May Mayhem...actually this was April...May to come

As usual, we have been super busy the last while. April seemed to race by with fun and now May is the same. This morning I woke up to find Lane sitting on the counter eating life cereal from a bag...Grace asked "mom" a million times only to then ask "what sound do rabbit's make"...and Jaden was hugged me on his way out the door and then hugged both his sister and his brother. Some days you just laugh, amazed at what you have.

In April I was able to go meet Cory in San Antonio and spend four days without kids. It was so much fun. It was nice to know that after nine years(today is our anniversary) we could still enjoy being together. It was a lot of work to get ready to go...I hadn't left my kids that long and now with all their activities it worried me. My parents and in-laws did amazing and even laughed at my OCDness. It was really hard to come home though. I was so ready to see my kids and worried about them but hated to leave the bliss of our vacation behind. Who knows when there will be another one?



I had to jump right back into craziness when we returned...I had written up a script for my ward's young women based on the Wizard of Oz. Each of the girls were given ruby red slippers, then they had to collect each of the yw values and return to "home" with their virtue. It was so much fun and I think it turned out but it was soooooo much work.


The girl's choosing their ruby red slippers.

Sugar cookie lollipops for dessert.


We also did a mom and me "T" party for YW and used the "T" for temples, testimonies, trials, triumphs, treasures, etc. It was also fun but a lot of work.
This is my cute YW president-Grace wouldnt' get a picture with me.


We moved Cory's grandparent's at the end of April...made me want to clean my house and try to get organzied again.

I also was in charge of Teacher Appreciation Week at our school. This included: a small gift in the teacher's boxes every day, breakfast on Monday(ciche, muffins, bagels, fruit, drinks), Fun facts about each teacher displayed on Tuesday, Wednesday we recognized the aids, Thursday we had the kids decorate a poster with their Thank you's, Friday we did Cafe Rio style salads, cake and drinks and then each teacher got to pick a $25 gift(i.e. movie tickets & dinner, hair salon gift certificate) and 1/2 dozen cookies. I had spent the last two months getting the donations and was very glad to have it over.

The kids wanted to go to the school carnival which was on a Wed night smack dab in the middle of Teacher Appreciation week. So we did...Jaden's soccer at 4:30-5:30,change clothes,carnival from 5:30-6:30, then I had my YW T party and Cory had YM so we split the kids and met at home around 9. The kids have been really good lately but I think they are getting tired. Here is the remnants of Jaden's cool hair that was dyed at the carnival.


Jaden had his first piano recital and was very nervous. He did super though and I'm so very proud of him. I thought Cory recorded the song though but I guess he just took pictures. Here he is with his amazing piano teacher, Ginelle.




He also found and read his own scripture for Primary(guess I'm retired now). Grace gave a talk on Faith and for the first time actually spoke into the microphone.

Mother's Day was supersized in our house. The kids have been working and thinking about it for weeks(I'm not a huge fan of Mother's Day so it wasn't because of me). They were so cute and I think more excited about this than Christmas. They woke up early(6ish) and woke me up with gifts (#1 mom necklace and recipe holder), then they made me toast with sprinkles and a protein shake to have in bed, they helped get ready for church(since Cory was gone to meetings), sang to me in Sacrament, made coupon books for me in Primary, when we got home they had prepared a special dance number to show me, then they gave me gifts they had purchased from their great-grandma's garage sale the previous weeks. They were so cute about it and I love them so much. Its hard to imagine life without them...I really don't want to. I missed my own mom and grandma and wished I could be with them. I am so lucky to have such great women in my life.

Now we have upcoming dance programs and competitions, graduations, patriotic programs, camping trips, the end of soccer, beggining of baseball....all in two weeks.....hmmmm.