Forts and Four Wheelers

For the long weekend Brad and I packed up the kids and took off to cascade. The kids spent most of their time outside building forts and going for rides on the four wheeler. Johnny picked his spot for a fort because one the the trees had little broken off branches jutting out for him to climb on. Such a little monkey. Alex spent her time knocking off all of the broken off branches from her trees so no one could use them for climbing and "it just looked prettier that way". I took them on one hike but halfway through it Brad came and picked the kids up in the Rhino and lapped me a few times on the neighborhood loop. The next day I put on my running shoes and ran the loop and then ran down to the lake and back. So much more refreshing than running on a treadmill at the gym. It was sprinkling a little from time to time so we did a lot of roasting marshmallows in the wood stove until the last night we were able to build a little fire outside. The kid's favorite part about being at the cabin is always roasting marshmallows at the little firepit outside. We're so lucky to have a place like this to retreat to once in awhile and I'm so grateful his parents share it so willing!

Buster

I snapped this shot with my camera phone of Johnny and Buster today. Buster is a cute little moving, talking, school bus who came and visited the pre-K kids to teach them about bus safety. And that's Johnny looking shy and nervous and out of his element. That's about how he was the entire time we were at the school. Johnny decided today that he would write his first AND last name on his worksheets at the orientation and this past week he has been reading "Dick and Jane" to me. He is academically ready, I just hope his desire to be at school catches up. I pray for him, if you think about it, maybe you can too.

Field Trips

Tis the season for school field trips. Alex and Johnny both had one recently. Alex's class went to the Foothill's Learning Center and learned about different plants and nature. Before lunch they took the kids on a hike to Camel's Back Park so they were all quite hungry when we got there. Then they burned it all off again at the huge play set at the park. It was interesting to watch Alex at "recess". She played with so many different groups of kid the entire time, never sticking to one group. Both field trips were possible rainy days and both were beautiful weather.

Johnny's class went to the Boise Zoo and I have never seen the animals so alive. The monkeys were doing crazy acrobatics, the leopards were jumping off of the walls of their cages, the lions were wrestling, the tigers were rolling around in the grass and the penguins were doing somersaults in the water (to name a few). They must have been as excited for the nice weather as much as we were. I can't believe we only have a couple of weeks left of school and summer begins!

One more semester closer to the end.

Brad finished up another semester at Boise State last week, only three more to go! His next semester started up yesterday. It's 3 weeks long, 5 days a week and 4 hours a day. It's a doosie, but in three weeks he'll be only 2 semesters away from graduating with his MBA!!!

We're so excited for him and so to celebrate our homework-less weekend we:

Attended Alex's 1st grade music performance together.

(Alex was so thrilled that he could make it!)

Went on a date, just the two of us.

Took the kids on a walk to the park.

Dug up a dead tree in our backyard and planted a 12 foot maple in it's place.

(He gave Johnny a tool and let him "help" cut the old tree down)

Took the kids to the temple grounds for FHE.

The weekend couldn't last forever and now Brad is gone again. Hopefully we will get to steal him away for Memorial Day weekend for a time.

Love ya Brad!

(The end is in sight!!!)

Spoiled

What can I say? Other than, Brad's Dad taught him well. I get spoiled by my husband and kids on Mother's Day.
Alex slept in (today of all days, very uncharacteristic of her) so I got up, showered and blow dried my hair before she got up. Once I heard her door open I hopped back in bed for my Mother's Day breakfast in bed. The kids had gotten me flowers and cards and Johnny even agreed to wear a tie to church for me today.
After church, lunch was compliments of Alex who made everyone PB&Js with juice. I didn't have to lift a finger when it came to clearing off the table or cleaning up. After lunch I was aloud to take a nap on the couch, yes a nap, those are few and far between for me.
Brad BBQ'd some yummy spiced honey chicken to top off my yummy salad with corn cut off the cob, avocados and homemade sourdough croutons. Little luxuries I don't indulge myself with very often. Then some mint chocolate chip ice cream to round out the evening.
Hmmm, this post is mostly about naps and food. Funny how those two things can make my day so perfect!
We had a little Family Home Evening where I got to pick the lesson, music, activity and treat. Now the kids can't wait until their birthday so they can be in charge of the entire FHE.
It's been a good day. Can we have Mother's Day at least once a month? Not a bad idea if you ask me.
Brad's Mom told me today about how much the kids loved bringing her breakfast in bed when they were little but as they got older their Dad would have to wake them up and drag them in half asleep to bring her breakfast in bed and wish her a Happy Mother's Day. She felt bad for her poor children. I'm so very glad he kept the tradition alive though because Brad makes sure I get the same treatment every year as his Mom got. And I say, bring it on!