Standing Already?!?

Will loves to get into any cupboard or drawer that is not locked. He even opens ones above his head and just sticks his little chubby hands in there reaching for anything he can get. He does the same thing with my computer desk. He reaches his little fingers up and types away on my keyboard. Next thing I know programs are running and there are boxes on my screen asking if I want to continue with reformatting something or other. I guess I better start making sure I have all my files backed up!

Recital

The girls had their dance recital on June 16th. Maddie for Modern Dance and Gracie for Ballet. Their recital is a large, full performance with dancers ranging from beginners to advanced. They perform in a large auditorium with a live orchestra. It is such a great experience! This year the theme was "Utah". Gracie's class were Cowboys and Maddie's class were Seagulls. The seagulls danced, then some little 4 year old "crickets" come out on stage and the seagulls pick them up and carry them off. (If you know your Utah history...you'll get it.) It was SO cute!

{Roses from Grandma Lin}

{Mom and Her Girls}


{ Great Grandma Jones, Great Aunt Marsha, Grandma Lin & the Girls}


It was so nice of Grandma Jones and Aunt Marsha to drive down from Idaho just to see the girls in their recital. We had a nice visit and the girls were so pleased to have them there.

{Gracie}

They wear a lot of makeup, but they are on such a big stage with professional lighting that if they didn't, they would disappear up there! They look way too pretty with makeup on!

{Maddie}

{Daddy and his Girls}

{Fancy Hair-do}

{Amazing Eyelashes}

{We love you Grandma!}

{Grandma Lin and the Girls}

{Rylee, Mara, Gracie, Maddie}

Many of the girls friends were also in the recital. Rylee was in the Hopscotch dance, Mara was a Sego Lily. Their friends Grace, Olivia, Greta, and Ashlen were all in the performance.

Last Day of School!

Last day of 4th grade for Maddie. She had 2 teachers, Mrs. Olson and Mrs. Howes. They were both wonderful and we loved them! Maddie did so well this year and grew so much. She was awarded the "Human Plant" award. It said, "For exceptional learning and growth this year. Congratulations on being an example of blooming and brightening the world around you."

Notice Maddie's red and swollen eyes? The poor girl didn't get the teacher for 5th grade that she was hoping for. She couldn't find any of her friends that got her teacher either. She was pretty disappointed. We went to her new classroom and met her new teacher who was so nice and had her dog in the classroom with her. That's pretty much all it took and the tears were gone. Maddie was jabbering on and on about dog breeds etc. and by the time we left she had decided she was glad to have Mrs. Metcalf for next year. (Phew!)

Last day of 1st grade for Gracie. She loved her teacher, Mrs. Cook and will miss her! Gracie did wonderful this year, she grew tons in her reading ability and met all her reading goals. The teacher she got for 2nd grade is the same teacher that her friend Mara had this year. Mara loved her so Gracie is excited and happy to have Mrs. Schryver next year.

Swimming

Will loved splashing in the shallow water on the steps, but got teeth chattering cold pretty fast despite the desert heat. He was content to play with Mommy's sunglasses! (Good thing they are cheap ones.)

While we were in town for the consignment sale we took the kids swimming in Uncle Deans pool. Refund (the dog) decided it looked like fun and decided to join us! Gracie thought it was pretty cool. Maddie was not very willing to let me take pictures of her that day...so Gracie gets the spotlight!



(Refund is named for his main home...the tax preparation office where he is the office mascot.)

P.S. DAD...have you noticed that Gracie is wearing the bracelet with the "ghost beads" you gave her in lots of these pictures? She loves it!

Bathtub Boys

May 2009

Issac, Jonas and William

Little boy cousins in the tub...Reminds me of the nursery rhyme

Rub-a-dub-dub...Three Men in a tub

(All with crazy hair)

Grandpa and His Boys

Grandpa Chris and 2 of his cute grandsons...Zac and Jonas.

One night of the consignment sale Dad went home to relieve the babysitters and take over. When we got home, this is how we found the boys.

Spring Soccer

Gracie's soccer team is the "Pink Roses". That's what you get when you give 6 - 7 year old girls pink uniforms and then tell them they can name the team themselves. Their games are always something like the Pink Roses against the Purple Flowers or Red Ladybugs. But don't let the names fool you...they are out to win! And the Pink Roses won most of the time!

Bubba

One of my new nicknames for Will is "Bubba". I'm not sure how it started, but now it's stuck! These pictures were taken in April. I was trying to capture how much Will loves books. He will sit with a board book for up to 30 minutes just flipping back and forth through the pages, one by one, stopping to feel each page. His favorite is "That's Not My Truck". He also loves "Goodnight Moon" and "Little Hands Love".

We Heart Hats

Here are a few more pictures of the hats I am making. I am going to start selling them in the fall.

Maddie and Gracie both love to wear hats. Sometimes Maddie still wears her white one, even though it is really hot! (The discomfort we suffer through for fashion!)

Happy Birthday Gracie!

On April 14th 2009 Gracie turned 7 years old! I can't believe my "baby" is 7! For her family celebration, we went to Pier 49 Pizza. They have yummy gluten free pizza, so that was of course her first choice! Here she is in her cute Naartjie outfit that she got from Mom for her birthday.

Here is Gracie with all her loot. She got a "make your own bubblegum" kit from Dad, A glitter ball from Maddie and a "Only Hearts Club Pets" set from Grandma Lori. Grandma Lin gave her $$ and she bought herself another Naartjie outfit! (I think I'm in trouble with this girl.)

Gracie opening her Glitter Ball present from Maddie. She has a lipstick kiss on her cheek....from her school teacher! Her teacher gives all the kids a kiss on the cheek when they sing to them in class on their birthday. Gracie kept it all day and didn't want to wash it off.



Little Man Will, eating pizza.


Cute sisters.

For Gracie's special birthday lunch with Mom, she wanted to go to Cafe Rio. (She has good taste!) I picked her up from school and we went to lunch, just the 2 of us.




Next came the Friend Party. She had a movie night with all her friends, Pizza, popcorn, candy a movie and 9 little girls. I was exhausted!

Happy Birthday Gracie!

Catch Up...Easter 2009

The day before Easter we had a casual egg decorating party with just Mom, Gracie, Maddie and Will. (Dad had to work). We all had a blast, and even made a few eggs for Will. Ryan picked out the egg decorating kit, and of course it was one with wraps to make the eggs look like different sports balls. Will loves to play with balls, so we gave him the eggs and he threw them, banged them together and tasted them. By the time they were done, his eggs were totally smashed, but he had a great time!

Sunday morning the kids got their Easter baskets and we went to church. Then we went to Grandma Lin and Grandpa Rocky's for dinner and an Easter egg hunt. They have the perfect backyard for egg hunts! Will loved sitting in the grass, watching the kids run around squealing. Grandma Lin gave them the DVD "Easter Dream" for their present.

In N' Out

We love In N' Out, and since we don't have one here in UT, it is always a favorite lunch spot when we visit Las Vegas. Yummy, fresh fries (wheat free!) and animal style, protein style burgers (also wheat free!). We are training our little buddy to love this lunch early...I think he likes it.