Fun Stuff

This last week has been busy with the end of school, but very very fun.  Here's some of the highlights:

The kindergarten put on a music program.  We discovered just how tall Ellie is.  She towers above most of the kids her age.  It won't last, I'm sure.

 A cute photo of dirty feet:

 We went to the Air Show, and I was all excited to show Everett the airplanes (he points out ever airplane and helicopter he hears).  Well, to look up in the sky, and be right there amongst them are two different things, apparantly.  The boy did not appreciate the loud noise and was huddled in Nick's arms the entire time.  Poor kid.

 It was a good time all the same.

 It was NOISY!

No, that photo is the right way.  It is the planes that are upside down. 

 We went a few years ago on a nice sunny day, and the crowds were so thick, it was just crazy.  Traffic was crazy too.  Well, this year we drove up in pouring rain and there was talk of cancelling the show, but we continued on.  We arrived right as the rain stopped and a lot of the crowds had cleared out.  Perfect.  I hope it rains next time.

The two minutes Everett wasn't clinging on to Dad for dear life:

 We went with Grandpa and the cousins.  Ellie sure loves her Grandpa.

As a side note, you can't see them, but Everett's fingernails are painted a nice, pretty pink.  We were doing nails the other night and he absolutely insisted.  I've ignored his requests in the past, but this time around, he was requesting rather loud and obnoxiously, so I succumbed.  My boy looked so pretty.  Nick was so pleased.  ;)

The Thunderbirds.

The rest of our Memorial Day weekend was wonderful.  A nice, relaxing Sunday at home, and a barbecue at Nick's brother's on Monday.  But the very best part?  A spur of the moment picnic at the park with just our family.  We had hoagies in the shade, kids played on the equipment, and thenwe all threw a frisbee for a bit.  It was perfect weather, perfect company, not to mention I had avocado on my turkey sandwich.  It doesn't get much better than that, folks.

 I also painted Lainey's room (this one's for you Alicia!):

 It comes complete with an adorable Lainey:

 And lastly, this morning was the Elementary's dance festival.  We walked and the kids rode stuff.  The other day I was walking home from dropping off Ellie and a bus driver stopped and pointed at Maren on her balance bike and said, "That is the cutest thing I ever saw."  Yes indeed, mister.  It is very cute.  I shall take a photo next time I have an opportunity. 

 Ellie performed the chicken dance with her kindergarten friends.  One smashingly good-lookin' chick there with some stellar dance moves.  :)

Two more days and couting till summer break!  Wa-hoo!

What's For Dinner?

Monday - dinner and FHE at a friend's house (double hurray for people who feed us!)
Tuesday - roasted veggies (cauliflower, red pepper, potato, carrot, onion), brown rice, left-over smoked meats, corn on the cob
Wednesday - Sweet and Sour Chicken with Fried Rice (Ellie liked to eat hers wrapped in a lettuce leaf)
Thursday - Oat Pancakes, hash browns, fried eggs, bacon
Friday - Frozen pizza - it happens occassionally!  (we like to buy the frozen Costco cheese pizzas and add our own fresh toppings)

Stuff

Right now I have three sleeping babies (hurray!) and Ellie is watching Labyrinth.  When I was a kid, it was my favorite movie.  Now, I watch it and laugh.  Oh my, you have to love those 80's movies.  At least they used their imagination.

Anyway, I have photos to share.  We went to to the Natural History Museum:

 My sister has been in town (on business), and we've loved spending time with her family.  We went to their hotel to swim in the pool. 

 The girls loved the freedom that a lifejacket provides (or maybe a false sense of security?)  They loved every minute of being in the pool!

 Scary photo.  I'm blaming the mascara.

Ellie only has a few days left of kindergarten.  Holy cow, May!  You are slipping right through my fingers!  We are excited for school to be out and are all looking forward to summer.  The kindergarten has had all sorts of fun with their last hours together.  This was Western Day:

 Cutest little cowgirl I ever did see.

We had a family get-together over the weekend.  Lainey met new family and enjoyed her first taste of watermelon:

 We sang Happy Birthday to all the May birthday people, and a special "happy birthday" to my Dad.  Many more to come!

 My sister had gotten some mail-order caterpillars and over the last few weeks, we've watched them transform into butterflies (so cool!).  We let them go at the party:

 Ellie may look happy here, but she was not very pleased to have a butterfly on her finger.  Ladybugs, yes, roly-polies, yes, worms, yes, but butterflies?  No way.  Go figure.

Everett downed, like, five cupcakes and several sticks of licorice.  Addicted to sugar, just like his momma.

What's For Dinner?

Monday - Hot dog roast in the backyard.  Served with pita chips, hummus, pineapple, and s'mores (we had a fire going!  This means there must also be s'mores!:)
Tuesday - Crockpot Chicken Sweet Potatoes, rice, Mexican-style salad with Zesty Dressing
Wednesday - Baked potatoes, steamed broccoli, cheese, salad
Thursday - pizza night courtesy of my little sis (thanks!)
Friday - Date night (wahoo!)
Saturday - sandwiches on the grass (we had a huge smoked meat lunch, thanks to my brother - yay for people who feed us!)
Sunday - grilled cheese, canned peaches at Grandma and Grandpa's house

Tips:
*  We enjoy salads, but cutting up all the veggies is time consuming.  A time-saving trick we've learned is this:  When we pull out a new head of lettuce, we cut up the entire thing, wash and spin it all, and then put it in a gallon-sized ziplock bag.  Sometimes I throw in a paper towel to help collect extra moisture.  Then, throughout the week, I just pull out whatever we need, and put it back in the fridge.  It usually stays good for several days.  This in and of itself has encouraged us to eat more salad. 
*  My sis-in-law introduced us to a new method of baking potatoes.  After scrubbing, rub with a little olive oil, and then sprinkle with salt.  This is a compromise for my husband and me.  I like them wrapped in foil, Nick likes them rubbed in shortening (something he grew up with).  We settled for olive oil and salt.  :)

I Am a Mother

It feels like I haven't been here for awhile.  I put the menus up, but that's not really me, ya know?  I've been busy playing.  My sister and her two cute kids stayed with us last week, and I was enjoying playing hostess.  It's been a lot of fun, just look:

*pound*, baby girl

 

My momma with three of the five grand-babies born within the last year.



 My baby girl hit her 7 month mark:

Our ward had their annual father/sons campout, so Nick, Everett, my bro-in-law, and nephew went along as well.  I think they had a good time.  Nick sent me photos as the night went on, and Everett wasn't smiling in any of them.  I don't think that means anything though.  I missed my boy the whole time.

 While the boys were away we enjoyed some girl time, going out for dinner, eating cookies, watching a late movie, and in the morning my sister and I went garage-saleing.  A first for me, and I rather enjoyed myself.  I might have to go do it again.  Sorry, Nick!

On Saturday morning, Ellie was running around our driveway and tripped over a sweatshirt, and landed right on her face.  My poor baby!  She's been a good sport about the whole thing, but just looking at her makes me hurt for her:

 Mother's day was so very nice.  Ellie surprised me with a gift she had made at school and then hid under her bed for several days.  I discovered that that girl is good at keeping a secret.  I really had no idea.  I also loved the song that Nick wrote for me, and the kids sang to me.  It was thoughtful and just made my day.  In sacrament meeting at church, the primary music directors had the idea to have the moms sing a duet with the kids.  The idea sounds cute and all, but I couldn't do it.  I sat and tried not to be a big blubbering mess.  We went to my mom's and everyone enjoyed the rest of our day.

See?  The boy just doesn't smile for photos unless you catch him off guard.  He's on a tractor for crying out loud.

Prunes, anyone?

And as if this blog weren't already long enough, I had a few thoughts to share about being a mother (hence the title of this post).  Awhile ago, I was talking with a good friend who feels like she lost her identity when she became a mother.  She feels like she can no longer do the things that she loves, and says that she doesn't know who she is now.  I've thought a whole lot about this conversation, and who I am as a person.  Did I lose myself?  No.  Sure, there are things you just can't run out and do with little kids around, but if I had to identify myself by just one word, I'd have to say that word would be, "Mom".  I was raised to be a mom.  Everything my own mother taught me was to prepare me for right now, and I ate it all up.  I looked forward to this time with anticipation, and now here I am, living the dream.  I have four little bodies who depend on me, and they are the world to me.  I'm not perfect.  I'm far, far from perfect.  Being entirely honest, this mother's day was the first that I truly felt like I didn't deserve all the praise that I recieved.  Every day is a struggle to live up to that mom I want to be.  But, despite the struggle, this is where I want to be.  And I love it.