Our graduates!

Who would have ever imagined that when schools closed in March due to Covid 19 they would remain closed through the end of the school year. Everything including seminary switched over to virtual learning which in itself was not a fun way to end the year. And while the kids plowed through it, it was clear they weren't getting nearly as much out of it as they would have had they been in school. For the boys it was especially sad because all of the activities that make a senior year such a fun year were unraveling and while initially plans were made to just postpone most of the activities, it became clearer each day that these events would never be rescheduled. The boys would tell you they were most disappointed about missing prom and I'd tell you for selfish reasons I was most disappointed about having no formal graduation ceremony! While the school, community, friends and family were all doing their best to celebrate the boys, we couldn't help but feel sad for the way their high school chapter had ended. It was definitely not the way any high school senior should see their year unfold. But at a time when we were constantly being reminded of the lives that were being lost from the virus, it was a small sacrifice for us all to make. Here's how the last month of school unfolded for the boys...

Krispy Creme came to the rescue offering a free dozen donuts to each graduate who showed up in person wearing their graduation cap or gown. The boys were definitely all over that! And it was no surprise that Ty picked frosted and Connor picked glazed...



Friends and family sent all sorts of creative gifts and money including this totally appropriate t-shirt that I captured Ty in, care of some sweet friends in Ohio!



The high school planned a special Victor E. Lap drive by for the class of 2020. Parents were encouraged to surprise their students by ordering banners to hang around the school parking lot so that on that day they'd be greeted by all their classmates banners along with their teachers and staff sending them off with one final goodbye. Clearly the weather did not cooperate...lol but I was happy with how our banner turned out!





So in place of a real graduation, a virtual one was arranged. Our district decided to have each family submit several 5-7 second video clips of their seniors performing certain acts, including clapping, laughing, and smiling. Trying to get a clip of the boys laughing was hysterical. So funny that you could hear me laughing in the clip more than them. Nothing like having to be recorded doing some fake laugh. We definitely laughed more after as we watched the clips than they did in the clips. A company was hired to compile all the clips and put together a virtual graduation. While it felt a bit cheezy, the boys actually were happy they didn't have to sit in some stadium watching almost 1,000 of their classmates cross a stage. This way was definitely much more efficient... Some of their friends showed up to watch the virtual graduation with them which was really sweet. Lots of cheering!






In a last ditch effort to provide some sort of backdrop for a formal graduation photo, the school put together a day for drop in photos. So here are our official graduation photos! And of course on the way out we had to take one final photo alongside the boys' parking spot that Ty had done such a good job designing and painting. It's hard to believe this chapter is ending.




Desperate times call for desperate measures... It may not be the most professional looking grad announcement out there but it worked. Thanks to the boys for being such troopers as i rushed to throw something together.




Sage also missed out on some fun end of year activities honoring the graduating 8th graders. Like the boys her school did what they could to recognize their 8th grade graduates by putting together a final lap around the parking lot as a way for the kids to say good bye to their teachers and staff.




And how thrilled I was to watch the virtual 8th grade ceremony and see all the recognition awards Sage had earned including straight A's all three years and vocal female musician of the year! We are so proud of her and all of her hard work!

The wait is over...

After years of preparing and regularly talking about college dreams, it was time for Connor and Ty to start actually applying for college! Of course BYU was on the top of both of their lists but they also understood that even with good grades, lettering in both water polo and swim all four years, seminary graduation, and great recommendations, there was no guarantee they'd get in. It was becoming more competitive each year and I certainly didn't want them placing all their eggs in one basket. So when Connor told me he was going to apply to UCLA, I was pretty excited, secretly hoping he got in there. For selfish reasons I thought how great it would be to have one in Utah and one in Southern California but in the end the choice would obviously be theirs and of course they had to see who accepted them. Thankfully with the exception of Notre Dame, which neither got into, they both got accepted into some great school including BYU, UCLA, Baylor, Ohio State, University of Washington, and several others.

As much as I had hoped Connor would choose UCLA, Covid had wreaked havoc in ways way beyond high school graduation. Now the start of the new school year was being jeopardized with some states allowing for a partial return to school and others opting for full time virtual. It really would have been a bummer to be starting off at UCLA paying that high tuition only to be sitting in his bedroom here in Florida taking online courses. So away to BYU they are going! And really I'm so happy. While Ty at times worries he will not enjoy the cold weather, I find comfort knowing my parents are just down the street, Jack will be there much of the time, and most importantly, they are together.

The school district had a special ceremony for kids that applied and got accepted into top universities. UCLA was on the list so here is Connor receiving special recognition during a virtual celebration.




A lot of their acceptance letters came over email but here are some of the highlights! I'm so proud of both of them. I tell the boys all the time that neither Jack or I could have accomplished all that they did in high school, including taking all the AP courses they took, while attending early morning seminary, participating in two sports each year, ranking in the top 10% of their graduating class, and for Ty spending an additional 4-5 hours a day swimming club where he woke up at 3:45 am each morning. So while I've never been one for bragging about my kids, it goes without saying we are so proud of them.

Brigham City Knudsens are here!

We love visitors and Gary, Kelly and the boys are some of our favorites! They were eager to escape their own lockdown in Utah and with everyone else scared to travel they knew this may just be the best time for them to travel! So away them came and how happy we were to have them! With everything being closed, it was great to really have no schedule and just enjoy lazy days in the backyard. We had just gotten the outdoor kitchen done too which meant it was time for Jack to turn into Master Barbecuer!



Of course a highlight for Boston and Preston had to be driving the jet skis! They were quite the daredevils...




Sage giving Boston driving lessons and teaching him not to be afraid of our alligator infested waters... haha!



Warming up after a few falls into the lake!



Little did Gary know that he'd be getting roped into a house project while here. My poor trellis finally gave in from the weight of the bougainvillea and we knew if we didn't get a new one up all the vines would die. Thanks to these guys, a new one was in place within a couple days and it turned out great!

Another candle for this beauty!

Happy 14th birthday sweet Sage! What can I say, this was not one of my better looking crepes...in fact we both laughed at how freaky it kind of looked but it was made with equally as much love and tasted as good as all the others! Once again you had a hard time coming up with birthday present ideas but since you had indicated you wanted to have a party on the lake with your friends we decided to center your gifts around that, ordering you a raft you had been eyeing with your dad along with your own life jacket in your favorite color and some nice wake boarding gloves since you mentioned your hands got tore up a bit. You also wanted some LED lights to hang in your room to compliment your newly painted wall, which you put up on your own and turned out so cute!




This definitely looks like a fun raft! While you, Ty, and Connor tested it out and did some 360s on it, I enjoyed a leisurely ride on it with you!



A couple days later you were celebrating with your friends! No Covid drive by party for you! While I understood the intent behind these "drive-by" birthday parties, you had been looking forward to having a party with your friends for quite some time and I felt you kids had sacrificed so many other things during this pandemic that if people were willing to attend, I was willing to host, especially knowing by this time we had learned that children were only in rare instances getting sick from the virus. You had all been cooped up inside for so long that it was a nice break for everyone to finally get together. Thankfully no germs were passed in the celebrating of this birthday! Special shout out to your brothers for being such great drivers!

Mother's Day 2020

Lilies, angel food cake, and these three who call me mom! Happy Mother's day to me! I am blessed!