The First Week of Summer--in pictures

Luke and Henry both had their last day of school a week from last Friday, which means that we have already enjoyed over a week of summer vacation!

I always get really excited for summer--especially this year!

There is just so much fun possibilities when all the boys are home all day.

I'm trying not to have too high of expectations, because really one of the best things about summer is the lazy days of just hanging out at the pool, but I also don't want to waste it!

The boys and I, mostly Luke, made a list of all the fun things that we want to do this summer. We wrote them on strips, threw them in a bowl, and we are going to draw out an activity when we need something to do.

We are the most excited about fishing, touring the candy shop, going on a picnic, and having a pillow fight! Really, though, they are all going to be fun!

It's going to be a great summer!

Dating

Ben and I were at a wedding most of the day Saturday.

We didn't take the boys which meant it was a real date!

We also had a pretty long drive to the church, so we had lots of time to just chat, be silly, and hangout with no real distractions.

It felt like old times!

I love weddings--everything about them. Receptions, however, always make me sad that neither one of us knows how to dance. Ben and I need to work on that!

It was a fabulous day!

We really need to go on day long dates more often--or just actual dates, period!

Here Comes the Tooth Fairy!

Lucas has his first loose tooth!

He has been waiting a very long time for it.

Back in February, his class had a dental themed week. At one point everyone who had lost a tooth had to raise their hand. Everyone but Luke had their hand up.

He felt horrible about it.

I tried to explain to him that he is one of the very youngest kids in his class, so he’s going to hit those kind of milestones later than a lot of the other kids. It didn’t seem to help any. He still felt babyish.

Anyway, just before bed on Thursday he came rushing into my room and told me that he had a loose tooth. One of the bottom ones was definitely loose, and the one beside it felt like it may be a little loose, too.

He was beyond ecstatic! He couldn’t stop smiling!

Henry, on the other hand, was sad. He just kept pouting because, “It’s just going to be so long before I lose a tooth.”

Despite Henry, it was all very exciting.

Now we just have to wait for it to come out!

--He lost it a week later. It was ridiculously loose which was giving me the willies when he played with it! He finally said, "Can't you just pull it or something?" I could not! Then all of sudden it was out and he said, "Oh, it just fell out." like it was nothing. He did so good!

30 Years Old

Today I am 30!

I love birthdays--especially big ones!

Really I don't have any issues with leaving my 20's behind. They were good years, but I'd say that my very best years have been 28 and 29. I figure 30 will be pretty awesome as well!

My 20's were full of changes--getting married, having babies. All that stuff is exciting, but really I love being settled the best. And that's where we are--settled.

The boys are old enough and independent enough that I finally feel like I'm getting myself back. I have more time to do stuff that I love and the boys are so much fun to just hang out with. Ben and I also get spend more time together--even if it's just sending the boys outside for 20 minutes of peace and quiet! Everything is just in a perfect balance!

I'm excited to be 30, and really you can never go wrong with any birthday--no matter what number it is!

Birthdays are just so fabulous for getting spoiled!

Field Day--1st grade edition

Unlike Kindergarten Field Day, 1st grade Field Day doesn't require parent participation. Parents are, however, welcome to come watch.

I figured we would just tag along behind Luke and his partner, and maybe Henry and Josh could sneak a turn at a relay or two.

Unfortunately, once the whistle was blown for Field Day to begin, we lost Lucas. He was just far too quick!

Instead we just roamed around and waited for some stations to open up. If there wasn't a line, I let the other two boys go ask if they could have a turn.

Josh Oliver really only wanted to dig in the sand and Henry did a couple of relays and played on the playground equipment some, but ended up helping out at one particular obstacle course (the one above).

He would set everything back up once kids ran through it, and he practiced his hurdle jumping. He really liked the 5th grade girl that was running it. He went and got her some water because "she looked like she might need a drink", and told her bye and thanks for letting him help at least 3 times when it was over. It was sweet!

Us standing in one spot actually worked out pretty well. I got to see most of the kids in his class at one point or another, and Lucas even managed to make an appearance a time or two.

I'm not sure how he did at all the other stations, but he did not excel at the one Henry was working! (Luke's the one in the gray jacket!) He did have a lot of fun, though!

Lucky for Ben, Henry will be in Kindergarten next year, so doesn't have to wait too long before he gets to really join in the fun again! I know he really wanted to try the potato sack race!

Abraham and Isaac

(Henry last year)

From around the time Henry turned 3, he has been completely infatuated with the Bible story about Abraham and Isaac.

Actually it was more the picture of someone about to stab someone else with a knife, than it was about the actual story.

He would just sit and stare at that picture. Sometimes he would bring it to me so that I could read it to him, but we rarely ever made it through the story. He was just so fascinated by the knife, that was all he really wanted to talk about it.

I was always kind of leery about that story.

It was, and still kind of is, hard to explain to him that God told Abraham to kill his son, but He didn't really want him to do it, He just wanted to see if Abraham would. I just never quite knew how a boy his age actually interpreted a story like that.

A couple of months ago I noticed that the book was starting to get pretty worn out. The binding was almost split from being opened to that one page so much, so I hid it behind all the other books on the book shelf. It was my attempt to extend it's life.

Then a couple of weeks ago, Aunt Mag had a present for the boys.

It was a new book of Bible stories.

I did a quick flip through it to see if it had Henry's story in it, but I didn't see it.

That night, I told the boys that they could each pick a story out of the book for me to read. It took Henry no more than 20 seconds to pick out the one he wanted.

He handed me the book back with it opened to this:

Mother's Day

My Mother's Day consisted of:

• Breakfast made by the boys which included, cereal, milk, yogurt, an orange, and an onion

• A painting and a handmade card from Luke

• A plaster hand print from Henry (Since last Wednesday, he has been counting down the days until he could give it to me. He was excited!)

• A fabulous bouquet of peonies and iris' from Gigi's garden--oh how I love the smell of them--and some potted snapdragons

• Lunch with Gigi, and Adoration with Grandma Judy

• An afternoon all to myself thanks to Ben

So pretty much it was one of my very favorite Mother's Day! I love that the boys did breakfast on their own and I'm super grateful to Ben for letting me have a selfish day!

It was fabulous!

The Bike Path

The boys and I went on a walk the other day with Gigi--well we walked, they rode.

I need to make a mental note not to let the boys ride their bikes and scooters when we are actually right beside the river. Especially when we are with Gigi.

She gets entirely too nervous about it!

Just Another Year Older

Ben turned 33 today.

He doesn't really get excited about birthdays.

I think he's crazy for that. I think you've got to make the most of your day!

He didn't take the day off work--which meant the boys didn't really get to celebrate with him--but the two of us did get to go on a birthday lunch date.

We ate bierocks! Delicious!

Lunch with no kids was quite a birthday treat for both of us!

Next year, though, I'm making him take the day off!

Birthday Boys

On Sunday we celebrated Dan (Papa) and Ben's birthdays by sitting out by the pool and eating some pizza at Gran and Papa's house.

The boys blew out their candles and opened their presents.

The kids ran around the yard while we all talked.

Pretty much it was my absolute favorite way to spend lazy afternoon--complete with cake and root beer floats!

It made me very excited that May is here and summer is just around the corner!

May Day

I think May Day may be my new favorite holiday.

There is just something so fun about surprising people with a little unexpected treat--plus it's fun getting to be all sneaky about it!

We had a good system this year. One boy took up the flowers. Another took the cookies. The third got to ring the doorbell. It worked out well.

We didn't have the rain like we did last year, but it was still eventful. We had to sneak one of them onto a porch while our "giftee" was outside, we dodged sprinklers, and had a crazy, stinky dog jump into our car with us!

The boys had so much fun!

They are always torn between not wanting to get caught and wanting to see someone open the door to find their treats. Therefore there was a lot of this:

To top off all the fun, we also got May Day'd---THREE TIMES!!!

The boys were so excited!

I really love this day!