May 24 - End of School Carnival

Cute Hazey.  I shot him the "I love you" sign and he shot me two back this morning.

After we cleaned up around the house a bit, we decided to get out!  Since our park is still "broken," we went to a new park.  And we had SO MUCH FUN!

Hazey even climbed the rock wall!  Huge accomplishment for him!  He is usually pretty nervous about stuff like that.  (Stuff that requires height or hanging or risk at the park.)  I didn't even know he was doing it until he shouted at me to look at him from the top!  I'm so proud of him!  He's getting so brave and confident!

Tonight!  Tonight was the long-awaited Cascade Carnival!  We've been counting down the days since it was announced at the beginning of April.  Especially Haze.  He LOVES "Andlie's school festival."  There's good reason to love it.  There's bounce houses, train rides, treats, games, etc.

Andlie had so much fun running around without us and finding different friends to play with and giggle with and jump around with.  I think her favorite part was the game where you try & kick a soccer ball through a square hole that's about a foot off the ground.  She did it three times and came away with three prizes!

Haze just loved everything.  He tried every single bounce house.  He was happily bouncing all around the entire time we were there (3 hours).  I think his favorite was the "ladybug" (AKA caterpillar) obstacle course.  Haze did get lost once.  I didn't know he was lost until the principal came & brought him to me.  He said that he was whimpering a little bit, but that he knew his last name and gave good directions about who he was and who his Mom was.  And he knew to find an adult to help him.  Another victory for Hazey man!

Nora came in ready to play, but kept getting to the front of each line & saying, "That's too big for me."  So she ended up spending a lot of time just walking around with Mommy & Daddy.  She rode the train a couple times and thought that was awesome!  But I think her favorite part (by far) was the snow cone!  She wasn't shy about digging in and totally painted a snow cone mural on her clothes & face.

May 23 - School's Almost Out & Magic Tricks

We went to Andlie's class today to help with the End of the Year Party!  We had so much fun stuff that we had to take our wagon!  And since we were going to school, Haze & Nora had to pack their backpacks.  Haze's was full of transformers & trucks.  Nora had princess books in hers.

Andlie came home from school today with an award!  She got "Showing Responsible, Courteous Behavior."  What a wonderful award to recieve!  I'm so proud to be her Mom!  What a wonderful year in 1st grade it's been!

She also brought her yearbook home and was THRILLED to see that she made the yearbook 3 times in addition to her school picture!  She was especially excited to see that her yearbook cover contest artwork was included in the yearbook!  She didn't win the cover, but she was the only 1st grader to have her artwork in the yearbook!  The other two pictures were at the Cougar Crawl and on Character Day (Nerd Day) with her teacher.

Bryan did some magic tricks tonight.  He put Haze's Yak Bak (little walkie talkie thing) in Haze's head and pulled it out.  And then he did the same to Andlie.  They were/still are 100% absolutely convinced that it was really in their heads.  And then they helped him get it in his head.  So hilarious!

Tonight at dinner, the big kids whined and complained for a good ten minutes before even trying their chicken taquitos and salad.  Meanwhile, Nora ate her entire plate spotless.  Salad and everything!  She kept saying,"Mmmm, delicious!"  When Haze finally tried a bit he gagged & spit it out in the trash.  Hell.  So then they got a talking to by Bryan.  He told them it was kind to eat what I made because it took a lot of work and "Mommy doesn't make gross food."

Well, after she tried a few bites, Andlie said, "Thank you for cooking this food, Mom."  And then she invited me to play Hang Man with her.  The answer was: I love the food you made me.  I think the message was recieved loud & clear by her.  She's such a good, sweet girl.

May 22 - My Gang

Don't worry.  Haze didn't forget about doing his own hair.  He did it just perfectly for church.

While we were waiting for our Ward Conference visit from a member of the bishopric and stake presidency, we tried to take a cute pic of all the cutest kids in the world.  There is at least one smile in each picture and I'm counting it a success!

May 21 - Errands & Late Night Visits

Hazey got a new Summer hair cut this morning!

When he got his close up after the cut, Nora wanted one too.  "My turn, Mommy."

Andlie was in charge of keeping my phone safe during our grocery shopping trip.....

I just LOVE this rose bush in our front yard.  I forget how beautiful the color of these roses are until they start blooming every Summer.

"Mom, can you even believe I did my own hair?!  Like, I'm sooooooo good at it.  Even so better than YOU!  Don't touh it because look how handsome it looks."

My cute babes were playing tackle tonight in their "ninja outfits" and all the sudden they were all in a little clump saying, "Take our picture!"

We made Daddy a "Welcome Home" poster to put on our door tonight!  He's been gone for FOUR days now and we're happy that he came home tonight!  Andlie wrote on the poster, "We love you.  We care for you."  Because she's the best.  And we do care for him.

I went in to check on Nora & she was like, "I'm done sleeping so I just wanna hang out with you guys. I sleeped good. So I just wanna hang out with you guys." (Gives me her bink.)

Then she just laid in our bed and visited. About everything. Daddy's airplane, the movie, "Dolphin Tale," the Angry Birds movie, what she did today.

Then I told her time for bed and she goes, "No because I am just gonna sleep in your bed with you guys." And then snuggled her blankie and fake closed her eyes. 

She's so cute.  I get choked up thinking of her growing up and that sweet tiny voice growing up with her.

May 20 - Engagement-iversary

*10 YEARS AGO TODAY*

9:30 am: I went to work at Brad's Food Hut.

10:00ish am: Bryan went outside to where my Dad was "washing his motorcycle." (My Dad says he "washed his motorcycle" for "3 hours" knowing what was about to happen.) Mandy was home & downstairs. Bryan kept going up the stairs and coming back down them. Mandy says "a million times." Once he finally made it up without coming back down, he asked my Dad permission to marry me. My Dad said yes and then handed Bryan a letter from man to man talking about how much he loved his sweet daughter.

3:00 pm: Bryan came to pick me up from work and take me to a family gathering in New Harmony.

5:00 pm: I fell asleep on the way home from the party and when I woke up, we were at the Discovery Park and Bryan said, "I'll race you!" I believe I said something like, "I'll kick your ass!" And then we got out of the car & started running.

Bryan took me on a little walk around the park and then we stopped at a quiet rock just outside of the park. He told me to sit down. He told me that, "This is the place where I fell in love with you. This is the place that I knew I wanted to be with you forever."  (Discovery Park was our "go-to" place for long conversations and make out sessions.) He said a whole bunch of other stuff, but I don't remember what it was because he was suddenly on one knee with a ring box open and asking me to marry him!!!

I jumped up and grabbed him by the neck and hugged & hugged & hugged. And cried. He was too. He kept telling me to look at my ring, but I didn't want to let go. I think he finally said, "Look at your damn ring!!"  (I was surprised to find out that he had been storing the ring & beautiful ring box under the driver's seat of my car all day long.)

After we almost got past 1st base, we got back in the car for one more surprise. Bryan had told both of our families that he was going to pop the question. Both of them were waiting for us at Pizza Factory to celebrate! I showed off my ring and probably my endless, cheesy smile over dinner.
I can't imagine my life without Bryan and I'm so glad he asked me to marry him before he knew how crazy I really am.  And I'm eternally grateful that I said YES!!!

Happy Engagement-iversary, Bryan! I love you!

Today was Day 2 of my refreshed plan to exercise every day, eat better, and drink more water.  During my workout (Prenatal Pilates), Nora brought me a headband and helped me put it on.  And then she went & found a matching one for herself.

And after my workout, Haze asked if he could do his own karate workout!  So I found one online and he did all of the steps.  THIS is part of the reason why I want to be healthy.  #1 so that I can be around for a long time with these cute babies.  And #2 because they watch my example.  And I want their bodies to be healthy too.

Got a new dress this week at Target.  I love it and I hope I can wear it every after baby is here.

This afternoon we went to Hazey's End of School Party!  Mrs. Kelley had bounce houses, games (WITH prizes) and lots of yummy treats!  We had a great time - especially cute Hazey!  I love his cute, happy face.

Since we are on Day 3 with Daddy out of town, we decided to do something fun today!  We went to "Angry Birds the Movie" this afternoon!

Andlie was a perfect angel (as usual).  She ate about 5 cups of popcorn!  Haze had to pee 3 times.  Nora was really good, but very, very, very loudly talkative!  She kept saying, "MOM!!  Look at that red bird!!  MOM!!  There's a castle!! [LOUD LAUGHS.]  MOM!!  Can I comb your hair?!"  We had a great time together!  Thankful for our finances (thanks Bryan) that allow us to do fun things like this without breaking the bank.  

Tonight after I cleaned our disgusting house and put the kids in bed, I treated myself.  I got some Pizza Hut pizza (with pan crust) and made a salad.  Delicious!

May 19 - 19 Weeks, Teacher Gifts, Our House

I worked out for the first time since February today.  I did cardio kick box.  I weigh 10 pounds more than I did when I started working out in October and my little belly got in my way a bit, but I did it!  And I'm getting stronger.

After my workout, we decided to eat our breakfast outside.  So out we went.  Didn't even comb our hair and I didn't even shower.  Sunshine feels so good!

Had to take a picture of my new skirt!  19 weeks today!

We also worked on finishing up end of school teacher gifts today.  I'm happy with how they turned out!  My favorite part is the sweet note that Andlie wrote to her teacher.

Dear Miss Carter,

You have been a great teacher.  You are the best teacher in the world.  I wish I was in your class every year.  Here are the gifts I got you for the end of the year.  My Mom loves you for my teacher.  My favorite teacher in the world.  I love you for a teacher as much as my Mom.  I think you are the best reader in the world.

 Love,

Andlie

Bryan's gone.  He left yesterday and won't be back until Saturday night.  So we've been very lax around here.  Pretty much haven't cleaned a single thing since he left.  And tonight I wandered around the quiet house taking pictures.  Because some day it won't look like this and I'll be sad.

Some day there won't be a million children's books scattered behind the chair sometimes prohibiting it from reclining.

Some day there won't be a line of cut out transformers in the living room.

Some day there won't be fairy wings and Cinderella shoes lying around.

Some day there won't be a backpack thrown on the chair after school.

Some day it will take less than 3 days to get all the clean laundry put away.

Some day there won't be a little baseball mitt with "Allen" written on it lying around.

Some day I won't have to set out clean clothes for the next school day.

Some day there won't be wet shoes from jumping in puddles hanging out to dry on the table bench.

Some day the table won't be full of crayons, homework, and kids snacks.

Some day we won't need to have fruit snacks and cookies and Hi Chews in our house at all times.

Some day our bathroom counter will be clean.

Some day there won't be any kids toothbrushes or kids vitamins on the bathroom counter.

Some day we won't need to have a training potty & stools in our bathroom.

Some day there won't be roller blades and jackets and coats and socks combined in to one pile inside the door.

Some day the hallways will always be clean.

Some day Nora's room won't be littered with princess shoes, crowns, dresses, and jewelry.

Some day we won't need to buy diapers any more.

Some day our house will be tidy and dust-free and organized and.....quiet.  And it will make me wish these times had lasted longer.  And I will miss a messy house full of joy.