AND WE'RE OFF!

Summer has finally begun, bbq's, backyard swimming, whining, camping, boredom, scraped knees, more boredom, popcicles, and ultimatley me going crazy already! Here are a few pics of what's been going on...

Memorial weekend we had nice enough weather to plant a garden and have a hot dog roast in the back yard- complete with smores( the best way to start off the summer!


The next weekend Ben took the boys-minus owen- on a campout. Just for fun and partly because the week Ben heads to camp with the scouts also happens to be fathers and sons- the boys were totally bummed so Ben tried to make up for it. They had a blast hiking and finding topaz and lizards. They also found a new food to roast-oreos! I guess they were good because they ate the whole bag!


While Ben was gone at scout camp the boys and I decided to build Bens father day present. After heading to home depot with the three little kids to purchase the wood( an experience in itself!) I put Owen down for a nap and the building began. Ben and I have talked about extending the landing in the garage to make room for more storage and and our pile of shoes that seems to accumulate right in front of the door. So to suprise Ben I decided the boys and I could do it- they were thrilled at the idea of using the nail gun and other tools- not the saw! Owen took an amazingly long nap and were were able to get most of it done. We headed to home depot this time with more kids(pulling out my hair started about now) we bought the railing and when the kids were asleep for the night Ethan and Jake and I tried to finish, but ran out of screws! I was really losing it by now so we all went to bed. After a quick trip to smiths in the morning for screws, we were able to finish just before Ben got home from scout camp. He was shocked and I think it was the best reaction I have ever gotten from him as far as fathers day goes. He better watch out the next time he goes out of town - the addition to the kitchen we have been dreaming about may be next!



Thanks for being such a great dad! We love you!


Also this week we were able to have nice enough weather to get the pool out! Yeah summer is finally here!


We have also been trying to make it to our neighborhood wacky wednesday activities. It doesn't always happen but the kids enjoyed the trip to bridal veil falls. They had fun climbing(Etahn going way too high for me!) and playing in the water and having lunch with friends, thanks Holly for having your camera handy!



Last night we were able to go to my parents for a bbq and to visit with a friend that we met when we lived in Iceland. David was a single young guy at the time but time has gone so quickly and he is now the father of 6 with grey hair and yet still has his same sense of humor. Unfortunatly I didn't get a picture of him but he does make and appearance in the background! Urgh I need to get better at taking more pictures at get togethers!

Owen pretty much spent most of the night by the cooler - lemonade is his choice of drink I guess!

Addi

cousin Ben

cousin Annie

Boston and Laura

I have nothing to do!

I really wish that every once in a while I could say "I have nothing to do today!"- my kids get to say this whenever they want and I think they are starting to catch on that maybe they shouldn't, because it is usually followed by a list of things spouted out by me- a list which is mostly filled of chores I haven't gotten to. Being a grown up can really stink! Things have gotten crazy busy around here - some of it self inflicted but those don't count.

Jocelyn was so excited for her preschool program. She did great with all of her songs and now is ready to go to kindergaten in the fall. We have loved her preschool teacher and now Riley is ready to take her place this fall.

Jocelyn also had her spring dance rectial. Her class danced to the songs, popular and beauty and the beast. She was so dang cute! She loves dance and her friends but has informed me that she would like to do cheer next year- how can I say no- she's my only girl!


The end of the school year brings about the dance festival. Ethan and Jake did great- hopefully I can get the videos downlaoded at some point they are pretty funny. The younger kids had fun watching the boys dance.



Yeah the end of soccer! Last saturday were the kids last soccer games and each day I am still going over in my head who has practice or piano or scouts or dance- Thank goodness I can check soccer off my list. Although the season is over I have really loved watching the kids improve in thier skills. They are still deciding if they want to keep going next year.

Jake had his 4th grade rock concert last week and who can resist a whole concert about rocks! We all came home singing songs about sedimentry rocks, its the second year in a row we have seen this concert so the songs are being memorized by all the kids- too funny!

Jake also finished his last project of the year- Kane county poster. You can't tell but he told me about the poster part of the report the day before it was due- I was a little suprised but we pulled it off. Like the font we used? Jake didn't really like it until I told him the name of the font was bleeding cowboy and then he was all for it! Boys are wierd!

I have also been crazy busy finishing Jocelyns new room(almost done), refinishing a dresser for my room, and planting the garden and sewing of course! Laura- here is a peek of the dresser- we haven't had time to move it into the house yet- hopefully tonight after Ben's meetings! But for now here you go-

As Always....

As always I have fallen behind, so here's the catch up. Easter was celebrated to the fullest at our house and then some! I love conference not only for the inspiring talks and the spirit we feel in our home, but also because it means I can stay home after the sat grave shift and enjoy a sunday with no running around. This year was even a bigger event with Ethans birthday. He was born on Easter conference sunday, so 11 years later here we are. It brought back so many memories. He turned 11! Oh my! He was so stinkin excited. Since he is going to be with the 11 yr old scouts, Ben and I thought we would splurge and equip the kid with an awesome back pack(Ben couldn't stop talkin' about it) and a good sleeping bag. Tonight they will be put to the test on his first scout campout. We'll see how good the stuff works through this crazy snowy weather. I must admit I'm a little worried that he will stay warm and be safe! I'm sure all will go well- I'm just being a mom!




The kids got a lot of candy in their Easter baskets- Ethan and Jake got watches as well, Jocelyn got some new jewelry, Riley a bat and ball, and Owen a new ball-he won't let anyone touch the sparkle ball and I must admit it is a little fun to lay with. I also attempted an Easter picture a couple weeks ago and this is the best one out of like 20! As soon as it warms up a bit I want to try again. It's just so much work to get them all happy and cute at the same time.






Spring break was so much fun for us. We did something new and headed to Goblin Valley with the trailer. Mom and Dad and Lauras family came also. The kids loved it! The first night was a little cold and windy(bummer) but the rest of the week was beautiful. We all got sunburned. We were able to hike(partially) a slot canyon and then the next day we went to Goblin Valley and just let the kids run around. We are definitely going again- thanks Laurie for you tourist info!








More recently Ethan and Jake had Greek week and one of the days was crazy hair day. My kids don't seem to have a hard time with this.



Shoes at our house are not safe with Owen around. There is not a time of day that this kid doesn't have shoes or a hat on. He thinks that he can go outside if he has shoes and a hat- doesn't matter if he's still in jammies or not.


Ethan was part of his schools production team - Monkey Business- they met quite often and finally the hard work paid off. Ethan did great and was very entertaining. He does a great Willy Wonka. He may have a future in acting!

Kinda dreading it....

So this past saturday the kids started up with soccer again. They were all excited to see their friends again and play soccer. I was unable to go and see them play but Ben said they did great and he took a bunch of pictures. I have to admit I am not looking forward to the crazy practice schedule but at least practices haven't overlapped with anything except for Jocleyns dance class. She will just have to miss the first half of soccer practice I guess. If that's the only conflict, then I will manage! But now that means not only there is something going on each day but now there are 2 and 3 things each day and saturdays are full of games- oh how I will miss my shopping time for the next couple of months!

Jake


Jocelyn- she towers over everyone she plays with or against!


Ethan- played goalie for the last half of the game.


Also, last friday the fifth graders had their wax museum. Ethan was Albert Einstein, and a great one at that! I was surprised when he picked Einstein only because he is so into the space program, I thought he would pick an astronaut. Guess what he will be for Halloween?
This is his friend. She was Annie Oakley. Ethan tends to have a lot of girl friends and I think they are all adorable! What a lucky kid- one day the boys will be jealous of how he has a way with the girls- lets just hope thats a few year off from now!

One last hoorah of the season!

Last week we woke up to this-


yeah! snow!!! The kids have been asking for snow and since we had bought 2 new sleds weeks ago the snow looked like it would never come. So we did a little of this-

and this


and some more of this.



Owen giggled the entire way down ,every time he went down. It was hilarious!
The kids had tons of fun and I didn't have to find something to entertain them on their day off of school. It worked out perfect that Ben had the day off too.

Later that day Ben took Riley to the car show. Riley was so excited-as much as Ben was- Doc Hudson from Cars was there and Riley was ready with his own little Doc Hudsons from his collection.


Also Jocelyn announced a couple weeks ago that she had a loose tooth and finally-finally it came out. With a little help from me "I'm just going to wiggle it" and it was out. It was barely hanging on anyways so don't think I just yanked it out! She had to share the news with everyone she came in contact with. Oh my baby girl is growing up and I'm not ready!



Also she had a nursery rhyme day at preschool again and this year she did Jack and Jill. She did great and I was thrilled I didn't have to make a costume- I just had to search for a bucket in the garage! Easy enough!