April Dump!

School gets out about two weeks earlier than it used to (June 1stish now used to be June 13thish) so the crazy-of-school-madness starts two weeks earlier.  I've been running with my head down smashing through life's obstacles like a boss.  I don't know how life got so crazy.  I thought life was crazy with toddlers and babies (and it was) turns out life is always crazy no matter how old your kids are.   So here is a dump of some of the things we've smashed through as a family.

Having baby Lily in our home for babysitting playdates (the best!)

Adell's va-va-voom eyelashes after swim practice.

In Kindergarten about 2/3rds of the way through the year the teacher sends home a stuffed animal.  The kids are supposed to go on adventures with the animal and teach the animal life skills...then write about it and include some pictures.  Colter's class animal is named Candy Bear. 

We got Candy Bear for the night smack in the middle of one crazy week.  I didn't have one extra second to spend on doing crap with Candy Bear, printing off pictures and writing about it.  Candy Bear could literally go to hell for all I cared.  Too bad for me and the Devil, Colter was pumped to spend some time with Candy Bear and show him cool stuff.  Colter wanted to take Candy Bear to Osage Park and repeat an adventure another classmate had already had.  That was just not going to happen.  So Candy Bear ran errands with us, helped Colter do some chores and put together a lego kit.  Candy Bear also learned how to use a gun as a horse.  Valuable life lessons, if you ask me.

In the midst of crazy life I still have friends who offer to do nice things for me.  I cannot figure out how they do it.  One friend, Ellie, has picked Adell up from school every other Wednesday and taken her to Activity Days.  It has been a huge help and Adell has had fun with a friend, Sylvie, she doesn't normally hang out with because they are a grade apart.  It is a blessing in many ways.

Monster Truck Rally night for the guys!

Dinner and a movie in for the girls!

Clare's primary teachers (Bill and Linda Diamond) moved to Sacramento this month.  They have been Clare's teachers for a couple of years and she LOVES them.  There were a lot of sad faces and hearts but we wish them well on their next adventure.

We had this beautiful Sunday where we went to church, had a meal and played a game.  Then we went on a walk to Greenbrook School.  Everyone was nice to each other and we had fun.  It felt like a miracle.  While we were at the school we decided to play Big Toy tag where only the person who is It can touch the ground.  It was fun, hard and a good work out!  We played for over an hour and no one got their feelings hurt or angry with each other.  It was lovely. 

Things have been stressful at home and sometimes feel heavy.  But for the last few weeks (while end-of-school-crazy is ramping up) our home life has smoothed out.  I don't know what to attribute it to fully but I know God is watching over our family and I am taking every tender mercy I can get.

The dreaded (for me) Fun Run.  I never go to cheer my kids on.  I think the idea of the kids running around the school for fun is fun.  But I've never been a fan of kids raising money for school.  I don't like my kids selling stuff and being salespersons for a company.  It feels like child labor.  Now I know the Fun Run is different in that it is strictly a fundraising event...so selling involved...but I do not have the time to send my kids around asking for donations.  Moreover, I don't have the time to send my kids around to collect the pledged money for each lap they completed.  No thank you.  Life is too busy. 

I also don't have time to go down to the school and cheer as my kids do laps.  I never have.  This year I did have time to go (with all of the kids in school and all).  But I thought it would be best to stick to the prescident.  Will was working from home so he went to cheer the kids on.  It worked out great. 

Colter was telling me about how he can tell if someone is looking directly at him or just past him.  I tested him a few times and he always knew where I was looking.  I asked him how he knew and he explained how he could tell if your eyes were a little off to the side or looking straight.  He also said he had "a good eye" then he pointed to his left eye and said "This is my good eye." 

I took Clare and Adell to the BYU Vocal Point concert while Will took Colter on the Father/Son campout.  Lorien had to work and Wyatt picked video games over both activities.  

Will and Wyatt took down the fence in our backyard right before the rainy season.  They worked little by little when we had nice days.  There is still a lot to be done but they are working hard!