The Blue Green Swim Meet

We had our first swim meet this morning! An intrasquad practice. It was a lot of fun. It was very hot! Enjoy the pictures!

Fresh Flowers

I have never been one to want flowers. Although I think they are beautiful, I can always think of something else that would be more worthwhile to spend my money on. Following our recent miscarriage we received a few flower arrangements and potted flowers from family and friends. They were all so beautiful -- there were gerber daisies, roses, lilies, hydrangeas, irisis, and a bunch of names I don't know. And do you know . . . they actually did cheer me up. It is hard to feel sad with beautiful flowers around. After those flowers were gone (or planted in my yard), Trent brought home flowers following a big recruiting dinner. It was a beautiful arrangement. The flowers all lasted so long and then suddenly it was 2 days ago and I realized that the last of the flowers needed to be thrown away and I was so sad not to have fresh flowers that I went and bought myself these roses. (I found them at HEB -- one dozen for 7.99 -- can't beat that price!!!!) And I must say they are beautiful. They have made everyone's day!

And the best part is that while we had all these beautiful flowers, we were also showing our home and we got a lease contract on it last night. I am sure the roses sealed the deal yesterday. So I am looking at my $7.99 as an investment, for sure!!!!

Second Grade Graduation!

Here Julianne is picking up her awards. She got the award "Helping Hands" because she always helped her teacher with all the errands and knew where every room and teacher was!

Congratulations from her sister!!!

Thanks, Mrs. Wendt for making 2nd grade so fabulous!!!

Julianne and her good friend Tara!

Kindergarten Graduation!

Here is the graduate! It is always hard to believe that one of your sweet babies is big enough to start kindergarten, but then it is even harder still to believe that kindergarten is over!! Catherine recieved the "Good Humor" award for always laughing and giggling and maybe even being a bit of a class clown.
Thanks, Mrs. Marques for making this such a great year. Catherine loved going to school each day!

The last Little Gym Show (at least in Katy)

These are pictures from Madelyn's last day at The Little Gym!

Memorial Morning

On Memorial day we headed out to our neighborhood pool in the morning to enjoy the water before it got too hot (and also just in case it rained in the afternoon -- like it has every Memorial day for 9 years). Adam loved swimming but also loved getting wrapped up in his towel!!!Madelyn was cute with her towel too! Here is Catherine giving her sweet and innocent smile!Followed by the "REAL" smile that has 1 part fun, 1 part prank, and 1 part humor all wrapped up in one. . . (Can you see that in her smile, or is it just me?)And then we have Julianne, growing up, growing tall, losing teeth, and having fun!
And last of all Trent -- the reluctant participant in my photographic forays. Thank goodness for telephoto lenses so I can get a photo or two from a distance! He sure has lots of fun with our kids. We LOVE holidays!!!!

Fun Friday at Swim Team

Catherine jumping!

and again!

Julianne's cannonball!

What great form!!!!

Nesting

Like any mother would, this bird is vigilantly guarding her nest. I am sure this mother (as all of us) carefully looked around to select the best place for her nest-- the safest place where she can raise her young uninfluenced by the world. I am sure this place seemed like a good idea. Quiet, serene, close to the water . . .

But then the pool opened for the summer! (Can you see her next to the tree???)

I wonder how long she will last there?

Wrong in so many ways!

It gets hot at the pool waiting for the girls in swim team. They do not allow any kids in the baby pool. (dumb, if you ask me) But Adam yesterday found this new innovative way to get a cool drink.

Step 1 -- put your shoe in the water

Step 2 Drink from shoe

At least the crocs are only a day old, right???? They can't have that many germs yet???? And with no kids allowed in the baby pool, hopefully the chlorine has done its job. For the record, I gave him a water bottle as soon as I saw him doing this and he dumped it out into the pool, then proceeded to fill it and try for a drink. At least with the crocs most of the water falls through all the little holes and gets him pretty wet first and then there is very little left to drink, . . . but then again, that means he licks the shoe to make sure and get it all!

What is wrong with this bed???

The kid's had quite the fun making Mom and Dad's bed with Daddy still in it!

Tagged by my Sister, Carrie

Answer the following questions, then tag 3 people to answer them on their blog



1. What was I doing 10 years ago

May of 1998 -- I was a grad student at BYU working on my masters in Human Genetics and Education-- I was married with no kids -- I was a TA at BYU for Bioethics -- I lived in Provo.



2. What is on my to-do list for today?

Ride bikes to school, do the laundry, take Madelyn to Little Gym, find a place to live, find a place to live, find a place to live, make breakfast, lunch, and dinner, pick up kids on bikes, bike to swim team, bedtime



3. What are 3 bad habits of mine?

1. I bite the skin around my fingernails when I am nervous.


2. I am not very good at listening while Trent reads the scriptures at night (I tend to fall asleep in an instant)


3. I can lose patience with my kids.

4. Places I have lived.....

• Provo, Utah


• Renton, Washington


• Ann Arbor, Michigan


• Houston, Texas


• back to Provo, Utah


• Stafford, Texas


• Missouri City, Texas


• Katy, Texas


• soon to be New York City, New York

5. Places I have worked...

• Willow Pool


• BYU as a grader, athletic department tutor, TA for Bioethics and physiology


• Stafford ISD where I taught 7th grade science and coached volleyball, basketball, and track & field


• In my home -- and let me tell ya . . . it is WORK

6. 3 Things people don't know about me (my life must be an open book, b/c I can't think of anything that people don't know about me-- so here are 3 random things)

1. I know most song lyrics by heart (including all hymns, childrens songs, any broadway show I have seen, and any song I like)


2. I like to play boggle online


3. I love to play any games -- my faves include Rook. Pinochle, Bohnanza, Wizard, Set, Clue, Stratego, Settlers, and of course, Candyland, memory, chutes and ladders, and Pretty, pretty Princess!

I hereby declare that I have tagged Amy, Sheree, and JimnJennie

Will he still want to when he is older?

Adam is all about doing the chores. He can "mow" the lawn the entire time Trent mows the lawn. He just smiles and marches right along behind. It is too cute.

It is really not very efficient though . . . because when Adam is out "helping", Trent goes much slower and I have to follow around making sure he does not get too close to the real thing and also taking pictures. I just hope letting him help out pays off in a decade or so. I imagine the day I will look out and see Adam doing the real thing all by himself!

Adam meeting Baby Chloe

Adam loves babies. He wants to hold them and kiss them and hold them and kiss them and hold them and kiss them. . . .

And isn't he sweet doing it??

The Morning Announcements

Today, we all went up to the school early. Julianne was one of the announcer's on the morning announcements. Here is Catherine headed off to class.

.

Julianne reported to the computer lab (AKA "news studio").

Here she is reporting. . . (Don't ask me what her co-anchor is doing???)

Adam took the opportunity while in the computer lab to catch up on some emails and get a jump on his workday. Madelyn really wanted to do the announcements herself. She is giving me the "please, please, please, smile".

I love, love, love, love, love my new camera

That is enough, MOM!!!!! Put the camera away!!!!

What do you think???? I love everything about my new camera, but I especially love the telephoto lens!!!!!!!!!