Caden is proudly showing off his new Thomas bathing suit. He has been doing such a great job on potty training that this was one of his rewards -- no swim diaper in the pool, just a Big Boy suit! As you can see, he was very proud and happy!

Our little fish! He loves to get diving rings and to swim across the pool. He has a LOT of confidence (thanks, Angelee!!).

Another little fish! Makenna wants to go back and forth between us or to the steps and back to us.

I want to go back in the pool!

Kody is too busy for pictures....

Father's day idea... that didn't quite work.

So, I had this idea.... I was going to take pictures of the kids making their bodies be letters to spell a word. Then, I was going to frame it and give it as gifts. Well, the kids (mostly Caden and Makenna) were not particularly cooperative. After 2 days and multiple attempts to get the right shapes, I settled for these pictures. But.... I was not happy with how they looked in frames and never gave them as gifts. Can you tell what we were attempting to spell?

ISR Grad pics

These are actually from a couple of weeks ago. Our instructor has an underwater camera (which would be way fun to get if I could somehow justify it!). Here are some pics she took on Ashley and Makenna's last "fun" day.

The Teacher Dream/ Nightmare

Many years ago, I used to work at a Mexican restaurant. My brother worked there and so did Kevin. We all have MANY fond memories of working there. The problem is occasionally I have a dream that I missed work and they call me and tell me I am on the schedule and better be there soon or else! Now, it has been like 15 years since I worked there, but in my dreams this makes sense. So of course when I get there, I don't remember the menu or how to log onto the computer and my tables are all full etc.... Whew! Then, I wake up realizing it was a dream... and mysteriously craving chips and salsa...

Now for the last 5 years, I have been having a similar dream about teaching....and I bet my teacher friends have had this one once or twice too.... It starts where I am awakened by a phone call from my ex-principal, Jane. She tells me that I am late to school and that I have 30 kids sitting in the classroom waiting for me. I try to explain that I live in AZ, not UT and that I don't even know where the school is. She tells me it doesn't matter and that I better get there! I drive thru this fog in my mind and always end up somewhere in Lehi (UT and BTW: NOT at the schools I have actually worked in!). I can't figure out where to park or how to find the office. I am always horrified by what I am wearing (usually a bathing suit or jammies!). Once I find the office, it is full of familiar faces from years ago and they welcome me, but hurry me because the bell already rang. Of course, I can't find my teacher mailbox or attendance cards or my classroom keys. I wander thru campus blindly until I get to a relocatable which has my name on the door (thank goodness). Now, the kids in the class always change in theses dreams... sometimes it is old students from my past or just random strangers or deaf students (which makes me panic because I don't know sign language) or the scariest... junior high kids (SCARY)!! I have no curriculum and no idea what I am going to teach them that day and I have total anxiety! Then.... I wake up and am SOOOOOO grateful that is was just a dream/ nightmare! Since I started my preschool, I have noticed that I have been having this dream more frequently. I am so happy that I will always know who my boss is (me). I will always know where my classroom is (here!) and I will always know the age of my students and curriculum I will teach. WHEW!! So... happy dreams to you all! I am off to do some preschool planning!

Flashlight Tour at Botanical Gardens

Our MOMS Club went on a flash light tour of the Desert Botanical Gardens. I have not been there in over 10 years and I had forgotten about its beauty! The tour was great! They had docents throughout with hands on information. The kids got to see a gila monster, pet snakes, hear bull frogs and see lots of critters up close (and in containers), and even got to do a craft. The evening was nice (not cool, but tolerable with a light breeze). The best part was the smell! Our kids kept saying, "I love the smell!" or "what is that smell?" Ahhh... the smell of all the different desert plants! YUM! If you have not been there recently, the flashlight tour was so worth it! A great evening!!

A "Free" Night with Tim

So... Kevin won free tickets to see Tim McGraw in concert. Since we aren't big concert people, Kevin and I haven't been to a concert in like 15 years! (and that one was also a free one!) We actually were able to have a night out. We sat on the grass in the lawn section. It was around 100 degrees, but we actually weren't uncomfortable -- except for all the smokers around us. Yuck!. We had a nice time and it was a fun concert. Tim was sooo hot w/ sweaty muscles and tight jeans... :)

Random Moments....

These pics just sum up some of the random moments from our last week. Caden turned 3 today and was so excited to get birthday cards in the mail the last few days. He got a card from Grandpa (my dad) that had some money in it. He opened it up and said, "WOW! I'm rich!" He and Kody ran to put on some "rich guy" clothes. We used these things for dress up at preschool for father's day. Funny how they think a tie and a coat mean "rich."

These pics show Makenna's first taste of lemon meringue pie! She LOVED it!

When I saw Makenna sleeping, I just thought she looked sweet. I snapped a quick picture (then hurried her inside since it was like 110 outside!). Once I downloaded this picture, I realized how big she is getting! Our little baby isn't so little anymore and isn't such a baby either. She has her own opinions and wants and expresses them loudly if she doesn't get her way... she says, "dada, mama, mumum for more, bird, ball, and baba." Would you be able to understand her? Probably not, but I can. :)


This picture was taken at preschool the morning we talked about father's day. We had shaving cream as one of the morning centers. The room smelled a little like menthol, but the kids had fun. Caden LOVED it... and then wanted to wash his hands. Then, he would come back to the table with clean hands to start over again!

The Thomas the Train phase begins!

OK, so all you moms of boys out there are familiar with the stages our boys go thru. Caden is currently on the Big Machines (aka backhoes, excavators, bobcats...) and Thomas the Train phase. It is actually really cute that he has such an intense interest. Kody sort of glossed over this and went to dinosaurs, but anyway.. back on track... Thomas the Train: Caden's new love.

We bought him this little conductor's outfit. This was his first time wearing it. He was checking out all the tools. I wish I took my camera everywhere, because Caden has worn this outfit EVERYWHERE! Our swimming instructor (who is also the mother of a boy) said, "ahhh, the train phase I see" when we showed up for swimming in this outfit. Kody is at the age where he is getting embarrassed by such outfits on his siblings, but I LOVE it. I love how excited a $10 outfit can make someone! I love how Caden asked me if he could wear the outfit after we had already reached our destination! This is what it means to be a child. There are some days where I wish I could dress up in something fun and wear whatever I want and not worry at all about others' opinions! Anyway... we are enjoying this sweet stage because before we know it, he too will be on to older things and worrying about other's opinions. We love you Caden!

June 1st: The "Twiners"

I know someday they will HATE wearing matching clothes, but sometimes it is just so cute! This is the first time I pulled up Makenna's hair, so of course Ashley wanted hers up too. Her hair is too long, so the pic below shows the resulting hairstyle. She LOVED it so that is all the matters...

My girls...

My Kody... Caden looked really cute in his new Thomas shirt, but screamed and cried when it came time to sit for ONE picture for me. Hopefully, I can get a picture later.