ICKY

Icky officially graduated from The Red Apple Preschool. We are super proud of him. He is reading and already has big dreams (as we've mentioned before) of being a Rocket Scientist. He LOVED school, Miss Tonya, and his friends. He gained so much confidence and did so well at his graduation. He had two parts and every time it was his part he would tap the mike and then blow in it, then say his part, we were cracking up. He messed up a little on the second part but was really funny and he had the whole audience laughing. He was a whole head taller than the other kid he shared the parts with so he would crouch down so they could both talk into the mike. I could hear him singing on each song and I only caught him picking his nose once (is it just my kid? It is like an addiction, he does it even more when we tell him to stop.) He teared up when Miss Tonya talked about the year. He is so excited about Kindergarten and makes Marley so anxious to get started with school.

He was so cute, and I can't believe how big he is. For a 5 year old he is in the 91% for weight and the 96% for height. I don't notice it until he is around other kids his age.

Ick at his year end party.

Marley got to come to his party as well. I really hate blow up toys they freak me out. They had tons of fun but I was so worried about them the whole time.

Bitter Sweet

So after 3 years attending Roy High, followed by a break to get my degree, then 6 years teaching at Roy; I'm done. I have 3 days left to teach and I will be taking a break to be a stay at home Mom. A lot of people have questioned why I've stayed so long when I have kids who need caring for. The answer is simple, I LOVE Teaching and I LOVE ROY HIGH. I never imagined that I would return to Roy after I graduated with my degree, but I am ever so grateful I found the opportunity to. I've been able to work with all those teachers who inspired me and make lasting friendships with so many great people. I also have taught some of my friends siblings along with a lot of other great kids. Teaching is not always been a thankless job for me, I have had students tell me they hated history until they had my class. I have had students tell me that they love the way I teach even if they still don't like history.

Long story short; I am excited to be home with my kids and not have to get 3 kids ready and out the door before 7 am. But I am sad to be leaving the other great kids I've been able to teach over the years. I'm sad to be leaving something that I have truly loved doing.

Is it SPRING YET!!

(How cute are they, Grady was 4 months this day)

We have been working so furiously on our basement and taking care of 3 kids this winter that we haven't made the trip to Carl's parents much. Now for most of you this may not seem like a big deal, but to my cute man it is torture. See to Carl, Layton is the big city and he drives in traffic all week to and from work so he would probably love it if we went to his parents every weekend. I also have spent a ton of time holed up because of the new baby and the weather and was dying to be able to be out of my house. So two weeks ago we drove to his parents house and hoped for the best, the last time we went down it snowed. This weekend turned out great. My cute kids spent the entire day playing with their cousins, climbing mountains of dirt, and just thoroughly enjoying themselves. They even got a little sun burned (I am a horrible mother).

A couple of exciting events happened while we were there, the first was that Grandma Bench somehow conned Marley out of sucking her thumb with fingernail polish (I once tried this and it didn't work). Thank you Grandma!! The second was when I tried to climb on Scooter (the horse) with Marley on the back patio. Well somehow after I got on Scoot got spooked, rared up, lost her footing on the cement and began slipping. I call it our rodeo. Carl and his Dad were yelling for me to get off but I had to grab Marley. Well, luckily for Marley and I Scooter's back end ended up so close to the ground that I was able to grab Marley and literally step off a 5+ foot tall horse. We were both shaken up but after I told Marley that Scooter was just scared and fell and the insistence of Carl's Mom and Becky, we got back on. Marley is one tough cookie.
Don't you just want to squeeze this cute boy's cheeks?
Before the Rodeo.
Here is Garrick on his pile of dirt. The tub was literally full of dirt after we bathed him.

BIG Day

So Garrick had a big day a little over a week ago. He wanted a black birthday so we started with black waffles for breakfast, we also made a cake with black frosting (he wanted the whole cake black but Carl and I didn't think we'd be able to eat it). He wants to be a Rocket Scientist, thanks to Doc and Flint Lockwood, so the big hit was his Lab Coat and the Experiment kit. It was such a fun day I just can't believe how fast he is growing up, I registered him for Kindergarten a couple of weeks ago.

I'm so proud of him, he is a really good reader and loves school, he is really cute with Marley and Grady. My life is like a musical, between he and Marley there is always someone singing, and the songs are usually about what they are doing. He never has grown out of the question phase, everyday is a game of 180 questions (180 seems to be his favorite number). He has such a great imagination and he is such a tender kid, our home and visiting teachers are really cute and getting used to our kids asking for hugs and kisses. I think my favorite is that he'll come up to me out of the blue and give me a hug and tell me he loves me (he does this to everyone) I love it.

These were disgusting. I don't know why but they tasted different to me.

Not only does he love black but he loves spiders too, so we did a web too. He thinks Charlotte's Web is great.

This is what happens when you put too much food coloring in the frosting. Marley and Grandpa were having such a good time. Marley wanted to wear black in honor of his black birthday, she is such a girl.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIG G!!

March

March has been a crazy month. Between going back to work and working on finishing the basement, we have been really busy. But I've made sure to take a little time to enjoy the family.


Grady is getting to be such a chunker and a trooper, overcoming RSV without any hospital visits. He is fun kid and is starting to smile and giggle at us. I also think he may catch up to Garrick in size, love it.


I've been having flash backs to my childhood lately and during one of the flashes I remembered making these fun bird feeders. I was hoping to lure spring out of hiding so the kids and I made peanut butter pine cone bird feeders. (I've yet to witness any birds partake.) And despite Garrick's initial unwillingness to think it might be fun, he loved it.


We also have a couple of birthdays this month. Carl had a great one, the kids and I got him a tub of Cappuccino Jelly Belly's. We splurged on him this year. We loved the cake and blowing out candles. Happy Birthday babe.