The May Whirlwind!

It's kind of miraculous that anybody with children in school survives the month of May.  From parties to picnics to end-of-year fieldtrips to graduation and moving-on ceremonies.  It is CrAzY!  (If you have time, you should really read this article written by a fellow mother about the end of the school year.  Super funny!)

And to add to that mess, we said good-bye to Julianne and Eric as they left Albuquerque to start a new chapter in their lives up in Washington, and in one week prepared our rental home to list on the market.  (That was painting and carpeting and new door handles and just random things that needed to be fixed here and there.)  Whew!  That was a lot to squeeze into one month.

Sean's 1st Grade, Cinco De Mayo celebration

They had lots of good food and a cute dance with great costumes.

Sean and his friend Quinn

Sydney, Sean and Hayden

Sean's class

Hayden sporting an amazing sombrero

Hayden's Preschool graduation:

Hayden with his teachers Miss Vivi and Miss Trang

Okay, here should be some pictures of us saying goodbye to Julianne and Eric, but the pictures must have gotten deleted from our camera before they imported--I can't find them anyway.  Just as well, I guess.  I was a blubbery mess.  We miss them!!!  Sydney talks about her cousin Lilly on a daily basis.

Putting our Tasco home on the Market:

Giant ball of tape

We have the most wonderful home teachers who came and helped us get the painting done in time for the carpet to go in.  So grateful for their service to us!

carpet going in

Dallin's 5th Grade Moving-On Ceremony

He will be in middle school next year!

Three great friends:  Dallin, Cole and Bobby (such good guys!)

Epically Awesome Jedi Battle

February 2013

I was looking through iphoto today and found these pictures of a Jedi Battle that took place in our front yard back in February.  (I think Daphne was the photographer.)

They were too awesome not to post.

Gosh, I love these boys.  And below is a link to see their amazing Jedi movie.  

Pay close attention to the dialogue.  It's my favorite.

Epically Awesome Jedi Battle Movie

Bennett's first photo shoot

February 26, 2013

My friend Erin took these pictures back when Bennett was just 2 weeks old.  I can't believe that he's 3 months old now!  I don't know where the time has gone!

So tiny he fits into a cowboy hat.

He was kind of grumpy this day, so the binky was a must.

Don't you just love this?

And this?

I love how wrinkle-y he was when he was brand new!

One of my favorite things ever is running my finger along the bottom of his soft, tiny feet. 

  "Mom--I'm gonna flip if you make me take ONE MORE STINKIN' PICTURE!"

Some of March and April

Blogging is about the last thing on my priority list these days, but I really don't feel like folding my laundry, so I thought I'd play a little catch up here.   Here are some pictures from the last few months.

Some of Bennett:

Bennett's first bath

Bennett snuggling with Hayden

Bennett enjoying a good book at Dallin's recommendation.

And just for the record, at two months, Bennett weighed in at 11 lbs 2 oz and was 23 inches long.  He is smiling and happy and is SUCH a good boy.  (He had a rough start, but now he is an ANGEL!)

A visit to the Botanical Gardens:

A picnic dinner and hike up at Elena Gallegos:

Bennett received a name and a blessing:

Eric graduated from St. Francis Physician's Assistant School: 

(not sure if that is the official name . . .)

Congratulations, Eric!  

And now, as much as it pains me to say it, I really should go do some laundry.  

April Quotes

Hayden:  We're getting ready for tomorrow.  Did you know tomorrow ith a holiday?

Me:  No, I did not.  What holiday is it?

Hayden:  It'th funny day.

At the orthodontist office for a consultation, the assistant was holding a fussy Bennett for me while I filled out some paper work.  Sydney assessed the situation and declared, "He doesn't like you."  

(And she repeated the observation several times, louder and louder, in case she couldn't hear.)

The other day, Hayden and I had a "Mother/Son date" folding his laundry together.  When we were finished, I told him when he had finished putting his clean clothes away in his drawers, I would give him TWO pieces of candy.  (so generous, right?)  He responded, "How about two dollars?"  

(Wheelin' and dealin'!)

Hayden:  (gasps)  Mom!  I'm tho proud of you!

Me:  really?  why?

Hayden:  Because you got two packs of bagels!

Sydney:  Mom!  Turn off the movie!  It's too scary for Bennett!

Daphne:  It was only yesterday when I noticed I was very pretty.

Hayden:  (regarding the upcoming Father's and Son's campout)  

We get to go camping without GIRLTH!!

Sydney:  (crying) Daphne a bad guy!  She not let me have a cookie!

Sydney throwing a tantrum on the dryer, paused to catch her breath.  

Hayden very concerned said, "Mom!  She stopped breathing!  

Please let her off!  I don't want her to die!"

Sydney:  Just a minute.  Let me tell Bennett "Hi, handsome boy."

Dallin: (put a loaf of frozen bread in the microwave without removing the metal twisty-tie.)  

Uh, Mom? There's a fire in the microwave.

Dad:  Sean and Hayden, you guys need to go up and take a shower.

Hayden:  (running upstairs and yelling) I'm first cause I'm the dirtiest!!

Dallin:  Of course the front office knows us.  

At school we are famous for being late and having lots of kids.

Hayden wasn't feeling very well one morning and complaining that his throat/ear area hurt.  After holding his hand over the spot that was hurting him he had an epiphany.  

Hayden:  Mom!  I know why my throat hurts.  My heartbeat is in my THROAT!!  

Dallin: That's just your pulse, Hayden.

Hayden:  I'm tho glad that carth are invented.

Hayden:  I hate allergy season!  I hate whoever invented allergy season!

Me:  I don't think anyone invented it.  It's just the plants that make allergy season.

Hayden:  Well I hate the plants!!

Sydney came down one morning wrapped in a blanket and commanded with an expectant glare, "Say good morning to me."  I told her "Good Morning!" with a little too much enthusiasm, apparently, because she corrected me thus, "No, like this:  good morning" in a lower-pitched voice.

Hayden Saves my Day

Sometime at the beginning of March

I've been meaning to write about this experience for awhile, but I'm behind on everything these days.  This happened last month, when Bennett was about three weeks old.  Mom had gone home, and Arthur had gone back to work, and then had gone out of town for several days.  The day he got home I was pretty worn out.  Exhausted might be a better word.  And I hadn't showered in a few days.

Well, after dinner that night, Arthur and the kids were playing on the computer and I was trying to calm Bennett, who was pretty fussy those days.  It was so noisy downstairs, so I went up to my room with Bennett who was slightly less noisy.  I was rocking and bouncing and patting and trying everything I could to help him stop crying.  And after awhile of being hot, and sweaty and exhausted and listening to him cry, I was crying too.  Rocking and bouncing and patting and crying together.

And then Hayden came into my room and started chatting to me about something or other.  I don't remember what he was saying but at one point he looked at me and stopped.  Then he said, "Are those happy tears or sad tears?"  

"Sad tears." I answered.

"Why?"

"Because Bennett won't stop crying, and I'm so tired, and I really want to take a shower."

And then he said, "I can help."

I smiled through my tears and said, "Thanks, Hayden, that's really thoughtful of you."  

He said, "Okay, Mom, you go take a shower.  I have four activities I can do with Bennett.  I can sing him a song, I can read him a story, I can show him this toy and I can talk to him."

I cried some more and said, "Okay."

And I took my first shower in several days, and sweet Hayden kept coming in every few minutes with an update on Bennett.  "I read him a story, Mom.  He stopped crying for a minute, but then he started crying again."  "Mom, I sang him a song, and he liked it.  He's not crying anymore."  "Okay, Mom he's crying again, but he's still doing okay."  All through my shower he talked to Bennett, and came back and told me how he was doing.  And when I finished, Hayden showed me all of the activities he had done with Bennett.

And that's how Hayden saved my day.