Starry Night

This is a best balloon sculpture made for the Orem Library to kick off their summer reading program.  We couldn't come to the kickoff but I sure wanted to change see this. How fun would this be to make!?

No super powers here

My dad and my sister Janelle were swinging Evelyn back and forth and telling her they were going to throw her into the sky.  She loved being swung but said, "No!  I don't have super powers!"  At least she knows pretend from real!  Love that she would be safe anyways.

kindergarten photos

So I can find them again....  Here are the Kindergarten Graduation photos from my mom.  Thanks mom for being on top of it when I wasn't!

Ada and friend Essi

Ada and Miss Greaves

Ada and friend Riona

Ada and Miss Nielson

Funny kids

For my birthday yesterday, Daddy told the kids that if they wanted anything done for them they would have to ask him instead of me. Evelyn was asking me if she could be done with dinner. I said to ask Dad because he was in charge... Evelyn said, "No! I'm in charge!"
Thursday, Sam did his kindergarten placement test for school. He was supposed to id colors, count to 10, id letters, etc... Because of his interest in Ada's school work this year he was able to count to 100, read the color names as well as id the colors, and read simple words.  The teacher jokingly told him,"Sam! Stop being so smart!" He said,"But I just thought of it!"
On another note, my birthday was awesome... We've enjoyed having all our kids in swimming lessons, though they are a little impatient to wait their turns. Ada caught the bouquet at my cousin, Garrett's wedding on Saturday, and Sam has loved playing T-Ball where Ada has decided that it's not as fun as it looked.  Probably because you play it out in the hot sun. 

Offer

My parents have been trying to sell their home... right next to a splash pad, the canyon, and with an awesome downstairs without having much luck.  They were ready to just give up on it until they got an offer on their house yesterday.  Yay!  Praying that it goes through... and that they can work something out about moving.  They would be signing on their house right when my mom's family is having a reunion at Bear Lake... the one that we've all been planning on going to... so either they find something temporary for the weekend to store their stuff or hopefully they can move their stuff a little earlier to where they want it.  (By the way, my cousin Paige is getting married that weekend!  I had no idea.  Congrats Paige!)

Shoes

I was watching a comedy sketch with Ada about how hard it is to get out the door with kids.  I had just been thinking that he'd got it just about right when Ada piped in, "But we're not like that mom!  You tell us to get shoes on and get in the car and we do it."  Honestly, my kids are mostly okay with that... but I do have to tell Ada over and over again to get her shoes on... especially on a Sunday or on her way to school.  It was Sam's turn today.  We were headed out the door to Ada's Kindergarten graduation.  I told Sam and Evelyn to get shoes... Evelyn did, Sam did... and then Sam changed his shoes and complained about all of his shoes and how his foot hurt.  I told him that we had to go and that he needed shoes on... we got in the car, left, and lo and behold... we arrive with no shoes.  How did he interpret "get your shoes" into "That's okay, you really don't need to wear shoes into a school."  Several of the teachers passing in the hall commented to him that he should be wearing shoes... it's a good thing that I agreed with them in this instance or I might have been a bit bothered that they were commenting on it at all. 

Kindergarten graduation

Ada's a graduate... They had a Kindergarten Graduation program this morning.  The kids were all so cute... gotta say that I loved watching Ada the best.  She was enthusiastic to sing all the songs they'd prepared, show me her year scrapbook, take pictures with her teachers (I was a dork and forgot to put the SD card back in my camera... at least Jer and my mom had their phone and ipod to take pictures with.  I'll post ones from my mom's when I get them.)  Afterwards, we invited whoever wanted to come and jump on the trampoline with the sprinkler under it.  Ada absolutely loved having her friends over at our house.  We had a good 10 or so come.  It was fun to see them play.  Tomorrow, she gets to find out which friends are probably going to move on with her into the same first grade class.  I'll be interested to see what she says. 

On a similar note, this last week has been one of firsts.  Last Friday night, Ada learned to ride a bike without training wheels. (She could have done it long ago, but she didn't have any motivation to.  Friday she saw Sam's friend, Blake, doing it and she asked to try on his bike,)  And yesterday marked the first swimming class for all three kiddos... Evelyn and Sam kept begging for more.  Ada put her face right in the water without plugging her nose.  Sam and Ada also had their first T-Ball practice.  I was just going to put Sam in T-Ball with three of his buddies from our ward, but we got to the practice and they only had 6 of the 12 spots filled... Ada and the coach asked if she could join the team.  So we did.  They had fun. 

Come on kid

Sam: "Mom, I accidentally let the dog eat my breakfast.  Can I have another one?"

My sister's getting married!

So this happened this weekend.  I was so excited to be able to take Sharon and Brad's engagement photos.  Did you know that Sharon pretty much did my whole wedding?  Yep, that was her.

Mother's Day

I've had a good Mother's Day/week.  Since my birthday and Mother's Day are next to each other, I usually just request to merge them.  The kids were really good all day.  They didn't fight and they were happy to wear whatever I suggest that they wear for the Mother's Day program.  Sam and Ada stood up at the front in Sacrament meeting and sang so loud and clear that I could hear them over the rest of the kids.  I thought it was so cute that they would be so bold and smile down at me so happily.  When they finished, Evelyn gave Sam a thumbs up and said, "Good job!"  My Primary class was easy and happy.  We got home and ate Jeremy's French bread French toast.... yum... they soak up extra eggs and make them extra tender.  Jer got the kids to help set the table and get everything ready.  Then we ALL took a nap... but I took the longest one.  I think it was about 3 1/2 hours.  I woke up yawning still.  We then went to say Happy Mother's Day to my mom... (we'd visited Jer's mom on Friday while we did our weekend movie/activity night with them).  We played games, ate steak made by my brother, Seth... and got to see our friend, Emily Marble.  I just had a very pleasant day.

Tues, Jer took me out on a big date for a combined birthday/mother's day present.  We went to Tucanos for dinner (yum, but I definitely ate too much... I tried refusing every couple of meats that went around... I still ended up really full.)  And Jer took me to Solase for a massage.  Heaven!  I never thought that I'd like massages, but honestly when you are pregnant or just had a baby there is nothing better.  I haven't had any leg cramps since Tuesday and my arms that were falling asleep at night aren't doing that anymore... Oh, it's so nice!  The last one that I had was just after Evelyn was born... I can't believe that it's been about 3 years... my baby's not that old is she?!

This Mother's Day, I've been thinking a lot about the very many women who've influenced my life.  My wonderful Mom and her determination, love, and soooo much patience... my Grandma Ellis and her hugs, stories and songs.  My Grandma Wilcox and her desire for education.  My Mother in law Judy and her constant acceptance of me as a friend.  My sisters and their ability to listen and to fix things.  All my awesome sister in laws, whom I've come to love for their different personalities and strengths (I have 9 sister in laws... I really do love them all.)  And I have to list Muriel Thoele... she's been in my thoughts this week.  She is the BYU knitting lady... she used to sit on the sideline at every BYU basketball or football game and just knit and knit and knit.  She was also my Sunday School teacher for 3 or so years in a row.  She was the only teacher for our very rowdy class of mostly teenage boys.  She loved every single one of us, taught us in ways that we each could understand, didn't lose her temper when the class got too awful, and always always always encouraged class participation.  She walked strips of paper to each persons home every week with the reading assignment and any special instructions.  She'd visit with each of us when she'd run into us.  She gave us all jars full of questions to ponder during the year for Christmas, and she even hosted a couple of 'English dinners' for us in her home (She's from Wales).  When her Great-niece came to stay with her during the summer, she called me and asked me to come by... we hit it off and spent the summer hanging out and were pen pals for years... Janelle and I got to stay with her family when we visited Wales.  Muriel was never married, but she cared for each of her rowdy bunch as much as if we were her own.  I know a couple of kids that were rough that have turned out better even when their siblings have not... I'm sure that it's because of her diligent care.  Last I heard, she's not doing very well... she's in her 90's and I'm sure that she's sick of life... but I'm glad that she's been my friend.  She makes me better for knowing her.

Carebear/Power Ranger

Evelyn and Josh were wrestling each other around the living room.  Josh kept saying, "You're dead!" Evelyn would say, "No I not dead..."  Eventually she hit her chest and yelled, "Rainbow powers activate!"  I think she's a girlie Power Ranger or something.