Gwenevere started Swimming lessons.  She had a chance to jump of the diving board today and she loved it.  I hope to get pictures soon.  But I had to post just in case I don't.  This is too cool not to be remembered.  Way to go Gwenevere I am proud of you.

Springtime

I've been neglecting the camera a lot lately.  But here are a few of my favorites this spring.  

Bathtime for these two last for hours

Everett wanted to paint his nails.  

Then he fell asleep waiting for them to dry 

We've been drying our clothes on the line lately.  I love the girls want to help with the laundry.

We had a picnic for family home evening and then planted the garden 

Kiki has been spending a lot of time away from the home.  So it was nice to have her hanging around one evening while we where playing in the garden.  

our rabbit hutches

Red Clovers for the bunnies and the bees

everything smells so pretty right now

This is my favorite smelling plant.  

I love our chickens

James took Gwenevere on a daddy daughter date.  

 I took Grace on a mother daughter date.  James took me rock climbing for a couples dates.  We've all been having lots of fun dates.

Perfect blissful springtime showers.  Since it's not really raining a whole lot. 

practicing new skills

Flower basket showers  

Baby flowers from the fairy garden picked with love from Grace.

I know there is more that has happened and I wish I could remember it all but I can't.

I love life.  I'm glad my family can spend so much time together.

Until next time.....

Cousin time

Will and Jenni have been working on renovations on their North Bend home.  They are getting ready to sale their house and they needed some help last week.  So the kids and I went to to Sequim to play with cousins while Jenni helped Will with the house.

We got their Wednesday evening.  The kids played for a bit and then it was time for bed.  After all the kids where in bed Jenni left and I was in charge.  Oh  my.  The first night was a breeze.  I watched a movie while the kids slept and that is how perfect the trip was.

Then next morning Gwenevere woke up to help me get Preston and Taylor to school.  I couldn't get Taylor to put his shoes on and we ended up missing the bus.  Since Everett and Riley where still asleep I left Gwenevere in charge and I drove the boys to school.  We even had time to do some homework before we needed to leave.

While the boys where at school.  Everett and Riley played and Gwenevere and I folded some laundry.  It was a long day counting down the hours until cousins came home to play.  As soon as the boys got off the busy Gwenevere and Preston started a game of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Preston had soccer practice so they couldn't play for very long but they enjoyed every minute they had together.  after practice we ate dinner and did bedtime.

Grace wasn't ready to go to bed so once everyone else was in bed almost asleep Grace came down stairs and cuddled with me while we watched a special movie together.  It was nice to have some one on one time with her.

Playing Turtles.  Gwenevere is splinter 

Friday morning we woke up 15 minutes earlier to make sure the boys got on the bus.  Everything went smoothly and the boys where off to school in no time.  

Gwenevere and I played a ton  of board games while we waited for the boys to come home from school.  Riley and Everett took naps and Grace and I did some preschool worksheets.  It was a good day.  

After school I asked the kids if they wanted to walk/bike to the beach.  We packed up a lot of snacks and headed on a 1.5 mile walk to the beach.  It was perfect.  

It feels so good to be at the beach 

Playing at the beach 

taylor putting his face in the sand.  

My Happy Toes

When we got home we made pizzas and took baths.  Then we moved the boys mattresses to the living room and had a big cousin sleepover party.  

bouncing on the beds

Saturday morning we made pancakes for breakfast and Preston had a soccer game.  Jenni had arrange rides to and from soccer so I didn't have to worry about that.  Preston wanted Gwenever to watch him play soooo bad and I felt bad I wasn't able to take her.  Maybe next year.  I truly want to have cousin sport memories in the future.

While Preston was at soccer Everett was being a whiny button so I plopt him on the counter so I could do the dishes.  Riley saw Everett sitting on the counter and wanted to sit up on it too.  So I stopped washing dishes and did a cousin photo shoot.  

When Preston got home from Soccer, Taylor wanted to go to the beach again.  Since the first trip was a success I figured we do it again. 

 I packed up all our belongings since I figured we'd need to leave shortly after returning home from the beach, and then we took off.

I took a lot of pictures on my cell phone but they don't look every good in the blog books to I decided to leave them out.  

Truth of a two year old. Happy Mother's Day

Today the Elders Quorum taught in Primary and Nursery so that all the women could enjoy relief society the last hour of Church.

Brother Reese interviewed the Nursery kids and this is what Everett had to say about me.

What's your mom's favorite treat?  Mom gives me a carrot

What does your mom do for you?  Mom gives me Money.  Then he showed brother Reese the 2 dimes I put in his pocket.

Does your Mom work?  I don't do work.  Papa does work.

Do you have any pets?  I have a squishy bear pet  (the new bath toy he got at the garage sale)
 
What does your Mama do?  Mom plays on the computer

Does your Mom sleep?  In Bed.

Does your Mom make the food?  Mom does,  she makes broccoli

What is your Mom's favorite food?  Broccoli

Does your Mom get mad at your?  No, mom never gets mad.

Happy Mother's Day

There are been years where Mother's Day has been hard and there have been years where Mother's Day has been amazing.  I feel so lucky to have had another amazing Mother's Day.

Gwenevere was so excited for Mother's day this year.  She worked hard with Papa to plan some amazing gifts for me.

On Saturday I took the kids to go run some errands. Getting in and out of the car is one of my least favorite activities.  Due to car seat seating Grace isn't able to buckle up all by herself.  We have to move her car seat over to reach the buckle and then have to move her car seat back in order to close the door.  Between buckling Everett and Grace it feels like it takes us 20 minutes to load up in the car. On that Saturday, Gwenevere took Grace and Everett to the car and when I got there  Gwenevere said "Happy Mother's Day!  Everyone is buckled"  She had buckled everyone up before buckling herself up.  That was truly the best present.

Sunday Morning James and the kids made me Breakfast in bed.  The girls had made button jewelry for me for Mother's Day at preschool and had kept it a surprise.  Then we all cuddled in my room for a long while before getting up and getting ready for church.

At Church the High Priest helped out in Nursery so I was able to attend Relief Society.  It was wonderful.  I do miss it.

After Church we made some kind of dinner and James took some pictures of me and the kids which I wanted.

It was a perfect Mother's Day.

this year my friend told me that no matter what, I'm always a daughter first.  I thought a lot about that this year and wanted to share my love for my Mother.

I'm not the best at calling her or sending cards or flowers, but I think of her often and love when my children wish to see her.  My mother is a hard working woman of faith.  Whenever I don't seem to be getting the answers I need to my prayers I ask my mother to pray for me.

happy Mother's day Mom

Baby prayers

Everett:  "Dear hemmly Father,  help me pee in the potty.  have a good day,  all done. "

At this very moment

Gwenevere is playing with a neighborhood friend.  They are making cat toys and bringing cat food outside to see if they can catch a cat.  

Everett is sitting in my car on the driver's side rolling the window up and down.  He's probably somewhere else racing a car or flying on a plan.  

Grace is playing with a neighborhood friend.  Her friend is wrap up in cozy blankets laying in the red wagon pretending to be Grace's pet rabbit while grace pets her and pretends to feed her grass.    

James is down stairs taking a nap after a long weekend of service.

I'm going back and forth between the computer and our kitchen trying to figure out what I should make for dinner.  With some imagination and help from Gwenevere I am going to get off the computer and make a quiche and salad for dinner.  

So glad I took a moment to look outside and see the sweet sights of my children's childhood.  I pray they know they are loved and enjoy this blissful time in their lives.