Memorial Weekend

Nothing went quite as planned for the weekend, it didn't help that the weather wasn't cooperating either.

Saturday we spent the day with my parents, relaxing and eating.

Actually Heath and my mom were setting up her new computer and my dad cleaned the garage, but the boys and I just hung out watched a movie and they played with their new toys.

Sunday we were supposed to spend the day with my sister and Jim but Heath got called into work,

it was supposed to be for only a few hours but it ended up being a fourteen hour day.

By the time Monday came we were ready to enjoy some outside time with the weather clearing up.

We headed towards Dedication Point and Swan Falls after dinner.

After a little walk we saw this view at the lookout point. 

The boys enjoyed it

and so did Ruby

  It was a long ways down, I don't like looking over those edges.

  We kept walking along this path to see where it would lead.

My friend said that they always try to catch the lizards that are running around when they come here,

but we didn't see any (maybe it wasn't warm enough).

We did see rabbits, a golden eagle, vultures, ground squirrels and many stink beetles though.

 Ruby decided to poop right on the path so I cleaned it up but that meant that
Heath had to carry it. ha ha

Luke took our picture, this was the only one where Heath's head wasn't cut off.

It was funny listening to Cody and Ryan's conversation as they walked along behind us.

I laughed when I heard something about guts being squished out, such a boy thing.

We then headed to the dam so Ruby could play in the water.

Heath was teaching the boys how to skip rocks in the water.  

Luke was exploring the area and was excited to find fish bones and these two sticks.

Luke the Walrus. 

We asked the boys not to get their shoes all wet.

So much for that....

It felt so good to be outdoors and enjoying a little of the sunshine.



T.G.I.F.

Thank. Goodness. It's. Finished.

Hallelujah school it out!

I don't think I could of survived even another day of school.

I'm ready for life to slow back down, it's been way to busy for my liking lately.

It hasn't helped either that it doesn't even feel a bit like summer yet

Or that Ryan has been on on two rounds of antibiotics for an ear infection and still has a horrible cough.

A cough that made him throw up on the carpet at school yesterday when I was picking up the boys.

Not to mention the fact that Cody had to miss his last day of school and didn't get to sign yearbooks with

his class because he woke up feeling dizzy & light headed.

I guess we just have a case of the blah's around here

Hoping the holiday weekend will help us get out of them.

We will see what happens!

the BIG day...

Friday May 20th was Ryan's big day...

he graduated from preschool and is now a big Kindergartner!

This is big news around our house.

Ryan is very excited and we are so happy for him.

Next year all my boys will be going to the same school, I love that for them.

We got to watch the kids sing and perform a few songs

before they were handed their certificates!

It was a little emotional having to say good-by to Miss Michelle,

like I've said before we adore her, she loves teaching!

You know it's a big day when you get to graduate with your cousin

and one of your best buddies

and when you Grammy comes to cheer you on!

We are so proud of you Ryan and can't wait to see what big stuff you do next year!

That evening the family met for dinner at Joe's Crab Shack for Jim's big day, he turned the big 4-0! 

I'm not a fan of seafood but what a fun & entertaining place to go and eat, we all loved it!

Since we forgot to take pictures at my dad's birthday, I was making up for it tonight! Luke and his peace signs, he found a shirt they sold there that was tie dyed with a peace sign, he wanted it so we might have to go back and get it.

When we arrived we all went and sat wherever at the table Cody and Ryan ended up sitting on either side of Aunt Summer.  It made for a peaceful eating experience for me while she got to help out with the kiddo's!

Ryan and her were buddies all night long, she definitely earned some cool Aunt points!

Ha ha very funny Aunt Summer trying to avoid my picture!

Luke really loved his root beer!

It was Tucker's big day too, he is officially a Senior now!

Hailey's not too far behind as a Sophomore.

Aunt Coco and Cody hanging out in between the fun singing and dancing they come out and do.

Cody had fun trying to learn the macarena dance!

I've been getting to spend a lot of time with my mom lately which has been great.

These boys love their seafood, they don't mess around.

Cody kept himself entertained by reading the menus and playing with this claw.

There is always a fun time to be had when Matt is around.

Ryan and all the boys were fascinated by Lenny the Lobster.

Cody informed us that if you pull on his ligament (not his muscle) his claws will open!

Don't let them know it's your birthday unless you want to do something crazy like this!

Uncle Matt was not going to let the fun end there so all of us (expect my parents) packed up and headed to the movies to see the big premiere of The Pirates of the Caribbean On Stranger Tides. We made it just in time before the movie started at 9:30pm which was the reason we all had to sit in the fourth row back from the front.  I thought for sure all my boys (maybe even myself) would be asleep within the first little while but surprisingly enough everyone made it through the movie (except for Luke he gave out the last twenty minutes or so).

It was a very big day but so fun to celebrate all day and night long!

Real Life

 This time of year seems to go by in such a blur, lots going on in real life.

We celebrated my Dad's 60th birthday over the weekend.

 We decorated, cooked, and set up all day Saturday to enjoy the day

with over sixty of our family and friends. What a party it was!

I guess we were so busy doing everything else we forgot to take pictures with my dad,

we can't even believe it, so this one from the past will have to do!

It was so fun celebrating my dad because I think he is such a wonderful guy!

Our old family dog Daisy May which was really Matt's dog was put to sleep this week.

She was fourteen and it was time, but still a very sad day.  My mom was with her at the vets so

that was sweet, makes me think of our Ruby though and how hard that day will be.

I pushed myself and ran a full mile this week without stopping.

I know that doesn't sound too extraordinary but I'm trying to challenge

myself and running at least as of now is still not a passion of mine. 

I've got to get it up to two miles though in time for the race in June.

My sweet mom came over this week to stay the night and to work on a project for me.

I'm so glad that she knows how to sew really good and that she is so willing to give up her

time to come and help me out.  She is so awesome!

I love love love my new curtains!

They turned out so good.  There is still more that I have to do

before the room is finished, so here is just a little peek. 

 Luke had his last baseball game this week.

I was so glad that he loved it once it started, he really is an athletic

kid and did a great job.  He was so excited that he got a single and a

double on his last game. 

 Ryan had his last day of school at his preschool on Wednesday.

His graduation will be held somewhere else so this was my last day ever driving

here where I have been driving two or three times a week for the last six years!

I loved their preschool so it was always worth the time and money, but time to move on.

Cody and Luke only have six days left of school and they will be finished.

Luke's not ready for it to be over, he's going to miss all of his friends from this year

(a lot of them will be going to a new school next year) they live close by though so hopefully

they can still get together to play.  Cody is ready for summer to start, even though he loves

school I think he's just ready for a break.

I am so ready for summer, bring it on!

Looking forward to Friday to celebrate two big events!

My weekend

Not one picture was taken over the weekend,

I think my family enjoyed that most of all.

Saturday started out with an early morning run, then as a family we did a little shopping for house projects, Mother's Day and a birthday.

I wanted to stop at one of my favorite stores and we had the kids guess which one,

Cody guessed Joann's Fabrics (this made me laugh, never would it be) Luke guessed Office Depot (which is one of his favorite stores) and after thinking a long time Ryan guessed Famous Footwear (great guess but we weren't going there today).

So we ended up at Barnes & Noble to look around.  I didn't need any new books but Cody's been wanting some to finish a series he is reading and Luke was wanting a new journal so I thought it would a fun stop.

We then went to Chili's and ate a good lunch one of my favorite meals Honey Chipolte Chicken, (I don't even want to know the calories in that), a few quick stops at the mall (one of them being some take home Reese's Peanut Butter Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory (don't want to know the calories in that either), a stop to pick up our new furniture, and lastly Costco to get what we needed for the family party on Sunday. There was no relaxing once we got home, bringing in the new furniture and taking out the old, cleaning behind things that haven't been cleaned since we moved in, re-arranging and organizing.  The best part was when we took a break to eat the cheesecake, it was the boys' first time having some from there and they described it as heaven, I agree!

Sunday we spent all morning getting ready for the Mother's Day party at our house. 

We were missing a few more members of the family so there was only ten of us but we still

managed to pig out on Lasagna, Salad, Bread and Hot Fudge Brownie Sundae's, laugh lots and have a good time.  Not only were we celebrating Mother's Day but also a little birthday party for my dad before his really big party this weekend, he is turning sixty you know!

My gift to my dad was a video I made from the past sixty years.  I've been working on it since February and I love how it turned out but it took a long time to get there.  My mom had to scan over two hundred pictures for me from the old photo albums which I then had to edit all of them before I could even do the fun stuff and put together the video.  Anyway the family got to watch it for the first time Sunday which was a lot of fun and brought back many memories and we shared in some good laughs.

 I was so done by the end of that weekend and had no more energy to give. 

good to be loved

My boys made today so special for me.

It started out early in Luke's class with Muffins for Moms.

Luke served me a blueberry muffin and apple juice and gave me his chair to sit in

while we looked through some special things he made for me. 

(Luke can't resist trying to get a peace sign in every picture)

 Luke first gave me a book titled My Marvelous Mother.  His teacher laughed when she read it because he put a question mark after the title so it read My Marvelous Mother? This is what he wrote.

My Mom is a Marvelous Mom

My Mom is terrific at cleening

My Mom is happy when we are cleening

My Mom gets excited when we are good

My Mom really love me

He also wrote me two very sweet poems that I will remind him of on the days he tells

me I'm the worst mom ever.  They both happened to be titled My Mom.

My Mom

My Mom my Mom

I love my Mom

My Mom is the one of the best theng in the wirld

but the best theng in the wirld is my mom.

My Mom

My Mom is outstanding and fantastick

The best of the best

is the best, is the best best best best best

Is a big big hart

I love my Mom

She is the best best

I then had a special Mother's Day performance from Ryan and his class.

They sang us a few songs, served us cupcakes and lemonade and gave us a present.

 My one of a kind bracelet from Ryan

 Each of the kids got to share what they loved most about their moms.

Ryan said, "I love my mom because she takes me trick-or-treating.

She let's me buy toys.  She lets me play video games.  I love her!

 This is special because Ryan doesn't give out kisses just anywhere,

 even if he was asked to give me this kiss!

Cody didn't have a program so once he made it home from school I asked

if he had a present for me and he said that he didn't get it finished so it was still at school.

Thankfully he had left his lunch and some paperwork at school so when we went back to get it

he remembered that he had a poem for me in his folder.

Melisa

Smart, funny, creative

Who likes to play "scrabble and use her "kindle"

Who feels happy with her family

Who needs to do her paperwork

Who would like to see me grow up

Who enjoys making cookies for us

Who likes to wear the color red

Mom

What a wonderful day I had being celebrated.

I love being a mom to my boys!

bits and pieces

Life is good around here, just a few of the bits and pieces of what's been happening.

Cody and Luke only have seventeen days of school left and Ryan only has

seven days of preschool left which is all so hard to believe.  It was somewhat bittersweet 

writing my last preschool check yesterday after paying for six years straight.

The boys still love school but I think we will all be ready for the summer break.

Ryan had a field trip to the zoo with his preschool friends.  Thankfully it was a beautiful day and the kids

got to have some fun.  Ryan insisted on holding hands with his buddy Gavin all through the zoo.

I received an email from Luke's teacher this week titled Amazing telling me that Luke is a great leader,

sets a good example for others and continues to do what is right.  She also said that he is one of the best

poets she's had and a total math guy, so we are proud of Luke.

Over the weekend we went to one of Tucker's baseball games and what a game we picked to go to.

Tucker had an awesome game so it was very exciting.  He made some great catches out in center field, struck out a few while pitching, hit one home run and one triple and missed a second home run by just inches, not to mention how fast this kid can run is incredible to watch!

We also spent Sunday at my sisters house while Heath and Jim worked on Tucker's truck.

Heath was telling Cody that in a couple of years we would be buying a truck to fix up and rebuild for him to drive in a few years.  Cody decided that he would rather have a sports car so Heath suggested an old muscle car instead then Cody suggested for it to have gull-wing doors (like on the Back to the Future car).  Then Heath told Luke a few years after that we would do the same for him and Luke said that he wanted a mini van with sliding doors (ever since we rented a van for our trip to Yellowstone last year Luke can't get over how cool they are)!  Of course Heath told Ryan the same thing but then he got a little crazy requesting a tank or an Apache helicopter!

So a couple of repeats that you've heard me say before are happening again but for real this time.

I'm going to start painting the kitchen and living rooms today and going with the colors Stone Gray and Fairmont Penthouse Stone.  Heath sold his motorcycle (his choice not mine) so we were able to start doing some redecorating, we've already bought some new furniture and are trying to piece together the rest with a little new and still using what we have.  I'm really excited to see how it all turns out!

Heath and I started running again.  In June we are running a two mile race in Emmett.  I've never ran in any race before so this is a first for me.  Heath and I run well together and he is great at encouraging me so hopefully it will be fun and will make me finally start exercising!

Hailey has her drivers permit now so she's driving with any adult that will let her. 

I can't believe that she's old enough, I'm sure Nicole can't either.  Any prayers will be gladly accepted.

I finished up a big project this week, one that I have been working on for three months so that feels so good, I will share about it at a later time. That's given me some time back to start reading again which I have missed and having a Kindle makes it so easy.  I've seen a few books on Oprah lately that have looked interesting so I can download them and start reading right away, I love that!

At Ryan's game this week he got to play cather for the first time and was he the cutest catcher ever.

This is the only picture I got because he kept covering his face so I couldn't take a picture, the little stinker.

I stayed behind the fence so I could help coach Ryan because I don't think sitting criss cross is the correct position for a catcher. 

Luke and Ryan's games start at the same time so when they fall on the same days Heath and I have to be at separate games.  I was bummed that I missed seeing Luke play catcher for the first time on this same day too.

Ryan also got to play pitcher which he loved.  Ryan has a lot of energy, he has a hard time holding still, keeping his hands to himself, listening, paying attention, and staying out of someones personal space so the fact that he got to run wild and chase all of the balls was a great position for him.  He did have a hard time though not tackling everyone else while running for the ball. (he's on the far left in the picture)