Our Favorite Gal

On our first Sunday at church 5 years ago in Utah, we realized that we needed help during the services.  A  family sat behind us and let us borrow their cute daughter!  Stacey sat with us every Sunday and eventually became our favorite babysitter/nanny.

When I would come home from an outing, she would be sitting with the kids on the floor telling them a story.  No books or pictures.  My kids would be memorized.  They didn't move a muscle.  I had never seen such magic!

Eventually, she had to go to college and we missed her sweet smile and infectious laugh!  She recently got married and we were thrilled to attend her wedding!  We LOVE you Stacey!

Made by Mom

I finally finished up the girls' Easter dresses (yep - it is May!).  I'm so glad they are still willing to wear my homemade dresses!

Girls and Boys Weekend

Last weekend was the annual  Father and Son's camp-out.  The excitement regarding this adventure was oozing out of our house!  Every night leading up to the camp-out, Carter would come downstairs (after he had been put to bed) and remind us that he needed a flashlight, or  walkie talkies, or extra treats in case he got hungry.  This little boy was excited!

Unfortunately, they had a big rain storm roll through.  So they came home smelly, tired and WET!  It took Tim all day to dry out the gear and put it away.  Worth every minute of it though!

While the boys were enjoying the mountains, we girls enjoyed our nice dry beds!  A few weeks ago, I taught the big girls how to tie a quilt.  We were making one for humanitarian efforts (a crib sized quilt).  During our tying session, I told the girls how pioneer women would have "quilting bees".  It was a fantastic conversation and learning discussion.

They asked if we could have a "quilting bee" at our house with friends.  I tried to change the subject, but they were relentless.  So with the risk of becoming the neighborhood dork, I invited a few mother/daughters over for our very own quilting bee.

We had a wonderful time tying quilts, chatting and eating - just like the pioneer women!

Don't want to forget.....

I use to be a great journal writer and slowly over the years, my writing has diminished.  So when blogging became popular, I thought that would be a wonderful way to record our family history.  The weird and wacky things that only we would appreciate.

I want to remember a few things that I know I will appreciate in years to come (maybe not today or tomorrow, but someday).

Peachy:

~She loves to tell us that our light bulbs are "blown out".  It is a very "serious" situation until it gets changed.

~She has figured out (the three big kids didn't figure this out) that if you get cozy on Mom or Dad's lap, you get to stay up later.

(Peachy's neighborhood friend - listening to the Ipod)

~Her favorite new song is "Earl has to Die" by the Dixie Chicks - yep, it is funny when you listen to a 2 year old belt out "Cause Earl has to die....Nananananan"

~This cute little muffin has entered the "terrible twos", but since there is only ONE of her being terrible, we just laugh at her (ummmm...with her).  Her siblings definitely had her beat!

Carter:

~Just finished gymnastics and started T-ball.  He loves high-fiving his teammates and eating treats after the game.

~Went to the dentist awhile ago and came home with 3 cavities and a super swollen mouth.  We have been on a tooth brushing/flossing rampage in this house.  He was sad that he wasn't apart of the Tuffy Tooth Club (you can be apart of the club if you are cavity free).  We just had another check up - cavity free and in the club!

~Dad and Carter are heading up to the annual Father and Son's camp-out.  Carter hasn't missed a camp-out EVER.  He has been packing and repacking all week.  He's ready!  Details to come

Abby:

~Abby had a Super Saturday last weekend and wanted to redeem a coupon for Mimi's Cafe.  I had just bought a bunch of flowers and veggies at the nursery and was itching to get them in the ground.  I wasn't really excited to drive across town and waste two hours.  But my sweet Abby and pleased as punch that she and I were going on a date.  She talked my ear off and I slowly melted into her sweetness.  I felt bad for not wanting to be with my Abby-girl.  We had just a wonderful time and I'm so glad we spent the time together - she taught me a valuable lesson.

-She just finished up gymnastics.  She won't be winning any gold medals, but she had a fun time and learned a few new tricks on the beam, bars, and tramp.

~She recently attended a "Drill Camp" put on by the high school drill team.  They had practices for 2 nights and performed with the drill team.  Oh the things I have to look forward too!

~Abby's sense of humor continues to make me laugh!

~Every morning, I look forward to having Abby crawl in bed with me.  She is an EARLY riser and knows she has to be quiet until my alarm goes off!

Annie:

~This girls LOVES to do homework.  I can't keep up with getting her new "workbooks" and worksheets.  She loves to write and draw and was recently allowed to have crayons and color pencils in her room.

~She is getting really good at reading and always prolongs bedtime so she can read us one more book. How can I say no to a kid that wants to read?!

~Annie also just finished gymnastics and seemed to pick it up quickly.  I'm definitely not as daring on the bars as she is!

~Annie had a blast at Drill camp too!

~Annie has been my best garden helper this spring.  She is always on the snake lookout (we have lots of snakes in our yard) and puts the seeds in the holes.  She gives me advice on where to plant certain veggies and loves to help water.

~She is still alittle pack-rat and I am constantly tripping over her collections.

I love my life and I am grateful for my family!

School is almost out....

These past few months, I’ve come to the realization that school is hard. I should know this; I have an accounting degree and spent many, many hours studying and learning tax laws, balance sheets, income statements and other accounting mojo.

But kindergarten homework is kicking my trash. The amount of stuff they want these kids to learn is overwhelming. What happened to playing freeze tag and slug bug (we just learned those games and our car rides will never be the same)? Secret handshakes and chasing boys at recess?

I feel like we are always practicing sight words, sounding out new words, practicing addition and playing some sort of number bingo. Even the movies we watch have something educational in it. We are starting to loose some of our “sit on the floor, get cozy with mom and I read to them” time. Though it makes me sad, it is apart of growing up.

 (This is our first day of Kindergarten)

I try to make games out of all this excessive school work. I try to be sneaky so they don’t realize they are learning. It is becoming “who we are as a family” – learning in everything we do.

We do this times 3. Even if we spend time before school, it is divided between 3 kids (plus the time we spend in the evenings). There just never seems to be enough time.

Of my three big kids, one requires a significant more amount of time then others. Not that this kid isn’t smart or intelligent, it just takes a little longer. Which results in more school and less play. Kids need to play, run, make believe, get dirty, and be loud (especially when they are 5).

I feel like all my free time is spent looking on the library’s website for new “first reader” books. Making copies of worksheets, making up my own worksheets, researching on the internet to find games to learn all this “stuff”.

But we are getting it! The light bulb is going off and it is becoming easier. It makes me a little sad that we only have one more week of school because I feel like we are ready to race. I just got a few new worksheet workbooks for the summer. I just hope it all sticks!

Ready to be done....

After TOO MANY days of not exercising, I feel yucky!

18 weeks with 2 stress fractures in my left ankle.

 4 weeks in a boot.

Lots and lots of white, sticky athletic tape.

Going to see the doctor tomorrow to see if the 2 stress fractures are any closer to healing.

I'm going crazy......

Happy Mother's Day!

It has been such a wonderful Mother's Day at our house!  I was able to sleep in, have a fantastic breakfast cooked by my family, receive a set of new bookmarks that my kids made, and receive this awesome new necklace (it is hard to see, but it says "One More Mile". 

I love my necklace.  I told Tim, I don't feel quite worthy to wear it right now, since I am not running and will not be running for awhile (thanks to 2 stress fractures in my left ankle - plus the awesome boot I am wearing).  But I think the saying can relate to life right now - there is always one more mile to go.

My big kids sang their heart out at church (luckily no one sang loudly into the microphone).  It was a beautiful day!