Wormy with Kaitlyn at the beavers dam

After playing at Pioneer Park (across the Hwy from us), we walked over to look at the beavers dam. We found that the dam is mostly gone...there must not be any beavers around anymore. But, the kids got their feet wet and Kaitlyn found a cute little friend! I was a tiny little caterpillar....or some caterpillarish type thing.


Did you hear what she said at the end? "Goodbye Wormy! Now you're a movie star!" :)

Daily Activities

I thought I'd post about a few of our Daily Activities.

Today we made ice cream in a bag (click that for details). It's easy...and it actually had a pretty good flavor+consistency! Next time I will be prepared for some add ins (M&M's, Oreos....) It would be a fun summer party activity. Just be prepared to do most of the bag shaking yourself...and for it to take longer than 5 minutes! :) I read that you can also use regular table salt...but we used rock salt.

Yesterday we did noodle art. I put an assortment of noodles on a plate (ziti, spaghetti, rotini, bowtie, fiori) and than I gave the kids another paper plate and they had fun making different faces. When they were done playing around they hot glued the noodles down. I was going to have them paint them when they were done...but they had enough fun without having to get paint involved! Here's a little sample of the kids creativity!

What else have we done? We go to the library every Wednesday. We have racked up a couple of fines due to a page tearing baby....but it's worth it to get out of the house. We also go with a topic (America, plants, food,...) and they look for books on that topic and we get a movie or two on the topic. I totally don't care if they get something on the topic or not...but it does make it seem a little more educational doesn't it? ha!

We've also been on bug hunts, made play dough, went swimming in our Bishops pool, colored patriotic pictures to send to grandparents and did some good ol' fashion running through the sprinklers! We have lots of other things planned...hopefully we will get to do them all...but sometimes life gets in the way...and that's okay! (frustrating...but okay!)

I love this picture. It's from a few months ago. Addie loves to snuggle Connor. He loves her too...but is now getting to be more independent and doesn't love her snuggles as much. :]

Summer is moving right along! I can't believe that school's been out for a month! Where did that month go!?

I finally got the kids on a schedule...it's been a good thing. My favorite time is when we do our daily activity and our 2 hours of quiet time (heaven). I really didn't think my kids actually knew how to be quiet and for SURE not for 2 hours! Sister Bailey (our bishops wife) gave me the idea for having a Daily Activity and Quiet Time everyday. It's been such a blessing. We have our moments when things feel totally out of control...but just having a schedule and a plan for every day sure seems to make us all happier! Today we made fruit sushi. It was fun, yummy and nutrtious!

Looking forward to the 4th of July...and maybe a little rain...

So...Connor's little surgery went really well. He's healing up just fine too. I didn't take pictures because I am certain he wouldn't appreciate that when he's older...but everything looks good! He's a tough kid and hasn't even acted too phased by his incisions. Any grown man would still be lying in bed moaning in pain. It's a good thing to take care of early on! Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!

Brandon had a birthday yesterday! (I pretty much am too darn busy+tired to download pictures. I haven't posted birthday pictures for any birthdays lately. I need to do that. One big birthday picture post.) Anyhow. I hope Brandon had a good birthday. We're glad to have him around and love him for all he does for our family. :) The kids made wrapping paper Monday and wrapped his presents than yesterday they decorated his cake and make signs for him. We had pulled pork burritos with cilantro dressing and it was pretty darn good. Brandon's mom came for dinner+cake+ice cream. We love that she's able to come help us celebrate our birthdays. I think my kids will grow up remembering that Grandma Flake was always there on their birthday.

 Life is moving along over here. We were in Mesa for most of last week letting Connor heal up a bit before making him sit in a car for 3 hours. We shopped and Brandon and the kids swam. Adelin is officially a swimmer. She jumps off the rocks at Celeste's pool and swims to the other side of the pool without a problem. I am SO grateful for that! It gives me comfort to know she can save herself if she were to ever fall into a pool. (not that it'll keep us from watching her and the other kids like a hawk!) Brandon and I also got to go to a Diamond Backs game. We haven't been to one in years. We sat in the outfield bleachers. Willie What'shisface the guy who was playing outfield was nice and kept tossing baseballs to the kids. (not our kids...they were with my parents). It was a good game. We lost. But it was nice to just sit there. I would've have closed my eyes and taken a snooze on Brandon's shoulder if I wasn't afraid of being put up on the big screen. We were sitting by some people who had big posters and flags who were trying to draw attention to themselves. (and succeeding) It would be just my luck for them to catch me with my mouth half open and drooling. So...I stayed awake...and watched the game...and listened to the conversations of people around me. ;)

Oh yeah...Father's Day was Sunday. I owe Brandon breakfast in bed still because we had to rush to pack up our things and get to my Grandpa Newbolds ward in the morning.

Well...the kids need me. Duty calls.

Our little Connor is going in for an Orchiopexy Wednesday morning. I don't know if very many people read my blog anymore....but if you are reading for this...keep him in your prayers. I am a little bit (okay, a lot bit) nervous about him going under anesthesia.

Thanks!

this picture has nothing to do with this post...but that's okay!

Today is the last day of school! How crazy is that? Kaitlyn will be in third grade and Addie will be in kindergarten come fall. I don't even know what life will be like with two kids at school and two kids at home! Not that half day kindergarten really counts in my opinion. It's 2 1/2 hours long...but I don't want her gone longer than that anyways. Kids need to be home as much as possible in my opinion. Not so I can control and protect them but so that I can teach and guide them. That's what I try to do anyways. My kids my think otherwise!

Kaitlyn has loved her teacher Mrs. Sims and so have I. I haven't spent time in the classroom helping out but when Mrs. Sims husband died a couple months into the school year, we were able to go to his funeral. I got a glimpse into their lives as her nephews talked about her and and husband. They are just great people plus, Mrs. Sims just raved about Kaitlyn at her last parent teacher conference. (Anyone who loves my kids and sees the best in them ranks high in my book!) I was thinking about that today. Kaitlyn really is a great girl. She has her hormonal moments...but she is well rounded. Smart but doesn't make other people feel like they don't know as much as her. Witty but not at inappropriate times (mostly), pretty but she doesn't stare at herself and fuss over her appearance. She's kind and loving, and responsible....but not too much so that we don't know she's normal!

Really, I do have great kids. Even when they are grouchy and whiny and poopy and messy...they still are great. I gotta be honest and say that as much as I love 'em...I am not sure what do to to keep us from driving each other nuts all summer long!

p.s. i loved THIS. watch the one titled :LIFE

just wastin time

why do the days seem so much longer....but I feel like i still have so little time to get things done?

life can get overwhelming for me...and the feeling will last for a few days and them be gone....only to return without warning....

...today....I have so many things to get done : clean out the fridge, get Weston out of his pull up because he stinks like pee, make beds, pick up messes, dishes, laundry, vacuum, pull weeds, mow the lawn, clean out the kids medicine cabinet, do my hair, make meals, and be patiently kind and pleasant.

right now i just feel like wasting time on the computer and ignoring it all....luckily I realized what I was doing (hiding out) before I'd wasted more than a half hour and so now I am going to go to something productive....hold my little one year old baby....and then maybe call a friend so she can talk to me while I do my chores.

....what are YOU hiding from while you sit there looking at the screen?