Schools Out For Summer!

Tomorrow is officially my last day of driving across town three times a day to drive the girls to school. My last day of dragging my butt out of bed and driving Kenzie to school in my pajamas. Which by the way usually look like pajamas and couldn't be mistaken for anything else thus further embarrassing McKenzie. Every morning she asks "is that what you're driving me to school in?" Yes of course it is. Its before 9 am isn't it? Who cares how I look? Its not like I'm going to see anyone I know. Well except when I fly by Traci most mornings on her way to drop off, I get the occasional odd look from her. I probably look a touched crazed with my hair flying wildly, and maybe cutting off a few drivers I deem unworthy. I love the idea of getting up super early, working out, and being dressed for the day by 8:30 am. I've set my alarm for that many, many times. But let's face it. I'm not that person. If I'm exercised and dressed in time for the kindergarten drop off, its a good day.
Usually I'm a touch bummed when school's out because it means 3 months of breaking up fights and messes. But thanks to the Central Valley School District' poor planning and a ridiculous amount of snow, it means just over 2 months of fighting and NO MORE DRIVING TO SCHOOL! So I'm going to go find my old Dazed and Confused cd, pop that sucker in, and fly to school in my usual early morning frenzy. I'll be sure to pick out a special pair of pajamas, just for McKenzie.

"The best day ever!" -Hailey

It seems like the days when both Dave and I have a full day off and nothing pressing to do have become few and far between. Memorial Day was one of those few days. We packed up the kids and a picnic and went to Manito Park, my favorite park here. While we were eating on the grass the ice cream truck kept conveniently driving by, reeaallly sloooowly. My girls have held the elusive ice cream truck guy up on a pretty high pedastool since last summer. Before moving to Spokane, the kids didn't really have a great concept of what an ice cream truck was. Last year one drove through our complex on a fairly regular basis. I promised the girls all summer that they would get a chance. Unfortunately he only came through on Sundays or days I had zero cash. The one day the girls had the opportunity they chased him through the whole parking lot. Right before the exit they wanted to make a run for it but got scared they'd get run over (thanks to my brainwashing) so they hesitated and never got his attention. By the time I got there with the boys there were two broken hearted little girls standing on the side of the parking lot clutching their money with tears in their eyes. It was one of those parenting moments that just breaks your heart over something so seemingly simple. Back to Manito. We told the kids later they could, knowing we would be at the park for a while. They were sooo worried they wouldn't find him again. Especially Ha, she was just obsessed with getting him this time. After they'd woldfed down a suitable amount of lunch Dave gave the girls a 20 and told them to run, as the truck was starting to pull out (very slowly). The kids were beyond thrilled. Here they are with their hard won prize. By hard won, I mean obsessive pestering until we finally gave in. I am the weakest link. This is when Hailey cheered "this is the best day ever!" When I asked "even better than Disneyland?" She had to really think about it before saying "about as good.." Geez I should have saved my money and just gone for icecream everyday. Nah the trip was still worth it. But I find it humorous that a child whose had quite a few travel opportunities and has done a lot of fun stuff ranks this so very high. I guess it goes to show the simple things count. Funny after all of that traveling last year, this year we are staying home and the kids will probably like it more. Well not Kenzie. That girls go champagne taste on a koolaid budget. And for the record we did see the truck again before we left. By this time the kids were all hot and sweaty and begging to go again.

Here's some pictures I took of the kids by the lilac gardens. I love the lilac gardens in the spring. They are my favorite smelling flower and so pretty. When we get our own house we are buying some bushes! I want to play with these on Photoshop (maybe poor forgotten Connor will finally get his 8x10 too)

Connor's first haircut and new glasses

Connor got his first pair of glasses last week. He looks like such a little man now. He actually does a pretty good job of keeping them on. When he first got them he walked around for like 45 minutes just looking at his feet and the floor. It was like he'd never seen them before. He'll wear them around for an hour or so at a time before he flings them. He'll just run around looking at everything like its a whole new world. Only this means he's really never still now. so taking a picture involves setting the camera on the fast mode and running backwards in front of him snapping pictures. this is as good as it gets.

Sorry these are in the wrong order. I downloaded them wrong and can't figure out how to move them. Here's Connor after his first haircut. He looks so grown up now. More like a little boy less like my baby boy.
He really enjoyed his haircut. This is Dave finishing it up. He had to do it in phases. He started while I was at soccer with the girls. I came home to a sleeping baby and a baggie of hair on the table. At first neither of the boys were around and I panicked and thought he'd cut Gregs. I think he did that just to torture me. He saved blending it until after the nap thinking he'd get more cooperation. Not so much. But it still turned out cute.

Little blessings

Some of my dear friends have lovingly accused me of seeing the glass half empty. I agree I tend towards the gloomy side (perhaps that explains why I still really enjoy my 90s teenage agnst and gray sky music) So here's to the good things.

About a month ago my sister Carrie, who's a children's physical therapist convinced me to take Connor to a child find at the school she works at. I took him mainly to check his hearing but they do a thorough screening. I wasn't sure what to expect but I didnt' expect the stack of referrals I received. While some panned out to nothing, some I'm glad we followed through on. I thought for sure the opthamologist would send me happily on my way. Instead little dude is getting glasses for a severe stigmatism and far sightedness.

Originally when we were referred to a speech therapist, we were told it would be a 6 month wait. After calling around I found a place downtown that could get him in sooner. The day of his scheduled evaluation they called and said they had to reschedule for the next week. That day Hailey had occupational therapy. While I was there the receptionist stuck her head in and asked if we still needed speech therapy because there had been several cancellations and we could do our eval that day. (they take an hour which is really the hold up to getting started) I jumped at it and found out Connor is pretty delayed. There are some concerns about how much he hears which we will hopefully know more about soon. I was so grateful that morning cancellation had allowed me to get him therapy at the office right in town, without a huge wait. And I'm so grateful my sister talked me into taking him in. I probably would have shrugged it off until he was 2. For a kid that's already behind that can be huge. Its funny how little things like that remind you that your family is being watched out for even if its something small.

I wrote this a few days ago and didn't post it yet. While I'm still happy he got into the speech therapist I'm less concerned than I initially was. We got Connor into the ENT today. While he'll probably end up with tubes and an adnoidectomy by fall, I'm happy to say that despite scarring on his left ear drum his hearing tested fine. YEah! Hopefully all he needs is some time and glasses (and some tubes.)

A yard of their own

My children have sadly only known life in an apartment. They've never had their own backyard to play in. And while we've had some good times at some of those places, there is nothing like your own yard to play in. Our new place has a decent sized back yard that was 3/4 of the way fenced. We took part of our tax return and bought fencing to finish it off and then added to the kids' birthday money to buy a swing set. I found a baby swing at a used kids store and we're all set.
Dave assembling the new swing set. Notice Greg already hopped the swings, he was just too excited to wait. My sweet husband has spent many a day off working in the yard getting it ready for the kids to play.

This is Greg's "helmet". Whenever he goes out to play in the backyard he puts this kachow hat and matching mittens on and calls it his helmet. (he has a real one for the bike) He's such a goof. Of course it is still unseasonably cold here so he probably legitamately needs it. we'll see if he still wears it in July.

The kids giving the new swing set a try. McKenzie was just so excited to have swings in her backyard. The kids love it. And I love having a place for them to play.

Their other favorite new toy. The box the swing set came in. There were two of them. One was a "car" and the other their "house." They played in them for a good week before the rain wrecked them. I was not dragging seven foot long boxes in each time it rained. Sorry kids.

Everytime McKenzie runs out to the swings to play, my heart swells a little. Its a little sad that the kid was 8 before she knew what it was like to have a yard of her own. Hopefully in a few years we will move to a house that really is our own. But in the meantime I am just extremely grateful to Heavenly Father that we have been blessed with this place. I know it sounds a little lame, but to us having a garage, basement, and a yard after all the years in tiny apartments is huge. I finally feel like we can breathe. And for Hailey to be able to go out and jump and run whenever she wants has made the biggest difference. I no longer feel like I'm yelling at her all day because she is driving me nuts. You know I don't cry, but sometimes watching the kids play in the big mud hole in the back makes me tear up a little. That's pretty big.

As I promised the girls here's our matching bags from our girls night. After some awesome Thai we went bra shopping at Kohl's (good times) and found these matching bags for a steal. well they were cute, and there just happened to be 3 so we just had to have them. And they hold a lot! I was so lucky Da sent Nik out for Kenzie's baptism. It was fun to have the girls back together (minus a few).

McKenzie's Baptism

It's hard to believe that I have a daughter old enough to be baptized. That seems like such a grown up thing, like driving a mini van.

McKenzie's baptism was wonderful. Dave's dad, stepmom, mom and two of his sisters came. My parent's and brother and Nikki and her parents, as well as some of our friends from Spokane. McKenzie was so excited and looked so beautiful in her white dress. I think she felt so grown up and important. Having only attended convert baptisms in the past, I felt a little unprepared for a stake youth baptism. It felt like we were really just winging it. Unable to scrape up any musical families among those being baptized the stake primary presidency opts for all the kids to sing. Only this ends up being a little last minute. Like hey kids go up and sing "when I am baptized". It was cute but a litte funny to watch all of their bewildered little faces. Not that my spotlight was much better. I'd written out this cute two page spotlight on McKenzie, then when I got up there in front of the small congregation I totally freaked and skimmed through hitting key parts. Prettty sad.

My parents and my litte family

Me, Dave, and the kids in the hall afterwards. I'd wanted to take some pictures by the temple but of course it was pouring rain.

Dave's parents and our family.

I'm so proud of McKenzie's decision to be baptized. I know that she has made the right decision and it will bring her such joy. We love you Kenzie!

Farts are funny

I knew this day would come. I naively thought my sweet little boy would forever be innocent. He'd never be like those other little boys that think every bodily funtion is absolutely hysterical. We wouldn't have conversations about poop, farts, and bums. Wrong. Greg has always liked to keep me posted on his every move, which now includes farting. I'll be cleaning in one room and Greg will come flying "Mom I farted!" grinning away. Then he'll wait expectantly for an answer. I usually muster up a sarcastic "great" all the while wondering exactly what it is he's waiting for.

Now everything can be made even funnier. Peanut butter and fart sandwiches! Poop snacks! Its never ending. Today he was eating a fruit by the foot and I noticed there was trivia on the paper as he ate it. I asked "hey Greggers, can I read your paper while you eat?" He said "Yeah you can read my pooper mom." Then busted out laughing. "I said pooper!" hahahaha. "Mom read my pooper!" hahaha For the next twenty minutes I could hear him randomly say to himself "read my pooper" then chuckle and shake his head. Seriously where did this child come from? When he plays with his friend David their conversations somehow have poop and farts attached to every comment.

I had also hoped to somehow avoid that other magical boy right of passage, peeing everywhere. I have taken great care to teach Greg how to pee, sitting on the toilet backwards, so he doesn't get it everywhere. I figured in a year or two he could learn about peeing standing. I told him peeing stading was only for outside. A week or two ago Dave taught him to pee standing. After he peed all over the wall at the occupational therapists I told him he should only pee standing when we were at the store. Obviously that didn't work since peeing standing is far cooler. Now when he's preparing to go he begins by pointing it up at the ceiling! When I yell frantically "point it down! point it down!", he sighs then dejectedly says "yeah" before properly taking aim. I'm a little concerned that he's set himself some secret goal of hitting the ceiling. One day when he doesn't want me in there anymore I'm a little scared of what I'll find.