Integrity

Each year the school usually has a luncheon for all the parents that volunteered their time throughout the school year.  This year they decided to do something different.  They had each class do a short little skit for the parents that volunteered in their classroom. Each volunteer was recognized with a bookmark and a pen at the assemebly.  The pictures above are of Mikayla's class doing their skit.  The sign read "Your help has made us bloom."

Only a few students from Ashlee's class along with some students from the other 4th grade class participated in her class skit. Ashlee was one of them.  They read an acrostic poem about everything volunteers mean to them.

The second half of the assembly was a life skills assembly.  Each month they learn a new "life skill" in life skills class and each teacher picks a student that they believe exhibits that life skill the most.  This month's life skill was INTEGRITY.  Mikayla got the award for her class.  Ms. Reyes (her teacher) explained that Mikayla always does what she knows to be right, even when no one else is looking.  She said that Mikayla was always listed on her sub plans as the one student that could help the sub.  Here are some pictures of Mikayla getting her award.

Ms. Reyes and Mikayla.  (Mikayla is in teal)



Mikayla getting a hug from her principal Mrs. Smith



This is the award Mikayla received.

Great job Mikayla.  We are proud of you. 

Wapama Falls-Yosemite National Park

John has been wanting to go to Yosemite for awhile now.  We were going to try to go on his birthday, but it didn't work out.  Today was going to be our only opportunity to go until the end of July (because of swimming).  My grandpa kept telling my mom about Wapama falls.  He had done the hike 4 times and heard that this year was the best yet, because of all the rainfall we had. On Saturday, John, I and the girls went with my grandpa and my mom to hike Wapama Falls.  According to the brochure, this was a 5 mile round trip "moderate" hike.  This hike could be completed in 2-4 hours.   I was really hesitant about being able to make the hike.  I have recently been diagnosed with osteoperosis on top of already having some arthritist issues and the medication I have been on, has had some unpleasant side effects.  I am pretty sore and sometimes sick for a few days after taking it.  I was also worried about the girls being able to make it (or complaining the whole time).  I am glad to say, everyone did just fine.  Other than a couple falls (Mikayla, my Mom and I all fell), and some pretty swollen mosquito bites for Mikayla, we all survived.  We made it the whole way.  I am even happy to say, that I wasn't even really sore.  I thought for sure I wouldn't be able to move the next day. But that wasn't the case at all. 

We parked at Hetch Hetchy Dam and started our hike.  The dam was built in 1915.  It's hard to believe they could build something as enormous as this back then.


Looking over the edge of the dam spill way.  See rhe Rainbow?





Libby, Grandpa Billy, Ashlee, Mom @ the start of the hike.

  Not even 20 minutes into the hike, John decideds to get in front of all of us and discovers this.   Needless to say, I was having some second thoughts and was ready to leave.  I have been discouraged from Yosemtie because of these creatures.

That's right.  A brown bear.  He climbed the tree rather quickly and decided to pose for the camera.

After seeing all the other tourists amused and not afraid of the bear.  I decided that perhaps I could follow through with this.  My mom said my grandpa had a gun on him so we would be ok. Come to find out, he didn't bring his gun.  I had pepper spray though, so I took it out of my backpack and put it in my pocket (it had to be better than nothing RIGHT)?

We continued on the trail.  Here are some things we saw along the way.



Mom (Cathy), Libby, Grandpa Billy, John, Ashlee and Mikayla





Grandpa Billy, Ashlee, Mom, Libby (Mikayla was always way ahead of everyone else.  John had the camera).



Ashlee, Libby, Cathy.  Hetch Hetchy in the background.

Mikayla (our little bear cub, she jumped out and roared at all of us).



Ashlee she was quite the trooper.  She had been sick all week and wasn't feeling well, but she never complained.



 Just as we were about to reach Wapama Falls, my mom and I took one look at the trail (it was narrow, rocky and steep), and decided that maybe we were done.  Everyone was coming back wet and we had to cross through some pretty swift moving water.  Grandpa, John and the girls decided they were going to go for it.

Ashlee and Mikayla.  Pretty wet.  Even with the pancho's.

 John decided that my mom and I couldn't go all that way and not see the falls, so he came back and got us.  There was no avoiding getting wet.  We were pretty much soaked from our feet to our waist.

Cathy, Ashlee, Mikayla, Libby, Grandpa Bill

Grandpa Billy.  This is what we had to walk across to get past the falls.  The water was like a huge wave at the ocean.  If you didn't run you would've been drenched head to toe.

It took us three hours to get to the falls and one hour to get back to our car.  On our way to the falls we saw a snake too.  Mikayla and my Mom had to have walked over the top of it and didn't realize it.  We didn't get a picture of it though.  Here are a couple sites we saw on the way home.

We all made it!  John is ready to go back.  My mom says she's done it and isn't doing it again.  Grandpa Billy is looking for another hike to go on.  He is almost 70 years old has had a knee replacement, and a heart attack and I think he is in better shape than the rest of us!  I think it will be awhile until I am ready again.  I need flat trails.  Not rocky, bumpy, up and down trails!

Mason is home

Today we went to church in Mariposa to see Mason give his homecoming talk from his mission.  Mason just finished serving a two year mission in Montana.  It was great to see him (and everyone else too).  He gave a great talk.  Teresa also spoke on "raising a missionary."  She did a great job too.  After church we went to Teresa and Danny's home for some yummy taco salad and strawberry cake.  We enjoyed our day visiting with family.

Spring Concert and Dance Recital

Tonight the school had their Spring Concert and Dance Recital.  Ashlee played four songs on the violin with the rrchestra and Mikayla did a dance with her class.  Both girls did a great job.

Ashlee's Field Trip to Sacramento

Ashlee went on her fourth and final field trip for the year today.  Unforunately, I wasn't able to go.  Mikayla and Ashlee both had field trips today and I couldn't go on either of them.  I had to work.  Ashlee went to the state capital in Sacramento and Mikayla went to a fossil musuem in Chowchilla.  Here are some pictures that Ashlee's chaperone took and shared with me.  Unfortunatley, I don't have any pictures of Mikayla from her field trip today.



Mrs. Terrones 4th Grade Class 2010-2011

 



Alyssa, Ashlee, Sarah, ? Aubrey, Jadyn, Camryn

 

Mikayla's Field Trip

Mikayla's class has been learning about families and ancestors.  Over spring break she had to interview a family member and create a poster board with pictures and information about the family member they interviewed.  Today the second grade classes went to the theater to see the movie African Cats.  It was fun for them to take their first field trip and be able to get away from school for awhile, but I think for most of them, they would've rather done something else.  It was like watching a National Geographic Movie.  Animals attacking and eating other animals in order to survive.  After the movie I asked one of the boys in my group if he liked the movie and he said "Yeah, but why didn't they (meaning the animals) cook that stuff before they ate it."  He was dead serious too.  I guess he's learned about food safety or something!

Ancestor Project

During spring break Mikayla had to do a project on an ancestor.  She chose to do her project on my mom since she was close.  She had to do an interview.  Collect some pictures and create a collage with the information she collected and give a presentation in class.