Dear Keaton,

The biggest news is that you are officially on your way to getting your eagle, and already have attended 2 scouting pow wows!  You are up to 6 merit badges already, and just need to create a geocache to get your 7th!  I am so proud of the work you have done.  I am also so grateful for your father, and how he is signing you up for these and doing the homework and requirements with you.  You are lucky to have him as a dad and I hope you thank him someday.  

You are turning into a teenager right before my eyes.  Now that I am working at your school I do occasionally see you in the halls.  Sadly, you already try not to make eye contact with me in the halls unless I touch your arm, but I understand.  You are doing okay in class, seem to either get A's or F's, which I am trying to understand.  I know part of it is that this school's tests are quite harder than other elementaries and you actually have to study for the tests, but I think you are learning that you have to work for your good grades, which is a very good lesson to learn at your age.  Your Nexus 7 tablet that you asked for for Christmas has been taken away for the last few weeks because of it until we see all A's and B's. 

Your favorite friend is still Landon, although you have been doing as I had asked and starting branching out a little bit more, which is great.  You are still playing the trumpet for school, and we are trying to remember to get you to practice playing it every night.  I have a terrible time getting you to read lately, which is bad because that is one of the grades that needs to be brought up, so we are working on that.  You are such a good worker though, and you know how to clean when you want to.  Yesterday, you volunteered to help me with the bathrooms and I was really surprised at how well you cleaned them.  I didn't have to make you redo anything, which seems to be the norm with the other kids (it is probably due to age).   Still, your hard work made me so happy.

You are such a good kid.  Every now and then you tease your brothers and sister and remind me of your father, but for the most part, I love how well you treat everyone and how respectful you are of those older than you.  I can't wait until you are made a deacon in a few week so we will have another priesthood holder in our home, and to take you to the temple to do baptisms.  

I love how you still want me to tuck you in every night, how you will put mustard or BBQ sauce on anything, are starting to say amazing prayers, live in that navy hoodie with the your sleeves rolled up to the elbows, want to walk home from church each Sunday with friends, can't wait to get out sharing time, insist on taking your tennis shoes every day to school so you can play soccer at recess with your friends and slyly keep them on for the rest of school even though it is out of uniform.  I love you so much.

Love, 
Mom

Dear Keaton,

First day of 6th grade

I hope you know how proud I am to be your mom.  When we walked into Mrs. Thurston's classroom on "meet-your-teacher-night," Mrs. Thurston said "hello, Keaton!" and gave you a big hug.  I said something like, "she already knows your name" to which Mrs. Thurston replied, "Oh, yes, I know Keaton.  Last year I would always see him in the halls always doing what he was supposed to do and being so kind.  I knew then that I wanted him in my class this year."  It was so nice to hear that as a mom, even though I have stopped by the school many times enough to have seen for myself how good you are.  In fact, I can barely get you to smile and wave at me, you are so focused.

You are a wonderful student and were probably the most excited of all my kids to go back to school this year.  This year you also got to take band or orchestra, and you decided to learn to play the trumpet.  Luckily your Grandpa Hunsaker played the trumpet and he let you borrow his.  I let you take a break from piano in order to focus on the trumpet, although I am grateful for your piano lessons and how much they are helping you with it.  I can't wait until you are playing songs and we get to come watch your concerts.  I think it is awesome that APA starts both choir and band/orchestra so early.

Thanks to your awesome PE teacher (Mr. Winget), you asked to play soccer this fall, and I happily signed you up.  You are happy to be there and happy to play, although you do not necessarily want to go outside and practice all day.  I am just glad that you tried soccer this year and you were always a very good sport.

In any spare time, you are still asking to go play with Landon, and you guys are likely to be found on the Xbox or computer, playing Minecraft.  You are an 11-year-old scout and you and your dad are trying to start working towards becoming an Eagle, albeit very slowly.  Since we just found your scout book that you had misplaced a couple of months ago, we are going to have to kick that into gear.  

I love how independent you are, getting ready in the mornings, doing your homework, even making food or snacks for yourself and doing chores.  I love that I can leave Sam and Emmi with you for a quick errand around town and know that you will watch them.  You are earning my trust very well and becoming such a terrific young man.  I love you so very much.

Love, 
Mom

Shooting with your Dad and Grandpa Hunsaker

Children's Museum with cousins

Odgen Temple Rededication

Boating with Grandma and Grandpa Hunsaker

Dear Keaton,

I love this first picture of you even though I didn't take it (I am guessing Sam did), because that is a classic Keaton expression and because this is what you look like almost every day.  That is your favorite shirt and day in and day out that is what you will try to wear until I gently remind you that you wore it the day before and to please go change.  It has all the stains to prove it too. 

Your favorite buddy is still Landon, but you like to wait until mid afternoon before you ask to play, and like to spend your mornings alone on the Xbox, your iPod or on my computer.  Although you do come out of your shell around most people, I have noticed that you often leave the group and like to just be alone.  To be honest, it worries your Grandma B because she thinks that you feel left out, but I know that is not the case.  I love that you are confident by yourself and don't mind being alone at times. 

You are still crazy about Birdie and like to call her "Boo-ey" which drives me and your Dad nuts so we try not to listen, but you do take really good care of her, and try to make her sleep on your bed at night. You also love to walk into the room and say "Hello.. chumps."  I think you learned it from Landon, but me and your Dad have started saying it to you to get you to smile; however, I think you say it the best.

You did really well this summer in swimming lessons and passed off Level 5.  You have already decided to be done with taking lessons, and that is fine with me.  You are a great swimmer and I don't think any more lessons are needed unless you choose to do swim team. 

I love how you take good care of me, Keek.  After my shoulder surgery last month, you and your siblings didn't quite know what the doctor did to my shoulder because I didn't really tell you.  One day a week or so after the surgery you asked to see my shoulder underneath the ice packs, sling and bandages and I showed you and the rest of the kids.  It is just two little scars, and really didn't look to bad, but I could tell that you felt sorry for me and knew that it hurt.   All of sudden you were bringing me my drink, getting me food, asking me if you could do anything else to help you, and this lasted one whole day! I was very touched that you wanted to make me feel better.  I know you had been watching what your Dad nurse me with and tried to shadow him.  You have a big heart.  It meant a lot to see you take the initiative like that.  One day when I am very frail and old I hope that you will still want to help take of me.:)  I love you, son.

Love, 
Mom

Another cute picture taken by Sam

Found you and Birdie asleep like this..lol.

 

Four-wheeling with Grandpa Hunsaker on the day of my surgery.

Playing at Hangtime.

Texas Roadhouse

Scofield cabin

Swimming lessons