Childrens' view of relationships...uh-oh!

Yesterday I got the whole house clean just in time for the doorbell to ring. It was my cute little neighbor girls. I invited them to jump on the tramp with the kids and they were all having a ton of fun. They got to eat little mini pizzas made on English muffins. The chocolate chip cookies were just about done as the fun began.

So I slip outside to check on the kids...I walk up behind them to hear my Kaeleigh and the rest of the kids talking out their play situation. Carson was supposed to pretend he was married to one of the girls and then the "ewwe's" came. So they compromised...

J-"It's ok...they can be separated!"

A-"No, they'll be divorced."

Kaeleigh-"Yeah-She never loved him...she just loved his money!"

Maybe we have a little work to do. Let's just say I was a little surprised to hear this out of Kaeleigh's mouth. I hope she only got these ideas from the good 'ole media. I promise I am not just married to Ryan for his money...he'd need a whole lot more for that to be the case!

Last week of school!

This may be one of the craziest weeks of my life. Why do we insist on filling up every minute? I love every single thing I have this week whether it be helping out with school, helping friends, being involved with my kids. Did I mention that the bug guy even gets to come back? Gotta love that! We get to go to California this weekend and I must say that the only sad (for me) thing is that my not-so-little Kindergartner is "graduating". The funny thing is that Deegan is having a "graduation" from preschool as well! I am trying to figure out how they figure he is graduating when he is supposed to come back next year...and he has 2 full more school years until he can start Kindergarten himself! Aren't we a funny people? At least he will enjoy treats and a party and it doesn't matter what or what "not" for.

I am feeling like my Mom a little as I mentally mark off each day until Kaeleigh's last day of 4th grade or Carson is no longer a kindergartner. It's a very pathetic way of torturing myself. Somehow, Kaeleigh really will be the top dog at school next year...a 5th grader! Uhhg! Ryan has been working on her pinewood derby car and he is stressing on getting it right! Why? Because "next year will be her last year in activity days doing the derby race." What? As much fun as Ryan has making fun of me, he does it a little too. Maybe I am rubbing off on him. However, I am depressed this week that somehow my little ones are turning into "big" ones.

...and my baby is turning 2 in 3 weeks! I am going to go cry myself to sleep now!

Life is TOO busy!!!

Obviously I can't keep up on too many things at once, and this "little project" is one that always hits the brakes first. Kind of sad seeing as I give Ryan the "it's basically my journal" excuse every time he needs me and I need "just a couple more minutes" on this thing. Oh well...sooner or later I'll be more like super woman and I will get everything done.

I feel like updating on my family, just because it's been forever. Ryan and I have been working hard getting things done around the house and yard as much as possible before the heat comes...oh yeah, that already came, so we're working through the heat like the pros! Ryan has been keeping busy with church and work duties and planning parts of scout camp. Unbelievably, he still finds time to keep the kids entertained when he gets home from work. Luckily, the sun stays up longer this time of year, so that kind of helps give him more time. Unfortunately, that also means that my kids have missed their bedtime every day for over 2 weeks.

Kaeleigh is counting down every day until she can rub in my face that she is a 5th grader. Carson has caught on and he likes to remind me that he won't be a kindergartner anymore. Haven't they figured out how to freeze time yet? Well, we have 2 weeks left of school now and I feel it will be very bittersweet. I would like to do a "Summer of surprises" jar for my kids. I want to do more than sit on the couch watching every re-run of Hannah Montana and whatever else my kids will veg out to. I know it is hot here but that won't stop us from frequenting the pool. So, in this jar, I would like to have enough to draw at least 2 days a week a surprise (previously approved by yours truly) that is as close to free as possible. I thought of things like :

• a slush run to Sonic (Large for $1, every hour, every day...the kids can share! That makes it almost free)


• a trip to the library


• red box rental


• swimming


• water gun fight


• slip and slide


• camp out in the loft, forts included (we could spend part of the day building the fort)


• trip to the dollar store. The challenge will be leaving spending no more than $4 plus tax!


• Scavenger hunt at Target. I don't know what we will be looking for other than someone else's air conditioning.


• I think we will make it educational and go play the alphabet game one day too. Maybe we will hit Wal*Mart for that one.


• Thanks to all of my children's good grades, we will go bowling, chuck E. cheese, peter piper pizza...anyone know where else I can take those glorious report cards? Isn't it great having more than one kid in school? Too bad Deegan didn't get a report card in preschool.

Anyone else have any good ideas? I beg you to pass them on. I had my first "rough" day today. I made the mistake of trying to plant some pumpkins and watermelons (seeds...doubt they will work, but it sounded interesting...I will show you why later) at high noon. I don't think I cooled back down until after 7pm. I know something is wrong with me because I get hot and worked up just watching my kids run around in the house. I think their body heat is working my air conditioning hard. I don't think I can make it this summer with all 4 kids leaving the doors wide open every time they pass one...they don't even have to go outside. I get drafts of 120+ degrees flowing in from my garage that Ashlyn and Deegan have claimed as their personal playground. They always leave the door stop down, so who knows what that is costing me in addition to my sanity. Well, as you see, I am already losing it just preparing for it, so really...give me ideas how to make it, and a special request that October/November will come very fast this year!

Mother's Day picture spoiler...Ryan just bought me 2 things I have been begging for for YEARS...I will show you one later, but for now here is one:

It's scorpion season and so far we are at #4...since the end of March. After a week of battling ants inside the house and having them all over outside and myself in tears every time we find one of these critters...Ryan has succumbed to the pest control sales man. I am so glad that guy came to my house when Ryan was weak! It doesn't happen all that often. Yeah for me though. He said they guarantee against these evil creatures! That's right, I called them evil. I know Heavenly Father created them, but even my children question Him on this one!

Really though, thank you to my sweetheart...I feel a very happy weekend coming on! Yeah!