Preschool Graduation

Today Caroline took one more step towards kindergarten.  She "graduated" preschool.  I use that term loosely because a mom from our group just printed out a certificate from her computer at home nothing fancy but it was great!  Kids played moms talked and we ate cupcakes, not bad in my book.  It was a little weird thinking Caroline will be going to a full day of school next year but she's ready.  Here are some highlights.

The graduating class.  Left to right Camille, Kira, Logan, Kambria, and Caroline.

Throwing their hats in celebration.

Getting her diploma. 

My graduate.

And Devin, he was happy to get to make a monkey puppet.

And my monkey, this kid is really crazy.

H2O

We have been getting a ton of rain here lately.  We were lucky enough to miss the deadly tornadoes that hit further south but I had no idea it would rain this much.  For the past month its rained about 2-3 days a week.  Its nuts!  On the bright side all the trees and grass and just about everything here is green.  I still get distracted driving down the freeway sometimes because its so pretty here! 

This is a terrible picture but this little place is just up the road from us and you can see a little better how green it is, just ignore the railing and power lines.

Last week it rained off and on for two days straight and the flood plain that is also close to our house looked like this.  Usually there is a path to walk around but it got flooded and yes that is the top of a tree in the middle of the picture.

Volleyball

I play volleyball just about every Monday at church.  I love it.  We talk, play and have a lot of fun.  For me its more to socialize than exercise but yesterday was different.  A few husbands were able to come an join us and we played for 2 hours.  In that amount of time I popped a blood vessel in my hand, got hit really hard in the face with the volleyball, and played hard enough that my legs are on fire today.  Even after all that it was the most fun I've had playing sports in a really long time!

Just One More Day!

Of teaching preschool!!!!!!  I'm so excited to be done I might just do a backflip, and I don't know how to do a backflip, that's how happy I am to be done.  Its not that I hate preschool I'm just not a big fan of teaching it.  The kids we do it with are great but its my two extra helpers that tend to make things difficult.  Either Devin is upset he's not sitting by the right person or Graham is trying to knock over every thing he can get his mischievous little hands on, and he's very distracting.  I have a new found respect for teachers who enjoy their jobs.  Its not for me but I'll do it because the other option is WAY more money than I'm willing to spend at this point.  So horray for only one more day of preschool!  I"m excited for other adventures like going to the dairy, picking fruit, and not spending my nights planning preschool.  One kid down and just a few more to do this with!

Easter Sunday

We had a great Easter Sunday this year.  I had high hopes of making a cute egg hunt with scriptures about Christ and his resurrection but if you read my last post you'll probably figure out that didn't happen.  So instead we started the morning by reading a scripture and singing a song.  Maybe not as exciting but I'm pretty sure they understand why we have Easter so it worked just as well.  We then had the kids find their baskets that were hidden.  I really need to step it up next year because it took them about 2 seconds to find them.  Put candy in a bucket and they'll find it right away but ask them to find a sock or shoe that is right in front of them, well that's another story.  Oh well.  We had a great church service and the primary sang during sacrament meeting which I love.  Too bad Devin wasn't feeling it and started crying "mommy" right as the music started and ran down from the front.  He was scared and then so embarrassed.  It wasn't his best day.  My poor, sweet, sensitive, boy.  Graham was able to enjoy his first day of nursery today and I'm pretty sure it was a hit. I saw him running down the hall with a look of sheer joy on his face like he had never had a better day at church.  And now that he's in nursery its only fitting that I was called to be in there today. So my hopes of having really spiritual Sunday's without a kid on my lap are officially over.  Maybe in another 10 years.  And Caroline loved her dyed eggs so much she couldn't wait to take the shell off and ate everything shell and all.  This Easter is one for the books!  We are so grateful for this season and our Savior.  Happy Easter!

Caroline enjoying her fully decorated and shelled egg. YUCK!

Graham excited he was included this year in the hunt!

Caroline makes the weirdest faces.  That child is nuts.

Easter Egg Hunt

I am a total slacker when it comes to holidays.  You know how most people have their homes decorated for each season or holiday and organize fun events, well that's not me, at all.  Usually the night before whatever holiday it is I'll remember that I should probably do something fun for my kids.  I think it may be linked to the fact I have to take three kids to craft stores that are 30 minutes away to gather materials for a craft that will take more time than its worth when we'd both rather be at a park playing.  I"m really trying to be better but I"m just not that organized so I'll wait for the clearance at Target for already made things and let other people invite me to fun events instead (for now at least).  So yesterday we went to a Easter Egg Hunt courtesy of Vanderbilt and since Shawn was on call we braved the weather (50 degrees is NOT ok for April) and had a good time.  I love that the events Vanderbilt puts on always happen to be on the days that Shawn is on call, it works out quite well for me.

I love this picture of Graham b/c he looks so weird.  I think I caught him between blinking.

Here are Devin and Caroline being helped by some really sweet big kids.

Showing off their bounty.

Graham loving the camera time.  What a ham.

And this is the best photo I could get of all three.  After this one Graham ran up so he could be front and center.