Way to go Girl!

This week was Parents' night at the gym for Cheer. 

All the girls got back in uniform with hair and make up to show off everything they did this year.

I can be a little emotional when it comes to my kids (you all get it).  I was so proud of my Addie during their routine that I got a quite teary eyed.  I mentioned it before, but it was so incredibly hard for her to get those back handsprings this year, but she did it!

 Last week when I came to pick her up, her coach had me come in and watch her round off, DOUBLE back handsprings and then into a back flip (with spotting).

Addie's team won 1st place in every competition they were in this year so they got a couple of trophies.  It's tradition at their gym that they send the trophies home with some of the girls that they feel deserved a little recognition and guess what?

Addison got one for her un-ending hard work on those hand springs

and for her positive personality that just kept at it! 

I just love this girl and I hope this is an experience she remembers (positively) for a long time.

And here we are . . . cheer : to do it or not to do it again?!

It's so hard to pick the right direction for your kids . . . to broaden their horizons . . . to teach them how to keep at something, but not make them hate it . . . to get exercise . . . to not over schedule them . . .to  help them develop talents . . . ohhhh, it's just so hard!  And then pray, pray, pray you do it right!

Let's see . . .

What's been going on?

All 3 kids had Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease that lasted a week and a half in all. On the bright side, Olivia, Drew and I took two - 3 hour naps together.

Heaven.

Olivia was thrilled to take her first nap with Drew.

These guys cooked a fabulously good Mother's Day dinner

(this is the only picture of Mother's day - dang it).

I spent another several hours this month fighting the warrant out for my arrest and the court fines. I won't go all the way into it, but I'll say this - it was NOT my fault. There was a clerical error that I paid dearly for in time, emotion and then some cash. Actually I haven't paid the cash yet (I do have 30 days), because I'm still considering an appeal (even if it costs me more) on pure principle. I'm even considering a major counter attack (yes, I was attacked) on the judge for no re-election . . . but I'll need clone with the time to actually tackle that project.

We finally got to meet our new niece, Halle Jane. Drew adores her. The first night he met her, he kept pulling her pants down and giving her chubby, little, upper thigh a little pinch and then pull her little pants up again. Oh, he loves her.

And since the poor girls still had Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease they couldn't even go near her.

Addison got to start going to Activity Days at church. She made this cute little scripture snake. He's full on gumballs she gets to chew while she reads the scriptures and once the flavor is gone, she's done reading.

How exciting for her! I am so, so excited that she gets to participate in all of the wonderful programs that our church has put together. It's just so fun to be a part of something and belong somewhere.

It seems like there's been a lot of "rough" days lately. You know, the days where . . . the house cannot stay clean, the food does not get made, the computer does not work, we cannot be on time, the work is not done . . . the days where I just can't seem to get anything right! Thankfully on one of those days there was Ansen and these . . .

and on the other days, there was Ansen and several of these . . .

I had another birthday, shout hoo-ray . . . 31.  I am in my early thirties.  It's surreal.  I have 3 kids, I'm go to Relief Society (and love it), I drive a mini-van, I own a house (or at least I make payments on a house I hope to own one day), I do yard work and plant gardens . . . Time just passes too quickly!

(It was my dad's birthday too)

And finally, with my new calling I got a little ambitious and made100 sugar cookies as part of the invitations for the next Relief Society Night Meeting. I could not have done it without the help from my friend, Barb . . . she got dragged into my big, ambitious plans that I never have enough time to finish myself.  I think I said something above that I was thankful for the wonderful programs of our church . . . this night Ansen was definitely not thankful for the extra RS programs and I was definitely borderline.

And there's a little of what's been going on.

The TV is for looks . . .

Last October we were looking to save some money and I was looking for a detox from TV. 

So naturally we got rid of Dish. 

Since we don't get any TV without cable we were left without TV. 

When I say "naturally" I'm being facetious since Ansen lives for Sports (and the News), I enjoy some TV while I work and the kids, needless to say, pretty much love the TV too.  Olivia was devastated to say good-bye to Max and Ruby mornings.

But all of that was EXACTLY why it was time to say good-bye.

I was hesitant and braced for the worst, but it was so EASY! 

The goal was to stop after October Conference weekend and then start again April Conference weekend.  But guess what?!  We are still without and managing just fine.

Now, we'll get TV again one day, but the detox has been good. 

The detox has been really good!

(P.S. We still watch movies, but it's completely controlled content, with a time limit and very, very little of it is pushing my girls to grow up too fast!)

Spring Soccer

Is it okay that I say it out loud? 

 I really do not feel bad that it snowed for 2 of our games this season,

they were cancelled and never re-scheduled. 

With that being said, the girls really enjoy soccer.

 And I don't let my view point dampen their spirits since it's just something I keep in my head. 

This season Banna is paying $1 per goal. Half way through she had to change the requirements for Olivia. $1 per kick of the ball and Liv is still struggling to stay focused on the game. The game that is going on in front of her, the game she's standing right in the middle of.

When Banna called the morning of their first games, Addison got off the phone and said . . .

"Banna and Branda must have a lot of money and nothing to do with it . . . "

Yep, that $10 might break the bank.

 

 I do love some good soccer pictures with the bright colors and the "looks of summer."

Ummmm . . .

We may or may not have a huge problem on our hands.

I promise, this was not posed. 

I was laying on the side opposite of his "friends" that he took meticulous care to prop on the pillow and cover with his "dinosaurs" before holding my hand and falling asleep.

Goodness Boy!

Easter 2011

The Easter Bunny came to our house with the baskets before church

and to Banna's house after church for the egg hunt.

I didn't get the traditional East outfit pictures this year, so I'll have to try next time I get them all dressed up.

And you might notice the art work hung on the back door . . . it's just Jeff's college homework that Addison found, colored and hung on the door.  Banna didn't notice what it was until it was all finished and hung

. . .  hope he didn't need that . . .

The Egg Hunt

I know a few of them look too old to hunt, but my mom decided that you can hunt until you're married. 

I probably shouldn't point it out, but Ansen and I had a few good years in there before the rule was made . . . one of the few advantages of being the oldest child I guess. 

So, it was Lisa's last year on the hunt and it was Matt's first and last year.

It does make it a little more fun when there's more people running around.

 The hunters and their finds (yes, if you get to hunt, you have to pose).

And Eggs . . .

I had to include a picture of Lisa (and I should have included a picture of Banna) because she always does this stuff with us!  All the other adults are too boring or too mature to do the little things (unless chocolate is involved obviously) but Lisa always does it with us! 

And lastly, these two barely survived their special Easter trip to the salon (it's just mascara not marker) right as they were getting ready to be stored away until next year.

Happy Easter 2011!

Could it really be?!

Spring has finally come!
And it seems that we are pushing right on into summer. 

I know this because these were on the counter top the other day . . .

and this little girl

(I mean guy . . . it's hard to tell sometimes with the shoes, the hair, and those sexy legs)

keeps sneeking out to swing . . .

and he really could not be happier!

I Love You!

Almost 2 years ago, Olivia and I were getting gas and I tried to tell her, "I love you" through the window, but she kept yelling, "what?!"

So, right there we came up with our secret family sign for "I love you!"

It's easy, so any little hand can do it.

I love it because it's our family secret (until I say it on this blog). 

Yes, we can say it out loud and yes, we do say it out loud lots!

But it's fun to share a secret.

It's fun to be able to say it from the back of the school auditorium.

It's fun to make sure Olivia knows it when she standing in front of the whole church congregation being the reference child.

I love when Addison slams the car door, her head pops in front of the passenger window and she flashes it one last time before she runs into school.

I love when Olivia stands on the door step at her friends' house and turns around one last time with the biggest smile and tells me she loves me . . . she does it everytime.

I love making sure Addison sees it one last time after I finish working in her classroom.

It's just for a second, but for that second, we feel that immediate connection!

Spring Break

I wish Spring Break was awesome, but it was raining and I was working so it wasn't really "happening".

We went to Kangaroo Zoo where I was expecting Drew to be a bystander with me.  I'm not sure what I was thinking with that thought because he was all over it.  He loved going down on his stomach so I was just braced and waiting for a huge face burn, but at last, there was none. 

One of the nights, we went for pizza and bowling with Banna, Branda and Jeff.  It was all you could bowl for 2 hours so it was pretty awesome.

Jeff managed 7 strikes in a row.

There were a few years in High School that I spent some considerable time trying to improve my bowling talent.  I made a fairly significant financial investment and did have mild success.  It turns out that bowling is a talent you have to continually nurture or it just disappears.

Drew was definitely into bowling too. 

He did the cutest little dance while it rolled down the alley and then would yell, "I did it!" 

We also went to see Rio and then met Ansen at Chick Fil A during his short dinner break from work.

Drew wandered up and down the row we were sitting on and then would randomly yell, "Mom!  Doggie!" every time the dog appeared.  Addison recognized that one of the birds was Will I Am since he's also the voice of Moto Moto from our favorite family movie (Madagascar 2).

Grandma . . . a great substitute!

Two weeks ago my 3 kids got to spend time with both Grandmas (which is rare for us since one lives in Maine)!  And though, they will never love my kids as much as I do, they are definitely next in line and that makes my kids very blessed and I hope they know that!

Grandma (and Grandpa) Hatch came for 5 days over this last weekend and showered them with attention, love and of course, lots of treats.

Then later in the week, as I got closer to the tax season deadline, Banna took the girls on Thursday for a craft day . . .

and then Friday took all 3 kids.   I have never expected my mom to step in and sweep all of my problems away in the form of babysitting, but I sure am grateful when she's there to do it!

Unfortunately that day began with Drew "loving" Banna's fish, Spot, a little too much (literally hugging the fish bowl) until he pushed the big, huge bowl right off the chair. 

And though we have no idea what Drew is saying exactly, he has a lot to say now when when we ask him about Spot.  He acts out reaching for the bowl and then looking worried at the floor.  All we understand is "fish" and "Spot" mixed in with a bunch of some kind of language, but it all seems to be very exciting.

Spot passed away 4 days later (I'm so sorry Mom).