Last Week of School- recap

It was a busy week, but I think that it was a good ending to a good year of school for the kids. Haley and I decorated eighty little cupcakes.  They were a hit. 

She did awesome at her voice recital and even made some great catches and scored two runs at her softball game. 

Ryan also had fun at his two t-ball games this week.  (pure comedy!)

Ryan Sings

 Ryan loves Gwen Stefani.  This is his favorite by far!  It's not the best video (from my phone...), but still good entertainment.  And yes, he is wearing a seat belt.  He just hates the chest strap.  It's a battle everytime we are in the car.  

Mother's Day 2008

Just a few of the reasons I love my Mom:

1.  She is kind.
2.  She is thoughtful.
3.  She is fun.
4.  She has incredible hair.  
5.  She is compassionate.
6.  She sometimes fixes her bangs before she goes to bed.
7.  She has a great sense of style.
8.  She never shows up without a treat for the kids.
9.  She is stronger than my sister and I put together.
10.  She can wear high heels and do anything!
11.  She is clever.
12.  She is very creative. 
13.  She can make anything grow.
14.  She loves her family, fiercely.
15.  She is enthusiastic.
16.  She has amazing energy.  
17.  She makes everything look easy.
18.  She loves my Dad and is a great wife.
19.  She always looks great.
20.  She plays a mean game of UNO.

Really this is just the beginning...  I love you Mom!

A new twist on the paper plate.

Frames.

Another wonderful idea...

Posted by request.

click here for Learning Cents

I found this bank for my kids a little over a year ago.  I like that it has three divided spaces... one for savings, one for spending and one for sharing.  

This has been great for my kids to learn to save for the things the REALLY want.  I no longer have to deal with them at the store trying to get me to buy everything in sight.  If they want it, they buy it.  They are a lot more discerning on what they spend their money on too.  

We went with a dollar per/ year ;then 40% goes into the "spend",  40% in the "save" and 20% in the "share".   We paid weekly, but now we are pretty random on when we pay our kids... we need to be better about that.  We don't pay our kids for doing chores- that's just part of being part of our family.  

At the end of the year we split up the "share" side for tithing and the other half for spending on someone in need.  And the "saving" part goes to the bank when it is full.

It comes with stickers for personalizing the bank and dry/erase markers.  You can write on the top of each lid how much is in it.  

Spring Free Trampoline

I am pretty sure we are the best parents ever!  Our trampoline is awesome.  Costco had a $150.00 rebate on it- so we jumped on it {no pun intended}  

It has no springs, but fiberglass polls instead.  

I did a few flips to show my kids how cool I was, but I peed my pants every time I landed, so that didn't go over so well.  

Ryan and Haley couldn't be happier.  But really it's like a giant play pen for Claire... throw a few toys in and zip it up.  Ta DA!  

No, not really.   Well maybe!  

I love this kid!

Happy Birthday Ryan!

A recant conversation with Ryan in Target:

Ryan:  Mom, thanks so much for our trampoline.  I love it.  (see previous post on this most fantastic purchase.)

Me:  Your welcome, What do you want for your birthday?

Ryan:  I don't need anything.  Maybe you could draw me a picture of a rocket or a monster.  That would be nice.

Me:  Really, that's it?  

Ryan:  Or this bouncy ball would be nice...  Can I get one for my friends too?

So, my son picked out a bouncy ball for his birthday...  and one for each of his friends too.  Now, it is a very nice bouncy ball that lights up and has a potion (glitter) inside, but really, he is the sweetest kid!  

We did his whole birthday party around "Bouncing"  

He and some friends went to Jumpin Jacks and it was pure craziness!  There where kids everywhere.  I think they had a great time.  

Cookies = crawling

and she's off!   Claire really wanted to crawl, but i guess she just never had a good enough reason.  Until Chris made cookies on Sunday.  He set the plate on the floor and she was a girl on a mission.  She is officially a crawler- life will never be the same!

Who is this girl?

Haley made my breakfast in bed this weekend.  It was so sweet.  Toast, eggs, blackberries and orange juice.    The best part- was the in the silver cup, two gummy vitamins and a vitamin C.

But the thing that threw me the most was when she did the dishes WITHOUT being asked! 

Say it ain't true!

My dad had a Polaroid Camera. I loved it. To bad our kids will miss out on them.

On Feb. 8th, Polaroid Corp announced that it will discontinue production of all instant film.  I am so sad about this!

Yum!

I love breakfast food-  

I think that these french toast kabobs would be great for Father's Day breakfast... okay, they would be great anytime....

Ryan's wedding cake.

I think that if Ryan where getting married, this would be his choice of cake.  

In case you have nothing better to do..

You could knit a cosy for a tree!

BMW!

I would drive this!  I don't know where the rest of the family would go, but this little BMW 

looks like a creamsicle on wheels!

Chicago 2008

We had THE BEST TIME in Chicago.  The trip was a lot of fun, and to think that I just about bailed at the last minute.

Claire was not feeling her best, but that may have been a good thing.  All she wanted to do was sleep and cuddle.  She is NOT a cuddler, so this was a nice bonus!  

Chris and Ashlynn ended up being the big winners of the national laundry and kitchen design contest.  Both winners from Riverwoods Mill.  NICE!  The best part was that the grand prize is a trip to Sweden this summer!  (Extra nice!)

• The first thing we did was go for some deep dish pizza.  (of course!)
• The buildings and architecture are amazing.
• I didn't get one this trip, but the best Monte Christo Sandwich I've ever had was in Chicago and I have been craving it!
• The Magnificent Mile is, well, quite magnificent!  
• We stay at the Alerton Hotel- I am pretty sure that the elevators are possessed!  You never really know where your going to end up when you push a button!

THE CHOCOLATE LOUNGE:

Great concept!  Their motto is  "YOU LOVE CHOCOLATE, WE'RE HERE TO HELP!"  

TIFFANY'S-  

I tried on a 10 carat yellow diamond ring worth  $455,000.00!  

Yep, that's almost a 1/2 million sitting pretty on my finger.... 

A boy and his box

So Claire got a new car seat and Ryan got the box that it came in.  Clearly, Ryan was the winner.  I have to say that as a kid there really is nothing better than a big ol' box to play with.  

It's a rocket, a lemon-aid stand and a secret lair!   He has breakfast every morning in it too.  It has entertained the kid for four days straight.  Show me another toy that can do that! 

Oh, and I got a Britax Marathon for Claire... it's huge and barely fits in my car.  Yikes!

Postcard Dresser.

I think that this would be a nice place to save all of the love letters my husband writes me.  (um, okay so he's never written me a love letter.)  But I think that this is still a great dresser.  

Clint's Birthday is today!

My brother, Clint is 31 today. He looks great in this picture, if you can see him behind All of the hair.    (This hurts me as much as it does you:)

I love my brother!

He is the most amazing brother ever! He genuinely cares for everyone. 

He is witty and so fun to be around.   I love that we can sing every word of Milli Vanilli  

He has always had a great sense of humor and I laugh every time we talk.  Clint is also a loving father.  I love watching him with his kids, he is very sweet.

Happy birthday-  I am proud to be your sister.  I love you.

  

Seven months!

Claire is so much fun!  And growing up way toooooooo fast!  

Tweet!

 People are so creative!

First Lost Tooth!

Ryan had been complaining about his tooth hurting him the last couple days.  I noticed that his front tooth had turned dark and was a little loose.  Long story, short.  High in the gum line there was a strange boil.  It was so infected.  He had to have his tooth pulled by the dentist.    He was awesome, but I feel horrible that I didn't notice it sooner.  

Disney Cruise 2008

We went on a 4 day Disney Cruise with Chris' family over Spring Break.  It was such a good time.  The kids were completely entertained from sun up to sun down.   All of the kids club counselors were from England or Australia and after spending every waking hour with them, Haley came off the boat with a great accent!   

Next we hit another few days in Disney World.  We stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge.  It was amazing to look out your bedroom window and see zebras and giraffe looking back at you.  There were animals everywhere!  I ended up getting sick the last couple days, so I didn't make it to the Magic Kingdom, but Chris, Haley and Ryan got to go after the park closed for the Pirates and Princesses Party.  They had the whole place to themselves until mid-night, then the magic wore off.  

New Mom!

My sister, Emily had her baby.  He is beautiful!  Connor David Reese is one lucky kid and  Zach and Em are in for the time of their lives.  

Oooopps!

I am concerned that the amount of calories I burn is no match for the amount I consume!  

Disneyland. [practice run.]

Chris was suppose to go to Canada last Sunday, but never left Saint George.   The plane in SLC was having mechanical trouble, yada, yada, yada-  missed his connecting flights...   Not going to Canada. (I think was just a very elaborate plan to get out of helping me in Primary :)  

So he came home with bags packed to go somewhere.  

Half hour later we where on the road headed for Disneyland.  We didn't tell the kids.  I tip-toed around the house and packed the suitcases with out them knowing.  We told them that we where going on a Sunday drive.  About three hours into our road trip, Haley was convinced that we were in Wyoming :) 

Our family loves Disneyland.  I am amazed at the way they do everything.  The way people are moved around the park effortlessly, the creativity, the look on Chris and the kids faces when they get sopping wet on the White Water Rafting ride (say that five times fast)- it's the best!

But I do have to confess that this is just our warm up.  We are going on a Disney Cruise and to Disney World in one week with Chris' family.  

Just for F-U-N

My kids are so great.  I think they are really funny.  Like the other day when I was helping Ryan get ready and he told me "Quit woman handling me, Mom!"   or Haley singing at the top of her lungs into the hair dryer.  (We've all done it.)  And Claire, playing peek-a-boo with her blanket and making us laugh more than her!

Six Months

I am pretty sure that Claire has been able to sit up for quite awhile now, but has never been given that opportunity.  We sat her down on the bed thinking she would topple over- instead she sat there and just looked at us like "What?"  

The last six months have flown by.  Claire LOVES to eat.  (she's a Peterson, of course she loves to eat!)   The better the food the louder she yells for more.  

She loves to hear herself.  "MA, MA, MA, MA"  where her first words.  

 She's adorable and we are so in love with her.  

Is it spring yet?

I have blossoms on my trees! I think this is a good sign.  I got a little antsy and planted some Mums in my planter.  They froze.  

I can't wait to plant some flowers and have some life outside.  

Easter is really early this year.  I think it is weird when Easter is not in April.  

Eleven!

My daughter turned eleven!  I can't believe it!  How did I become the mother of an eleven year old?  

 We had a great party with a few of her friends.  They painted tea cups, bowls, plates & etc. at our local pottery studio.  Haley found the cutest cups that looked like cupcakes.  We filled them with goodies and my amazing friend made lemon and chocolate cupcakes. 

 I think Haley had a great birthday.