Preschool Graduation

 Adelle and Ms. Mimi.

Ms. Mimi had lots of good things to say about Adelle, one of them being that she always did what was right at preschool.

 Adelle made a special thank-you card for Ms. Mimi in which she drew a picture of both of them. She put a heart on Ms. Mimi's dress in the picture because, "that means I love her."

 It was a fairy nice day at the park but there was a cool breeze. Adelle chose to rock her hood the whole time.

 Here they are singing songs. Adelle was the motion queen ;)

Eating lunch with her preschool friends one last time.

Adelle graduated from Preschool on Wednesday. It was a fun celebration at the park with a great performance of songs and poems by the sweet class.

Adelle has gone to Preschool on Monday's all year. It has been a great experience. Enough to get her out and give her some space from home, on her own, but not too much to where she was worn out from a busy schedule. She met some good new friends and Ms. Mimi is the best!

 Adelle is unique in that she is totally outgoing when she is in her comfort zone, with people she knows, but she is shy and timid with those she doesn't know. She is usually in her comfort zone, surrounded by family and friends, so I often forget how shy she can be. That being said it doesn't take her long to make friends and be comfortable. She is very adaptable and very sweet. When I asked her if she was ready to go to Kindergarten next year she said, "well, don't I have to go to Kindergarten??" Then the tears came and she said that she didn't want to be gone from Emmett and Gage and me all day BUT, that she did want to be with Braxton all day.

This girl is lucky to have so many good brothers that adore her and vice versa.

baby's own trick

Today as it rains outside, Emmett and Adelle are sound asleep in their bed napping, Jeff is working,  Braxton is at school, and I am trying to study. But... Gage is keeping me company and distracting me in a big way. He came up with this trick all on his own through trial and error. Pretty amazing if you ask me. Love this little show off!!

Mother’s Day Weekend

Mother’s Day weekend was so wonderful. I am so grateful for the wonderful women in my life and for the love they show to me and my family.

Friday my mom, my sister, Gramy,  all three of my mom’s sisters and I, went out to lunch with the little ones. It was so beautiful. We ate at a restaurant right on the water at the Bay and the sun was shining. The kids played on the beach and we ate lots of yummy fish and shrimp and fries. It was so nice and relaxing and we all spoiled each other with homemade cards, goodies and flowers.

And, just for journaling sake, I ran into an old customer that I waited on for years when I worked in my aunt’s restaurant and she told me that she thought Adelle looked just like me, which was totally fun to hear and flattering ;)

Saturday we got up and got ready for soccer games all morning. It was a nice day and the kids played hard. Straight from there I went up to my church where they were holding a Women’s Conference that I got to participate in for lunch and a class.

Saturday night Auntie Belissa (as M refers to her) came over to play with the kids and Jeff took me out on a hot date. Literally. We went and played numerous games of tennis and then we went and got chips and pico de gallo and took that and the book we are reading down to the river to sit on the bench and read and munch. This sort of thing is my favorite to do with my best friend. I love my husband so much and I so enjoy the simple things we do together. You can ask him about tennis if you are curious as to who won.

Sunday morning I woke up to fresh rhubarb crisp, just the way I like it. Jeff had made it and it was so delicious and we all enjoyed it. Then we went to church where the sweet children sang a special Mother’s Day song and it was really sweet. After church we headed out to my parent’s for brunch. My dad and Bryce spoiled us with crepes and fresh rhubarb sauce, hashbrown sandwhiches, fresh fruit, and Jeff poached eggs from our own chickens! You can’t go somewhere and get that kind of food and service!  It was so yummy. I love men who cook and they are so good at it!

The rest of the day was spent either outside in the sand and water up to your knees, at the table playing cards, on the couch sleeping/resting, eating chips and salsa, or all of the above. It was a glorious day and the rain even held off until late in the evening.

When we left the Bay we stopped by Grandma Johnson’s so that the kids could give her a treat and a card and sing their special song to her. Then we came home and skyped, first with Uncle Ryan, then with Brent and Jess, and then with Jeff’s Mom and Dad.

I dearly love the women in my life. There is something so unique about women and I am constantly observing the kind things that are done by them on behalf of me and my family. Both my mom and my mother in law, all my sisters, Grandmas, aunts, friends, my kids’ teachers… I love them all. I am so thankful that I get to be a woman and I am thankful that I am here on earth at this time, surrounded by loving women to buoy me up and inspire me. Happy Mother’s Day!

"sisters rock, party rock"

"sisters rock, party rock....." "brothers rock, party rock...."

My sister is moving at the end of the month. I am sad. Every time we are together now and I see our kids, playing like brothers and sisters, I think, "these poor kids aren't going to know what hit them when there cousins don't live down the street."

Adelle calls Kate her sister. They run around the house, the yard, the park, singing, "sisters rock, party rock," and sometimes the boys yell back their version of the made up song. 

I have been trying to come up with a blog that can explain what I am feeling but I haven't had any luck.

I am happy for my sisters family and for all the new experiences they will have.

I am sad for our kids and the absence we will all feel for a while.

I am selfishly mad at the inconvenience of having to ask someone else to watch my kids on a whim.

I am curious about our relationship as sisters and how it will change.

I am excited to have a new place to visit...

I am a bit lost at the idea of her not just being here, like she always is...

Last weekend when she left with the moving van I cried, hard. Then she called me the next night and she cried. Then I called her the next day and we talked without tears. I don't think I have ever talked to my sister on the phone that much in my whole life. It could be fun, the whole talking on the phone thing.

Pioneer Field Trip

Last Friday I got to go with Braxton's class on a field trip to a local park where they have Pioneer Days. There are old buildings that are fully furnished and the kids get to learn a bit about what it was like to live back in the day.

In the classroom.

I liked the classroom rules. There were only 3 of them:

1. Obey the teacher

2. Respect the classmates

3. Wash your face, hands, and feet upon entering the classroom.

So simple back then!

Here they are using the old ink pens. They also got to use feathers to write.

Grinding corn.

Pumping water from the well.

Making candles. 

Making cedar shake shingles for the roof.

It was a great time. At the end they sang songs and heard a true story about how our town was settled and named. Then the kids all got to eat fresh rolls that some of them had helped to make.

Braxton said his favorite part was cutting the wood for the cedar shake roof. 

poop and eggs

My Grandma J came over last week and my house was in shambles. I was making dinner and telling her everything that was going on and why my house was a disaster and she basically said, "don't worry about your house just keep updating your blog."

So here I am...

Look at that happy little farmer out there with his shirt off and his boots on and his shorts barely staying on his bum. So funny. Makes me want to bust out a Kenny Chesney song or something.

Braxton is so into the chickens. He is really good about feeding them and checking for eggs and taking out chicken scraps. I think he was made to be a farmer.

As for the chickens. Those girls are pooping all over my patio and I am so over it! We let them graze? in the whole back yard and for some reason they come onto the patio where all of our toys/bikes/shoes are at and they poop! Everywhere! It's so annoying and gross.

Adelle was the talk of everywhere we went today in her Dorothy get-up. This girl is so funny and I am sad that she is going to go to Kindergarten next year and most likely stop dressing up like whoever she wants, whenever she wants. 

She was helping me sort through closets today and she found this beauty along with matching shoes that were unfortunately still too big. She wore the dress and we went on a walk to the post office and then to Braxton's school to pick him up and everyone told her how pretty she looked as Dorothy.

Funny that she hasn't even seen the movie. After like the 3rd person said, "oh you look so pretty, Dorothy," she looked at me and whispered, "who is Dorothy?"

And then there is my 3 year old doll. I love this sweet boy. Emmett loves his Care Bears. He sleeps with them, brings them places, pushes them around in the stroller... Most days he is either a ninja or a Care Bear. When he is Heart Bear, Adelle is Rainbow Bear.

Good thing this boy is so sweet he has been killing me with his "assidents" as he calls them.

This morning I am folding laundry and he comes to me and sweetly says, "mom I assidently spilt the seeds," and I look to find all the tiny little lettuce seeds spilt on the table. No big deal, we picked them up.

Then tonight after dinner he was so excited because there were 2 eggs out in the chicken coop. He asked if he could hold them and the next thing I know he is running down the hall with them, only to smash them together, on assident, and bust open raw eggs down my hall.

"Mom, I assidently hit the eggs and it broke."

He is so stinking cute. The way he looks, the way he talks, his kind and gentle demeanor....

Mind you I am in the middle of cleaning up after dinner with no dish washer because ours is had so clean up has been taking way longer then usual. Jeff got home from work, ate, and left again to go to church for Youth Night. So when I hear about the egg I just tell him it's ok and I quietly walk back to my room to lay down on my bed and just give myself a 5 minute break from it all, egg still on the floor mind you.

A few minutes later my sweet 7 year old knocks on the door. It's Braxton, so kind and thoughtful. "Mom," he says, "how do you clean up egg?"

I tell him it's really hard to clean up egg but that he could get the paper towels down and I would come help him in a minute.

The next thing I know Emmett is in my room. "Why are you on Dad's pillow?" he asks with a smirk. "Just because I am tired and I needed a little rest," is my reply.

"I am tired too, can I rest with you?"

So he climbs in and cuddles up to me. I tell him he is my special boy and he says, "you are my special mom."

Two seconds later he is dead out, like sound asleep.

So of course I go and get the camera because I'm thinking what a good blog post this would all make ;)

 I come out and find these two on the couch, her arm is around his neck and he is reading to her. Of course they go goofy, spastic when I point the camera at them.

And little mr. down here. Well, let's just say I didn't put him on the door mat! He was on the blanket when I walked out of the room and by golly it looks like he is trying to escape. Still no forward action but the baby gets around, reverse style!

The weather has been beautiful and we have been outside in the garden and on the trampoline with the sprinkler for the past 5 days. Love it!
Before that Jeff's mom was in town for the weekend and we were busy having Gramy time and soccer games.
Before that we were over at my sisters non-stop helping her pack up to move...
Before that... I don't really remember that well. It's all been a bit of a whirlwind!

May Day

When we got married Jeff didn't know what May Day was. Maybe it's a guy thing? I don't know but I love May Day! My mom would always help us make cute little baskets and we would take flowers to all of our neighbors. May Day is so happy and fun!

I would do this when we were married. Take flowers to people and leave them on their doorsteps. Now I do it with my kids. The more kids I have, the less number of people get flowers but we still attempt. :) When they get a little older we will be more dedicated in our efforts.

But now, for the past couple years, Jeff brings me flowers on May Day. 

This year it was this sweet little bouquet that he picked from our neighbors yard. They are out of town until the end of the month ;) Lucky for me! Happy May!