Miracles DO Happen!

It's a rainy Sunday morning and this is what I woke up to:

Let's be honest, I wish moments like these happened more often but I will take whatever I can get.  There is nothing like the love, example and let's not forget the PATIENCE of an older brother!  Sometimes they love each other and sometimes they hate each other but that is what brotherhood is about.  Moments like these make me happy as a mom.  

Austin's Pre-school Program

 It feels like just yesterday I was dropping Austin off for his first day of school.  Now here we are, 9 months later, and the school year is over.  I have to admit that the next week or two will be a little bitter sweet for me.  All of my kids have lucked out with teachers this year.  I have not one complaint.  Austin's teacher, Mrs. Hansen, is about as good as it gets.  We LOVE her.  This morning they had their final program and it was fun to see how much they have learned.  Austin knew all the words to the poems and nursery rhymes and sang his little heart out during all of the songs.  He even knew all of the sign language for the alphabet...impressive if you ask me!  Austin has loved all the great kids in his class this year.  I heard one kid that is a little older refer to Austin as his "buddy".  It made me smile.  Austin is my little buddy too.  I look forward to the break pre-school gives me but he is such a sweet kid and I don't mind having him around during the day.  We are lucky to have one more year with Mrs. Hansen before moving on to Kindergarten, phew!  Time is flying, the kids are growing up, and though I am looking forward to a break from schedules and homework - I will be excited when August rolls around and the kids are back in school.  

 Austin and Mrs. Hansen

 Thompson and Tavah, Grandma Jo, and Uncle Geoff  came to watch!  

 Summer and Austin

 My adorable pre-schooler!

Look at that smile.  He was loving it! 

Kylee's Corner!

I just walked in Kylee's room to collect her laundry and this is what I found...we still have Bieber fever around here!  I am trying hard to bite my tongue and give up control of "her space".  A child's bedroom should reflect who they are, right? Tyler grew up with Sports Illustrated covers all over his walls and his mom left it there until after his mission.  Nick and Austin are already starting their collection so I guess I should take a deep breath smile about it.  Soon she will move on to something new and different so for now I am going to smile every time I walk in her room and see this...I think!

Happy 10 Years!

Tyler and I travled to Boston this past week to celebrate 10 years of marital bliss.  In all seriousness, the last 10 years have flown by and I am one happy lady.  It was great to spend time with Tyler. We only had a few bumps in the road while traveling this week but made the most of our time without the kids and enjoyed visiting Boston.  The weather was terrible but that added to the adventure.  We walked and walked and walked and saw a lot of great history sights.  I enjoyed almost every minute of it.  Tyler's family has a lot of history in the Boston area so it was fun to see actual homes, graves, and monuments of people that we are directly related to.  It was a great week, the kids survived, the grandmas survived,  and we are happy to be home safe and sound.

Pictured below are a few of the highlights:

The Boston "duck tour".

Redsox vs Orioles game that was rained out but at least we got a picture!

The Plymouth Planation and visiting Plymouth rock.

Visiting the Richard Sparrow house - we are related!

John Adams birthplace and farm.

The John Adams home and farm in Peacefield.

The Boston Temple.

Jospeh Smith's birthplace in Sharon, Vermont.

The Witch Trial Museum in Salem.

Finger Paint?

 Oh dear Summer....how I love thee....even when you spend Sunday morning fingerpainting with your yogurt instead of eating it for breakfast.  P.S. I love your crazy morning hair! 

A New Look

I have wanted to  paint my door and shutters black for well over a year now but never had the guts to tackle the job on my own.  Thanks to my talented brother-in-law, Taylor the tool man, the project is finally complete!  He worked his tail off and survived being on the roof.  I am so thrilled with the results.  I love the black...I think it adds to the look of the house.  Now I need some mulch and a few more pots planted and the outside will be complete for a little while.  Next year I think I might add a window box.  What do you think?  

I only have a few more months with this handy man in town before he takes my sister and moves to Iowa.  I am dreaming of my next project....thanks Taylor! 

Grandpa comes to school!

Kylee was so excited to invite Grandpa to come to school for career day this week to talk to her class about being a doctor.  She was in heaven with him there.  He brought the best props, told the best stories, and even let all the kids test their oxygen level.  It was fun to have him there and out of 9 presenters that day Kylee said that her Grandpa was BY FAR the best!  Thank you Grandpa for making me 3rd grader proud!

GOTCHA!!!!

I finally made it to the store to buy safety locks for my door knobs.  Summer learned how to open doors last week and since then has escaped a number of times.  I put these fancy child proof handles on today and she has been frustrated all afternoon!  She moved the stool over and stood at the front door for a good 15 minutes trying to figure out how to open the door.  I even put them on my bathroom doors because she is famous for finding toys and flushing them down.  I love her not so innocent face in this picture!  She is by far my busiest child at this stage.  My other kids learned how to open doors but never dared actually step foot outside without me.  Summer is not only out the door but across the street.  She can open the fridge, the oven and the dishwasher.  Nothing is safe with this little on around.  Every cupboard is unloaded, every toilet is repeatedly flushed, every door is slammed over and over again.  I hope she grows out of her curious stage soon or I am in for a long summer!

And this is what I found in the only bathroom I didn't put a safety lock on!

Cutest Picture EVER!

I just had to post this because I think it is the cutest picture ever!  Oh how my Summer LOVES her aunt Kelsey.  They were both looking darling in their orange so we had to have a picture....I am amazed at how grown up Summer looks in this picture.  I love both of these girls!

Domestic?

Once upon a time (like 1 year ago) I thought that making freezer jam was hard until I joined my sisters in my mothers kitchen and learned that it really is simple.  Considering I don't sew or bake bread I thought making homemade jam might be something I could teach Kylee.  So, I bought the strawberries and other necessary ingredients and after school we went to work.  She did it all and was super impressed with herself.  It is funny how things that seem complicated aren't when you actually take the time to learn.  It was fun to chat amongst the mess in the kitchen and spend a few minutes with my little girl.  Maybe someday she will do the same with her daughter and she can tell her that her mother taught her something.

That's My Boy

This kid loves to play ball and has proven to be quite a player!  He is on the Lehi Titan's this year and is being coached by none other than his dad.  I love that it allows my boys time to be with their dad.  Austin is the "bat boy" and attends every practice and game like he were on the team.   The team is young and has some improving to do but they are having a blast which I have decided is what is important when you are only SEVEN.  Some of the teams that they are playing are a bit to competitive if you ask me.   He was excited request #32 in honor of Jimmer as well as his dad who was #32 through High School, Ricks and BYU.  It has been fun to watch his confidence grow - he thinks he is awesome and we think he is too!