Sum-sum-sum-sum-sum-sum-sum-summer Time...

Our school district rearranged the school calender this year--so our summer has been cut. short. I am a little ticked about it but what can I do?

Nothing.

Nothing but pack a ton of stuff into nine short weeks of summer.

The park, the library and a big outing once a week--that's my plan.

The Beach: CHECK

A day down in Monterey: CHECK

Discovering the joys of our backyard: CHECK

Discovering the joys of air conditioning and our toys: CHECK

So far, we've managed to accomplish lots of fun things on our list...which is really great because there is a good chance we are going to have to move this summer. So, we'll probably have to put aside day trips and library books for finding a new place, sorting crap and boxing up our life.

Bummer...

A Little of This And A Little of That...

Per Wyatt's Request...

Every so often Wyatt asks me to get the camera out and take a video or picture of some thing he is doing. After we look over the pictures or play the video back he mumble/whispers: "You should put that on the blog."

Here is the latest request, Wyatt making Adell laugh like crazy. It is totally blog worthy.

Over it...

Well, I am sooooo over that "Worst Mother in the World" post. School is finally out and we are going to hang out in our PJ's, watch cartoons and talk about all the cool stuff we want to do this summer.

I am a Dang-Awesome Mom.

And the award for "The Worst Mother In The World" goes to...

Cassandra Anderson!

"Oh! Thank you, thank you!

Goodness--I cannot say I am surprised considering my stellar Mom-behavior this week. I mean, who--but "The Worst Mother In the World" takes their children to school a whole hour late three days this week? Really?

I have to give a big shout out to my kiddos, I couldn't have done it with out ignoring them! Lorien, this is because I forgot to pack you a sack lunch that day you had the field trip at the park. Clare, this is because I let you watch TV for three hours Tuesday morning so I could take a shower and a nap. Adell, we can't forget the time I went to see a movie with a friend and stayed out way to late so you missed your bedtime nurse and had to go to sleep hungry.

And Wyatt! Oh Wyatt, I know my treatment of you clinched this award for me. I mean, who else completely forgets about their son's Kindergarten Graduation? That's right, no one with a soul would forget about that!

No one but me!

Thank you, thank you--it really is an incredible honor..."

(photo's courtesy of the kind and responsible parent of ANOTHER child in Wyatt's class)

Wyatt, scanning the crowd for his Mother. She's not there yet--but when is she ever on time? (NEVER) Maybe she will be there in time to see the reading of "Oh the Places You'll Go" when you get to hold up a special picture from the story.

Well Wyatt. You've got your fancy hat on, your diploma in hand, your cool beach bucket present from your teacher--what is missing?

Of course...your Mother...

6 Months Old...

This lump of love turned six-months-old today.

A few points of interest about Adell at six months:

She just (as in three seconds ago) learned how to roll from her back to her belly.

She sings herself to sleep at night.

She loves to chew on her toes.

She never wears pants. (At least you'd think so judging by those last two pictures.)

She loves to watch people sing, dance and jump--Clare can do all three at once.

She is in the 75%tile for height, weight and head circumference.

We all love her--too much!

OOOOhhhhh, oh--let's go fly a kite!

Costco had kites for sale a week ago. Like every thing else at Costco, these kites came in warehouse-super-store sizes at warehouse-super-store prices so, I bought one. Spring in California this year has been cold, wet and windy, it wasn't long before we had a great day to go kite flying.

The kids and I walked down to the nearest wide open field and tried to get the kite in the air. The stinker of it all was while up on the little hill at our house the wind was blowing fiercely--down in the little valley where the field was the air was still and quiet.

Result: me and the kids running all over the field yelling: "Fly! Fly!" at the kite.

We did manage to get it up in the air a few times. I think we'll have better success at the beach this summer.

Aaaaaaand we're back!

I went on Spring Break and never came back. I've been busy making this:

Isn't that baby some thing else?

I guess it is time to get some back-dated posts up.

He's The Best Around (part one)...

Will competed in the Veterans National Wrestling Tournament on May 7th in Utah. Our ever expanding family drove all the way across barren Nevada for this tournament.

Will cut about 25 pounds to wrestle at 152 pounds for this tournament. I had to explain to my cousin and Mom why Will was putting himself through torture. Seriously, I have no idea why he has to do it. But it has something to do with "If all of his friends jumped off a bridge--he would have to too."

(Some body call the fire department--this guy is H.O.T.)

When we got to the tournament I pointed to a guy who had muscles on his muscles and said "See how much bigger that guy is than Will. That guy is in the weight class above Will. If Will hadn't cut down an extra weight class, he'd have to wrestle that guy." Ten minutes later Will met us up in the stands and pointed to the same guy saying: "I think he'll be my toughest competition."

Whhhhhhhhaaat!

Well, that big guy took first place. Will took second--which means he qualifies for the World Tournament in Switzerland this summer. We are so, so proud of him.

This is my Mom--She is wonderful. She flew out from Maine to see Will's wrestling tournament and for my brother's graduation from Idaho State University. It was so, so, so great to see her.

I don't know if you can tell from these pictures--but Adell is as happy as a clam. Adell just loves to be held and Grandma Claudia was happy to hold this baby. All. Day. Long.

The kids were so excited about Daddy's trophy. They argued over who really gets to keep it. Usually, any medal Will wins goes to the girls because Wyatt wins his own medals. We decided this trophy needs to be the whole families. We all made the drive to Utah and we all ate delicious food while Daddy starved himself--don't you think we deserve a bit of the prize?

Did you get a good look at that picture? I love all the additions that "needed" to be included in Daddy's proud moment. The trophy, of course, but we couldn't leave out Lorien's lip gloss, Clare's apple and Wyatt's black eye.

He's The Best Around (part two)...

We had another reason to drive all the way across the great emptiness that is Northern Nevada. My older brother, Caleb, graduated from Idaho State University. Not many of my siblings have gone on to college and even fewer of them have graduated (myself included). So Caleb graduating was a pretty big deal.

(me, my Mom, my brother Caleb and my brother Chris)

I loved being there for graduation. I loved seeing my brothers and I really loved seeing my Mom. Living in California has many advantages but being so far away from family is not one of them.

Congratulations Caleb!