"I Learned to Ride a 2-Wheel Bike" by Jack

"Yesterday Daddy helped me learn to ride a 2 wheel bike. He took my training wheels off and then he let go of me while I was riding. Then I rided it without his help. I hope my friends Brynlee, Cecile & Jake like it."

Look-a-like

There are a lot of people that say Hannah looks just like Jon. Obviously, Jon is about 3 or 4 in this picture and Hannah is only 10 months, but see what you think.....

....plus, check out Jon's pants! Lovely!

Little Stinker

I'm not quite sure what this little stinker had gotten into to dye her hands, but I'm thinking it was a stamp pad. It's a pretty smart strategy to fall asleep after getting into something because it's mighty hard to get upset with a sleeping child.

The Amazing Miss Jodi

One of the people that has blessed our lives immensely is Miss Jodi! Jodi teaches classes at our local rec center and years ago I registered Emily and Lindsey for a class called "Mommy & Me." Little did I know, it would be the start of a great friendship! Jack & Kate have also been students in the Mommy & Me classes. Another favorite class for all of the kids has been "Fun With Jodi." It's a 2 hour (drop off the kids) class, once a week, and it absolutely wonderful! Jodi has endless fun ideas and the kids always had such a great time. Emily, Lindsey & Jack have also taken a class called "Kindergarten Enrichment." It's another 2 hour class for kids going into or are in Kindergarten.

A couple of weeks ago, I was able to attend a play that Jack and his Kindergarten Enrichment put together titled "If You Give a Kid a Dollar." The kids made puppets and wrote their own lines. Jack's line was about buying gumballs. It was super cute!

Then, the next day at Fun with Jodi, she did a goodbye party for Jack and Kate. She even gave them both brand new OSU shirts. They were both so excited! Kate calls hers a "Buck ID" shirt (it does sound like Buckeye shirt, but she hears Jon talking about his Buck ID, so that must be where she got it). It was so sweet of Jodi and made the kids feel so loved and so special!

Jack and Kate in their new Buckeye shirts

She also does summer camps and the kids have all loved being in those as well. Jodi has let Emily "help" over the last few summers (helping us save money). They'll get to do 2 weeks of camp in June before we move, so the kids are excited about that.

On top of all that fun stuff, over the last couple of years, every couple or few months, Jodi, Kirsten & I go out to dinner at Ruby Tuesdays for a girls night out. It's such a treat to be with both of them and nights that I always look forward to.

Jodi - how am I going to live without you???!! Thank you so very much for all of the great memories and the blessing you have been in the lives of me and the kids. We will miss you dearly!!! Do you want to plan a trip to Utah soon?

More good mothering

Okay, so in our packing of boxes and getting ready for family to come to town, I must have packed my power cord to transfer pictures from the camera to computer, so that is why it's been a little while. Jon went to the store for me today and bought a new one (bless him!). So, yay!

The other day, I was getting the girls out the door to go catch the bus and I needed Hannah to be happy in her booster sear for a few more minutes. So, being the great mother that I am, I handed her two EL Fudge cookies on the way out. This is what I saw when I got back...

Needless to say, Hannah had a bath that morning. It was either that, or have a head that smelled like chocolate shampoo all day!

Kirsten e-mailed me this picture - I love it! Side note: the Diet Coke was not open yet.

This Sight Would Make You Laugh

Here's something to picture in your mind....

Each morning when the girls and I leave to walk down the street to the bus stop, Lindsey asks if she can ride her scooter. I usually say yes and she rides down the sidewalk. As she gets on the bus, she reminds me to bring her scooter back in the afternoon when she gets off the bus. And so, her mother, is stuck with carrying this scooter back home. After several bonks to my shins, I decided that since I have very little pride left anyway, it would just be easier to ride the scooter home and then ride it back to the bus stop in the afternoon. So, around 8:00 weekday mornings and 3:00 weekday afternoons, you can see a grown woman, hunched over on a scooter, trying hard not to hit a rock and go flying over the front, riding down the street.

It's probably good practice for all the other embarassing things that I'm sure to do as a mother. Or as Lindsey would say, things that "humiliate" her.

Covenant Preschool

While living in Columbus, Emily, Lindsey & Jack have all attended preschool at Covenant Presbyterian Church. We have absolutely loved this preschool and the great teachers and friends there. They do so many cute, fun things with the kids and last week, they did a Mother's Day Tea for the mother's. It was fun to spend some time with just Jack. The mother's arrived and the kids each brought us into the room, where the cookies and punch (aka the "tea") were. We got some and sat down at the little tables. Jack and I loved the cookies (he ate 5 and he served me 4). After the cookies, we were able to hear some songs the kids had learned. They were so cute and so excited to share what they had learned. The kids had made little paper flower centerpieces and we each got to take one home.

On Monday, they had their last regular day of preschool, complete with a Beach Party! They literally bring in little pools and the kids have a blast. Wednesday was the End of the Year picnic and we had picnic lunches at the park. I really admire the great teachers at Covenant and appreciate the love and patience they have given each of our kids!

Jack getting cookies & punch

Jack and Brynlee getting the cookies

Oh my goodness, he's so cute!!

Kirsten & Brynlee, Amber & Morgan, AnnDee & Jake

Jack & Mrs. Hutchison (she's the preschool director and teaches that 4/5 year old class)

Jack and Mrs. Richardson (the other 4/5 year old teacher)

Great friends - Jack, Brynlee & Cecile

Mother's Day

We had a great Mother's Day! First of all, we have the BEST moms! We love them so much and appreciate all that they have and do for us! They are amazing women, who have made the world a better place, just by being in it!

We had 9:00 a.m. church, so we got up early and got everyone ready to go. Jon was asked to speak and he did a great job! He talked about Eve and her understanding, willingness to sacrifice and her leadership and compared those qualities to his mom. The kids made cute cards in Primary and it was a really great day.

We got home and then the kids and Jon surprised me with lunch in bed! What a treat to kick my feet up and have lunch served to me. As the kids and Jon got lunch made, little did they realize, they had a 3 year old messenger that kept coming up to my room and telling me what they were making and doing. At one point, she even brought up a flower from the bouquet just to show me. My yummy lunch arrived....bacon, turkey & cheese sandwich (wow!), chips and my very own Coke Zero. The kids sat by me....Kate eating the Funyons and Lindsey eating the Fritos. What a treat! (Jon stopped at the grocery store at 12:30 a.m., on his way home from work, to pick up all the good food).

Kate & Lindsey enjoying lunch with me

Then my biggest surprise came...Banana Cream Pie icecream from Graeter's. For those who don't live in Columbus, Graeter's is an icecream store with the best icecream ever! They have seasonally had a flavor called Banana Cream Pie. I'm not a big banana fan, but this icecream is delicious (it tastes like banana bread). Well, they recently stopped making it, so I thought I had eaten my last dish. Jon was able to find a pint at the store, so it was a great surprise. (Graeter's apparently knows how delicious their icecream is, because it's $4.09 for a pint and $13.29 for 1/2 gallon - but, oh so worth it!).
We had a delicious dinner all together to end the day, with Family Home Evening (due to a baseball game & daddy at work on Monday). The kids were great and I told them that they are the reason I'm a mother. I love them for that! Thank you Jon and kids for a great day and thank you again to our great mothers, and to all of the great mothers that surround us!

You're still the most popular in my book!

I just finished reading an article on Yahoo that the name Emily is no longer the most popular girl's name after a 12 year run. It has been replaced by Emma. But, Emily, you'll always be the most popular to me!!

We sure love this girl! Emily is 9 1/2 and such a great girl. She is the biggest helper and is so great about knowing what to do to help her little sisters and brother. She's also great with our friend's kids - they all just love Emily. She's so responsible and easy to visit with and take places. She works really hard at school and is so kind to everyone. This week, she fractured her right pinkie finger (trying to catch a ball at school), and never complains about it. We also recently found out that one of her art projects from school was framed and will now hang in the halls of Greensview Elementary permanently. She is a great daugther, granddaughter, sister, and friend! We love you, Em!