years of high school and those placement tests will probably change after that.  It's so cool that Josh has this opportunity and I hope that we can take advantage that he is indeed an official MCC student.

Memorable MondayMoving

In the summer of 1987, my dad informed our family that we would be moving to Arizona.  I was really sad to hear that.   I didn't want to move to Arizona, and started looking into ways that I could stay, but later realized that I did need to move with my family.   I was registered to attend the University of Utah and was so excited to go, but I realized that wasn't going to happen.  My parents kept me really busy during the months when my sibling were at school and I was not.  I helped around the house and prepared to put it on the market.  My dad went to Phoenix a lot before the move and I would drive him to and from the airport.   It was really hard to pack up our house and leave Utah.  I really didn't want to leave everything that was familiar to me.  We moved in November to Mesa.  I remember when we arrived in Phoenix and thinking we were almost to our new home.  Little did I realize that Phoenix was a huge city and it took us another hour to find our new home.  Our neighbors, the Jones family, came to say hello to us when we arrived.  It was really hard getting adjusted to our new home.  I had to drive my siblings to their new schools and then help my mom unpack.  I really wanted to go to school, and my dad looked into it and helped me start MCC in the spring.  

This move was one of the hardest things that I've had to do.  Over they years, I realized that this move was one of the best things that I did.  I learned that I needed to rely on my family and my Heavenly Father.  I had to learn to rely on myself and discover who I really was and not what my friends wanted me to be.  I'm so glad that my parents mad this move and I know that it was much harder on them than myself.  

Rain Storm

It rained a lot which is such a blessing in the desert.  When we came to church we saw that the a huge tree lost some branches due to the weight of the water.  It's so sad to lose trees due to the rain.  

Jazz Band Playing in Basketball Game

The Jazz Band Combo played at the MHS basketball game for the first time.   I went to the first half of the game to hear the band and enjoy a great game of basketball.  It was great to hear the band play and the kids in the stadium enjoyed the music during breaks from the game.  The basketball game was great too!

Jazz Band Combo 

Josh performing 

Junior High Choir Night

Mesa High invited Taylor Junior High for their Junior High night.  Angela was invited this year and it was so sweet to see her perform with Danni and Britt.  Tears came to my eyes when I saw her up there on that MHS,  I just got used to the idea of having her attend junior high.  I'm so not ready to think about high school in a year.

Danni, Angela, and Britt

Girls singing

Danni and friends

Everyone on stage singing

Memorable MondayLauren from Australia

The Clawsons had an exchange student from Australia come and stay with them for a couple of weeks..  Here are some of the pictures that they took together.  Hopefully these picture will remind Danni of the time spent with Lauren.  It'm so glad that Danni was able to spend time with an exchange student.

Outback Steakhouse

The Mesa Choir was having a fundraiser at Outback.  Jim and I took Danni and had a yummy meal.  It was great to spend time with Danni and support the MHS.

MKL Parade

Jim and I took the younger two girls to the MLK parade this morning.  There was no one we knew in the parade, so we just sat and watched the parade.  It was nice to just relax with the girls.

Getting ready for the parade to start.

The girls loved the horse and the little school house sitting on a float.  I love watching the marching bands, but there were only 2 in this parade.  It's not marching band season, so the junior high bands need to come and march.  The MHS football team came by and gave us all 5's.  I LOVE Mesa High's school spirit!!  

After the parade, the girls wanted to play on the blow ups nearby.  Angela chose to go down the "Cars" slide, while Emily chose to bound in the "Winnie the Pooh" bouncy. The girls had a great morning!!!

Angela loved going down the slide.

Emily loved bouncing!

Articles of Faith

Emily memorized all 13 Articles of Faith last year.  I didn't even realized that she memorized them all.  She has amazing primary teachers that worked with her all year to pass them off.   Her cousin , Kenzie, also passed off her Articles of Faith.  The Stake Primary Presidency had a great evening planned for them.  Each child was called to come up to receive their certificate, shake heads with their Bishop, and receive a candy bar.  It was a great evening to honor those kiddos who memorized the Articles of Faith. 

Congratulations!!!!

Freezing

We have had a cold spell lately - it's been downright "freezing" lately.  In Mesa, we reach "freezing" temperatures 3 - 4 nights a year.  It rarely goes below 32 degrees,  so 26 degrees is worth mentioning that we are literally "freezing".  Don't judge us, we survived 122 degrees a few years ago.

My gauge reads 26 degrees

ice in the morning

Proof that it is "freezing" in Mesa

Memorable MondayNow That's Stylin

Challenge: What are the fashion trends in high school?

The 80's had such a unique fashion.  Everything seemed big and bold.  I remember making my hair up and big.  Banana clips would help pull the hair back while still keeping the hair big.  I wore shoulder pads and stretch pants, I'm embarrassed to admit.  Luckily for me, I don't really have many pictures of me in high school.  I really wanted a pair of Levi brand jeans and Nike brand shoes.  Here are some of the crazy fashion items that I remember growing up:

• Levi Jeans
• Big Hair
• Nike Shoes
• Leg Warmers over jeans
• Shoulder pads
• Stretch Stirrup Pants
• Banana Clips
• Sweater tied over shoulder
• Wind Breakers
• Jelly Shoes

Citizenship Award

Emily received a Citizenship Award from school today.  The school awards a few kids from each grade with this award during a flag ceremony. It's great to know that her peers think she is a good citizen at school.   She came home so proud of her award and carries the certificate everywhere she goes.  She works really hard in school and enjoys 2nd grade.

I'm so proud of you Em!!

Tying Shoes

Angela has been learning how to tie her shoes this week.  Danni and Josh spent some quality time teaching her how to tie her shoe.  It's great to see her learn a new skill.  A huge thanks to Josh and Danni for taking the time to teach her.

Danni teaching Angela

Angela practicing

She tied her shoes all by herself for school 

Memorable MondaySchool Schedule

Josh, Danni, and Angela made some small changes in their school schedules.  I've kept all my report cards and love to compare my school classes to my kids. Josh and Danni are honor students and both  received a 4.0 GPA last semester.  They are taking tough classes and getting better grades than I did.  Angela is taking classes with her peers and is getting As,Bs, and Cs.   She is doing great!!!    Here is my school classes compared to my kids.

My 10th Grade Schedule         Josh's 10th Grade Schedule
*Orchestra                                       *Symphonic Band
*Spanish 1                                        *French II
*Seminary                                         *Seminary
*English 10                                       *Honor's Sophomore English
*Health /Speech / Driver's Ed      *Marching Band / Jazz Band
*Science                                            *CP Chemistry
*Algebra 2                                        *Honor's Algebra II
Speech and Driver's Ed were quarter classes

My 9th Grade Schedule          Danni's 9th Grade Schedule
*Algebra 1                                       *Geometry
*Basic Foods / Type 1                    *Marching Band / Intermediate Drama
*Social Studies 9                             *AP World History
*Science Composite                        *Biology
*Seminary                                       *Seminary
*Orchestra                                      *Women's Chorus / Mixed Chorus
*English 9                                        *Honor's Freshman English

My 7th Grade Schedule         Angela's 7th Grade Schedule
*Math 7 General                          *Math 7 - Algebraic Thinking
*Advanced Orchestra                  *Prep Chorus (Mixed)
*PE 6-7                                          *PE / Academic Intervention
*Reading 7                                     *Reading and Linguistic VI
*English 7                                       *Basic English 7
*Home Ec 7 / Physical Science   *Integrated Science I
*Social Studies                               *Social Studies