Luke is so old..

My little boy is all grown up.

He just graduated from preschool and will be starting real school on August 3rd.

He is just the cutest boy I know, well, except for my other cute boy, Tanner. And, my other cute boy, Todd.

What a sad day when I have to let this young one out into the real world. I just hate that they have to grow up.

After his graduation, I told him I would take him anywhere he wanted to go to get dinner..

His most enthusiastic reply was yelled out.. "Olive's garden!"

However, we wanted to save such a special treat until the entire family could go to Olive's Garden, so instead we went to McDonalds (shut up) and he got a cheeseburger instead of chicken nuggets because as he informed me, "I am going into Kindergarten now, so I am big and I will eat cheeseburgers from now on because I am big!"

Do you like hid graduation attire?

That is the way we roll..

I think my mother-in-law about died when she saw him in his best

holey jeans. The look on her face was priceless.. I know she was thinking,

"Perhaps we should be concerned"

You should, but not for that reason..

Singing in the program

"Da boys!" showing their muscles

Mrs. Marianne

Mrs. Heidi

Maddie's Big Adventure

Maddie recently got accepted to go with a group of teens to the Phillippines on a humanitarian service trip. We are SO excited for her. Her cousins Jada and Chantelle also are going and they are going to have the best time. They are not going until Spring Break in March 2012, but they will spend the next 10 months working on leadership skills and fundraising efforts so they can go at no expense to their parents (THANK YOU!). The organization that they are going with is called YMAD or Youth Making a Difference (ymad.org). Click on this link to go to the website if you would like to see more information about this group.

I believe this is going to change Madison's life. She is going to learn so much the next 10 months. She is forming new friendships with kids all around the valley and more importantly she is going to gain an understanding of how exceptionally blessed she is to live in America and to have the extraordinary life that she has and I hope, more than anything, she makes this next 10 months of hard-work and service-oriented time a habit and that it will continue to be a part of her life. She has already knows how to work and she is a wonderfully unselfish person, but to spend her spring break working hard in a 3rd world country is so AWESOME and I believe will spark a change in her that will only make her a MORE SPECIAL AND BRILLIANT STAR!

She went on her first of several overnight planning and learning retreats this last weekend. She had a great time and came back fired up, ready to go. She has many ideas of how she wants to earn her money and is going to work hard to implement them. I am asking for you, my family and friends, if you can support her in any of her upcoming fundraisers, we would be so thankful. I am going to try to post the ones that are relevant, and if any of you feel compelled to have her babysit or clean or any other such fun thing, please call me and I will let her know. She needs LOTS of dollars to go and is willing to do whatever!

She is going to be doing a Father's Day carwash (actually going to be the day before Father's day) and will have some baked goods at the carwash to be purchased for your dad while you get his car washed.. we are praying for sun! I will let you know where this will be and the exact times, when we know for sure.

She is also going to have some girls summer camps in June.. This is information for those camps taken from her flyer.

THEMES:

JUNE 6TH- PAJAMA PARTY- Since we have just gotten done with school, lets stay in our pajamas and have some girly fun… we’ll braid our hair and listen to music and have some snacks and maybe even a PILLOW FIGHT!

JUNE 13TH-PRINCESS PARADE- Wear your favorite princess dress and get ready to rock the catwalk as we strut our best princess stuff! We will have a tea party and review our princess manners, maybe even get some make-up and hair done!!

JUNE 20TH- PERFECTLY SWEET- On this day, it will be all about FOOD, especially sweet food! We will be in the kitchen making sweet treats and learning how to measure, stir, bake and even decorate YUMMY cupcakes!!

JUNE 27TH- PRETTY PICASSO- We will have fun painting, sculpting, and crafting. You may want to wear older clothing or a big T-shirt because we plan on getting MESSY!

________________________________________________________________

WHO IS INVITED??

AGE 3-5 10:00 A.M.- 12:00 NOON

AGE 6-8 1:00 P.M. – 3:00 P.M.

WHAT WILL WE DO??

LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED EACH DAY AS WELL AS LOTS CRAFTS AND ACTIVITIES

WHEN AND WHERE IS IT?

JUNE 6TH, 13TH, 20TH AND THE 27TH- EVERY MONDAY IN JUNE

LORI GOUDIE’S HOME- 647 E Silver Shadow, Murray (801) 263-1277

OPEN HOUSE to sign up: Saturday JUNE 4th 10-11 a.m.

PRICES-

1 DAY- $15 2 DAYS- $30 3 DAYS- $40 4 DAYS- $50

SIGN UP TODAY!! SPACE IS LIMITED!!!

________________________________________________________________________________________________

WHO WE ARE AND WHY WE ARE PROVIDING THESE CAMPS:

OUR NAMES OUR MADISON, JADA AND CHANTELLE AND WE ARE GOING ON A HUMANITARIAN SERVICE TRIP TO THE PHILLIPPINES IN MARCH 2012. WE ARE EARNING MONEY TO GO, AS WELL AS MONEY TO PROVIDE MUCH-NEEDED KITS TO IMPROVE THE CHILDREN’S LIVES THERE. WE ARE 17-YEAR OLDS WHO LOVE KIDS AND We CAN’T WAIT TO GET TO KNOW YOUR GIRLS THIS JUNE!

Here are some cute pictures of her and some of the other darling teens that are in her group.

She loves me and my camera..

Toddlers and Tiara's

No, it is not the Grammy's.

Nor is it the corner of State and Main at 2:00 a.m.

It is Sadie's Spring Dance Recital, or as I like to think of it..

the debut of the LONGEST EYELASHES IN THE WORLD!!

I am not even kidding. As I applied my great lash mascara to her lashes, I had to take a few deep breaths. Her eyelashes went PAST her eyebrows!! PAST, I TELL YOU!!

Snow White + rainboots + garrish make-up = PERFECTION

Sadie is the master of spins and the queen of standing on her dot.

Do not get between her and her dot.

I think my favorite moment was presenting her with her bouquet of flowers.

I know it is fairly ridiculous that I bought her a bouquet of flowers, because,

lets be honest.. she didn't really do anything except do a few spins and look freakin' adorable.

Last year, I made the mistake of being practical and tried to get away with presenting her with a bag of skittles after her performance. At the time, she acted like she was pleased, but more recently she commented that she really would rather have some flowers...

hmm.... maybe I might have a DIVA on my hands..

YOU THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY LOSER MOM THAT BOUGHT FLOWERS!!

NOW YOU SEE WHAT THE WORLD IS COMING TO!

What the freakin' freak!??

To all of my family and blog friends:

Why am I the only person who blogs on a regular basis??

I get so irritated with you all when I sit myself down for a few moments of light reading and catching up and a bit of blog stalking and ..

NO!

NOTHING!

NADA!!

Seriously!

I really, really love those of you who have private blogs that I actually have to log in to find out if you have posted. Oh, how I love to tickle the keypads of my keyboard to reach your.. oh-so-private blog and then... well, of course... no posts for me.

Sometimes I wish I could know more people who actually blog and care about those of us (ME) who love to read blogs.

Hmmm....I think I may be a bit hormonal.

Yes, yes. That is it. As Todd would say, "The wicked witch has mounted her broom!" (shut up, you stupid, stupid man who has no uterus, thus NO SAY!!!!!.)

I would appreciate it if you, my people, would please mark this day on your calender and make a note for next month, say.. 28 days from now.. could you please flippin' make an entry in your freakin' blog? And could you not talk about french fries or pie??? Maybe have a nice discussion about soothing rain or the benefits of heating pads on one's uterus which is in a freakin' contraction measuring a 9.7 on the uterine Richter scale.. Hmm... here's another idea...

JUST TELL ME WHAT YOU DID THAT DAY!! WHAT DID YOUR KIDS SAY?? WHAT DID YOUR HUSBAND DO (OR NOT DO)?? DID YOU ACCIDENTALLY PEE YOURSELF WHEN JUMPING ON THE TRAMPOLINE?? oh yeah, that was me...

OR... you could tell me how wonderful your lover is and what a sweet poem your honor student wrote or how you won a freakin' million dollars because you are perfect and your life is perfect and .... whoopsie, daisy, my uterus just exploded....

I know, I am a loser and I need to get a life other that reading blogs of people who don't actually post on their blogs. I am just really that desperate for distraction.

You thought the world was going to end today.. No, Stacy just started her monthly womanly cycle.

May 21st, 2011... We will never forget...

Communication

Todd and I if we were kitties...

Fancy

I am not sure why Sadie looks this way..

smelling glue or got into the vanilla extract??

Princess Lucy, Princess Sadie, Princess Sophie and Princess Brynn...

Do princesses wear black fingernail polish???

Yes, I believe they do.

Luke was able to have 3 of his friends over for a "rough and tumble" BOYS ONLY play date. Because of the nature of this play date, no photos were snapped. But, I guarantee, we had a great time with Hobie, Parker and Aidan. They ate lunch while watching TRON and played on the trampoline. Of course, it would not have been a boy play date if not for the drawing of weapons and shooting of guns and hiding out in the "fort" (fancy name for the room under the stairs).

I overheard some of the Mom's at dance class talking about doing lunch and I injected myself and told them to leave their girls with me and Sadie. The mom's were able to enjoy a peaceful lunch with no squawking girls and I was able to observe 4 princesses doing their thing. The girls dressed up in assorted princess paraphernalia, slathered on make-up, made cute little door hanger things, and painted. They also played down in the "castle" -- (fancy name for the room under the stairs.)

Such cutie pies they all are!!

I am now off to the "spa" to get some much needed "me" time.. (you guessed it, fancy name for the room under the stairs)...

What I love about today

1. It is not raining or snowing

2. A fattening breakfast: Soft egg open-face sandwiches and orange juice

(soft egg perched on bacon, fried cheese-oh ya- accompanied by sourdough toast)

3. Jumping on the tramp with my kids, featuring..

a. Bum wars

b. Front and back flips (at 40 years old I can still do it without breaking my hip!)

c. Frequent potty breaks for mom secondary to weak pelvic musculature and laughing

4. Watching Luke ride his new bike over his cool jump.

5. Watching my hunky "gardener" spray our lovely dandelion garden with poison

6. Maddie making quesadillas for lunch (more cheese-whoot whoot!)

7. Not having to shower or put on makeup

8. Diet coke on the front porch, while reading a fancy foodie magazine

9. Catching up on all my blogs and getting to blog and take pictures

10. My new home.. I love it so much!!

Oh yeah.. he is serious

Evil Kenevil

Sophie, right at home

(This is a shot of the garage and our lovely grass)

My "gardener" with his "poison"

My loves

Here's the deal.

I feel sooo blessed to be a Mom.

So thankful that I really don't need any stinkin' Mom's Day.

Besides, any holiday worth it's beans is a lot of work for us Moms, so.. can we just skip it??

Except for that I don't want to miss telling my own dear Mother how much I love and appreciate her and all she has done for me. So, I guess I will continue to celebrate Mother's Day, if only for my mom.

Because, really, truly, I would do this job ("MOM") for free. Which I do. I would also do this job even if I didn't get homemade chocolate chip pancakes served to me in bed once a year (THANKS MADDIE). I would certainly miss the homemade cards and the flowers my kids bring home from church and preschool. And, I guess I sorta love my husband expressing his thanks to me for "multiplying and replenishing" with him.

I am changing my mind. I do like Mother's Day.

Luke asked me if there was a Father's Day and I told him yes, there is a day for Dad's in June. He then asked the best question,

"When is Kids Day?" (all put-out and irritated..)

My answer, "Everyday is Kid's Day!" (all put-out and irritated)

Cinco De Mayo on the 6th of May (Redneck style)

Had us a fun party at Ty and Kim's house. We munched on some chicken and beef fajitas, as well as cilantro lime rice and chips and salsa. Of course, we were a day late, but WHO CARES!! I think we should have a week of Cinco de Mayo.

Any excuse to eat cheese is fine by me.

We had us a homemade SpongeBob pinata (Thanks Kimmie and a cereal box plus a little duct tape) filled with lots of treats (leftover Easter candy). That SpongeBob was one tough old guy! We really had to beat it to get it to break open. It was a wonderful night with my wonderful family and I am so glad I was able to see you for a few hours!

Watch out! I am up to bat. I am going to whack that

weird freak of nature, SpongeBob.

Candy galore!

Ty looks as freaky as SpongeBob

Blake, Sai and Sadie--ALL OF OUR 4 YEAR OLDS

Luke, Koy and Annie

SpongeBob needs resuscitation