End of year Wrap-Up

Well we are into our first week of summer.  So far so good we have been so busy that I have not really had time to post.  So this is the catch all.

Thursday May 16

Max's first grade class hosted a desert museum.  Each child showed off the desert animal they studied and made a replica of the animal.  Max was assigned the desert tortoise.  

I found this paper posted in the hall way.  Yes I am that proud mom.

Tuesday, May 21

End of the year for Preschool Celebration.  They sang their favorite songs and performed the The Gingerbread Man.  I need to ask some parents for a picture.

Wednesday May 22

Mandy's Birthday lunch.  I love this girl and I love her kids.  Luke and Michael are buddies.

 look at them signing thumbs up,

 and getting wet, and having fun.

Thursday, May 23

Last day of school. Another year just flew by.  They both have done very well this year and have made huge improvements. We have had our countdown to summer on our door for about 2 weeks. It was very exciting to see the number zero on the door.

I took Kevin to work so he could bring home the company car that he will be driving.  HOORAY! It is not super pretty to look at but we aren't paying for it so it is beautiful!!!

High school Graduation night for Kyle. Way to go Kyle it only gets better form here.

Friday, May 24

Grandpa and Grandma Candy are in town.  The cousins play and swim.  I figure out how to burn a DVD. We eat 5 Guys for dinner. 

Saturday, May 25

Kevin and Amber take Kyle to see Fast and the Furious.  They said I missed out. I'm not sure if I believe that one.

Celebration dinner for Kyle at Red Robin

Kevin buys me a car. I have now become my mother.

Sunday, May 26

I teach Sunday school 

John and Shannyn came over for the weekend. Lots of play time. It was so nice they really get along well. I can't wait until our beach house trip in 35 days.  This how I caught them Monday morning watching t.v. Silly boys.  

There it is all warped-up. 

Run for Fun

Last Saturday Mandy invited us to participate in her stake fun run.  Well it was rescheduled from January due to a rain out. Originally Mandy and I were just going to run but I asked the kids if they wanted to run Max and Lilly said yes.  When Saturday morning came Luke and Kevin were already up so we all went.  I was a little confused about start times.  The competitive run was at 7 and the family fun run was at 7:30.  Well we saw the competitive runners start the race and then they were waving us through to start behind them. So we did.  After a few feet Kevin picked up Luke and put him on his shoulders.   He ran the whole 5k like that with Luke on his shoulders.

Lilly and Max did great and ran walked 2 1/2 miles because that was the distance of the fun run.  When we finished We saw the McHenry's and they were about to start the Fun Run so Lilly wanted to run with Maggie and she ran another loop so here total mileage was a 5k.  Here are the girls coming in at the finish line.

Kevin let Luke down for the end of the race so he could cross the finish line.  Kevin said Luke was telling him to go faster and to pass the people when he was on his shoulders.  Then when they would pass someone he would wave.  Funny kid.

It was so fun to have all of us there running.  The kids are already talking about their next race.

Come Sunday morning Lilly's legs were really sore.  She could hardly walk.  Now she knows that it might help to run a few times before another race.

Jumping from a Plane

About a month ago our ward boy scout troop held an action to raise money for their high adventure trip. I got my fudge and Kevin bought sky diving. I was pretty surprised. People talk about going skydiving but how many of those people actually go out and do it?  Kevin did and this his adventure.

First off we were late by about 30 minutes. We underestimated the time it takes to get out to Maricopa.  When we get there the place is literally a desert waste land with a trailer and a few planes.  While we are waiting for the plane to come back with his jump instructor they make us watch a video saying that he is signing his life away, and if he dies that's too bad they warned him.  Now it's time to suit up!

Kevin's only real instruction was to position his body like a banana and to lead with his belly when they jump. Kevin asked several times so let me get this straight you are doing all the work I just have to remember banana right?  Right!  See he is such a good student.  Here he is practicing the banana.

Then they walk off into the sunset to board the little rickety plane.  At that point Kevin was more nervous about that little plane.  The plane was tiny. Neither of us anticipated how long it would take to get up to 11,000 feet.  The plane ride was about 15 minutes.  Meanwhile I'm on the ground praying that everything goes how it should.

When they hit 11,000 feet Kevin says it happened quick. There was some yelling "1 minute to Jump" He got strapped super tight to his instructor. The door opened the a the cold air hit his lungs. There was a thumbs up, one leg went dangling out of the plane and then the other he looked down and then they jumped. See the bigger white dot, that is the plane, the smaller dot is Kevin free falling.

They fell for about a minute and then the parachute opened. Kevin said he was relieved and after that it was quiet and peaceful and amazing soaring in the sky.

It was a safe landing I was very pleased to have his 2 feet back on the ground.

That is one thing that he will be able to cross off his bucket list.

May 12

It was a wonderful mother's day. Kevin and the kids treated me like a queen. I'm so blessed to be their mother.

It happens to be the 12th today so I got to document what a great day it truly was.

1.  Max woke up bright and early at 6:30 and came and snuggled with me, then Luke and last Lilly.
2.  Lilly lingered for a few extra minutes while the boys went down stairs to cook breakfast.
3.  The breakfast table. Luke playing with a knife. How he always gets a table knife is beyond me. I swear we don't set one for him.
4.  Church was great it was my turn to teach and happy day the ward gave us cookies for mother's. They were very well received.
5.  Lunch at the table. Max and Lilly memorizing the Articles of Faith.
6.  Me begging for a mother's day picture with my 3 kids.
7.  My lovely mother's day gifts.
8.  Max is on my cot that Kevin got me. A co!t I'm super excited to use it on our next camping trip!
9.  Weekly meal planing.
10. Sunday afternoon ritual wrestling.
11. Luke fell asleep in the car on the way over to the cousins for our Mother's day dinner.
12. Last thing of the night, pick up a few toys before bed.

Happy Mother's Day

Love you MOM!

The Robot

At the end of the year there are projects coming out of the ears. Our latest one was a Robot.  I let Max plan the whole thing.  He knew that he wanted it wrapped in foil and it had to be made out of boxes.  No problem we can do that. We saved the finishing touches for dad to help out with.

Name now escapes me but he was fun to have around for awhile. 

check it

Hello May I'm here to report about April.  Not too shabby a few things to check off and 7 more months to do the rest.  

• no house goals

• I did get to the temple

• I ran in Pat's run and I did have a better time so yeah for me!

• I'm counting our mother daughter date

• I read "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" Oh how I loved it. And I read a few other children's books as well. Trying to keep up with Lilly.

Step by step I'm getting there. I always dream that summer will be a great time for projects, but I spend most the summer with the kids.  May will be busy with the end of school and we are already a good few days into it.

Father Son/Mother Daughter

A couple weekends ago was the father and son campout.  Lilly loves, loves, this weekend because it is just us girls.  The boys got all packed up and left. Max was a little worried that Luke was coming since he puked in the middle of the night last year.  He didn't want to have that experience again.  When they got home they were all smiles. Kevin told me that there was an amazing indoor gym that they played in the whole time. He said " best father's and sons so far"

Lilly and I went out to dinner with friends and then went to As You Wish to paint some pottery.  I like making the pots a lot more then painting them just of the record. Lilly painted a vase for her room and I picked out the salt and pepper shakers.  Oh we had fun and we had ice cream after too. When we got home we had a sleepover in my bed. I think my favorite part of the night was when we were both lying in bed reading or separate books.

The next morning we adventured out to Natural bridge.  So is was a wonderful weekend for all of us.

Happy Birthday Max!

Monday our Max turned 7. SEVEN I can't even believe it.  This is how we celebrate 7.  One present in the morning, the awaited beyblade and a donut tower seven donuts high.

I went to the school 4 times for his day. First to take Max and Lilly in the morning. Trip 2 was to have lunch with him, his request was to have McDonald's. I hoped that I could just bring a birthday treat to the class at the end of the day but their schedule didn't work out that way. Trip 3 bring popsicles to the class. Trip 4 pick up kids, school is now over. I didn't mind that much is was fun to see him multiple times and Luke now wants to go to kindergarten.

When he got home he oped a few other things, a bike motor, and sparks for his scooter.  We spent some time putting things together and trying them out. 

After dinner Max wanted to go ice blocking. So we did and we had fun. 

There were some good runs and some tumbles as well.

Lilly was giving thumbs up after making all the way down the hill.

Luke loved it!

When it got dark we headed home for cake. It was a busy day for family but the cousins came over and so did grandma just in time for the strawberry cake.

Happy Birthday Max! You are a wonderful kid.  I'm so glad that I get to be your mom.