Monday, June 13, 2011

House update

 Our house is moving along so quickly.  Currently our builder says we are still closing June 30th.  Mark has his doubts.  Here are some shots of what is going on (these are old according to the date of this blog, but current for the timeline of my post.)

Our shower...


Our paint color...

Sunday, June 12, 2011

In other news...

Things have been a little crazy around here for the past month...since school has ended life has been a blur and I spend too much time with my kids.

My birthday was the Friday before school got out.  The kids had the best day ever.  First, I took them strawberry picking.  It wasn't near as much fun as I remembered as a child.  After about 5 mins they all stopped helping me pick (which is probably what I did as a child, and explains why I had such fond memories of berry picking) which left me to pick the rest of the box by myself.  At least they played together well and brought me flowers--it was my birthday after all.
At some point some lady asked me if I knew where "their mom" was, pointing to Marcus and Addy.  I politely explained to her that they were mine, hence the reason I kept talking to them.




For the kids, the best part of the whole experience was the group of animals the kids were able to pet and feed grass to.  They had a pig, a goat, a lamb, a miniature pony and some ducks.
After strawberry picking, I took the kids to the Butterfly Museum for the afternoon.
 

Then we headed to the pond to feed our leftover lunch to the ducks.


Someday my birthday will be about me again. At least that night I had a hot date, and Mark and I escaped the kids for a few hours.

The last day of school was a party for the kids, which I had/got to attend.  Everyone was pretty sad to say goodbye to their teachers.  



At lunch the Little Caesar's mascot showed up (with the pizza).  Katie and Addy ran up to say hi--Marcus went crazy with fear.  He clung to me with his eyes closed, burying his head into my chest.  At one point he opened his eyes and realized the mascot had come closer and he got down and hid under the picnic table.  He begged me to go hide, pointing to the woods.  Finally, we left and headed to the bathroom for Addy.  Marcus calmed down when we got out of sight of the mascot and was standing in the open doorway while I helped the girls.  All of the sudden I hear a blood curdling scream and Marcus is banging on the door of the stall.  I get to him as fast as I can, he can't control his screaming.  I finally calm him down a little bit and try to find out what happened, when a man walked out of the men's bathroom with the mascot costume thrown over his shoulder.  Poor Marcus thought he had gotten away and was then left alone to face the terror.  I guess Disney World is not in our near future.
Katie and Addy got umbrellas last month and have been waiting for the perfect opportunity to use then.  Luckily, we have been getting some pretty crazy storms.
Our pool opened up around the same time school ended.  We have been in it almost everyday we have been home.  The kids took a couple days of swim lessons.  Katie is swimming and getting stronger each day.  Addy will go in the water and under the water and everything else as long as she has my hand (she is driving me crazy) and Marcus...is a little fish.  He got in the water this year and started swimming.  I am still in shock.  I was worried about some of the kids being scared of water this year, now I am just worried because no one wants to wear their floaties--they think they can do it on their own.



Our neighbor's son turned 3 and had a big birthday party.  They had a bounce house and a balloon guy, at least some people are willing to throw parties like this otherwise my kids would never experience them.
Marcus helping John open things

Katie with another neighbor, Everly
Marcus new favorite thing to do is blow bubbles.  He could sit outside for hours and blow bubbles.
PS: I think we need a new camera, that or I need to learn how to use the one I have because the quality of these pictures stink.

Mother's Day

Let me start this post by saying how much I hate blogger...I wrote this blog originally right after Mother's Day but when I went to post it, it was gone.  And then when I tried to start over it disappeared again.  I have been on blogger strike but seeing how this is my kids' scrapbook and our family's journal, and I am getting really far behind, I figured I better stop being stubborn.

Mother's Day started early this year.  Thursday the kids had "Muffins for Mom" at school.  I got to hang out with them for a few mins before school started and they gave me all sorts of fun little things they made for me.  Katie made me a book in which she said "I was 18, that I looked beautiful when I go to church, that I like to go out with Daddy, that my favorite TV show is doctors, that I love to take her to the mountains, and that I weigh 5lbs".

Saturday morning Mark got up early and smoked ribs for me.  That night we had a delicious dinner, and then used the left over coals to roast marshmallows and make s'mores.  The kids where so excited.





Now I think we are ready to go camping!

Sunday was a blur of doing nothing and cards from the kids.  Yea for Mother's Day!






One of many

Katie graduated from preschool this year.  Mark thinks it is hilarious that there is a graduation for preschool, but I think it is cute.  What is cuter then a little blonde girl in a white cap and gown.  As long as these continue for the next 20 years I am okay with them starting now.

Addy and Marcus were pretty excited when Mark walked in.


Marcus with Kate (his and Addy's favorite friend--the little sister of Katie's best friend, Ella)



Katie singing a song they have been practicing in Spanish (she is so proud of the fact that she is learning Spanish and she tells everyone that I speak Spanish)




Ella, Serrin, Katie and Addy


Katie had a great year at preschool.  She made great friends and had amazing teachers.  She learned so much and has progressed so much.  She stood out as a kind and helpful friend.  I just cannot believe she is starting Kindergarten this year.

Katie with Ms. Anne

Katie with Ms. Sandy

I thought mine and Mark's parents would appreciate the 'W''s on this report card.


Sunday, May 8, 2011

Announcing...

No, no more kids...

What does this 

and this mean?

 

Hopefully this!


We are having a house built, LOTS closer to Mark's work.  We are so excited!  It is a custom builder and I am getting to make a bunch of the decisions on what goes on the inside.   

Here is the progress so far.
 Our closing date is the end of June so hopefully he stays on track.

 

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Safe Homes For Children: In honor of mother's--giveaway

Safe Homes For Children: In honor of mother's--giveaway: "As I am sure you notice, we have a new look! Thanks Jane (and Meredith), you are both amazing!!! In honor of our new look and Mother's Day ..."

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Easter

I love Easter.
It is my favorite holiday--probably because it is not quite as commercial as Christmas and it is a little easier to focus on the real meaning.

Saturday we drove up to the mountains to hang out with my family.  We had a huge Easter egg hunt and an even bigger lunch.  We drove home that same night.

We had our party near the same spot where Mark and I had our wedding reception.  Katie is really in to that kind of stuff, so it was really fun to show her around.















Katie, Seth, Marcus, Gabby, Karleigh holding Chole, Emmie and Tony
Easter morning we checked out what the Easter bunny brought (following Mark's family's tradition, the Easter bunny hides the baskets in our house).




After hanging out for a little bit in the morning, we put on our Easter outfits (sadly only the kids got new clothes for Easter-maybe next year the Easter bunny will bring me new clothes as well), and headed to church.





Not super professional, but at least we are all looking at the camera at the same time!