Monday, May 20, 2013

Spending the day in St. George

We had a free Saturday so the kids and I decided to head up to St. George for the day.  We love just hanging out up there with cousins especially when the dads are working.  When we arrived, we grabbed lunch at our favorite place, Chick-fil-A, and then hit Sweet Tooth Fairy for dessert.
Cute cousins (with a photobomb by their aunt)

Then we worked off all that yummy food by swimming all afternoon--wrestling, races, chicken fights, relays, and just splashing around! 
Jordan took a nice little nap
Carlee and Madi

 
CHICKEN FIGHTS!
 
 
 
 
Someone does NOT like the water!

After showers, dinner, and getting in PJs, the kids watched a 3D movie, Despicable Me, and then went to bed.  What a fun day!

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Mother's Day, Tea Party and Primary's Got Talent


Happy Mother's Day!  I am so grateful to be a mother.  I have been blessed with four beautiful, healthy children and I love my job.  As challenging as it is sometimes to be a full-time mom with constant interrupting, cleaning, cooking, making, fixing, finding, driving, shopping, organizing, preparing, thinking, praying, talking, listening, helping, showing, teaching, learning, reading, writing, and loving, there is nowhere else I would rather be and nothing else that I would rather do.


Yes, there are hard days.  Yes, there are stressful days.  Yes, I break down into tears feeling completely overwhelmed.  Yes, I sometimes feel like I am not doing a good enough job.  Yes, I worry constantly about their future, health, learning, and growing.  Yes, I feel like a failure sometimes because I forgot to do this or didn't teach that.  But the sweet times that I get a tight squeeze, a peck on the cheek, a snuggle on the couch, kisses blown from the sidewalk, a brilliant answer to a question, a faithful spoken testimony, a kindness showed to a sibling or friend, a tiny hand in mine, a turned head with a smile and a wave, an arm around my waist or leg, or a whispered "I love you" makes all of the worry and frustration go away.  Those wonderful moments make all the hard ones disappear.  I am doing something right.  I am doing a good job.  And I am here for them always.  And they know it.

As tradition goes, they surprised me with breakfast in bed.  My favorite thing is to lie in bed pretending to sleep while listening to them plan and work together on my breakfast--waffles, bacon, eggs, juice, and a little surprise in that jewelry box-a beautiful tennis bracelet.

I also had to take some pictures of my beautiful spring flowers in my backyard.


The girls in Activity Days hosted a tea party for Mother's Day.  There was a fun photo booth where we dressed up with our girls after a delightful dinner of sandwiches, salads, mini desserts, and lemonade on fine china.  It is always fun to do activities with my girl!
 Practicing our "duck faces" before the photo booth.  Apparently I am an angry duck.
 Katelyn, Summer, Mia, Sara, and Audrey warming up the photo booth!
 This tree is gorgeous!

Katelyn also participated in the annual Primary's Got Talent activity.  She sang a solo and played her guitar to Taylor Swift's "Fearless" and then performed a dance routine with her friends to Taylor Swift's "22".
 She did such a good job and I'm so proud of her courage to share her talent.

 Katelyn, Lauren Linford, Paige Johnson, and Sara Dustin

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Kindergarten Baby

My baby is in Kindergarten and it is the best time of year with performances, graduation, award ceremonies, and feeling ready to move on to First Grade! 

Mrs. Cifelli had some chick eggs in her class and the children helped take care of them while they were in the incubator and after they hatched.  After volunteering one morning, Mrs. Cifelli let them out so I could play too.  It was such a fun experience!
 The kids were giggling as the chicks were swimming and splashing around. 
 They were so fuzzy and cute!

We celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week by bringing in a flower (on top of a Nothing Bundt Cake), making a card (grading our teachers like a report card), and giving each a basket of much-needed supplies.  We sure appreciate all of our teachers--Mrs. Brock (3rd), Mr. Harenberg (3rd), Mrs. Slater (GATE), Mrs. Montgomery (5th), and Mrs. Cifelli (Kindergarten).  They give so much time, love, and patience to those sweet children and I'm so grateful for their hard work!

For Mother's Day, Carlee's Kindergarten class performed a Hukilau hula dance for the parents.  It was so cute and my girl sure knows how to hula!
 Evan and Carlee getting ready to go!
 Front and center with a big grin

After the Hukilau, the kids planted a flower for the moms to take home.  So thoughtful and sweet!
 We absolutely adore Mrs. Cifelli
 Carlee and her friend, Julia Crop
What a day!  This kid was wiped out.  She didn't even make it to her bed!