My Dancing Queen

Emma did such a great job at her dance recital.

This picture cracks me up. Brooklyn (second one on the left) is on the competition team and so she's learned to do "facials" rather than smile. I took five pictures and couldn't get her to smile.

So I just took one without her.
This is Lilly, Lola and Emma.



Great job my little dancing queen!

New Pictures

As you can see from the new blog header, the kids got new pictures taken for the summer. They turned out great, thanks Wendy!

Single Parents Weekend

Usually our weekends are jam-packed with family activities because we all miss Jeremy so much throughout the week. This weekend, however, Jeremy had to work in the afternoon on both days. So we still had a lot of fun with the kids, but instead had to enjoy our time with them as single parents.

Saturday morning, we all went out to breakfast and then Jeremy took the kids to the park and then Cabella's while I ran errands. I wish he would bring a camera so I can feel like part of the fun when he takes the kids alone. My camera is pretty much on me at all times, which is why there is a picture overload coming up.

After Jeremy went to work, our friends Matt and Andra were so nice to invite us to the splash park. It was cute to see Ellie chasing Landon around and watching how well the three older kids play together. I didn't get any pictures of them because they were gone the second we got there. Also, my attention was pretty much diverted to Livi. She HATES the water. I can't get her in the bath, so I don't know why I thought this would be anymore successful. I did learn that she can lift her legs up to her ears while suspended in the air. Cute baby Whitney had no problems sitting in the water and watched as Livi threw a fit. After I sat Livi on my knee, I told her she didn't have to get in the water, and she gave me the sweetest little kiss. She sure knows how to play me.

I couldn't believe that Whitney didn't cry the entire time we were there, even when she tipped over and fell in the water. Hopefully these two will be good friends and Whit's disposition will rub off on Livi!




Then Sunday morning, Jeremy took the kids to Mickey-D's for breakfast and then to the Living Aquarium, again, without a camera. While Jeremy was at work, I took the kids to East Canyon where my parents are staying. The kids had fun riding their scooters, hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa, and playing at the playground.





Livi was running around at the playground and took a hard fall right on her face. She didn't cry and actually made a "holy crap" face instead. It's interesting how she can take a ball to the face and not even flinch...but try to get her to play in the water and she becomes hysterical.



It was a fun-filled weekend, but I really missed hanging out with my hunny. Hopefully, next weekend we can make up for lost time!

Finally time to let my hair down!

Posted by: Landon

My school has a pretty strict dress-code, so during the school year I can't have my hair long, colored, or distracting. Now that it's summer, I can do whatever I want with my hair!

When I told my Dad what I wanted, he didn't think it was a very good idea. My Mom said that Dad has a hard time "visualizing"...whatever that means. So, she said it's best to just do it and then he will see that he likes it. So today I made my hair exactly the way I wanted and I love it, I feel so cool and people tell me I look really cool. Oh, and my mom was right, my dad really liked it too!

Father's Day

We had a great Father's Day. I'm so lucky to have the best baby-daddy. He is sexy, loving, attentive and more fun than Disneyland. We started the morning at Village Inn. Then he took Landon out for a Father/Son lunch at Chili's. Then as I prepared for our family party, he took the kids to REI to get some biking gear. Then we had his side of the family over for dinner and fun. We had a few casualties...Andrea and Sara burned their feet while playing basketball, Landon got nailed in the head a few times, Grandpa got a good road-rash diving for the ball and Emma and McKenzie hurt their knees while playing soccer. I always tell the kids, "If you didn't get hurt, you didn't have enough fun." I think it's safe to say we had enough fun!

At breakfast

Grandpa showing the kids no mercy and Livi showing my leg no mercy

Jeremy with his Grandma and his Grandpa

The chatting table and the Laker's section

Andrea nursing her feet and Emma nursing her knee (thanks Kenzie)

The cousins playing soccer and Livi's version of soccer

Birthday Fun

Posted by: Mom

The big 3-2 baby! That sounds so old, but I don't feel old...to me, old is always 15 years older than I am. Anyway, my birthday was yesterday and I got lots of phone calls, emails and cards. I'm so thankful for such thoughtful friends and family. I'm sure it also didn't hurt giving ample notice on my previous post ;)

My parents were heading in their motor home from St. George to East Canyon for the summer. They made a stop at our house over the weekend and so we decided to celebrate my birthday on Sunday. The kids woke up so excited to go have cereal with Grandma and Grandpa in the motor home. Then Jeremy took the kids to Boondocks while I spent the morning at my favorite place, The Sanctuary Day Spa. After that, we all met up at the Mayan. We enjoyed good food, great company and average entertainment.







The kids were excited to give me the cards they picked out themselves. Landon has a thing for President Bush...



My favorite part of the day was going back home and building a fire in our backyard. We put Livi to bed and stayed up late roasting marshmallows, drinking hot cocoa and telling stories.



It was a memorable day and I couldn't have asked for anything more.

A Bitter-Sweet Day

Posted By: Mom

Today was Landon and Emma's last day of school. Each year, the entire school has a huge party. They dressed up, played silly games, won prizes, opened presents and had lots of laughs.

We've been going there for 4 years now and we've gotten to know them all like family...more importantly, they treat our kids like family. It's always bitter-sweet when the school year ends because the kids are so excited for the summer, but sad to leave their friends and teachers.

After all the excitement, we said our goodbyes and got in the car. I thought I'd cap it off with an ice cream run. As we were driving home, the kids were eating their cones and I looked back and saw Emma's face covered in ice cream and tears. I asked her why she was crying and she told me that she just realized she wouldn't see her teachers again and are going to miss them so much.

I of course thought it was so cute and proceeded to take a picture.

Then tonight I started thinking about it a little more. She was four years old when she started school and went five-days a week. The only people she saw each day over the last nine months (which is a whole lifetime for a kid) were these teachers and her mommy. She would draw pictures for them at night, try to look pretty for them when she got dressed each morning, and talk about them constantly. It must be like losing a family member to her. It must be such a sad thing to think about in her little 5-year old world.

Out of curiosity, I asked Landon (who absolutely adored his teacher) if he was going to miss her and he said, "um, sure". I guess you don't take it as hard when you're seven.

School's Out For the Summer!

Posted by: Landon

I've been going to this school since I was three years old. I love it so much and I am going to miss all my teachers and my best friends. Some of my friends are going to transfer to our new school too so I will see them again. These are pictures of my last day at school where we had relay races, water balloon parachutes and sang lots of songs. I had so much fun this year with Mrs. Proctor and I liked singing songs from Switzerland and Germany, where she is from. For the last day of school we ordered chocolate from Germany for her and I think she liked it a lot. I will miss my friends Tyler, Helaman, Ethan, Alex and Olivia.

Mulligan!

Posted By: Mom

Every year around February, Jeremy complains about the Utah weather. Every year, for the last five years, he is absolutely adamant that this is our last year in Utah, and we are moving to a warmer climate. Every year around May, he changes his mind.

Well this year, he hasn't changed his mind and this is the first year I actually agreed with him.

May SUCKED!

We decided that we are taking a Mulligan. May never happened. We never had snow, rain and hurricane wind. We didn't have a sick baby for 24 straight days. We didn't have any stress at work or emotional breakdowns at home. It never happened.

June is finally here!

June has been my favorite month since I was a kid. Two of my favorite things happens in June...No school and my birthday.

Now that I am older, I am still looking forward to June, but for more sophisticated reasons... yea, right...No school and my birthday. Woo-Hoo!

Seriously though, I'm really looking forward to having more time with the older kids. Emma will be in school all day in September and so I need these three months to eat her up as much as I can. Also, I've missed Landon so much this year, he's the coolest kid, and I can't wait to catch up with him. I'm looking forward to warmer weather, splash park, cinema in the park, long walks, and no homework...oh, and my birthday. On that note, if you want to ship U.S postal ground, you need to have my present in the mail by the 6th for it to reach me on my birthday on the 9th. Seriously...