Here are a bunch of small and not so small things that also happened this month.
I hiked the Y for the first time. It was our activity for YW/YM at the beginning of the month or else I probably wouldn't have done it. I was not the first of our group to make it to the top but I wasn't the last and I made it up there quicker than several of our youth. Aww yeah! But I don't have any desire to do it again. (I decided I like nature walks, not hikes. Pretty sure I'd be all about walks in the countryside had I been born in 19th century England)
The view is spectacular but I know for a fact I can drive to equally impressive views.
I melted the handle of my favorite stirring spoon. I knocked it out of the jar seen on the counter and it landed on a still hot burner but I forgot it was hot so it sat there for a few minutes and melted. I still use it, I just feel like witch stirring her cauldron with a stick.
I took James to the doctor for his 18 month check up and decided to take Erica too so she could get her kindergarten shots 14 months early so she doesn't have to worry about it for 14 months. "Surprise! You're getting shots too!" She handled the news well, handled all 4 shots well and got a big dish of ice cream when we got home.
James handled his shots well too. And the doctor confirmed it; he's the same size and weight as Henry at 2.
This bothered me but I didn't say anything to the nurse.
I have like 24 of these on my phone.
And 8 of these.
James got to eat an ice cream cone all by himself.
I have a thing for community breakfasts. This is at Mapleton fireman's breakfast on the 19th. There's just something about eating oversize pancakes and sub-par scrambled eggs among fellow citizens that warms my heart.
My mom is explaining something super complex to Sarah. I wish I could remember what it was. I wish I could explain things to my kids like she can. She is why I am so smart. She is why my kids are so smart. She can put anything into terms that they'll understand. When my kids ask me what started WW1, I say I don't know even though I do but it's that I don't know how to explain nationalism to a 9-year-old. And henchmen! How do you explain henchman to a 7-year-old? How does he even know what henchmen are?
Anyway, they also had a raffle and I don't think we won anything because it's been 10 days and haven't heard. I took pictures because I thought it might be a good fundraiser idea for girls camp next year.
I'm glad my kids have forgotten about the raffle too or Erica is going to be really sad she didn't win a new bike.
Outside they had all their trucks and ambulances out for the kids to climb on and in.
This could be later that same day because Henry is wearing the same clothes but you can't bet on that. He wears the same clothes over and over. He made a cool helmet out of his Fanta box.
Maybe still that same day? I think this all is. We went to Jolley's Ranch with Justin's parents, his grandpa, and his brothers and their wives. While we waited for dinner to cook, Henry got a master lesson on smore roasting from his great-grandpa Kitchen.
This kid loves roasting smores which works out great for me!
Erica got a new pad of paper and spent most of the time "writing" notes to everyone. "I love you and I'm happy you're my mom and you are the best and you can be my mom forever."
She's pretty much the sweetest.
Until we figure out how to fix Henry's bike, he's been creative with the other toys in the garage. These 2 love to push each other in the Tonka truck. It cracks me up.
I went to the DI to get some mason jars for a YW activity and I found a huge bag of megablocks for 1.50, a bag of toy tools for 1.50 and the Waterworks game for $1. I don't go to DI often but when I do I ask myself, why do I shop anywhere else?
The best find by far was the bag of 40 cars for $3.
These two played and sorted and studied these cars for hours. We probably have 100 Hotwheels cars but something about a big bag of new ones is so exciting.
So I went to the DI to buy mason jars for an activity and had a really hard time not buying a bunch for myself. I kinda like old mason jars. I found this little gem which was very exciting because I have 3 others just like it that I got from my grandma. Now I have 4!
And this one I love. It's super old. I looked up how to date it and if I'm reading the super old number code on the bottom correctly, it could be from the 1930s or 40s. The glass is so thick and heavy.
On the second to the last day of school, I wanted to make the most of my last quiet afternoon alone with Erica. So after Erica School, we made a giant cookie and ate a lot of it before the kids got home from school.
First day of school Henry and last day of school Henry. (His school shoes did not survive the year.)
First day and last day Sarah.
And then Henry had to change back into his "uniform" before the bus got there.
And then their very last bus ride to school. We are no longer considered in the bus zone since they developed the land south of us and there's now continuous sidewalk. Starting next school year they will ride their bikes to school. It sure was nice while it lasted.
Oh, and Erica didn't want to be left out of all the photos.
That afternoon we took the kids up Provo canyon to Vivian Park to eat dinner then to Big Springs Hollow trail for a nice leisurely nature stroll.
I would have liked to have gone farther but this little lady biffed it and got super dirty and banged up her knees so we headed back. We'll try it again and put her in a backpack too because she is sloooow. But a good sport.
This is life-changing. I have a kid big enough to push the mower.
Saturday May 26 was our 12th anniversary! Justin's parents took the kids to Payson Lakes so we had hours and hours together! First we went to the temple to do sealings. We couldn't find a parking space anywhere near the Provo City Center temple so we headed to the Provo temple. Only in Utah can you just head across town to another temple!
Afterwards we ate lunch at Communal (so good!) and did a little shopping. It felt so weird and nice to have so much time and not feel rushed.
This is what trying on hiking boots while in your church clothes looks like.
On Memorial Day we met my parents at the Spanish Fork cemetery to put flowers on my mom's family graves. She tells them the same stories about the same people every year and I think Sarah's finally remembering from years past.
We walked through the flags. It's sobering to think how many servicemen have died just from teeny tiny Spanish Fork.
I love cemeteries, especially on Memorial Day. It is so beautiful.
Then we had a bbq that evening at Corey and Nadine's. Corey deserves an award for sitting with 3 kids in a hot tub during a very long hail storm. Pea-sized hail beat down on them for so long but they all just laughed, sought shelter under the patio for a few minutes but then got back in.
Now summer vacation has officially begun! We have a very busy June (like need-to-be-in-2-places-at-once busy) but it should go by fast. I'm trying to decided it planning stuff and sticking to a schedule will help me cope with all this time together or drive me more crazy.
