Jack and Olivia Finish Strong

Here are a couple shots of Jack and Olivia finishing strong.  We joined Olivia at school Friday for her portfolio party.  This is the social gathering where students show family members all their hard work for the year.  We enjoyed donuts and juice and all of Olivia's progress.

We also enjoyed Jack's graduation from Preschool.  Of course he convinced me that the teachers said he could wear whatever he wanted to the program.  I should have known better.  You will notice that all the other little children are dressed a little better than the kid in the center in the Brett Favre jersey.  But he had a good time and really, whatever.  It was preschool graduation!  Now on to Kindergarten.

Jack also finished strong in his spring soccer season.  It was so cold this spring that I can't say we all LOVED his games.  But he played well and we got a pretty day for the last game of the season. 

Memorial Day Marathon

We had a busy day for Memorial Day this year.  We woke up early for the annual Memorial Day breakfast at Centennial Park.  Kris headed out the door at 6:00 AM (I didn't even hear him leave) to set up tables and get cooking for the 8:00 AM start.  Josh informed me at 7:30 (as I just stepped out of the shower) that he had to be there at 7:45 for the flag ceremony.  We wheeled into the parking lot at 7:55 so he could be there on time.  We enjoyed a good breakfast, while dad cooked up a storm.  After a little break, we headed to a friend's graduation party for more yummy food and visiting with more friends.  From there, we went straight to the I-Cubs baseball game (and more oh-so-healthy food).  Despite a little drizzle during the game, we made it through most of it before heading out to a cook out with other friends and more food.  We rolled into home around 7:00PM that night to crash and recover from a fun day of playing and eating.

Remember Beckham

I am home from church today with Jackson, who is a little sick. Nothing terrible, but enough that I didn't want him to share it with his friends.  I am also at home all day long, smelling the various aromas of dinner and brownies cooking in the kitchen, while joining our ward in a special fast for a little baby in our ward who is REALLY sick, Beckham Scadlock.  He was born with a heart defect that necessitated a heart transplant.  And since that time he has been in and out of the hospital so many times, I bet his family has lost track.  But just this week he was diagnosed with yet another serious and rare condition that has left him in critical condition.  So we are fasting for him and his family.  As I fast, I am reminded again how very grateful I am for four healthy, beautiful children.  The little things we go through are nothing compared to what many have to face.  I really have to hand it to Kim and Nate (Beckham's parents).  They are incredibly strong in the face of terrible challenges.  And they have willingly shared their story with others (those they know and those they don't) via their blog.  I have added their link on this blog so you can check out their story if you are interested.  But at the very least, please keep them in your prayers.  They can use all the Heavenly help they can get.  

 

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Our little vegetable garden.

Another angle

one little peach tree

The other little peach tree

All the left over sod we have to figure out how to get rid of.

Well, it's that time of year again--time to get the garden planted.  We had so much fun with our garden last year, that we decided to expand this year.  So Kris dug and dug up the sod, we hauled in 5 cubic yards of dirt and compost, and we set up fences, etc. to get ready to plant.  We had a great couple days last weekend while we did all the prep work, and then the rain descended.  It rained and rained and rained and we couldn't get anything planted.  Finally, the rain let up enough to plant our little plants and seeds while it lightly sprinkled.  And today we actually even have a few little radishes peeking their heads out.  In total we planted green beans, sweet peas, radishes, carrots, lettuce, potatoes, pumpkins, yellow squash, zucchini, cucumbers, basil, parsley, oregano, cilantro, peppers and a couple different kinds of tomatoes.

We also took a step that I have been threatening to do for a few years.  We planted two peach trees and some raspberry plants.  For so many years now I have been canning the peach raspberry jam Grandma Dorothy taught me how to make right after we got married.  And every year I pay a lot of money for the peaches and raspberries to make it.  I have always dreamed of being able to go to the back yard for my own harvest of peaches and raspberries to make the jam.  I know we are a couple years off actually having any substantial yield.  But that is what has kept me from taking the step in the first place.  Now we have done it and I look forward to what we will see from our work.  I just hope we don't move before I see the fruits of our labors (which might always be a possibility).

You will notice that we have a little black fence around it with an archway and then the oh-so-attractive chicken wire.  We think that at the beginning of the season the black fence, archway and mounds of dirt make our garden look like our own personal back yard graveyard.  And we think the chicken wire adds a nice touch. But it is necessary to keep out the rabbits and our dog Pepper who happens to like to eat peppers very much.  The garden is off limits to him.

WARNING! Lots of Performances

Josh, Emmie and Olivia right before the piano recital!

Yesterday, the kids performed in their spring piano recital.  Olivia was really nervous/excited since it was her first one ever and she had jammed her pinky playing tetherball on Friday.  I think she did a great job.  Josh, true to form, didn't practice quite as much as he should have.  But never lacking confidence, he wasn't worried.  He did a nice job, despite the fact that he literally memorized the last page of one of his songs at lessons 1 hour before the performance.  And unfortunately, I didn't catch all his performance.  My little recorder ran out of space right before he finished.  But you get the idea with what was recorded. Emmie did a great job too.  She practiced and was ready.

The other clip is Emmie's performance (with several other members of her elementary school) in the high school musical review "On Broadway."  She did a great job and the kick line was a big hit.  Enjoy!

Summer Fun 08

We are really looking forward to our trip to Idaho this summer to visit family and see Jonathan and Sara get married.  And it got me thinking about our fun trip last summer.  I have also been itching to try my hand at slide shows.  So I have experimented a bit with some of the highlights of our trip last year (with a few shots of things here at home as well).  Hope you enjoy it.

Mother's Day Breakfast

Every year for Mother's Day, Kris has supervised the kids in making breakfast in bed for me.  But this year Emmie beat him to the punch.  She woke up at 5:45 (we don't have church until 1:00 this year) to start the process.  She came into our room at 6:30 with a tray full of toast, yogurt, strawberries and oatmeal.  But it was so early and I was asleep, so Kris told her to wait until 7:00.  At 7:00 she came back in (with same breakfast in toe) to feed me--but I was still asleep.  So dad said, "Let her sleep--come back at 7:30."  Finally, at 7:30 she came back to share the same breakfast.  She was thoughtful and reheated the oatmeal.  It was a wonderful breakfast, all the more so since she did it all on her own.  She is very thoughtful and I am grateful to have her as my daughter.  Josh didn't make it for this picture, but I am glad to be the mom of four wonderful kids.  I am very blessed.  

Emmie Enters Double Digits

Emmie entered the wonderful world of double digits on April 30th when she turned 10 years old.  She was excited to have her friend birthday party this year.  She planned a reverse surprise party with a couple of her friends.  We woke up at 6:30, kidnapped some friends, took them in their jammies to IHOP for breakfast, and then went to a park to play and have a scavenger hunt.  Emmie is really growing up well.