Goodbye Kindergarten: Congrats Karter!!

I never thought I'd say this, but I can't believe how fast my baby is growing up! This year has flown by! (And I'm sure the summer will too and then he'll be in 1st grade!)
Karter graduated Kindergarten on Thursday, May 22nd. The daycare really went all out- they had caps and gowns and everything. All the little kids looked so cute! They did their cute little walk down the aisle to the graduation song and then stood in a group on the stage. It was hilarious to watch the kids try to stand still and be quiet.... meaning that they didn't. Then the said the Pledge of Allegiance and sang the National Anthem (I'm surprised they can still do that in school). It was so awesome! That song gives me the chills everytime I hear it and to hear these kids sing it was even cooler.
Then they sang this cute little alphabet song where with each letter they said something that started with it and did the action and/or sound. For E was elephant, of course, and Karter's elephant sound stood out- he does it so cute. I wish I would've gotten it on camera. Then they had each kid come to the mic and say what their favorite thing about Kindergarten was. Karter's was learning money and farm animals. Then they handed out the "diplomas" and now's it's official! My baby is not in Kindergarten anymore!
I'm shocked at how fast time is flying- but not sad (yet). With Karter, each new thing has been so exciting for all of us. Next year he'll be a 1st grader at Riverdale Elementary. I want summer to drag on as long as possible but I'm sure it'll fly by and the next school year will be here in no time.



Karter with his "girlfriend" Harley (on the left) and a few other kids in their cool caps and gowns.

Karter getting his diploma and shaking everyone's hands. It's so cute to see kids do such grown up stuff like this. I thought he looked so handsome in his white shirt and tie with the cap and gown.
CONGRATULATIONS KARTER!!! I LOVE YOU!!

The boys on their "two-wheel" bikes:

Training wheels- Be Gone!

We took the training wheels off the kids' bikes tonight. Karter tried to convince us that he needed to wait until he was 6 to learn how to ride without them, but Zachary was rearin' to go. I love that kid- he's always up for anything. But they both did awesome!! I can't believe how well the did on the first day! It's funny- sometimes they had a hard time steering and they ended up on the grass but they just kept on riding. They were out there forever having so much fun. We didn't come in for dinner until 8:30 and even then I had to argue with them. And then Karter told me that the news should definitely come put them on TV, riding their two-wheel bikes. If only...

Random things I love about being a mom:

** Finding small toys in my shoes, purse, couch cushions, the dryer, etc.
** Hearing my boys play and laugh together- it's the BEST sound ever.
** I hate laundry but I do love folding miniature clothes.
** I always have a new drawing or art project to display at work or on the fridge.
** I have the BEST subject to scrapbook.
** Having an excuse to take treats to church. :)
** Never being able to leave the house without a thousand hugs and kisses.
** Having someone tell me I look beautiful on my worst day.
** Watching my kids sleep.
** Playing with trains and superheroes.
** Getting a big hug at the end of a long work day when I pick Karter and Zachary.
** Being able to magically cure a bump or scrape with only a kiss (and sometimes a bandaid).
** Unconditional love- seriously. Sometimes I've gotten so mad at them that I feel like they'll hate me forever, but they don't and they're giving me hugs within the hour.

Although it's exhausting and sometimes frustrating, I LOVE being a mom. And I couldn't ask for two better boys!

This is our goofy pic (Karter is playing dead):

Easter (yeah, I know, I'm a little late)

For Easter every year, my mom likes to do a "Bunny Store". She hides "bunny money" in the eggs instead of prizes and when the kids find all their eggs, they get to go shopping at the Bunny Store. The kids love it and then she's not limited to such small prizes. This year, my mom was tired and didn't have as much money since she's not working anymore, so us kids took over. We had lots of fun picking out the bunny store merchandise and we decided to switch things up a little. We did a scavenger hunt for the eggs instead of a traditional hunt. At each stop there was a clue and an egg for each kid and the end "treasure" was the bunny store. Then they got to go shopping, they loved it. We also did a pinata and colored eggs. The kids had a blast! (I should point out that we were missing two kids this year since my poor sister, who lives in Elko, developed a blood clot in her leg the day before so they weren't able to travel. We missed them!)


I love to buy Easter outfits for the kids every year. I found the cutest sweater vests (I don't know what it is about the sweater vest, but I love them) and ties for the boys this year. I thought Karter would love them because they were green but he was NOT happy about having to wear it. He's normally such a cheesy kid when it comes to pictures but he would not even crack a smile. But I still think they both looked super handsome!

And here's Zachary being the goofball that he is:

Anyway, we had a pretty good Easter. The Easter bunny brought pre-made baskets this year (he must've been BUSY) with trains for Karter and Buzz Lightyear bubbles for Zachary, hid a few eggs full of coins and even left chocolate bunnies (a must for Easter) that looked exactly like the ones Grandma and Grandpa brought the day before- weird. :)

Duck, Duck, Goose

One of the things I love most about Rich is that he's such a fun dad. He loves to get down on the floor and play with the kids- and of course they love it too. Tonight I was helping Karter get ready for bed and I heard Zachary yelling GOOSE! It went back and forth for a while and they sounded like they were having so much fun so Karter and I decided to join them. We all sat on the couch while the IT walked circles around it saying Duck, Duck, GOOSE! Man, the kids had a blast and Rich and I enjoyed ourselves too. At one point Zachary decided that all three of us were gooses (geese?), so we all got up and ran a lap around the couch. It was all good fun until Zachary stubbed his toe- it's bound to happen. But he got over it pretty quick and we had to talk them into going to bed. Whew! Now I'm beat. Hopping up and down off the couch and running laps around it wore me out! But we had fun and I had to promise the kids we could play it tomorrow for family night. I highly recommend it! :)

Great Ropes

So I haven't written about a major thing going on in our lives. Richard has been doing this thing called Great Life (which I affectionately call "The Cult"). It's been a topic of tension for a while. I'm not big on the whole "finding yourself, be happy, hug everybody" stuff that costs a lot of money. But Rich has pretty much always done what he wants, so he's been gone for weeknights and weekends for about 2 months now. It's been tough on the family and really tough on me. But as of next weekend, he'll be done and I'm so glad. But I will say (despite a few bumps along the way) I have noticed a difference in him. He's been much more helpful around the house (which is a HUGE thing to me), he's been sweeter to me and he spends a lot more time on the phone and on Facebook. That last one is not really a good thing, but he's made a ton of good friends and seems genuinely happy- happier than he was, which was pretty happy anyway. He talks about how he's not as passive as he was and he's learning to be a better communicator.
Anyway, today was "guest day". We hiked up the mountains in Bountiful (right above some of the BIGGEST houses I have ever seen) and did what they call the ropes course. We divided into groups and did these obstacles with each other. Most of them were blindfolded! So, as if crossing a log 10 feet off the ground wasn't scary enough, we did it blindfolded!! I should point out that we were wearing harnesses, but still! There was another one where we had to cross a rope from one tree to another holding onto a rope for half of it, then a foot or two with no rope until you can grab onto the next rope. There were a few others and the point is to learn about each other and learn to work together and whatever else you can take from it.... if you're one of those deep people. I am not, but it was fun and there were a few times where I had to trust Rich and that was pretty tough when I was blindfolded and not sure if he knew what he was doing. But apparently he did, because we made it. It was a lot of fun and even though I really didn't want to go, I'm glad I did.
I'm not saying I would recommend you write a check and pretty much abandon your family for two months but I will admit that I'm not as bitterly against it as I was. I could totally see all the friendships that were made and the encouragement that was given by everyone as some of them overcame things that were very much outside their comfort zone. It was pretty awesome- don't tell Rich. :)