Remember.....

This was last year's strawberry crop. I thought I might be in for another 2008 flop, but....



Ta-dah!! Success, my friends, feels good! My father-in-law is so proud right now. I just know it!

Summer Fest

We had a fun Saturday at my sister, Janice's house barbecuing, playing games, and hanging out waiting for Orem's Summer Fest fireworks. With the crazy weather we've been having we weren't sure how the evening would turn out, but we were able to enjoy eating in her backyard and a nice rainbow then took shelter in her house while it rained. The skies cleared just in time to setup in her driveway for the firework show at 10:00. It was a great evening and it made it feel a bit more like June instead of April. Thanks Janice and Lorin!

Octopus Princess

Rachel was an octopus princess in her dance studio's performance of The Little Mermaid. She did a great job.... my picture taking on the other hand, not so much. She decided not to take dance next fall so this may have been her last hurrah. It was quite a day with a rehearsal and two shows. Thanks to my mom and sister, Laura for all their help watching kids! Her dad gave her a rose after the last show..... she LOVED it! Great job, Rachie!

The Runaway

She's a quick one! I have {accidentally} let her get out of my sight and found her a few houses away before, but tonight as Nate and I were frantically looking everywhere for her our neighbor calls and says Haley is at their house in the cul-de-sac south of ours. She apparently followed Kaden to his friend's house pushing her little doll stroller. The thing is he was on his scooter and left her in his dust. All the while oblivious that she was even following him, but she still knew where to go! I think she was in heaven.... she found a little girl about her age and I was told they were hugging and all the kids were oohing and awing and that's when the mom realized there was another baby there and I wouldn't just let my (almost) 22 month old roam the neighborhood! To top it off-- while Nate was out searching the neighborhood for her on his long board he totally ate it! {I didn't get to see the crash and burn.... dang it! Not that I'm glad he got hurt, but it would've been funny to watch!} He had to go into the house while I walked to the neighbor's to get Haley. She was happy as could be and teased me the whole way home threatening to turn and bolt from me at any moment. I checked on poor Nate when we got home. He has some road rash and his shoulder hurts pretty bad (not to mention his pride). His shoulder looks a little "wrong", but we'll see how it his tomorrow. As for Haley.... I could use a GPS tracker!

Kaden's Birthday

Kaden turned 6 on May 28th. We ended up having to have his cake and grandparents over on the 27th because Nate had to go out-of-town on his birthday. Our poor children hardly ever get regular birthdays.... maybe they like it though. He did get to open his gifts from his grandparents so I'm sure he didn't mind a bit it wasn't his actual birthday yet. I had this goal of making fun homemade cakes this year, but I'm already two birthdays down and have failed miserably! Tye's was a plain old chocolate cake with chocolate icing in a rectangle pan. I did make it though.... from a mix. Kaden's.... um, well, Walmart made batman cupcakes. Oh well. There's always next year!

The morning of his birthday he woke up at 6:15. He came to my bed, woke me up and asked where his presents were. Whoops! I forgot to wrap them! I told him to climb in bed with us, go back to sleep and when he woke up again they would be ready for him. I slept for 45 more minutes then got up and wrapped them. I couldn't believe I forgot. I hope he isn't scarred for life!
He pulls some of the best faces! I love it.

Happy birthday, Kaden! We love you!

Last Day of School..... boo hoo hoo

Boo hoo hoo is right..... but I'm not the one crying. I'm actually excited for lazy summer days. So Rachel meets me over by Kaden's classroom and says she is sad that she isn't going to see her first grade teacher ever again. She is moving and will no longer be at the school. We talk about how the year was fun and her teacher was so nice. The next thing I know she's clinging to my leg crying. I assure her it's okay to feel sad that she will miss Mrs. Johnson, but that she'll have a really fun summer. She stops crying and we go about getting Kaden and head home. When we get home she's the first to enter the house. When I come walking in she has her head down in her arms and is sobbing because she just can't stop thinking about her teacher. I felt so bad her last day of first grade turned into the saddest day of her life!

Kaden was excited to get his picture taken with his teacher, but was good to go after that. He and Rachel both had Miss Myntti for kindergarten. She's great!

Our neighbor had a fun water party to celebrate the end of school. The kids had lots of fun in the sun! I had fun sitting in the shade of my umbrella.... although I could use a tan!

Happy Summer!

Lucky

I never got a Mother's Day post made, but boy do I think I'm lucky! They may be a bit dirty and their clothes may be a tad worn out, but they still give the sweetest hugs and say the cutest things..... I love you, kids! Thanks for the breakfast in bed, all the notes and the flower basket you gave me for Mother's Day! {A big THANK YOU to Nate, too. Love ya, babe!}

Accident? I think not!

I had told the kids we were going to go to the store after dinner, but Rachel and Kaden disappeared. I finally found them at the "dirt pile" (some land that's in the middle of being developed in our neighborhood). "It was an accident," they told me. Ha! That's no accident! We did not end up going to the store.... that was their punishment. I wasn't as hard on them as their faces {especially Kaden's} portray. Kids will be kids! I wouldn't want it any other way.

Tye Turns 4!!!

Tye's 4th birthday was on Wednesday, May 13th. His most exciting gift was a new bike with training wheels. His little legs have finally grown long enough that he can actually reach the pedals! He's so used to his trike that he's a little hesitant on his bike, but he feels like a big boy now and is very proud. His birthday dinner request was...... ramen noodles!! What?! Am I that bad of a cook??? Well, what a birthday boy wants, a birthday boy gets!
He enjoyed the attention he got from his Grandpa and Grandma Swensen and his Grandpa and Nana Bishop. They both were spot on giving him Hot Wheels toys. He's a car boy for sure!

We thought maybe a little bear cub tried to taste his cake, but......


.....it was just our one and only Haley.

Happy Birthday, Tye!! We love you!