{camp}

It was off to Scout Camp for Rick and Ryan last week, and besides my excitement for them (it was their first year!), my insides were full of trepidation. They would be gone for 6 nights, and that, to be honest, scared me a little. The days would be no big deal--I was used to that. It was that whole dinnertime/bedtime part of things that I knew would be difficult.

It turned out to be a really good week, and I'm still alive! We actually had our own "camp" (the girls were pretending we were doing scout camp, too), and filled it with a lot of really fun things. We went swimming, to the splash park, on an adventure with some friends to another town, made yummy treats, and made dinnertime very low key. Thanks to some wonderful friends, I was also able to enjoy the week with chatting time, treats, and even a night out.

Did we have our moments? Absolutely. Do I want to be on my own again anytime soon? Not so much. But I realized that I can do it--that I can figure it out, and make it work, even if it's hard. My girls stepped up to the plate, and were huge helpers--I think it was a really good opportunity for them to have more responsibility.

Splash Park:




Swimming:

Why did I buy EVERYTHING pink when I had the girls?



As for the boys, they couldn't have had a better week. Rick loved being with Ryan, helping with all the boys, and hanging out with his friends that were there, too. Ryan had been looking forward to it since last year, when one of his good friends was old enough to go, but he wasn't. It was everything he wanted it to be, and more. He bunked with one of his best friends, ate SO MUCH FOOD (Rick used an an entire vial of insulin while he was there!), and learned many new things. He and his two friends earned the most merit badges of their troop, and they worked hard the whole week.

Ryan, writing in his nature notebook for the Fish & Wildlife merit badge--Rick sent this to me from his phone.


Rick and Ryan, home from camp!


I also learned a few things...

1. Boys do not put a lot of emphasis on changing their underwear or socks, brushing their teeth, or changing their clothes while at Scout Camp.

2. I cannot send any piece of clothing that I want back in the same condition as it left. If only you could see the pair of socks Ryan was wearing when he got home.

3. Boys are boys. Through and through.

We missed them terribly. I'm so glad they had a great time, but I'm also so glad they're home!

{lost}

I started this post a couple of days ago, and uploaded more pictures than usual. I wasn't sure why, but I had just been sorting through them to see which ones I wanted to use. Today I was really, really, thankful I did.

This morning, my laptop died. Well, allegedly died. All of a sudden (and I mean that literally...I was right in the middle of using it) a black screen appeared, with the words "operating system not found" written across the top. Not so good. I went through every troubleshooting idea I could think of, but still nothing.

The whole time, the fact that line item #4 on my to-do list hasn't been crossed off---"back up hard drive, and copy pictures on to a CD"---was haunting me. I do have someone coming to look at it tomorrow, but in the meantime, I'm preparing myself for the very real chance that these pictures might be some of the only ones I have of my babies. I know. I want to cry.

----------------------

Ryan & Jack

Ryan & Henry

Kate & Jack

Kate...we found her like this a few nights ago on our way to bed. She didn't want to be in her bed, and decided to make another one on the landing.

This summer has been really fun to see the boys experience grass, the swing, and the park for the first time. Neither one of them love the feel of the grass, but Jack especially dislikes it. Usually I can put them on the blanket and they will stay on it, but this particular day they both got adventurous.

The foot in the air? Cracks me up.

Henry loves the swing! And I love his huge grin.

One of Henry's quiet moments. They are very few and far between. :)

This is our FAVORITE. He does it all the time, and we always race to the camera to see if we can capture it. Rick was finally able to this past week, and it makes me smile every time I look at it.

My girls.

So, I'm praying for a miracle. I will be SO sad to lose so many pictures and video from the last couple of months. Lesson learned...back up your files more often than every couple of months.

{last day}

I {heart} this picture. It's Ryan's kindergarten picture, and it is still my most favorite. I can still picture him at that age, and how utterly delightful he was. He was my only child, and it was just the two of us for a really long time. I cherish those days I was able to spend with him.

Yesterday was Ryan's last day of 5th grade, and of elementary school. I can't believe it. He's totally ready to move on...but I'm not ready to let go. How can this be? He's still my baby! Plus, aren't I still the same age? :)

Kindergarten:


5th grade:

I think I need a support group, lol.

{memorial day weekend}

This was a great weekend.
On Saturday we finally got brave and went looking for plants, bushes, and flowers to landscape our yard. We've lived in our house for two years now, and haven't landscaped a thing, so it was about time. I just had no idea where to start! A blank slate can be good...but it's also a little scary. A good friend drew out a couple landscaping plans for us, and that helped immensely. We are definitely in a new territory, but I'm really excited about what we got. It's just a start, but it will be nice to not be the only house on the block without a little greenery.

When we were working in the yard later that day, I was cleaning off the front door and porch. I was going to spray it all down, so I took the wreath off of the door. Guess what I found?


It couldn't stay on my wreath, so we took it off and put it up in a tree. I'm so sad for the mama bird. I don't know what we should have done, but I know she's not going to be able to find her eggs. If anyone knows, please let me know!

That night we went to a professional baseball game, and had a blast. It's right here in our town, so we don't have to go very far, and the best seats in the house are the lawn tickets. You can see everything, and the kids can move around. Add in some ice cream and cotton candy, and it's even better!

---------------------------
Sunday was just beautiful. Can I just tell you how much I love being able to grill, and eat outside on the picnic table? I just sat there, looking around, and realized it was a perfect moment. Of course the watermelon and corn on the cob helped. :) We built a fire in the firepit and had S'mores later that evening, and even Jack and Henry tried their first marshmallows. (Jack liked them, Henry didn't.) It was already feeling like summer, and I knew we would have a hard time going back to school on Tuesday.

----------------------------
Monday we had great plans. There is a huge Memorial Day parade here, and we look forward to it every year. A big BBQ with all of our friends was scheduled for that afternoon, and all of us were anticipating a really great celebration. We woke up to a really big thunderstorm, and when we checked the weather, it was supposed to rain off and on all day long. The parade was definitely off, but the BBQ was up in the air. It was 9:30am, our whole family was dressed, and the car was packed. That doesn't happen very often at our house, and so we decided to take advantage of it. We hopped in the car, and started driving! There was rain forecasted for the whole state, so we knew we had to go somewhere indoors. We headed for a large city just a couple of hours away. We shopped, ate at our favorite restaurant, and stopped to see the temple. It was just so fun. The kids did really well, until we were about 20 minutes from home, when they all started having meltdowns. We made it though, and tucked them right into bed when we got home. It was perfect. We had a few bumps along the way (to be expected), but it was a really great family day.

(at the mall, after a very long day!)

I'll just leave you with this...

Quote of the weekend: (Emma) "You've got too many kids, Dad".

{brand new}

Dear Old Washer & Dryer,

Thank you for all your MANY years of faithful service. You got me through a lot of rough nights, and always kept us in nice, clean clothes. You worked hard every day, and I will never forget you. I hope you can now rest in peace--you earned it!

Sincerely,

Me

----------------------------------------------

Dear New Washer & Dryer,

Welcome to our home, I am so excited to have you! You have some big shoes to fill, but I know you're up to the task. I looked long and hard before deciding to bring you home with us, and now that you're here, I couldn't be happier. Good luck--you will be very busy, but very appreciated.

Sincerely,

Me

{lucky}

I woke up this morning to the sum streaming through our windows. It seemed later than usual, but I hadn't heard a peep from anyone. I looked at the clock and it said 8:45am. 8:45am???

I haven't slept that late since...well...I can't even remember when. I turned up the baby monitor on my nightstand, and still nothing. I turned to Rick, and he was as baffled as I was. I was just getting ready to get up and make sure everyone was okay when Ryan walked in.

He had this grin on his face--you know-- the kind when they have done something they are proud of. He came over to the bedside, and in one breath said, "I got the babies up, changed their diapers, got them dressed, fed them breakfast, made pancakes for the girls, and cleaned up. Now everyone is downstairs watching a movie."

He was so proud he was about to burst, and so was I. He did a fantastic job--everything was under control. That's a lot of work for anyone, much less an 11 year old boy. He is going to be a great dad someday, and I'm one lucky mama.

Later, Emma was telling me all about what Ryan had done, and she told me how lucky she was. Then she said, "But you weren't so lucky, Mom".

Little does she know.

{a little bit of everything}

There has been lots going on around our house this past week, but they are all little bits of stuff that make up our life. Here's what's been going on...

1. I had a garage sale this past weekend, with my good friend. It's our second year, and we have decided it will definitely be a tradition. Seriously, I haven't found a downside yet. It keeps my house uncluttered, I make more money than donating it and claiming it on my taxes, and I get to sit and talk for two days straight. See?? I love it!

2. It's garden time! Rick is the gardener in our family (thank goodness--it is not my forte)), and our kids really enjoy spending time outside with him gardening. We planted peppers(red, yellow, orange, purple), onions, multiple varieties of tomatoes, peas, snap peas, three different kinds of potatoes, strawberries, zucchini, parsley, and cilantro. We also have raspberry bushes lining our backyard, hooray! Summer brings a lot of good things, but one of of my favorites is grilling all these yummy vegetables.

(I know. They are not matching. I was gone. :))

3. I think I need to teach Emma to read. She has been obsessed with books, reading, and letters since she was tiny, and now she is into "reading" Ryan's chapter books. She begs to borrow his Magic Tree House books from a few years ago, and she will lay on the couch turning page by page. So, if any of you have any great methods, please let me know!



5. My babies are 9 months! Please, someone stop the months from going by so fast!

Henry: 7 teeth, crawling, pulling up in his crib, hates baby food, loves table food, SUPER active--is everywhere, happy baby! He is also huge! At his 9 month well check, he was at the 97th-100th percentile across the board--height, weight, and head. He is also 5 pounds heavier and 4 inches taller than Jack Jack.

Jack: 2 teeth, crawling, likes baby food, gags on table food, happy to be in one place, and has such a sweet demeanor. At his well check, he was between the 25th-35th percentile. He is my smallest baby yet, and Henry is my biggest. It's so funny that they were born at the same time!

Playing with their cars...

This scene is a common one at our house. With Henry being so much bigger than Jack, he has no problem just crawling right over the top of him. Little turkey.

Is there anything sweeter? I don't think so. Those little feet I just want to squish!

Henry is pulling up in his crib! We had to lower his crib mattress, but have left Jack's where it is.

Jack Sprat

Henry B.

{and there were three in the bed}

We have a little visitor every morning around 3:00am. She is 43 inches tall, and has short strawberry blond hair. She climbs into bed, steps over me, and snuggles her little self right in between us. Her name is Kate.

This has been happening for about a year now, and I'm sure there are more than a few child psychologists that would shudder at the thought of us letting it continue. However, I just can't let myself bring it to an end quite yet, and here's why.

1. I am a SUPER heavy sleeper. As in I slept through an earthquake. As in I don't always hear my alarm ring (my dad woke me up all through high school, and now Rick does). As in most of the time I have NO idea that she is even in my bed until I'm waking up for the day. I think she knows that.

2. Admittedly, it's partly pure laziness on my part. If I do hear or feel her come into bed, I have absolutely zero desire to get out of my comfy bed to take her back to her room. We have a big bed--there's room for all of us.

3. I love snuggling my kids. I know they won't want to forever, so there is a big part of me that wants to let her come in until she gradually grows out of it.

Potential downside to this plan? It could be 2017 before that happens.

But for now, we'll keep the nightlight on.

{party of 7}

Last night was a milestone of sorts, but a totally unplanned one. That's not usually my style, but after a burned dinner, a smelly house, and hungry kids, I veered from my normal "planner" self, and we met Rick for dinner. That's right. All seven of us--for the first time.

We enjoy doing things as a family, and so we are all out together fairly often. Eating at a sit down restaurant is a whole different ballgame though, and I knew that it would be interesting to say the least.

Some lessons learned:

-We are a party of seven, not five (which is what I told the hostess).

-Our family is a fire hazard. It was a challenge finding a spot where we would all fit--including our two high chairs.

-If you go out to eat before 6pm on a weekday at this particular restaurant, odds are you will be one of the only patrons with children. Not only that, it was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. Or, every.single.noise my children made. They weren't being naughty--just normal kids, but I was hyper-sensitive since it was so quiet.

-My babies can't eat french fries quite yet. It results in a lot of choking and other things I won't mention here.

-Ryan eats a lot. I did know that already, but when you're paying for the food at a restaurant, you REALLY notice. Good thing the kids' menu was 99 cents that night, and that he's under 12. We just ordered two of them. :) The waitress was thrilled.

-Most of all, I saw that it could be done. It was messy, and imperfect, but the kids loved it (and did really well), and we had a great night as a family. I have a tendency to not want to do things unless they can be perfect, but I'm gradually learning that when I let go of how I think things "should be", I'm able to enjoy my children in a way I wouldn't otherwise.

{4}

Four years ago, my darling and miraculous baby girls were born. Now they are beautiful little girls--full of life, energy, and happiness.

KATE:

daring
dynamic
charming
sassy (in a good way :) )
sweet
a peacemaker
strong and steady

EMMA:

our little "librarian"
expressive
shy
a perfectionist
nurturing
emotional and sensitive
happy

It has been such an incredible experience to watch them grow up, and to see their personalities blossom. Watching them together is always interesting. They are not dependent on each other, and are okay to be doing their own thing, but they like to know that the other one is there. They are protective, and watch out for each other--but they definitely have their moments of disagreement. In the end, they love being together. There is a reason that I put them to bed in different rooms, then move the sleeping girl back into her bed. If not, they will stay up and giggle all night long!

We love you, sweet girls! Happy Birthday!

{dancing queens}

I still remember one of my first dance recitals. Just picture a bunch of 5/6 year olds, wearing shiny blue leotards with lots of gold fringe, dancing to "Uptown Girl". Yes, I know. It was the 80's, and we were right in style.

My dancing career didn't last too long--I traded in those dance shoes for a soccer ball and cleats, but I always knew that if I had girls, I would want to give them the opportunity to dance.
Well, here we are! The girls were old enough in the fall to start in Miss Linda's pre-ballet class, and they have loved every minute of it (and secretly, so have I).

It's definitely a new world, though. After the dress rehearsal on Thursday afternoon, I was exhausted. Full makeup and dress, costume changes, TONS of pictures and posing, and all of my kids to boot, I was in a full sweat within 10 minutes.

How lucky was I, when I ran into the husband of a very good friend. He was there with his kids, since his wife was home with their new baby. He made me the best proposal ever...if I would take his little girl and do all the dance stuff with her, he would take my three boys with him over to the library (it's attached to the auditorium) until we were finished. It was a DEAL!

This recital was just for ages 5 and under, and as you can imagine, it was darling. Emma is not quite as outgoing with crowds as her sister is, so she was a little more intimidated by the full house. The first dance actually went well, but the second dance proved to be too much. Poor little thing. She just stood there for the whole thing, with her head down, but she didn't cry. If you look closely in the video, you can see her behind another dancer, until they all start moving. After it was over, she couldn't wait for the next one, so it must not have been too traumatic!

When they are three, you just want them to have a good time and enjoy themselves. No pressure--just learning how to get in front of other people, learn something new, and make friends. I think that was definitely accomplished.

{brothers}

I LOVE this. As a mother, this just makes my heart melt.

{my little helper}

Miss Kate is my helper girl. She likes to help with everything I do...baking, cooking, cleaning, and helping with the boys. She's the best "finder", and runs faster than anyone else in the house when a baby needs a toy or a pacifier. I just love having her by my side.

This afternoon I was feeding Jack, and had set down his food and spoon for just a minute. When I turned around, Kate had taken over what I started.

I have to say, for being 3 years old, and for it being her first time, she did a great job! Next time though, I think she might need to grab a bib. :)

{egg hunt}

Our annual Easter Egg Hunt is something we look forward to every year. We were still blessed with beautiful weather, and with yummy food and friends, it was a perfect morning.

We divide the eggs up into age categories, and Rick is always in charge of hiding the older kids' eggs (8+). A couple of years ago they let us know that the eggs were just too easy to find, so he took that as a challenge. We are still finding eggs in our woods. :) Good thing I always add in extra eggs, just in case!

This year, he had the help of a very good friend of ours, and they were having a grand time trying their best to hide them as difficult as possible. They climbed trees, used tape, dug holes, and incorporated several other methods I'm sure I don't want to know about. It was so funny to watch them--I think they were having more fun hiding them, than the kids would have finding them!


Ryan was proud of his egg hunting injury (he and a friend helped each other scale a tree).



I love Emma's basket--you'll notice only pink and purple eggs are allowed inside. Miss Kate didn't care--she was only after the chocolate!

What a lovely Easter weekend!

{spring break}

I'm not sure how we got the sun gods to look down on us this week, but it was absolutely perfect. For it being the last week of March/first week of April, it was unseasonably and delightfully warm. We broke out the flip flops (okay, the kids did...mine have been out for months!), pulled the new shorts out of the drawer, and took out the sunscreen (even though I totally forgot to use it, and poor Henry has lobster legs).

Last Sunday I had the kids wear their Easter clothes to church, since this Sunday we would be home enjoying General Conference. It was my boys' first white shirt and tie, and I was thrilled when I found one for Ryan to match. I actually had then all ready by 8:15am (a miracle in and of itself) so I could take pictures, but I didn't have the most willing participants. Oh well, at least I have it documented!





The rest of the week brought bowling, lunch out, good friends, BBQs, the park, a trip to the zoo, and enjoying the sun. Rick was even able to take a few days off, providing us with much-needed and enjoyed family time.


(Notice Emma with the flamingos...she insisted on posing for this picture, because they were her favorite color--pink. She really wanted to see pigs, which are her favorite animal AND color, but these made her happy.)


Rick was trying to prepare me today, for the very, very likely scenario that these sunny days are not permanent, but I'm choosing not to think about that right now. For now, I'm just soaking up the rays, leaving my windows open, taking advantage of all the park time we can get, and enjoying no coats or socks!