Summer!?

We had such a fun day yesterday. For the first time this year it started to feel like summer! We all were so excited. We had to celebrate so we went on a picnic for lunch to a nearby park. It was fun and as luck would have it the sprinkler were on the grassy part so they all ran through the sprinklers. Then Max and I were burning up and he was tired so went home to continue the fun. we pulled the slip and slide put on the suits and played from 1:30-5:00 outside. Some neighbors came over off and on and we had our friend Madison Bennett for some of the time which made it all the better. Max didn't even realize that there was water he was completely occupied with the balls and bat.

Daren has been telling me since he was born all a boy needs is a ball and I didn't believe him. In fact I haven't bought him one ball. But I am telling you he is a one track mind. If he sees one outside he repeats ball, ball, ball and stares out the window occasionally pounding on it. His favorite right now is basketballs. He just picks it up and drops it to watch it bound he walks all over the yard doing that. He absolutely loves it.

So I read this article in Wonder Time Magazine titled "Where the Boys Are" hilarious! I even had to read it to Daren. For the sake of plagiarism I won't cut and past the whole article but I will add a small part for all to enjoy. "While they sometimes seem to have the emotional range of single-celled organisms, boys can be moved to tears by anything involving a dog. And it's not only boyfriends or husbands who loathe and fear the words, we need to talk. Sons do too. Male humans, in my experience will begin answering questions with monosyllables as soon as they can make disgusting sounds which is almost immediately. Making those disgusting sounds will serve as an endless source of amusement to them and their Friends for at least the next 20 years. Girls can learn from their own experiences and even, occasionally from others. However, if a boys sees a sing that reads Wet Paint, he'll touch the wall to determine it's not a joke and then his friends-standing right behind him- will have to perform the same test with his own finger. You can kiss him every night and sing ...he's still going to make a gun from a toaster waffle and fire it across the table." anyway I found it hilarious. and I must say Oh Boy here we go. We are happy to be a family.

By the way Yesterday weather fantastic, today windy and chilly. No slip and slide today-bummer.

My Birthday

I had a great birthday this year, possibly one of my favorites. It started a few days before when Daren surprised me with a computer. I had no clue but it was a great surprise. On the day of he stayed here until around 7:30 A.M. when he finally woke me and went to work. Max has been waking up around 6:00 so it was so nice to sleep in. I didn't even hear Max stir. Abby and Elizabeth got up and saw the house wasn't decorated, which is what I do for them, so Elizabeth distracted me and Abby got to work. She hung some crape paper in the kitchen and a happy birthday sign in my room and made a quick card. It was fun and they were really proud of themselves. As they should be. All 3 girls wanted me to hang my special Happy Birthday sign I made in craft group so we did that together. The were all so sweet to me all day.

I had told Daren I wasn't going to do anything for my birthday (no chores, no cooking, etc.)and I didn't. I played with my kids, read my book when they were occupied and visited with friends as the stopped by. It was such a great day. I just got back on top of the laundry last night (Daren helped me fold all of it) but it was worth it. Daren brought me home some take out from Olive Garden and 4 different slices of cheesecake from the cheesecake factory that we passed around and sampled.

I think one of the best parts of the whole day was that I really felt loved and cared about. So many people did kind things for me, called, sent a note, dropped by, it was really fun. Daren documented the evening well for us and I will post those pictures below.

Abby and Cade my nephew (brad and tifani's son) helping me with the candles.

Some of the things from my friends and family. What a day!

The famous birthday sign! I am quite proud of myself for making it.

Dinner!

Alright enough of the pictures I get it. Thank you for a great day everyone!

still here

Well the excitement is slowing down on the blog but I am still here. We have been enjoying the weather and trying to make progress in our yard. Since we all (mainly Daren) worked so hard Saturday that evening we headed downtown for a picnic, playing in the park, and bike ride on the greenbelt. It was fun and the weather was a gorgeous 75 degrees!

Then Sunday I was reminded how nice summer Sundays are. The girls all played so well together all day. It was fun to watch and listen to what they had to tell each other and their "pretend" play.

Good news

For those of you who have talked to me in the last few months I'm sure at some point have heard my woes about the turtle. Well we have made a break through and it is not that the thing is dead. Just look...

BASKING!! We have basking you don't know who long we've been waiting for that to happen. What a day I tell you! I had just finished watching the NCAA championship on TV which was Awesome and my team even won then I come home from our neighbors, the Mowers, go down stairs to say my last abusive words to the turtle to find it doing this. What a day. I was on a high, I couldn't sleep I tell you!

The garden is moving forward I planted the raspberries today kindly donated by our friends the Smith's. Thanks Smiths!

I apparently need to make a disclaimer on my last blog. Daren is not mean or abusive about the bike riding just frustrated. Abby loves him and still goes out and tries with him which means he is doing a great job.

Daren left today for his last trip for Deloitte, Yahoo! He will be changing job on April 24th I believe. If not Daren can add a comment and correct that. He is going to work for Boise inc./Boise cascade. He will be the Supervisor of External Financial Reporting. We are both excited but also thinking what have we done? Is this right? Which it is so we will be fantastic once he starts.

We're back

Well we are trying this again. I love reading other peoples blogs and still haven't figured out how people find time to keep theirs updated so I am not making any promises but I feel responsible to try since I love reading others. We are just finishing up a great weekend of just being together. We worked in the yard together all Saturday afternoon and are getting a little bit closer to being ready to plant. For some reason I am excited about a garden but I am not sure why. I don't know anything that I am doing but it is exciting to think we could get peas and beans and cucumbers and lettuce and watermelon and so forth. I will keep you updated on the growth of the garden.

We loved conference and I will say that just as I was getting tired of keeping everyone entertained and quiet Elder Ballard came on and spoke to me and then President Monson came on and touched my heart and again spoke to me. I love conference and how it makes me feel. I will of course be waking up early again starting tomorrow to make better use of my time and setting new goals or renewing my goals. So Ladies out there what are the interest you are going to pursue? I am not quite sure what my interest should be.

On a different note we are all growing up here. Lizza lost her 4th tooth today! she now officially cannot whistle. She is doing awesome with the reading and it is becoming fun to her, finally!

Abby got a 2-wheeler with no training wheels and is attempting to learn to ride it. I know she say she's 7! But the girl will not try new things and this bike riding is putting her over the edge. I would really like to be able to take the kids on easy bike rides this summer but to do so I need Abby and Lizza riding bikes. I can only pull one bike trailer, right? So I am pushing the riding. Daren has been trying to teach her and it is not going well. He gets so frustrated and cannot understand that she is 7 and can't ride a bike. We have heard the stories of him being 5 riding around the city. So again a new post to look forward to.

Meg is just so fun. she catches me off guard all the time. I never think she is listening to me or paying attention to what I am teaching Abby and Lizza and then Daren of I will ask a question and Meg will answer correctly! She wants me to play barbie, polly pocket, ponies, or princess all day. I can do it for about 20 minutes (which has taken work to get that far) then I just can't do it anymore. I know this will pass and I will miss playing but I just can't do it. I set a watch and don't let myself leave until the watch beeps. She is so fun but she dictates the entire play session. I can only say what she tells me to say. I love her!

Max is just changing. He is right on the verge of walking he stands there and takes a step or two. He is having such a hard time sleeping though. I miss sleep. I haven't had it now in years! He loves to just be roughed up, wrestled, and tickled. His sisters of course love him. They just drag him around I should have a plaque made that says "he is alright just leave him alone, don't pick him up." That is what I say all day to all 3 girls.

As my disclaimer to this I cannot promise this will get any better but I have no idea what i am doing and just adding these pictures has seriously taken me a half hour. This is why I don't do things like this I have floors to mop, dishes to clean, what am I doing?! I apologize if when this finally gets posted it is totally wrong or weird maybe I will eventually learn.