Dear Keaton,

I am definitely hoping that you will love your teacher next year as much as you have loved your teacher this year.  Ms. Whiting (now Mrs. Hubble) has been a really good teacher for you for many different reasons.  I have also loved working with her and I hope that she will be a teacher for your other siblings some day.

Me and Jack were able to tag along on your class field trip into Provo to see a couple different museums and to BYU campus.  It ended up being a very long, tiring day, but I very much enjoyed being with you and your classmates.  I noticed that you really are not one to walk up to another kid and start up a conversation, but will listen politely if someone is speaking to you.  That day you seemed content just being around the other kids, and didn't have to stand next to a certain friend, and was not pushy in the slightest.  You have a very calming influence about you, and I love that.

You do have many friends, but right now you choose to spend most of your afternoons with Landon Binks playing Xbox or games on the iPod.  He has been a good friend and it seems like you get along really well, which I like.  

This last report card was not good, and it looks like APA is really trying to get the most out of you.  You are now in a grade that you are forced to learn how to study and retake tests if needed, because they do give you letter grades and your grades have slipped pretty badly in a few areas.  Thankfully, you are only in 5th grade and after some retaking, your grades have improved.  Me and your dad are very proud of how hard you have worked to get those grades and it is a good lesson to learn.

You have turned into a dog lover, and swoon and fawn all over any dog you meet, but especially your own.  You seem to have the most patience of any of us with Birdie, and you try to get her to follow you every time you go downstairs.  Yours is the only bed she will occasionally be found sleeping on at night, which is getting more frequent lately, and you are a huge help to me to get her water and food when needed.  Just yesterday, your love of dogs got you into trouble as you reached your hands into the fence to pet your piano teacher's dachshund named Chester (who is put intentionally in the backyard during lessons because he is known to bite strangers).  Chester decided to bite three of your fingers and did enough damage to make a run into the doctor for some antibiotics and a tetanus shot.  You were a trooper though, and really no harm done.  I am sure you will still love dogs and might even still want to pet Chester if the opportunity arises.

I had to get a picture of you making yourself a sandwich the other day.  Your favorite ingredients are mayo, pepperoni, mustard and BBQ sauce. (Yuck!)  You are so funny, and I really don't know how it tastes so good to you.  You have even made it a time or two to eat for breakfast (double yuck!).  However, I love to see your independence and your sweet personality.  You are truly such a good boy and I love you so much.

Love, 
Mom