Sportsing

Busy day today with both boys basketball games and then hours of standing at Ibby's track meet.  She ran in three events, but they were very spaced out...  Her relay team placed 3rd in the 4x800 so that was exciting!

Last Winter Orchestra Concert

When they were little, everything was firsts, but now it seems like last everything.  The orchestra played really well!  I'm going to miss going.  Lucinda is a senior, and Ibby has decided to quit orchestra next year.  I tried to talk her out of it, but once that girl decides something... she is definitely stubborn.  Those quiet ones always get you.

Happy May Day!

I am quite sure that most people don't even celebrate May Day, but our neighbor happens to own a maypole, and if I was the proud owner of a maypole you had better bet your boots that I would use it!  We usually make a little craft with flowers to drop off at other neighbor's door steps and then we attempt to circle the maypole without getting too too tangled up -- it's so quaint.

birthday time

Happy Birthday yesterday to my Ibby girl!

And she had a fun party with some friends.

Piano Recital

It is gray and snowy here today.  And I am soooooo tired!  I've been getting up at 5:45 to take Lucy to seminary and it is wearing on me.  And even if I am tired all day, I am rarely tired at night.  My hormones are all out of whack!  So I can't go to sleep very early and the cycle starts again the next day. 

Yesterday the girls had their piano recital and Matthew joined Lucy for a duet!  It was really fun and was the last piece of the recital.  It was a hit!  And Lucy played a lovely Debussy piece right before that and did really well.  If she just put her mind to it, she could be really really good!  But she keeps talking about quitting piano lessons.  I know that she doesn't necessarily want to become a concert pianist, but she could at least study it in college and teach piano to other people.  How nice would it be to have a natural talent like that?  Ibby did really well, too, but she gets so nervous!  She just hates recitals so much!  I could see the dread on her face the entire time!  Poor Ibby.  The boys were really good, but towards the end, Archie was whispering loudly about how long it was taking and when I said there were only two more people, Phin practically shouted, Yay!   And then promptly assured me that it was his crocodile saying yay, not him.  Andrea Ringer came because she is the YW pres. and super nice.  And Rachelle Simpson came because she is thinking of having her girls take lessons from Pam.  She is also the Primary Pres.  Matthew told them that if he hadn't been at the ward council meeting he might suspect that our family was some sort of project, haha!  It looked that way for sure.

There really isn't much going on here.  Lucy has had some friends over to watch movies a couple of times.  I guess rearranging the basement really made a difference!  So that is fun to have fun and laughter going on.  I've been drawing and crocheting.  I'm almost done with Phin's blanket.  It is funny how they're turning out to be all different sizes.  Ella's and Ibby's are more lap blankets, but Phin's and Charles' are humongous!!!  I just finished the 108th square for Phin's and need to start binding them together today.

Memorial Day

We just set out for the parade and then to the cemetery, but as we were passing Wesleyan I heard a badump, badump noise and mentioned to Matthew that we just might have a flat tire.  Sho' nuff that is what it was.  We were all just going to stay there while he put on the spare tire, but then Archie mentioned that he needed to poop.  So I walked home with the boys and Matthew went to see if there are any places open today that can take care of the tire.  Fun stuff!!!  But it is giving me a chance to write in my blog and I don't even have the baby today, yay!!!  He is really sweet and all, but it is tiring taking care of a newborn.  I heard the saddest story about a woman in California who had three daughters ages 2, 1, and 2 months and she killed them all last Friday.  They said they found the mom naked, in a daze, covered with blood.  My first thought is that she probably was just wanting to take a shower, but they were screaming at her and she just lost it!  I just feel so bad for her!!! And her husband!  And her whole family.  Oh my goodness.  It can be hard to take care of babies.  And moms need support.  In the past, people were usually living with their parents, aunts, uncles, etc.  Lots of people who could help hold babies or cook or clean, but now people are so separated and alone.  We ended up being able to get to the parade and over to the cemetery to go on the trolley with Miss Jen Jen.

We always enjoy romping around cemeteries!

It has been a busy week.  I had the annual mother's day tea last Wednesday.  I have moved it to a park since there are so many people now.  I put table cloths and flowers on two long tables and people proceeded to sit their children at the pretty tables and then the women were all sitting at un-table-clothed tables.  That was the only buggy thing.  Everything else was lovely -- the weather, the food, the people.  So I guess it is worth all of the headache.  There was also the Bent School carnival.  The kids had fun, but we didn't stay very long.  I missed Ali Harvey's graduation party.  It was on Friday and I didn't remember until Saturday afternoon.  NCHS had their graduation on Saturday and BHS will have it next Sunday.  Charles is doing a graduation party with Sam at his grandparents house on Lake Bloomington.  I don't know how many people want to go clear out there, but we will see.  It should still be fun.

I've been working a lot in the garden.  I spent tons of money, lots of time and effort, and then I just have to hope for the best!  It hasn't rained for a long time so I have to walk around hosing everything down.  Rain dance, rain dance! 

I'm reading an interesting book about Energy and people's auras.  I haven't gotten very far so we'll see how it develops :)

Happy Birthday Ibby!

Happy, Happy, Birthday to my lovely Isabela Phoebe! There is no debate in the family that she wins MVK (most valuable kid) status because she is as pleasant as the day is long!  



I love this picture of her from Barcelona.

We went out to dinner at our favorite little Chinese place to celebrate.

dance and skype

The girls are dancing in the dining room today because I suddenly sold the dining room table (since yesterday) and now it is empty.  I had been halfheartedly trying to sell it for a few months and then someone wanted it today and came and took it away.  I thought it was pretty, but it was a little too precious for what we use it for.  It would sag on the side while we were doing crafts and come apart in the middle while we were trying to keep the Settlers board together.  But I had decided to just live with it and now I have to find another table!  I might have wanted to get a white table, but it wouldn't look very good with the sideboards so I guess I'll just get wood color.

Did I mention that Lucy and I might be going to Guatemala in July?  Too bad we don't speak Spanish. 

The girls had their dance recital on Saturday.  I didn't get one pic of Lucy in her costume!  Sometimes I am so lame!  But I got one of Ibby and some of the girls outside.

We were able to skype with  Ella yesterday for Mother's Day so that was great!

swing of things

I feel like with a title like that I should have some pictures of the boys swinging or something, but I don't :)  Baby just found me.  He likes to stand up next to the couch and jump up, yelling, "Gah!!!!"  It never gets old!  He is so cute!  As much as I lament the kids going back to school, it is always nice to be back on a schedule -- one that is mandatory, since providing one of my own is definitely not a strength.  Matthew is back teaching seminary so he gets up way before people should, Eleanor is working from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. so her daily habits are completely skewampus, Charles has decided he has to kick his running up a notch so he gets up and runs at 4:30 and then with the team again after school, Lucy has been getting herself up very well and is always out the door by 7:30, Ibby gets ready in about 23 seconds and always comes running in to get the baby already fully dressed (including that smile!) and with her bed made, Phin sleeps in -- but usually makes it in time for walking Ibby to the bus at 8:20, and I just get up with Archie -- anytime between 6:30 and 7:30.  The boys and I walk at 8:45 and then we just eat candy and watch t.v. until the kids come home.  Totally kidding!  I had three loads of laundry done before 11:00 this morning so that was eventful.  Who knows what I do all day, but I am trying to have at least one project every day --  on top of the usual suspects: laundry, dishes, dinner, not missing any great deals, and making sure no one dies.  I reorganized my desk area the other day.  Whoop!

Phin is so funny trying out new vocabulary and has now decided that his favorite word is especially.  He uses it in every single sentence.  Last night he said, "I'm done with my dinner, especially there is still food on my plate."  It is adorable.  He is also curious about plurals, which is much more complicated in English than it ought to be.  There is a stretch of grass we pass every day that has a lot of geese living on it.  I'll say, "Look!  There's a goose.  There are so many geese."  He seemed very confused, so Ibby and I thought of other examples of not just adding an S, "One mouse, two mice.  One die, two dice."  He said, "Oh, I get it!  One tree, two trampolines!  One swimming pool, two tree houses!"  Yep, son, got it!  Doing us proud!  Another funny thing he said today, "Is this an elbow bed?"  pointing to the arm rest in the car.  Can you stand it?  So cute!  I love four year olds and I will miss him so much next year!!!  I'll stop thinking about it!

I'll end with the required picture of baby.  I gave him a more proper haircut, but I still don't want him looking too much like a big kid.

 And here is our bus stop gang -- only three of whom actually get on the bus -- it's a fun crew!

update

School is out!  And the contents of all of the backpacks (a years worth of work) are strewn around the house to prove it.

::Ibby had the nicest teacher ever, who called all of the kids her baby chicks

::Lucy with friends

::Ibby had a birthday this month and beforehand I found many helpful notes

::her class went to the park on her birthday

::Phin had fun there, too

::Peonies!  They smell so heavenly -- if you were here you would keel over in a dead faint I'm sure!