Swimming Lessons

Maisey has been in swim lessons for the whole month of May. This is her last week. I haven't been great about taking pictures of her for 2 reasons. 1) I'm trying to keep her fully-clothed brother out of the water and 2) Once a week, I've been trying to swim laps during her lessons.

There was a day last week that we weren't swimming and Daddy came to help with Gage, so we have pictures!

She is still very timid in the water and doesn't like getting her face wet. She is a strong kicker though, and is starting to get the arm motions down.

Finishing Up May: Baptism, Pump it Up, Yard Work

I can't believe today is the last day of May! Here is last week's update!

 We were driving down the freeway last week and happened upon the Wienermobile! Imagine Gage's excitement. Now imagine Gage screaming "dot dog, dot dog, dot dog" over and over again. There, it was like you were in the car with us!

 We had Maisey's end-of-the-year preschool picnic party. Maisey LOVED it and is really going to miss going to preschool this summer.Teacher Angela made these cute pillow cases for the kids and each of the kids in the class put their hand prints on all of the pillow cases. Maisey also got the book "Clifford's Graduation" and she got to take home her seat spot and her name! It was a great night!

 In preparation for our vacation, we tried putting Gage in his big boy bed for nap time and bed time last week.We really don't want to have to take our pack n' play with us, but it looks like we will have to. The bed time lasted about 3 minutes! Oh well!

On Friday, my mom babysat for us so Shaun and I could go to dinner and then to the temple to help with our ward's youth baptisms. It was a nice night out!

 Saturday was a very special day for us! Remember when I posted about this family almost 2 years ago? Well, Shaun had the opportunity of baptizing Victoria. She is such a smart and determined young woman. We are so proud of the choices she has made and for the chance that we had to be a part of her conversion process.

 

 Maisey loved being at the baptism. She can't wait to turn 8!

Also on Saturday, we got to meet up with my Aunt Judy and Uncle Alan from Idaho and my cousin and her husband too. It was fun visiting with them over lunch! I love my family!

 Our van hit the 100,000 mile mark! I know I'm lame that I took a picture of it, but I always love when I notice cool number patterns on my odometer. Shaun makes fun of me! We are praying that our van will hold up for the rest of this year and then we will be in the market for a new one early next year!

On Sunday night, we told the kids we had a fun surprise for them the next morning. Maisey was guessing all night what it was. She guessed it right several times but we never told her that she got it right. When we pulled up to the parking lot, she almost jumped out of her car seat. She LOVES Pump it Up and always, seriously at least once a day, asks if we can go!

 Getting ready to box it out!

 Daddy putting Maisey in her place!

 Maisey haulin' down the slide! I love her face!

 Gage caught some major speed!

 Maisey rockin' the obstacle course!

 

 And Daddy showin' everyone how it's done!

After Pump it Up, we came home, put the kids down for nap and got to work! Every time I look at our yard, I cringe. We have so much to do! We mowed, weeded 3 of our 9 raised garden beds, and spread 3 1/2 cubic yards of bark dust! We worked until 7:30 pm. It was a looong afternoon but we made significant progress. Our yard debris bin is overflowing so I will have to wait until next week to do anymore out there.

The kids loved flinging the bark dust all over the driveway with their shovels. We put an end to that pretty quickly when we paid Maisey $2 to push Gage in the swing!

Gage thought it was pretty funny to ride his four wheeler up the mound until he fell over backwards and hit his head on the driveway and got bark all up his back and down his shorts.

He was quite the helper spraying off the driveway.

*Note to Self: DO NOT make husband pressure wash driveway earlier in Spring if you are planning on spreading bark later on. It WILL NOT make him happy!

We promised the kids a bike ride earlier on in the day, so after all of the yard work was complete and we were completely exhausted, we loaded them and their dinner up in the trailer and went for a ride. They loved testing out the new trailer!

We had a great week last week and we are looking forward to a slightly less busy week this week. Janel, and possibly Ryan, come into town on Thursday and we are looking forward to hanging with them!

Last Day of Preschool

Today was Maisey's last day of preschool. She has learned so much in the last nine months. She can tell you everything there is to know about the five senses, bears, healthy foods, the four seasons, music, transportation, nursery rhymes, construction, ocean animals, dinosaurs, plants and seeds, the solar system, farm animals, and bugs! She has also learned how to write all of her letters and all of their sounds. I can tell her any word and she can tell me what the word starts with! She had so much fun with the kids in her class this year, and her teacher was awesome too!

She wanted to pick out a "special" outfit for her last day today! This is what she came out wearing! What you don't see is she is wearing Christmas socks under the cowboy boots, and a black headband (she wouldn't let me touch her hair!). Maybe next year they will have a unit on fashion! Haha!

Iris Festival

On Friday evening we headed to the Keizer Iris Festival with some friends! The kids had a great time riding the rides.

 Here, the kids are dancing and are so excited while the parents buy tickets!

 Daddy and Gagey riding the fire truck! 

This was the only ride that Gage was tall enough to go on which was a little disappointing because he was able to ride all the rides at Lagoon last year.

 Maisey piloting an airplane

 Maisey, Gage, and Peyton riding in the fire truck

After the festival we headed over to Uncle Scott's bonfire. We had a great time chatting around the fire and eating smores! Yum!!!

 Gage was in heaven! He loves being outside!

Maisey had a lot of fun too!

On Saturday morning, we headed back down to Keizer for the Iris Parade. It did not disappoint! The kids had a great time and Maisey actually did pretty well with all of the characters! Gage still hated the sirens and car horns honking but loved the rest of it! He was sure a funny guy that day.

 We love the Keizer Iris Festival and look forward to it every year!

Last Week in Review

Last Sunday we had a nice Mother's Day. I got a homemade card from Shaun and the kids (mostly Maisey). The card was very well decorated with some heartfelt words. It really meant a lot to me. Also inside the card were three coupons. One was for an hour long back massage which you better believe I redeemed that night. The other two were for a bike and a bike trailer!

So, Monday night for family home evening we went to pick out a bike. I'll have to post pics of it once I actually get to ride it. It's been rainy almost all week so I haven't taken it for a spin yet. Daddy got his Father's Day present early because he, too, got a bike! We also bought helmets, a bike pump, bike locks, and a new camping tent! It was a very expensive trip, but all stuff that we needed! Then we headed to DQ for a FHE treat!

On Tuesday, we went to the zoo for play group. It was a lot of fun, but also a lot of work! Gage didn't want to stay in his stroller and didn't want to stay by me. He also threw some MAJOR fits, but we all survived! It was fun to go with friends!

Wednesday was my laundry day. Enough said.

Thursday was a catch up/run errands day!

And Friday. . . we all love Fridays! Shaun took Gage on his first Father/Son camp out! Gage was so excited to go and Shaun reported that they had a great time!

Since the boys were gone Friday night, Maisey and I met some friends for some ice cream and games! It was a lot of fun! Then we had our own version of a camp out in the family room. I slept on the couch while Maisey slept in her princess tent on the floor next to me! She thought it was pretty special.

Saturday was Maisey's last T-ball game! She has improved quite a bit over the last 6 weeks. Both times up to bat, she was able to hit the ball on the first try. 

 She also fielded a ball and threw it to second base! We will be working on her throw during the off season! :)

After the game we headed to Maisey's coach's house for a team party. Well, it just so happens that Maisey's coach is one of our good friends and the only other family from the team that came happens to be our other good friends! It was so fun for the kids to play and the adults to chat! We ended up staying waaaay to long that it wasn't worth putting our kids down for naps, so we decided on a quite time, then an early bed time.

 Well, this is how our quiet time ended up!

Yesterday, our kids seemed to be more rowdy during church than usual! In the evening we headed to our friends' house for dinner. I brought this amazing fruit pizza! YUM!!!

 

What a week! This one proves to be just as busy! They all do!

Laundry Mishaps

Most people hate laundry. I am one of the few who actually doesn't mind it. I'm just grateful that I don't have to wash all my clothes by hand -- then I would hate it! I don't mind scrubbing stains, keeping up with switching the loads, folding clothes right out of the dryer, even matching socks!  But, today was a different story. Today I was frustrated for 3 reasons:

*Reason #1 - A strap on one of my tank tops ripped off in the washer. Probably the least expensive mishap of the day, but still annoying.

*Reason #2 - I accidentally dried my skinny jeans. They were already on the snug side when I bought them last month, and I was always sure to hang dry them. This week they were sneaky and made their way into the dryer.

*Reason #3 - Gage peed on his BYU football pillow, so I decided to wash it. I've washed Maisey's Minnie Mouse pillow several times before without any incident, so I didn't even think twice about putting it in the wash. I took the outer cover off and washed it with Gage's sheets that he also peed on. I put the inside of the pillow in with my sheets. I went to change the laundry and this is what I found. I almost cried.

 I took each piece out of the washer and couldn't believe that this once was shaped into a football pillow.

 Here is the sad lifeless cover of the pillow. Not sure what I am going to do about it now!

We Like to Sing and Dance and Dance and Sing!!!

Chicken Dance!

Chicken Dance Again!

Popcorn!

 

Book of Mormon Stories!

We Love Sun!

We had two 60 degree or warmer days last week, so you better believe we spent every minute of those days outside. They are a rarity around here this spring!

Lots of bike riding

and Hula Hooping

And Scooter Riding

And Looking Manly (in Maisey's helmet, riding Maisey's scooter!)

And Bubble Blowing

  

And Lawn Mower Pushing!

They sure enjoyed the nice weather. Now if it would just come to stay!