Just Hangin’ Out Front

A few weeks ago, during spring break…perfect weather…bike riding…cousins…selling “things” handmade by Jordyn to neighbors (and she sold three!)

 

Lexi – Student of the Month!

Lexi was so thrilled to be named Student of the Month for March.  This is a great honor because there is only one student per month (per class) which means 8 children can be student of the month…out of 24 students.  She is an exemplary student, hard working, kind, diligent, and helpful!  Thanks for rewarding her, Mrs. Stone!

 

Pey-isms

Pey looking through her Easter Basket…pauses and says “But mom, we forgot our stockings!”.  Wrong holiday Pey!

 

As the bunnies were hopping around tonight, Pey tells Lindy “We think the bunny is going to lay eggs and have babies”.  Ha ha ha ha, funny kid.

Happy Easter!

 

(all attire of those 9 and younger points 100% credit to the creativity of Pam Blasco, aka Mom, aka Grandma.  Thanks Mom!)

Lexi’s Thoughts

The other night as I was getting the girls to bed and we were saying prayers, I reminded them to include the people of Japan in their prayers.  So that initiated a little conversation.

Then, after tucking her in, Lexi called me in her room and said (with a lot of concern): “Mom…if there was a tsunami in New York, or San Francisco or Paris…would the Statue of Liberty, the Golden Gate Bridge or the Eiffel Tower fall down?”.

I had to think about it for a minute.  And then I chuckled.

 

It was quite a deep question for a 7 year old! 

 

So we talked about it for a few minutes and the possibilities of disaster in each of those places.  I really need to thank Mrs. Stone for teaching her so thoroughly about those places in such a was that Lexi holds them very deep in her heart!

Tucker’s Job

When Tucker has to leave us for conventions…this is how he spends his entire days.  At a booth, trying to remember all the names of each district personnel he meets…and before offering them MBT’s services he has to remember if they are a client off the top of his head…and staying REALLY focused on the conversation.  He says his brain hurts when he gets home.  But he does really well at it.

 

Wicked

Tucker and I have wanted to see Wicked for several years.  So when I heard it was coming as close as Fresno, I had to get tickets.  We decided to take Jordyn and Lexi with us too.  It was quite good!  I was very impressed with the enthusiasm and voices of the main characters, Elphaba and Glinda.  Glinda was absolutely hilarious.

 

 

And then, because Tucker is way more outgoing than I am, we waited by the backstage door to meet some of the cast.  Here is Fiero.

 

 

And here is Glinda and Elphaba – totally OUT of costume/makeup/hair and looking like normal girls :-)

I’m Tired

When I play catch up on the blog every few weeks, I can’t help but feel a little sad that I miss out on blogging my feelings and the real life day-to-day stuff.  “Catch up” blogging makes it seem like life is just full of events.  I’m so glad I at least do that, but I don’t want to look back and miss the “meat” of our lives.

 

I really, really, really wish I could enjoy my days, minutes and moments better.  I wish I wanted to linger in my kids rooms when I tuck them into bed and just talk and listen.  I wish I had more patience.  But the truth of it is, I’m tired a lot, busy a lot and life takes so much coordination to keep up with. Smelling the roses often doesn’t fit in!

 

And the truth of it is, when I tuck the girls into bed, I’m practically running out of their rooms to have my “me” time. I can hardly linger even a minute longer (especially if its after 8:30) because I am so DONE.  I try to tell myself that I will miss this when they are teenagers and they are out with their friends and don’t WANT me to tuck them in.  But that doesn’t always work.

 

Tucker has been out of town a lot lately.  I know that is wearing on me.  And the arthritis is flaring up again a lot and THAT may wear on me the most.  I feel 85 years old, sore, tired, stiff and feel like I haven’t had a bit of rest when I get up in the morning.  I start to feel like a drill sergeant, like all I do is yell out orders to my kids.  With no joy and no enjoyment, and I don’t want it to be like that.

I really do love and enjoy my kids.  But it is essential that I SHOW them more often that I am enjoying them, rather than harping to them.  I really do try my best.

 

These are the kinds of things I need to write more of:

Peyton and I were driving home after dropping the girls off at school.  She said “Mom, are you happy now?”.  And I said “Why?”.  She said “because that house finally took their pumpkins down!”.  I laughed and laughed realizing that she has consistently been checking to see if the pumpkins were still there at one of our neighbors house ever since Halloween…because I have told the girls how much I hate when stuff is left up after the holiday.  Quite the observant child!

Jordyn’s 9th Birthday Party at Trinkets

These pictures make her party seem like it was so much more work than it really was…but it was actually one of the most simple I’ve planned!  No set up or clean up of my house, which was great.

 

Trinkets & Treasures offers girls shopping nights, birthday parties, etc.  So we decided to do Jordyn’s bday party there this year.  I had several co-workers there to help, so it was smooth sailing!  There were 13 kids, including all of mine.  They had a blast.

 

Here is what we did:

-Girls arrived, labeled their own cupcake and water bottle, ate pizza and breadsticks

-could get their faces painted, nails painted

-opened presents in a circle

-told them to open their hands and close their eyes and Jordyn gave them each $10 to spend in the store

-they got to shop

-did cupcakes and sand Happy Bday!

 

That was it!  The girls seemed to all love it and were all very well behaved 8-9 year olds. 

 

Here is who came: Paige Lopez, Paige Coddington, Karley Guerrero, Alyssa Goertzen, Olivia Doyle, Zoe Van Beurden, Molly O’Bannon, Ahleena Coolidge, Lyric, Lexi and Peyton.  Along with Grandma and Lindy, photography by Daddy.

 

 

 

 

Jordyn’s absolute favorite part of the entire night:  being the cashier for her friends.  Danielle is helping her.

 

 

I was very grateful to these ladies (Trinkets co-ops) for giving me their Friday evening to help with Jordyn’s party!

(Dianne, Me, Danielle, Jeanice and Julia)

 

Didn’t get a pic of Tucker with Jordyn since he was the photographer…so here is after all the fun, right before bed.  Hope you had a great birthday party Jordyn!

Kids Loving Spring