Graduation Day

Today was a big day for us, Lily's graduation day from preschool! The year has flown by and I can hardly believe it's over! My little almost kindergartener was (in my humble and COMPLETELY unbiased opinion) the star of the show. The kids did a program of silly nursery rhymes and Lily got to be Little Miss Muffet. She got to wear a hoop skirt and could not have been more thrilled. Yes, I did cry a little, I'll admit it. Our graduate got some flowers and a new watch to commemorate her big day. I know that there's a lot of pictures, but hey, I am a proud mom and this is my blog! ;)

Little Miss Muffet

Miss Muffet and the Spider

Running away from the Spider

Lily and her classmates

The whole family!

Proud of her pink roses

The first day of school . . . and graduation day!

April Showers...

...bring May flowers! Yesterday, we helped to bring some flowers to the temple as a ward activity. It was quite a sight, all those kids on their hands and knees in the dirt, thrilled to be getting dirty. I think Sophie might have been the dirtiest of all, as she enjoys eating the dirt. The kids were quite proud of their handiwork, and it felt good to help them perform a service and see the results. I am sure we'll be back to the temple as a family soon to check on "our" flowers!Dirt...yummy!! She's even got in in her teeth!

Priceless

Four tickets in the Rockpile: $10

Two Rockies Rookies memberships: $24
Hot dogs outside the park: $11.50

Being on the jumbotron: PRICELESS

Tyler's dad was in town, so we decided to go to the Rockies game together. We were sitting WAY up in the rockpile, when we looked up and there we were, on the jumbotron, for all of Coors Field to say. (In all honesty, this is something I could've done without. However, this kids could not have been more thrilled.) In all the baseball games we've been to we've never had the privilege of appearing on the big screen, and last night it happened twice! I even had a couple of people make a comment to me tonight at the ward activity that they were there last night and saw us. Too funny! The best part, however, was being at the game together in the beautiful weather, and having the Rockies WIN! The kids had a great time playing with Papa and keeping him busy. We're glad we got to see you this week Papa!!

Carnival!

Last Friday was a day the kids look forward to all year, the school carnival! Always tons of fun! I mean, who doesn't love bouncy castles and inflatable slides, cheesy games, uncheesy nachos, cotton candy, crowds, and going home with a stomachache! We were lucky to have Nana and Papa and lots of Aunts, Uncles, and cousins come with us this year. Sophie and Lily loved riding the train with their cousins, and Hunter loved anything involving competition. Wow, how may years until our kids are out of elementary school? I think we have quite a few carnivals left!

"Self"

It's Sophie's mantra, one word that says so much: self. As in "I can do it all by myself", (even if she really can't), "I don't want any help from you", (even if it takes me the next twenty minutes to put on this one plastic shoe), and "I don't even want it to LOOK like I am getting help", (even if it means I end up with most of this bowl of oatmeal in my hair). You know, when your kids are tiny you think about how much easier things will be when they can do some things for themselves and aren't so wholly dependant on you for every little thing. You think about when they can dress themselves, brush their own teeth, and (hallelujah!) go potty on the potty. We're getting there with Soph, and now find myself on the flipside of that, with an almost two year old who wants to do it all, can't actually do much of it very well, and I find myself very reluctant to give her control sometimes. Sometimes I'm just plain impatient and it's easier to do things myself than wait for her to do it. But mostly I think it's just that I don't want to admit that my baby isn't such a baby anymore. So, I guess you could say that we are experiencing some growing pains, Sophie and I. She's growing, and sometimes it causes me some pain, especially in the heart.

Eating oatmeal "self" style!

Recommended Reading

I found this article on ESPN.com. It's an interesting read about Larry Miller, the owner of the Utah Jazz, and how his membership in the church affects his outlook on basketball. I don't know a lot about Larry Miller, but this was a cool story. Check it out here.

Happy Mother's Day!

Another Mother's Day has come and gone, and I have had a lot of time to think about how blessed I am. I had a wonderful Mother's Day in very many ways. It actually started on Friday night when I came home from being out with a friend to find that my bathroom was SPARKLING clean. My husband is so sweet! He knows I hate cleaning bathrooms. Then Saturday I got some time to relax and lay low. My sweet hubby got up early this morning to fix breakfast for me to eat in bed. He even made homemade, from scratch, YUMMY pecan caramel sticky buns. So impressive!! I got presents "from the kids", which I know daddy helped pick out, and were very thoughtful. I got a can opener from Sophie, (which I desperately needed), Bath and Body Works goodies from Lily, exercise clothes from Hunter (now that my awesome and determined sister-in-law has me hitting the track twice a week), and cute shoes from all. I also got flowers and chocolates, they know me so well. But honestly, the best part was knowing that they valued me enough to go to all that effort. And I loved the handmade cards and presents that my older two brought home from school. Everyone really went out of their way today to make my day wonderful, and it was so nice. When I told my husband yesterday that I felt guilty for just "sitting", he told me that I am the heart of our family 364 days a year, and that he could at least keep it pulled together for one day.

I was also glad to have an opportunity today to spend time with my mom and talk to my mother-in-law. They are the BEST. I am so blessed ot have both of them in my life, and I couldn't ask for two better examples to look to as I raise my own wonderful kiddos. We had our traditional Sunday dinner at my folks house, complete with all my sisters, their husbands, Ty's brother and sister-in-law, and our combined fourteen kiddos. Yes, it was total CHAOS! But it was the best kind of chaos I know of. Mom (and Dad), hats off to you for creating this wonderful brood. I love you!! And to all of you moms out there, I hope your day was as great as mine. You deserve it!!

Kindie Welcome Hour

Much to Lily's delight, kindergarten is quickly approaching. This past Thursday was "Kindie Welcome Hour" at the elementary school. I took Lily, and while I "met" the principal, the nurse, the kindergarten teachers, etc. she got to go into one of the kindergarten classes, do a craft, dance, listen to a story, and go to RECESS!! She had a fabulous time. While most of the kids looked at their parents with blank faces when it was time to separate from their folks, Lily was down the hall and gone before I could say goodbye. She was the last one off the playground, and I had to drag her. At least I won't have to worry in the fall that she'll be nervous about kindergarten!! (As a side note, Lily even went to Kindie Welcome Hour in true Lily fashion. In her excitement, she bit it in the parking lot and we were in the school nurse's office before welcome hour even started. Her main concern was that she was going to get blood on her pretty purple dress. Once she was cleaned up and bandaged, off she went!)

Mommy's Makeup

You can't turn your back for ten seconds when Soph is around. I was trying to get Lil's hair done for Kindie Welcome Hour, (more on that tomorrow), when Sophie decided to help herself to my mascara. I washed her hands and thought I had her all cleaned up until I went to do her hair...and found this. "Hey Mom! Is this where I put mascara?"
No, those aren't dark highlights in her bangs. See that black streak? At least she didn't poke her eye out I guess!! Besides, her dad says she's too young to wear makeup.

Pretty Pretty Princess...

Lily was getting ready for school the other day, and I asked her to go upstairs to get her hair done. She loves school, so up the stairs she went.

We got upstairs, and Lily was wearing a crown and had changed her mind about getting her hair done.

Lily: "Mom, I don't need you to do my hair. I already did it. I'm wearing the crown to school."

Really?!?! The thing I really love about this is that she honestly saw absolutely no reason why she shouldn't wear the crown to school. Like she needs a crown to add to the already exhisiting "spiritedness" that she brings to school with her every day. I'm sure her teacher would've loved it.

Imaginary Lily

I know a lot kids have an imaginary friend at some point in their lives. When Hunter was younger, he had an imaginary friend named "Geeky", who was a mouse. He would go everwhere with us. Lily, in true fashion, has to put a twist on having an imaginary friend. Lately, instead of having an imaginary friend, she is the imaginary friend. She likes to pretend to be someone else - a child I have never met. She says that she has gotten lost from her family, and asks if she can stay with us because we look "nice". She pretends not to know any of us, and politely inquires about my family. A couple days ago, she took it one step further and was pretending to be the little lost girl playing with my daughter Lily, who was imaginary. I can harldy keep up with her! She is the only kid I've ever met who didn't have an imaginary friend, but was the imaginary friend. Oh, and this is just a bonus pic of Lily on her way out the door, looking like a "rock star"!