Mama!!!

Children's Museum

Saturday was Robotics Day at the Children's Museum so Charlotte and I decided to take the kids. I met her there and we spent all day playing. It was a really nice day. As Charlotte posted on Facebook, her & I were pretty stink'n proud of ourselves that we made it through the whole day with only 1 wipe between us. Whew!! We saw everything we wanted to and did something for everyone. Although there was some concern about doing all boy things, we did finally make it to the Barbie exhibit- so the girls were happy too (actually the boys always ham it up at the Barbie exhibit on the catwalk- I think they like it more than they'd say :) Katie and Elena were thrilled to get a pony on the Ferris wheel that went up and down.

Charlotte showed off her hula hoop skills. I was VERY impressed :) The robots were cool too.



Katie even thought to practice her princess wave to the crowd!

R & R

We spent most of the last week just resting and reading. I needed it! I was a little run down after all the work was done. I've read several good books this week. It's been heavenly. And Coleson finished his first major read of the summer. All in all a very nice week.

Father's Day Weekend

Kevin and Charlotte took care of planning a barbecue get together with the Jensen's at our house on Father's Day. Thank goodness they did because I was completely exhausted from the week at church. We all had a really great time together (of course- we always do). Vaughn is getting so big. This picture of him in the kitchen sink is to die for!! Katie was again in 7th heaven to have so many girls to play with (Janel's 3- Emma (though she is older) Eliza and Hannah & Charlotte's Elena) (and here's a picture of their bath time fun- from the neck up). Oh girls!! The boys pretty much disappeared the second the cousins arrived. And we didn't hear from them again until Tuesday :) (Just kidding- but seriously they love hanging out together). We did s'mores over the fire pit at the end of the cook out and then took marshmallow covered children directly to the tub.
(Elena was totally hamming it up and Ethan thought this was the greatest bath EVER!)

Kevin and Charlotte left at their customary 1am (I did mention how much fun we have hanging out together!) and the Jensen's spent the night. Then they left Monday and left Konrad and Schuyler with us for another night. The boys all got along soooo well- I was actually surprised how well. I can't believe how big they all are. I guess I knew it comes with age, but it really shows when 4 boys can play together for 3 days straight and have no major melt downs.

Somehow, the boys got Jared into a bow and arrow discussion at dinner. So then Jared had to get out his cross bow. Their eyes seriously could've popped out of their heads! Lol!! I should've snapped a picture. Next, was the blow gun. I know it sounds scary, but they played by the rules and no one got hurt. Always a good thing. I'm sure their parents will NEVER let them come to our house again. The boys were very organized about it and took turns, everyone had a dart color, and they would all go up and investigate each others targets. There was a scoring system and all. I think Schuyler would've spent the whole night on it if we'd let him. So I had to find a way to twist all of this weaponry talk into a family home evening lesson. Light bulb!- Enos. So Jared used his bow and played the part and they had to guess who he was and recount the story. Then we made rice krispie treat trees to represent the forest Enos went to pray in. The kids were pretty happy with that. To round it all out, we watched the new Tron movie that the boys are in love with. They ate popcorn and slept downstairs together. (Coleson & Konrad were found in their usual spots-right next to each other; I don't think they even realize when they cuddle- that wouldn't be very manly, indeed :)


Tuesday, we met Charlotte in Crawfordsville at McDonald's to eat some lunch and return the boys. It was a really fun few days. I'm totally up to be doing it again several times this summer.
Here's Ethan and Vaughn on their lunch date :)

Our new ward building!!

It's finally here! We are in our new ward building!! It's so beautiful and so exciting. I have to admit it's been a lot of work getting ready though -and I just came on board a few months ago. Actually maybe it's BECAUSE I just came on board a few months ago- talk about overwhelming. But my counselors and secretary (who's really more of a counselor) have been AMAZING. I couldn't have done it without them. We came up with a beautiful display for our Open House this week. All the displays from every auxiliary were really nice (although Nicole said if there was a contest going we might have won it :) Jared's booth on food storage got to be right next to our Primary booth. And since we were both running our booths we got to spend most of Thursday and Saturday kinda together.

My mom said I should not underplay the value of what it has taught the boys in us preparing for this building. It has been a great learning experience. They got to see the construction when Jared was helping here and there with the building. And they got to help a lot with the moving in since they helped move in boxes and toys and clean toys from our toy drive for the nursery and just set up things. It's been a lot of work and a lot of fun. And the end product is just so beautiful. We are so blessed to have another ward building in the area. This building is just lovely.

I just realized I don't actually have a picture to post of the new building. I'll to have to snap one Sunday and post it.

Ohio trip

To celebrate school being out (and also because she was moving and could no longer be our temple sitter) we went to visit Janel the day school got out, spent the night, and went to the temple on Saturday morning. It was a fun visit- as always. She was in the middle of packing up her house to move to ?, and was quite gracious to take time out of it all to let us crash and watch our kiddies so we could go to the temple. They didn't have a job offer yet, but did have to move out of their place. Their plan was to go to Arizona to crash at Jared's parents' house (I guess they're actually her parents too:), but it wasn't a GREAT plan- just a plan. It involved lots and lots of driving and lots and lots of heat and lots and lots of tight quarters. So Jared (albeit without actually consulting me first) piped up with an offer to have them live with us for the summer. I was a little...surprised.

After we were in the privacy of our car and on the way to my grandparent's house, we talked over the rashness of such an offer. Then we concluded that it wouldn't be so bad and might actually be kinda fun. The kids would LOVE it- cousins to play with all summer, sleepovers every night. Emma love love loves our "farm", she calls it. And Katie would die to have female influence in the house (I guess I don't count all that much to her because she's just about in 7th heaven when a girl - doesn't matter her age- comes to our house). Janel called a few days later to give me an "out" to our impromptu offer if we had decided it wasn't such a great idea after all. We explained that the offer was still valid and her and I discussed the logistics of having 13 people in one house for an extended period of time (laundry, parenting, cooking and the like). We quickly settled on a plan. The next day I started going through the house and cleaning out. I know how things become disorganized and strewn when company is visiting- and that's only for shorter visits. I knew that such an undertaking required massive organization on my part. Every single thing needed to have a place that was only its. And all the excess had to go. So I spent two weeks going through each room. In the end, the Jensen's decided (after a few days with Kevin and Charlotte) that it was really too much to add and additional 7 people to anyone's house. The kids were bummed because they were really looking forward to the live-in cousins. Jared was looking forward to the live-in babysitting swap (I think he had forgotten that we would have to "swap" though and then we would have all 9 children while they were out). And Janel and I can remain friends :) (not that we thought it'd come between us- but it might've been a strain, I guess). At least now my house is really clean :)
Anyone want to come stay with us??

First week of SUMMER VACATION!!

2010


School got out on Friday, May 27th. The kids had a great last week of school- plenty of fun games and activities (just to reach the quota of # of days, but all the kids were waaaaay past concentration during the last week- actually the last month would be more accurate).

So this was the first week of SUMMER VACATION!! Monday was Memorial Day and we did our traditional ride in the Veteran's parade (even though we're not vets, Jared always helps out because his friend is the owner of the vehicles). They're thinking this will be the final year for the army vehicles, which is such a shame because we have participated every year since Coleson was a baby. Bummer. But we do have lots of fun memories. Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of us this year.
2009
2007
Do you recognize these little people?? (It's Konrad, Elena, & Noah in 2007)

The rest of the week Coleson had baseball camp every morning. It was really fun for him. He's never been a huge sports buff (maybe because I don't let him do sports teams during the school year because they practice and have games until so late on school nights and I know he couldn't handle it). But anyway, he learned a ton and had a lot of fun.

Friday night (Fun Friday- a summer tradition a friend introduced me to) he had his first friend sleepover with his great buddy Isaac. They've been friends since kindergarten. And I've gotten to know his mom through PTO and the book fair. So, it was a bit easier to send him off to a house where I know their values.

Hunter's special

Last night, Hunter and I were hanging out together playing a cool new bowling game on the ipad. Coleson was at his first friend sleepover with his buddy, Isaac. Anyway, after I kicked his rear for like the 4th time, he got up and ran to the kitchen- all mysteriously. Then he reappeared a few minutes later and proudly presented me with his "special homemade cheese and marshmallow sandwich"!!!! (Oh...thanks buddy...yum..??) But definitely very sweet. (Apparently my kicking his trash at bowling makes him love me more :)