What is lame?

Since my sister "kindly" reminded me to update my blog let me quickly state why it has taken me so long. In the last two weeks I have done 5 play groups, 2 trips to the museum, re-done the landscaping, painted the front door, stained the wood in the family room, re-pained the dinning room, re-stained the cabinets in the kitchen, added a final glaze/seal, and patched up the holes in the main floor walls!
I have subbed twice in Primary, watched Aubrey give an excellent Talk, attended a 5 teacher Parent Teacher Conference, and helped Ainsley become diaper free! I have picked weeds, cleaned bathrooms, and landed some awesome toys at the neighbor hood free garage sale! Sweet!

I'll skip over the hours(that have turned into days) I have spent arguing with the insurance company over autism/ LD health care benefits or being shuffled from waiting list to waiting list for the programs and evaluations need to continue in the right direction....sigh!
Onto happiness!!!Our old house. With a little bit of color it looks much better. I still have to paint the trim and stucco but.... much better!

We ended last week with a fun play group at the Adkin house. Ainsley was in heaven with all the climbing! It was nice to get out of the house after being stuck inside with the rain!!!Saturday afternoon's Luau!
38 people, 3 languages, and a pinata makes for the perfect end of the year party! 87 degrees, The classroom teacher, and a trampoline only made the party MORE fun!
Tate was a big fan of the party but not a big fan of his toes touching the grass!

Aubrey patiently waiting for Nakisha to arrive!

Alec took a swing at the pinata while a line started forming!

After each child had hit the pinata 5 times Caleb just wanted the candy out already!

Caleb: Enjoying the pinata treats on the trampoline with Kayli and her little sister!

All dressed up, clean, and stain free....for now!

Caleb...full of excitement and ready for his last day of school!

How could he go to his last day without flowers for his teacher?!

Caleb his usual silly self!

Caleb shook Miss Susan's hand upon receiving his diploma!

Caleb's preschool class!

Caleb and his best friend Alec!

Miss Susan, Caleb, Aubrey, and a distracted Ainsley!

After the "graduation" we headed to Chuck-e-cheese with the Marinov family for a little fun!!!

After 2 hours of playing, the ride home proved to be enough for one day!!
Will I survive summer with 4 kids??
With tomorrow starting DAY 1....I guess I better go get some sleep!

Also exciting...
Ainsley is potty trained!! WOOT WOOT!
Tate can wave and hold his own! He is still wonderful but do not stick your finger in his mouth! You will loose it!!!
A big congrats to Spencer for graduating BYU and starting PT school!

Things you stick at the end..
While I do not mean to get emotional I cant NOT forget to say how much our little family has grown this school year. All of the challenges, the tears, the therapy's. All of the new friends, parties, and the feeling of not being alone. It's nice. Pathetic that, as a mom, it has taken me 5 years to finally find a friend. The kind of friend that knows I hate to use the dust pan, our masted bedroom is the room that everything get thrown, and one the knows that an invitation (especially on a bad day)is never needed so just come over!

I'll love you forever...

As it should be.
(take 12 of 21)
This Mothers Day is especially emotional for me. Not because I have been up since 3am sick but because our little family has some major changes starting and we have come so far in the last 5 years.
Let's be honest I wish I was a great mom like in the 70's...
the fluffy neatly ironed dress, incredibly clean house, delicious extravagant meals (that of course every child and husband loves), and the beautifully untouched updo. I could say "How was school today Beaver...I bet you got 2 A's on your math homework and I just know you answered every question right in Reading!" That of course, is when Beaver is handed a warm plate of chocolate chip cookies and iced milk while I sat next to him reading the afternoon paper.

I'll think I am missing something.

I think that the most misleading period of motherhood must have been in the 90's...
here's an example (I will call this mother...hum...Cherrie Clark)
In the world of the 90's one, Cherrie Clark, could wake up and have a seminary lesson prepared, hot homemade cinnamon rolls ready to eat, and all the kid up and in the car by 5:45am. She would spend the next hour teaching half awake teenagers the Book of Mormon by memorizing, or an intense game of soccer pong. After dropping 17 kids off at school between the hours of 7:00 am and 3:00 pm she would.....clean, do laundry (not only the regular daily laundry but the football laundry and the McDonald and Domino's uniform laundry), she would go to the store, clean rooms, vacuum, dust, plan and organize girls camp, complete visiting teaching, and make an extravagant family dinner. She would pick 2 kids up from Middle School and then spend the next hour or 2 picking up and dropping off 3 other kids from sports practice or work. Before she went to bed she would have family scripture study and make sure everyone had the right uniforms or clothes for the next day...all of this she made look easy and effortless.

I definitely think I missed something.
My entire life I have been surrounded by incredible women and mothers and I don't think I ever thought twice about it. I wish I had. My Mother, my Aunts (alive and deceased), and my Grandmothers are exceptional women giving endlessly of their gifts, love, and time. Encouraging loving and showing me (without saying) how to be the best mother and women possible. Giving me everything I need to succeed as a mother. just through their examples.

My mother in-law is also a great example of love and patience.

I am so thankful for the opportunity I have to be a mother.
This is how it should be. Eventually I'll get it right;)
because...
I'll love you forever, I'll love you for always.
As long as I'm living my babies you'll be.

Happy Mother's Day!

April showers of FUN!!

Swimming at the Rec Center, playing at the park, 3 trips to the Museum, Bingo at Chick-fil-a, Diana Rose Farmstead, Play groups here, there, and everywhere!
WHY DO I KEEP A LOCK ON THE FRIDGE AND PANTRY?? HUM!

Ainsley and Caleb all showered and clean...
it doesn't last more then an episode of Charlie and Lola but it sure is nice to see them clean!
(Yes, that is bacon Ainsley is holding. That is what happens when I do not lock the fridge...she eats ALL DAY LONG!)

Tate is the highlight of all that is wonderful. He has 8 (almost 9 and 10) teeth, he walks while holding onto things, he climbs stairs, and sleeps through the night. He smiles on Q and eats everything and anything he can get a hold of!

What happens when Caleb leaves his bag of cereal in Tate's room??

Having the neighbors over now that the weather is nice is great! We feel like we haven't seen them since Halloween!

FHE...During the month of April we have started Family Home Evening night with a couple of families. Everyone bring food for BBQ. The kids really love playing together and it is always fun when FHE runs long and the wives get to watch DWTS together!!!
Carson, Kina, and Aubrey

During the week our house is often full of friends for playgroups. If we aren't going and doing we are staying and playing!

TATE!!! I ran upstairs to answer the phone and I guessed he missed me! Tate is awesome!

I just know that 22 pound Tate will be great friends with 16 pound (3 month old)Ryan!!

After a morning playgroup we rounded up the kids, picked Aubrey up from school, and met more friends at Diana Rose Farmstead!!!

Ainsley. Yes, that is an entire box of Animal cookies.

Because even a "terrible two" get tired too!!! This has never happened. I was folding laundry during Elmo and is was very VERY very quiet! I ran in the room looking for Ainsley...where was she? I yelled outside and when I turned around I found a quiet beautiful angel Ainsley!

On Saturday we were invited to 2 birthday parties! Andy took Caleb too Nakisha's and I took Aubrey, Ainsley, and Tate to Nolands. It was so fun...a craft, fun games, a cake, and morning donuts included!!!

Heading down to Grandma's house. Ainsley still sucks her thumb. She has to do everything herself, dress herself, and you rarely see her without a swimsuit on or underneath her clothes! We always have fun spending Sunday afternoon at Andy's parents!
The rest of the week included another FHE night, "p" day at school which (for Aubrey) meant a purple dress, a purse purse with a princess paper sack that included a peanut butter sandwich, peanuts, a pizza lunchable, pink punch, and pringles, 3 playgoups, and Friday night at the Watts Families hosue!!

MAY 1ST 2010

Saturday morning at Home Depot!! The kids had a blast with their friends. I think Ainsley takes it the most serious. She has to nail everything by herself and she loves it!
Ainsley, Alec, Sea, Caleb, Malcolm, Aubrey, and Marcello!
After Home Depot we headed to Chuck-e-cheese to have some fun!Tate had fun looking at all of the lights and eating all the pizza that the kids would secretly hand to him!

After a fun morning out and about we came home to relax and I let the kids have a cookie. Aubrey bit into her "spring time" oreo.....there goes her first tooth!!

Hopefully, May will be just as fun as April!!! With the school year coming to an end I can smell summer getting closer!!! Thank goodness!

Also, not included in the blog... I re landscaped the front yard and painted the front door lime green!!! I scored 10 new awesome toys at a free garage sale, and Aubrey completed the first 12 weeks of her speech program...excelling from a 56% to 91%!! We are so proud of her and how far she has come!!