May 14, 2013

Today was such a fantastic day.  It started off with a wonderful birthday breakfast and celebration of Carson.  I cannot believe my little boy is 5!

Today was also Zoo field trip day for one of my preschool classes. Last week Janessa had joined Carson and I with the other class.  This time, Janessa spent the day at a friend's house and I took all three of the older boys (had them skip school to join us).  It was wonderful! We have a zoo pass and have gone several times this year, but Janessa can only handle a couple of hours and I spend most of my time chasing her around.  Today, on the other hand, we were able to spend the entire day there and I could just focus on wonderful learning experiences with the boys.   Most of all, though, I absolutely loved spending the time with them and watching their enthusiasm for learning and feeding their curiosity.  It was such a great day! We stayed until it closed for the evening (long after the rest of the preschool friends had gone home).  The last few hours it felt almost as though we had the entire place to ourselves.

Some zoo highlights . . .

• Getting up close and personal with two sleepy lions . . . 

• Passing out birthday treats while eating lunch with preschool friends 
  
• Wild Animal encounter with snakes from Africa and getting a chance to ask questions (Jaron had a ton!) and get great answers.

• Getting up close and personal with the farm animals . . . 

•  And cooling off at the end of the day in the children's we play area. 

And a whole bunch more fabulous experiences we were too busy having to take pictures!

I absolutely loved spending the day with the three older boys just exploring, learning, and not worrying about getting anywhere or doing anything except just having a wonderful day together. They are such great kids and feel so blessed to be their mother. 

Camping in

A few weeks ago, much to the delight of the children, Jonathan set the tent up in the living room and strung it with Christmas lights.  We started off our evening of festivities with a few (hilarious) rounds of darts, followed with marshmallow roasting and then reading in the tent.  So much fun! Good thing too-because the next night the stomach flu hit our house hard . . . followed by scarlet fever the next week.  

 Two days later . . . sick in mom's bed with the flu . . . all the kids got it. Not so much fun.

Janessa and the Oobleck

It's Dr Seuss week at preschool.  Today we made Oobleck and this little girl was in HEAVEN.  She couldn't stop playing in it and bursting out in giggles.  

Here she is "smiling" for the camera in her favorite "puppies" outfit.  As I'm typing this, she runs over to the computer, points to the picture and exclaims "my puppies! Big mess that one!"

Yep, it was a big mess . . . but a really fun one!

Today I cried . . .

Today I cried. 

I finally passed on Janessa's beautiful dresses, the tiny baby clothes and sweet little headbands.  I put away the changing table and crib, the sweet little baby blankets and tiny shoes.  I was doing okay until I came across three little cards written to us and our sweet newborn daughter.  My precious little newborn and her tiny little hands and feet.

She isn't so little any more. 

She is so much fun right now--with new words almost daily,  funny expressions and silliness to try and make us laugh and her funny little waddle-run.  I love the way she interacts with me . . . hiding behind my back and then popping out in front of me saying "boo!" followed with giggles and a big hug and kiss. I love how she will find "trash" and then not be content until she finds a garbage to put it in and loves to help clean up.  I love her little hand on my check as she says "sorry!" after playing too hard (or getting mad.)  and the way she absolutely loves dancing to anything that makes music.

But today for a moment, I missed the precious newness of my tiny little baby girl and wanted her to slow down.  She is so eager to grow--but I know too well how quickly it all passes.  It wasn't long ago that her 9-year old brother was a toddler too. 

I will continue to enjoy and cherish each sweet stage as she grows . . . but today my heart aches to slow down time and keep her little a little longer.

 

Carson

Carson just finished his first year of preschool.  

I absolutely loved being his teacher. 

It has been so much fun to watch him learn and grow in so many ways . . . 

but especially to see his little personality explode.  

This kid is FULL of personality.  

He loves to make other kids laugh and the things he comes up with to do so never stop amazing me. 

Silly silly little boy. 

Yesterday, Jonathan took Jaron, Nathan and Cousin Alexis to Six Flags (they get free tickets through the school reading program), Carson and I had a mom date while Janessa stayed home with a babysitter.  In the car he kept telling me, "I so excited! You so excited mom?" 

We started off with 2 rounds of bowling at Splitsville (so nice!).  I loved his happy celebration dance and fists punching the air as he would exclaim "Yes! I did it!" He kept grinning from ear to ear and saying things like "this is a super fun day, right mom?"

After that we took a walk on a nature trail.  When we pulled up, Carson looked at all the trees and the hiking path and exclaimed, "wow! It looks like Utah!" Once we were out of the car and headed into the woods, he looked around and so excitedly said, "It IS Utah, mom! IT IS!!". He really thought we had found a shortcut to the Utah mountains. :)

After our hike, we saw Madagascar 3 and then headed to Grandpa's house for ice-cream treats with cousins who had just arrived from Utah. A wonderful end to a perfect day.

All afternoon and evening he kept telling me--"Mom, this the BEST day ever! Right mom?"

Yep. Carson.  I agree.  I loved every moment of it!

First day of summer

Our first day of summer break, I did this . . .

While the kids played happily in the backyard . . .

A little too happily . . . they made a giant mud pit and apparently had a blast. . .

even little Janessa joined in on the fun . . .

And so I made them do this . . .

Let's just say, I learned my lesson--after the backyard was cleaned up, the mud scrubbed out of the tubs and clothes and faces . . . the rest of the peaches (28 quarts) were canned at night and naptime over the rest of the week.   :)

June 10, 2012

I was trying to get Janessa's weekly Sunday picture . . . 

she didn't want to cooperate, 

but I love this one of our pre-church family!

Janessa's sleepy "it's time for my morning nap" look, 

Carson's big grin 

and Nathan and his cheese grater in the background.  

That boy LOVES cheese!