Happy Birthday, Kim!

Today is Kim's 30th birthday...and she's as beautiful as ever! Kim's all time favorite thing to do is RUN! So, that's what we did today for her birthday. We packed up all the boys and went to the track at the new Jr. High. Olivia met us there, too, and we ran while the boys rode their bikes and played soccer. It was very fun and, of course, it was exercise! Hope you have a super fun, blessed day, my dear friend! Love you!

Birdie Update

Sorry to disappoint you golfers out there, but this post has nothing to do with the Masters! Ha ha! I am talking about the nest I posted about a while ago. The eggs have hatched! The top picture was taken on Easter and I took the bottom picture today. It is so interesting to watch this process and to observe a "family unit" in nature! Mom and dad take turns going out to find food while the other stays with the babies. The one that's coming back with food will stand on top of the fence and look around for danger before taking a round-about way to the nest. All the while, looking around to make sure it's not being followed! As soon as it gets to the nest, the other one flies out to take it's turn looking for food. I try not to check on the babies very often because I don't want to scare off mom and dad so that they don't come back! The nest was built under a plastic chair that has been upside down in the yard all winter. It's actually a pretty safe place...As long as I can keep the boys away from it! The mom and dad are out there on the fence right now. They are keeping a very close eye on my boys and their nest! Sadly, daddy bird has some food for the little ones, but he's afraid to go in there with "danger" lurking about!

The Royal Treatment

Princess Smudge, sleeping in!

And, no, I didn't do that! She thinks she's one of the people...

...not to be confused with a commoner!

Happy Easter!

Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life.

He who believes in me will live."

John 11:25

Of Course...

Nothing says "Easter" quite like Star Wars eggs! (Lisa, see what you have to look forward to!?)

Happy Spring!

Bryan found this birds' nest when he was mowing the back yard, yesterday! I know this isn't a very exciting post, but...it is what it is! (That's my new motto. Thanks, Pastor Steve! Ha! It works in pretty much any situation. You should try it!) I guess I can't say that I've been too busy to blog, because I still seem to find time to get on the computer and dink around. I will say, however, that I've been too busy to feel like blogging! How's that!? I'm sure I'll catch the blogging bug again, soon, though. So, stay tuned!

Trevor "baby-sitting" Jafeth...

Another Milestone!

Bryan took the training wheels off of Trevor's bike today!

Yea, Trevor!

Field Trip to the Aquarium...

Charlie, Trevor, and Skylar

Basketball Awards Assembly

Happy Birthday, Bryan!

Impromptu birthday celebration at Rooters, last night...

Visitors...

My sister and her boyfriend (Cara and Eric) are visiting this week, from Wyoming! The boys are enamored with both of them!

St. Patrick's Day Dash!

I DID IT!! I ran the whole 3.4 miles!! ...With Kim beside me, encouraging me the whole time! (Olivia even ran slow with us for a while. She eventually broke away and ran ahead, though.) It was so much fun and I'm so proud of this accomplishment! Here is Kim, Olivia and me, after running in the rain...

Skate Night

Whenever I take pictures of the boys skating, they turn out way too dark. Here's the best I have...

Another Busy Weekend...

Wow, I have some catching up to do! We have had a jam packed weekend! I'll start with Thursday, though... Trevor had Kindergarten Round-up at his school, which means that the Pre-K class went up and had Kindergarten for half a day with the Kindergarten teacher. It was so cute watching Trevor's face light up when he'd raise his hand in anticipation of being called on! I'm so excited for him to be in kindergarten next year! (I'm also excited because it's full day kindergarten, so I won't have to drive to the school 3 times a day any more! Not that I do that now...I carpool. But, you know.) Friday afternoon the boys and I went to Kim's and I baby-sat for an hour. Which was probably kind of a funny sight, because really all I did was run on the treadmill while watching the 6 boys watch Star Wars! Ha! Now, that's baby-sitting I can handle! On Wednesday evening (I know it seems out of order, but there is a method to my madness.) my mom dragged me (yes, against my will. Ha!) to a Dream Dinners "sneak peak". I must say, I was actually really impressed! And, this coming from someone who hates to cook! (http://www.dreamdinners.com/) So impressed that my mom and I signed up to do a session. So, in one hour on Saturday morning, I put together about seven meals for my family! And the best part is: I didn't have to clean up after it! You just can't beat that! Dream Dinners just got the ball rolling. From there I went straight to the boys' basketball games. Then, home for a quick lunch before Gavin went to a birthday party. From the birthday party we went straight to Skate Night. After Skate Night we went to IHOP for dinner. By that time it was past the boys' bed time, but of course, we thought we'd squeeze in one more thing... So, we went to Sports Authority! I know it sounds silly, but that is actually one of my boys' (all three of them) favorite places to go! They love all sports so much, it's really like an amusement park for them...with no admission fee! (And of course there's the youth Under Armour section! Gavin's favorite! Ha ha!) Poor Trevor sure took a lickin' that night, though. He fell twice at skate night and bonked his head and his cheek pretty good. Then at Sports Authority he fell trying to do a trick off of a skate board ramp. (hee hee) Then the boys were playing in some canoes and he got his finger pinched between two of them! Yes, I'm sure Sports Authority was glad to see us go! Ha ha! Sunday was only slightly less busy. Bryan played the guitar at church for his second time! I must brag on him a little... He is so musically talented! He never ceases to amaze me! He is the most amazing drummer, but in the last 9-12 months (or so) he decided he wanted to play the guitar. So, what'd he do? He taught himself how to play it! He's actually playing at church, now, and he even had a little solo yesterday and sounded great! That's my man! I hope you're all sitting down for this next part. On Sunday afternoon, Kim, Olivia and I went and registered for the St. Patty's Day Dash! That's right! I am going to run in my first race! (I use the terms "run" and "race" very loosely! Ha!) I'm so excited I can hardly stand it! It's only about 3 and a half miles, (that's what they tell me) so I should be able to run/walk that. I must say, I am so blessed and honored that my dear friend, Kim, volunteered to jog/walk with me! She could easily enter the timed portion and run the whole thing, but she chose to support me in my first "fun run" by going slow with me! What a great friend! Thank you, Kim! I love you! I've probably lost half of my readers by now, but those of you who are still with me...You win a brand new car! Anyhoo...After the race registration (and an early dinner. We were at a restaurant, after all.), I met Bryan and the boys at my in-laws house. We hadn't been over there in a really long time, so we invited ourselves over for dinner. Don't you just love family!? Ha! I did at least bring the dinner and dessert, though. (Dream Dinners! Yea!) We ate (yes, I had two dinners that night.) and played Rummicube and the boys played football in the cul-de-sac... It was a very enjoyable evening. We got home just in time for the weekend finale...Desperate Housewives! Ha ha! (You know you love it.) Kim has been coming over every Sunday night to watch it with me, which makes it that much more fun! Goodness! Look what happens when I don't blog for a week! Yikes! I even gave you the Readers' Digest Version! Thanks for sticking it out! Have a great week!

"Crazy Hair Day"

Bunk Bed!

We finally got the boys a bunk bed! Yea! More importantly, it is put together! (Good job, B!) It was long over due...the boys share a small bedroom and Trevor was still in a toddler bed! The bunk bed looks great in there and they love it!

Child-like Faith!

Those of you who live around here know that it is HAILING right now! I just had to post this because it was just too cute! I was looking out the window at the hail and I said to the boys, "Wow! It's really coming down! And Dad is outside working in this!" Gavin said, "Yeah! We should pray for him!" I said, "Yes, we should! Who wants to pray?" So, Trevor raised his hand and said, "I do!" This was his prayer... "Dear Lord, thank you for Dad, and thank you for Dad to not get frozen. And thank you, Lord, for it to stop hailing so Dad will not turn to ice! Amen!"

The Wait is Over...

Ok, ok...I will blog! Remain calm! I guess I do have a lot to report, but I will pace myself so that I will have something to post everyday! (Yeah right! We'll see if that happens! Ha!) On Friday, I chaperoned Trevor's field trip to the Children's Museum. We'll start with pictures of that. Here ya go...

Children's Museum Pictures

The Return...

Here are the pictures...

I don't have "before" pictures, but it was just white, before. I painted the chairs this summer and then ran out of motivation. (Yes, it's true...we only have three chairs.) Doesn't it look great!?

Busy Weekend!

I was trying to put some pictures on here but blogger isn't letting me. Big surprise. I guess they'll have to wait. On Thursday, I finally finished my dining room table! It looks SO good! (Those were the pictures. I'll try to post them later.) I thought I should take advantage of the few nice days we were having, since I was needing to take the table outside to paint it. Plus it helped that my Aunt Wanda offered to come over and help me! And, since we were taking advantage of the beautiful weather, when we were done with the table, we took Wanda's convertible to go pick Gavin up from school! I wish I had thought to take the camera with me! The smiles on the boys' faces were priceless! They had so much fun! Friday night I went to a women's thing-a-madoo with Kim at her church. Saturday I scrapbooked all day with my mom and two of her friends. Saturday night, Zach, Kim and all their boys met us at skate night. Then, Kim and I (and the baby) went shopping at the Super Mall. Between the two of us and the baby and MANY shopping bags and NO STROLLER...we got quite the workout! We must have been a sight! Ha! It was a needed shopping trip, for real. Gavin has out grown all of his jeans. Sunday, of course, was church and the Super Bowl, which we went to Andrew and Rosanna's to watch. So, it has been a fun filled few days, but now I need a nap!

Blogging now!

Ok, FINE! I will blog! I make no promises to be exciting, though. Let's see...well, I ran a mile today! Yippee! I've been going over to Kim's house two or three times a week, for a while now, to use her treadmill. This week I increased my running time and pace so I did a 13 minute mile. I'm on the treadmill for a half hour, though, regardless. I just walk before and after I run. Kim found a marathon in Oregon that she wants to do and it just so happens to coincide (I don't think I've ever actually written that word before!?) with the time we want to go on vacation to Wyoming. Here's the cool part, we could go down there with them for a day, to cheer her on, "on the way" to Wyoming AND...they have a KIDS triathalon (sp?) that all of the boys can do together! They start out by going down a water slide into a pool that they "splash" through, then they ride their bikes for a mile or two, then they run for a 1/4 mile! And they all get t-shirts and medals when they finish! Gavin is so excited! He said, "I want you to sign me up right now!" It's not a done deal, yet, but we're going to look into it. Lets' see, what else? Gavin is doing great in school, of course. (As is Trevor.) He just got his progress report and he is doing "outstanding" in everything. He was even chosen to be an "alternate" for the spelling bee in Seattle, tomorrow! Which, means that he doesn't actually get to go unless someone else can't make it, but he still has to practice all of the words! Ha! It's a good thing he enjoys it! We are very proud of him! This doesn't have anything to do with anything, but Gavin asked me the other day if we are going to celebrate his 7 and half year old birthday on February 4th! I told him we could do that, but not to expect any presents! Ha! Well, Evey, I think you're pestering paid off! (And you too, Dave!) You were right, I have more to talk about than I think! I'll try not to wait eleven days next time!