Every Graduate Deserves a Celebration

After thinking a lot about what traditions I want to do for my kids at the end of school and going on missions, I decided I want to celebrate high school graduation with a big party! It's a big thing to celebrate finishing up 19 years of going to school. Party worthy! I'm pretty happy with deciding on this one. It was fun!

We picked Saturday after graduation, which was a Friday, to have a party and open house. The weather was fabulous! We had a full kitchen with salads, chips, hamburgers, hot dogs and toppings, peanut butter bars and sugar cookie bars and caramel and tutti fruity Black Canyon Popcorn. We had some really fun guests show up to see Dallin!

Our old bishop from Nampa 20th Ward (and dentist) Kelly and Sheryl Mansfield
Kirk and Jennifer Johnson
Roger, Karen, Elijah and Jonah Minnick
Michael and Sandy Aubin (parents of Josiah, who's in Atlanta on a mission for his church)
Sawyers
Fishers
Coach and Mrs. Tookey
All the Lines cousins and Uncle Alvin and Aunt Arlene
Reals
Johnsons
Hellewells
Whitings
Hoffmans
Ben Christensen
Jake Wing
Grandma and Grandpa Farnsworth
Jordan Crane

A few snapshots of the fun! I need to be better at getting the camera out for these events. Thankfully Grandma Farnsworth grabbed my camera a took several shots for a few minutes.

Class of 2014

Welcome Kuna High School Class of 2014 and family and friends to the Idaho Center in Nampa, Idaho. For a graduating class of just under 300 students there sure were a lot of family and friends in attendance to celebrate this milestone in life for all of these wonderful students. And rightly so too! So many, many teachers and administrators commented on the days leading up to graduation that this is the BEST class Kuna High has ever graduated! They have the highest GPA (grade point average) of any graduating class ever. They have more students headed to college--71%, which is huge for Idaho schools and that number did not include the 10% going on missions or in to military service, who are also planning to attend college at a later date. This was a class of leaders and good citizens. Overall, they were friends with each other and they are nice, kind people. I had the privilege of going to Lagoon with them to celebrate being done with school. They are awesome people. They collected themselves when it was time to go. They were respectful. And best of all--they are great people to be around!!! Lance and I have been so grateful Dallin could be part of such a great group of people. We love that we moved to Kuna! It's been so good for Dallin to become part of the Kavemen!

from left, Bruce, Thayne, Hunter, Grandpa Farnsworth, Luke, Melissa, Lance (pictures by Grandma Farnsworth)

The accapella choir sang, "Up Where We Belong." Andrea and Kyle Johnson are at the microphones for their solo.

Mrs. Corrina Steinbach, in the yellow sweater, is one of Dallin's favorite teachers. This was her last KHS performance. She is moving back to teach middle school in Vallivue so she has more time to be a mom. I admire her choice of putting being a mom first. She is an amazing person!

What a great group of people!

Dallin Parley Warnick

Steve Fisher, a high school counselor and Dallin's Young Men's president, announce Dallin's name. To the right of Dallin is Carl Ericson, the school board chairman and father of Reed Ericson and member of our ward.

Shaking hands with Mrs. Karla Reynolds, KHS principal (and his Ross Elementary principal too). She was a fabulous principal. It was her last graduation too. She resigned because of health reasons. We'll miss her!

This picture kind of makes me tear up with pride. My cute little baby boy has grown into such a good looking, kind, hardworking man. I'm so proud of him.

One of my very favorite KHS graduation traditions is that the teachers and staff make a tunnel behind the rows of graduates and congratulate the graduates as they head back to their seats. I love watching the teachers grab special people and give them a hug and also watching the graduates search out a teacher that means a lot to them and give them a hand shake or hug too! Dallin's fifth grade teacher, Tamara Fadgen came and grabbed him for a hug as he went by. He also got some special congratulations from Mrs. Jessica Tookey, his advisory teacher for the past four years; Mrs. Steinbach: his ag teachers, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Blackstock, and Mr. Dygert; football coaches, Coach Ian Smart and Coach BJ Sorensen; and track coaches, Coaches Chuck Tookey and Steve Kilgore; and Mr. King, the drama teacher that directed Pirates of Penzance.  Just before Dallin hit the tunnel, Luke jumped down onto the arena floor to be the first to give him a handshake. It was a little bit funny and surprising to Dallin.

Justina Freilich and Dallin

Dallin and his best friend, Andrea Johnson

After pictures, which were a bit crazy, we headed to a restaurant of Dallin's choicing--Wingers. It was a great choice. Not too busy and great service for a party of 9. We heard later that a few other restaurants in Nampa had an hour plus wait after graduation got done. After we got home, Dallin, Lance and I went over to Brogan Moore, Andi Real, and Dustin Zabel's graduation parties and then Dallin headed over to the high school for the Senior All Night Party. He lasted until 3:30 a.m. before he decided he just wanted to come home and sleep. He was relieved they really didn't lock them in and make them stay until 5:30. I woke up at 5:30 and went to the high school to do clean up after the party at 6:00. There I found locked doors and could see a totally clean Commons with one janitor doing a few finishing touches. Best volunteering I've ever had to do!! I guess most of the seniors weren't very messy and were totally done by 5:30. Dallin slept in pretty well from 3:30 until almost afternoon.

Introducing Indy!!

This is Indy! "Which is short for Independence, but actually stands for Indiana Jones," says Luke the proud owner of his new betta fish. It is a winner of a name for a red, white and blue fish!!!!

Luke and Indy outside of Petco

Indy is a male Crowntail Betta. Luke specifically was looking for a red, white and blue fish because he picked the name out a few weeks before he got him. He and I were just tossing fish names around for fun and we thought of doing something patriotic because we'd be able to go get a new fish around Independence Day. We tried names of presidents and other 4th of July sounding names when we happened to say Indy. Luke immediately associated it with Indiana Jones too. (and why not? Luke after all thinks he's named after Luke Skywalker. Bruce agrees. I named him after Saint Luke in the Bible.)  Dallin and Luke spent time on the computer looking at different kinds of betta fish. This coloring is a rare variety in nature. So when Luke saw the fish at Petco it was pretty exciting to actually find a red, white and blue fish. Indy is a happy, little fish in his new home! We sure like him!

Clothing a Missionary

I've never been one to spend a huge amount of money on clothes or shop without looking at the price tags. Oh, I'd LOVE to be able to shop like that, but it would not be responsible of me. However, today was different with this boy!

Granted we had checked out Peterson's Clothing a few times before the mission call came so I did kind of know what the price tag would be to get this Elder out the door. After thinking about it and talking to LOTS of other moms who said "Peterson's is great. Just go there and get all the clothes. The shirts and suits REALLY did last for two whole years. It might be more, but it will be worth it!"
Then Dallin and Lance went there one night for a priest quorum activity and Lance was impressed. So today Dallin and I spent several hours there with my cousin, Elias Lines!! So fun to have him there working when we came in.

Elias fitting Dallin's suit 

Clothes we bought today for two years!!

2 suits that come with 2 suit pants--1 charcoal grey, 1 black with small brown stripes
8 short sleeve shirts
2 long sleeve shirts
1 pair of taupe dress slacks
1 belt
1 solid grey sweater
10 pairs of socks (that come with a 2 year guarantee--if his socks get holey he just needs to e-mail a picture and Petersons will send him a new pair!)
1 winter coat with a zip out liner
scarf
earmuffs
leather winter gloves
4 new ties
2 pairs of shoes
1 white tie
1 pair of white socks
set of luggage

bonus stuff:
sewing kit
pediometer
shoe bags for packing shoes
laundry bag
little flashlight
toiletry bag

Dallin does have a few more ties at home along with a pair of slacks and a dressy pair of shoes. Plus some other stuff. Kind of fun seeing his check list get checked off! 

What 10 new shirts look like out of the package

Octo

The Life of Octo with Luke (May 5, 2013-June 11, 2014)

For Luke's 8th birthday he asked for a fish. We were super sneaking and we were able to surprise him with a beautiful blue male betta fish. Luke, who is very cleaver with naming things, came up with the name Octo in honor of being an eighth birthday present. Such a great name.

Luke was so good at feeding him a few little fish food flakes and a little dried up brine shrimp most days. (It's okay for betta fish to miss a day of being feed.)

He lived on the edge of the bar between the family room and the kitchen. It was fun to look at him swimming around in his little tank while I was working in the kitchen.  

The past few days Octo hasn't looked too good. He'd hang out at the bottom of the tank at a funny angle. He didn't come to the top when it was feeding time. Sadly Luke knew it was Octo's final days. Luke looked at me with his sweet blue eyes all big and said with his serious voice, "he might have Ichthyosis colitis" It was so sweet to see how concerned he was about Octo, even with his cute summer freakly nose and blue eyes looking up at me. The term Ichthyosis colitis is something his learned off of an old Danny Kaye movie, Up In Arms (which is super funny and worth watching). Ichthyosis really is a human dry skin condition in which skin looks like fish scales and the Danny Kaye character is a hypochondriac that tells people they might have this disease. I do think that Octo may have really died from Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, which is the fish disease a.k.a. as "ich." Fish tend to have quick shallow breathes, hide in different places than normal, have no appetite, and hang out at the bottom of the tank. Poor Otco.

Luke decided to just have a burial for Octo in the backyard back by the firepit. Luke gently carried Otco's tank out to the backyard. Hunter attempted to dig a hole (Dallin finished it up--something about having a bit more height and muscle makes that easier). Lance said a few words that were so sweet. Luke really didn't want too much though. Then it was time to put Octo in his little grave. I was curious to see how Luke would do it. I didn't know if he'd pour Octo and the water from the tank into the grave or what. He surprised me by very tenderly putting his hand into the tank and sweetly cupping his hand around the little fish body and gently laying him in the ground. What a sweet, tender soul this boy has!

Pinewood Derby #10

Yep, that's right #10 happened on February 25, 2014. The Warnicks' tenth pinewood derby in a row! Two more to go for Luke. Lance does a super good job at teaching the boys how to make their own cars and then letting them do it with just a bit of guidance from him.

This is how Luke made his car, narrated by him:

Dad taught me how to make my car.

First, I made a design on some paper.  I traced the wood block on to the paper. I had a top view and a side view. Then I designed my car on the paper.

Then I cut out the paper design and traced it onto the wood block.

I craved the design with saws and sandpaper machines.

Then I painted it with spray paint. And I made designs out of tape. I even sprayed the tape purple. It was blue.

Then I put on the wheels. (There is a secret to this part. But I won't tell.)

My car was very fast. It almost got third place overall, I think. I won some of the races. Mostly I got second in the races. Sometimes I got third.

The car is named "51"

Anticipation!!!!! The first race! Levi, Zanny, Luke and Sean

Faces as the cars fly down the track. I don't know why Zanny looks so concerned. The next picture was super blurry but all 4 had HUGE smiles on their faces.

Luke won the "Split Spoiler" Award 

The Last Wolf

We Warnicks love the scouting program. We are scouters. Luke is our last Cub Scout. He couldn't wait to be a scout like his brothers. He loves wearing his uniform. He would really like us to get him even more uniform parts, especially the hat. I might just have to surprise him with one!

Luke worked really hard to finish up everything he needed to get done for his Wolf Scout badge before his birthday. He made it! He also earned his gold arrow point and two silver arrows. Pack meeting was May 26th, after his birthday, so he is now in the Bear Den and he wore the blue neckerchief for Bears. I didn't even have to tell him. He went and found it all on his own.

Cub Master Lee Hoffman awarding Luke his Wolf Badge. Luke and brand new Wolf Leader of one week, Cameron Whiting in the blue shirt.

Trying not to stick Mom with the Mother's Badge (she really earned this one!)

I had to ask for it, but I am going to get as many hugs as I can from this guy as I can!!

Years ago when Dallin started Cub Scouts I imagined super organized meetings with all the scouts dressed in their uniforms and standing neatly at attention and anxiously engaged in the meetings. I am pretty sure my ideal looked just like a Norman Rockwell painting. Something like this!




It took me a little while to come to grips with how Cub Scouts REALLY look. A bit more like this!

I have since really looked at Norman Rockwell's painting of scouting and noticed that they do have a lot of elements of scouts being real boys: learning, working, serving others, camping and yes, even being like that painting, at little bit of serious and proud to be in a uniform and part of something much bigger than themselves. So after having years of helping at day camps, going to pack meetings, and helping scouts grow, I truly LOVE pictures of scouts being themselves. So even though it's blurry (that what happens when your subject moves his head around during the shot) I love this Cub Scout picture. And this Cub Scout!

The REAL Cub Scout: Luke!