Last day of School!

The end of May brought with it Kindergarten Graduation! I can't believe how grown up Jared is looking. I love the boy he is growing up to be and although I do not want to rush the coming years I am excited to see the young man he will eventually become. I know he is going to be amazing...seeing as he already is. Check it out...he is almost a whole head taller on the last day than he was the first day.

Kindergarten Graduation...what a great and funny tradition. I am glad to say I didn't cry...I didn't think I would. People always talk about the water works show that is put on during this...I think I will save it for high school graduation. Jared is ready for first grade that is for sure. After graduation was over he came up and said "I felt so dumb" referring to being in front. After some questioning I realized he meant that he was nervous and felt funny walking up solo. Love this boy.

Class of 2025

Jared with his teacher Mrs. Victory.

Nora the gymnist

This year while Jared was busy with school Nora was busy with gymnastics! It was great! I was so excited when we found out it was a real gymnastic class and not tumbling and playing around (glorified day care). It was an hour class and within the first few weeks I was amazing at the strength she was developing even though the class was just once a week. She learned skills on the bar, beam, trampoline and other large motor skills. One day I watched her jump through a rolling hoola hoop! She learned how to do a cartwheel and handstand. It was all very impressive! ( I think I have better pictures on my camera) But here are a few. I loved her teacher, part of the reason I signed her up for a class like this was so that she would have to learn to be taught by someone that wasn't me, take turns, and all those social skills that she would have gotten from pre-school. I would love to have her take the class again in the fall, but she is determined to be a ballerina! We will see...she does make a pretty wonderful gymnist!

a few Random moments

Sweet Baby Ryan. He grew up on us! And man alive he is a beautiful baby. He is still my baby, although he loves to cuddle up with Daddy. We might make a Daddy's boy of him yet. He is a few weeks away from going to the nursery! Where has the time gone?

One of our great purchases this summer was the trampoline!!! It was such a great find on craigslist. It is a great brand that is supposed to be a 20 year type trampoline. Dave had school which left my awesome Dad to help me get the trampoline home. Jared came along to provide some much needed muscle power. Needless to say it has been a great addition to our backyard (minus the mowing).

Jared lost ANOTHER tooth...I think this is 6. We have yet to see him pull one tooth out. Jared likes to do it alone in his room!

My brother in law was deployed from December to July (bummer) but it meant that his awesome wife came to Melba to say for the duration!! (yippee) suririsingly I have very few pictures from her time here. But it was a treat to have her around. I think I went through a few sad days after she left...it really threw me for a loop...every now and then I would just start crying...kind of like when that first time you got dumped by your first real boyrfriend (not the kind from middle school) and you just have a few tears every now and then. It caught me by surprise...not that I missed her but that I was so weepy. Don't worry I kept it to myself...until now.

Trip to Oregon

Over the Labor Day Weekend we took a trip to see the Stark side of the family! It is always a treat to see the cousins play and enjoy each other so well and so easily. Family is pretty great! We were there for a baptism. What a great reason for a trip. Since Dave has been in school we don't go very many places these days. So this was a nice reason to get out of town for a few days. On the way there (or maybe the way back who knows)

We pulled up to Grandpa and Grandma's house and the kids were so excited to run and play...and then they found the "duck pond" and they were even more excited to have some water to add to their fun! It would have been better if the ducks were actually there.

Lisa worked so so hard to become buddies with Ryan (who is a true Mamma's Boy). She didn't give up. By the end of the weekend I think her efforts paid off, she was for sure the favorite of Ryan's (you know besides his Mom).

It was a great weekend with lots of cousin time. We went swimming, hung out in the back yard, had a wonderful baptism (well, I hear it was wonderful Ryan was D.O.N.E so we hung out in the hall) but it was filled with great family, yummy food and a lot of happy faces...what more could you ask for?

On the way home(or maybe this is on the way there?)...one great thing about going on a trip is going home!

T-ball & Machine pitch 2013

This year was a busy one with two kids playing ball. Nora's t-ball games were Tuesday and Thursday and Jared's machine pitch games were on Monday and Wednesday. To say we were busy is an understatement and with Dave missing many of the games it made our evenings extra frazzled...but still very fun. Jared had a great season. His bating improved a ton! And so did his throwing and fielding. It was so fun to see him develop his skills. It was also great to see him play with his friends and be a big kid. At the end of the season his team had a party complete with a medal and trophy. Pretty sweet.

I asked Nora to hold up her medal...she did what I asked.

Nora had a great time playing t-ball this year. It was her first season so she had to learn everything. Since Dave was in school he didn't have a lot of time to take her in the back yard and go over some skills before hand. But she did just fine. There were times when she would get distracted throwing her mitt in the air or trwilling...or usually talking to other teach members or the other team. Once she was on base talking to the little 2nd basement and he had to push her towards 3rd base and told her to run. So funny! She had a great time.

Pretty sure we will be busy with it next year...the only difference is that Dave will be around!! Maybe even a couch.

Fancy Phone

About a month ago Ryan kindly threw my phone in the toilet.  I didn't like that phone, it was big and texting was annoying.  I never wanted to be a big texter but with Dave gone at work and school (two places where he can't just sit on the phone an chat with me) I really liked it because it lets me feel like we are at least in touch during these long days away from him.

Anyway...hated that phone.  As much as I wanted a different phone I didn't want to be forced into it, but I was.  Who knows how long it was in there before I slowly reached in for it. ew.  It didn't have a chance.

We where without a phone for two weeks while we waited for my brother to get off on his mission so I could take his phone and his plan.  It worked out pretty nice really.

Who cares right?

Well my new phone is an iPhone.  Yes, I am that cool or really Spencer was that cool and I am lucky.

However, I haven't figured out how to get the pictures from my phone onto my computer onto my blog (I don't think it will be hard, I just haven't done it or tried).

Thus...no pictures and no updates.

Deal with it.

(rest assure life is wonderful, hard without Dave around these days but very wonderful.)

Called to Serve

Last night...

I said good bye to my little brother.

I won't see him for two years.

I cried the whole way home.

I love that guy and I know he will do amazing things in Oklahoma.

I know that is where the Lord needs him most.

I think I am going to teach my kids the song from Oklahoma the musical.

I am super excited for him.

I am also super sad.

But mostly I am excited...he will do amazing things and that makes me cry too.

I am grateful for the example he is setting for my kids.

and for me

I know he has been called by our Heavenly Father to preach the Gospel.