Where did the summer go?

On Monday our summer officially came to an end. In QC we have the modified year round schedule which means we get more days off throughout the year but also a much shorter summer. Wyatt started 1st grade on Monday and Jesse’s preschool is not far behind. I can’t believe I am going to have 2 kids in school! Wyatt loves his class and was very excited to find that many of his friends from last year are in his class again. He also starts his third year of “Lets Play Music” (Highly Recommended) in a few weeks. It is sad to put our summer in the rear view mirror, but it is also very excited to get back into a normal routine of bedtime, morning scripture study and a little slower pace for the time being. We are expecting Bryan to arrive within the next month so that slow pace will be shot lived. Anyway so much for the summer and hello school year!

While the boys are away

The boys went up north with Grammy & Papa Chaffee to a family reunion. Dane had to work and that left me & Gracie home to rule the roost. We have had so much fun, we have been shopping two days in a row and Gracie loves all the attention. She has really milked the entire experience. We have done her hair special everyday, she loves doing girl things. She has taken over the couch and replaced the cushions with a blanket and all her dolls. She is such a sweet girl when she wants to be, tonight we are taking Dane and all three getting pedicures.

Here she is with all her dolls

Almost Over?

It is officially summer, and the kids think it is a holiday. They think we have to have an activity everyday of I start to hear, “I’m board, there’s nothing to do.” Here are a few of our happenings so far this summer. In-between the swimming lessons which have really started to pay off, the kids have become increasingly better swimmers, we have stayed busy. Irrigation continues to be one of the kid’s favorite bi-weekly events. They feel very cheated if irrigation gets scheduled in the middle of the night. We are half way through summer movies, which have brought many smiles and provided the kids with many new quotable lines to rehearse with mom and dad. A few visits to the zoo proved fun until our every comfortable weather officially melted all of us sending everyone back to the pool. We have been to the cabin twice and have a few more visits scheduled before all is said and done. The monsoons have provided manageable weather and allowed us to teach the kids the game of hopscotch; this has become an afternoon favorite as the monsoons continue. Overall it has been a wonderful summer and we have much more to fit in before the bell rings us back to school in only 28 days!

Irrigation is one of the kids favorites!

The kids love the Zoo.

Hopscotch has become an afternoon monsoon tradition, Dane thinks they just like drawing on the sidewalk

We found a little snake, Dane would not touch it, he had a neighbor boy come over to kill it.

This is not Mickey

We live in a small community with horse privileges. That means lots of hay barns and tack rooms. The mice love it. Every summer when the neighborhood starts irrigating, the mice start running for cover. We have seen them in the garage occasionally but luckily for us we have never had them in the house, until now. We came home on Sunday to find one little field mouse scurrying across the floor. Dane tried very hard to catch the little guy but was unable to out wit the mouse. Frustrated, he headed right to the store to pick up some mouse traps. He returned home with enough traps you would have thought we had a heard of mice or something. He carefully set each trap and strategically placed them around the house. Our house was literally booby trapped with mouse traps. We had put the kids to bed and settled down for a movie when we heard a snap from the back bedroom. Sure enough the traps worked and dad got his mouse. I have not seen Dane so excited in a long time, he had to go wake up the boys to show off his catch. After the disposal I made him take all the traps down and luckily we have not seen any more mice in our sanctuary.

Schools Out

We are still a little behind in our postings as things continue to get crazier and crazier. I keep telling myself that I will do better and catch up as soon as things calm down. Well I have finally resided to the fact that it will be a long time before life slows down. School is out, and the summer has officially started and slow does not describe our life at all. Between swimming lessons, summer movies, playing with friends, trips to the cabin, reunions, chores, hopefully some time for a family vacation, and last but not least a new baby in August, life is crazy. With that being said we would not have it any other way. Wyatt ended his first year of school as the student of the month. Dad already has the sticker on his truck. Funny how kids change you, while we were dating Dane constantly made fun of those with bumper stickers, but as soon as he saw this it was on his truck like a badge of honor. He had the best teacher in the world, Miss. Groves was wonderful. We are so proud of Wyatt and still can’t believe he is starting the first grade in less than 8 weeks.

Happy Mothers Day

On Friday afternoon this flower box arrived from Honolulu Hawaii, I was so upset. When we first got married I informed Dane that while I love flowers and how absolutely beautiful they are, I prefer to have the money to go shop and spend on my family. After all the flowers last only a few days before they wilt and die and shopping for your kids and hubby is just what I love! With that bit of background maybe now you can understand my frustration to see a giant flower box arriving from the flower capital of the world. Two years ago Dane got creative and gave me a flower bouquet made out of money. Last year he wrapped a piece of cardboard like a present and attached it to the ceiling with a string. Behind the cardboard was the money so when I pulled the string I was showered with bills. I figured he had just finally got lazy and gave in to the easy way out. When Dane got home he asked if a package had showed up and I think he could sense that I was a tad bit miffed. He took the boys in the back room for about ten minuets and emerged with the box. He got all the kids together and they sang me “Mother I Love You” and then explained that “Mothers Day” was being changed to “Mothers Weekend”. The kids then opened up the box. Much to my surprise I found a Hawaiian Lei made out of money. It was absolutely perfect except for the fact that Dane loved to tell people his wife got Leid for mothers day? We then went out to dinner with my sister and her husband. On Saturday I got a pedicure and on Sunday Dane talked in church and paid me the sweetest tribute I could ever ask for. I may be bias but it was an incredible talk, I got compliments for him all day. I can’t believe I thought for one minute that Dane would have taken the easy way out; I have the best husband ever! Hope every one had a great and happy Mothers Day.

Happy Mothers Day to All!

The Sleeper

Gracie has so much energy. If there is an activity going on she has to be in the smack dab middle of everything. It is so extreme that she is starting to annoy her brothers at times. She is so afraid that she is going to miss something that she has decided that she no linger needs a nap. This makes for a very cranky little lady come afternoon and evening. But lately we have started to find Gracie konked out in the strangest places. She just goes 100 miles per hour until she just konks out. It is the funniest thing; we will find her just sleeping in strangest places and positions?

Here she is watching her brothers play the computer

Out she goes.

She wanted to read books

Out she goes.

One minute she is this

In the next breath she is sleeping on Papa?

She strikes again

Everything’s coming up Roses

I love this time of year when everything starts coming to life again, and I really LOVE my rose garden. My roses are doing so well this year. When we moved in last year I had Dane pull up all the nasty cactus and replace them with green shrubs and 14 different roses. We have 3 different red, 2 different pink, white, orange, purple, and yellow roses. I love the smell and the blooms are so beautiful. I could spend hours sitting on the porch swing enjoying my beautiful roses, but the best part is I always have a vase of fresh cut roses in the house. As soon as I walk out the back door I can smell all the different roses and I love it!

My Rose Garden

It's Over!

April 15th is over, it has come and gone and once again it was memorable. Each year we plan on picking Dane up from work at 5:00 pm sharp to celebrate the closing of tax season. It is a crazy day for him from the time he gets to work all the up until 5:00 so the celebration is much needed. This year Dane woke up at 2:00 am sick as a dog. He was so sick he was not able to even go in and help. Diner plans were canceled and replaced with chicken broth and Gatorade. While it was not the normal April 15th that our family has become accustomed to, in the end we are finished and got our daddy back!

Tanker-banker

Back in October we gave in to the kid’s pressure and got a dog. Tank was a small, little, cute, and cuddly little guy. Times they are a changing; Tank is now 6 months old and huge. He chews everything in site; we have gone through 3 hoses in the last 3 weeks. Dane is learning that he must put things away. =) While Dane has talked about getting rid of him and how much he hates him, Tank has brought so much joy to the kid’s life. The kids call him Tanker-banker and he is the best dog and is so patient with them. He lets them do whatever they want to him. The kids pull on his ears wrestle and even try and ride him and all the while he just loves them back. I don’t know what we would do without our big Tank, and to be honest, as much as Dane talks big I think he really loves Tank to. While we were out of town Dane went out and bought him a spike collar. Then the other night he brings home a dog tag with Tanks name and our address and phone number on it. What a softy. The kids have done great taking care of Tank. They feed him and make sure he always has water and they don’t even complain too much about “picking up” after him. Dane calls it poop control. Anyway we truly love our “little” Tank.

Then & Now

Here are the kids doing poop control. They pull the wagon around and fill it up with the droppings.

Finishing poop control, Wyatt uses two cups to scoop it up so his hands stay clean, Jesse just opts for gloves.