happy memorial day

 We had a full - fun filled day this Memorial Day.  It started off with Jack participating in the Hurley Memorial Day Parade!  I love me a good parade - and this was perfect.  Lucky for Sam, they let family members join in on the fun.  Sam dutifully took his place as group leader and lead all of the preschoolers in a "Happy Memorial Day" chant for the entire length of the parade (thank heavens it's short).  After the parade we headed to Red Hook for our ward's annual Memorial Day Picnic.  This is hands down our favorite ward activity, mostly because of the softball game.  It is my annual reminder of how out of shape I am, and my time to relive my youth of talking a big game, but not having a lot to back it up with!)  All in all it is a lot of fun.

We ended the day down at the creek fishing with our friends the Thun's.  And as luck would have it, Josh caught a river monster.  A HUGE carp, and my boys got in on that action as quick as they could. Shawn's luck was well - Shawn's luck, and he didn't catch a thing, but Sam caught his first "solo" fish - where he did all the baiting, casting, etc. all on his own!

Our Very Own Call of the Wildman Episode

HORRIFIED!  That is the best word to describe how I feel about the event that made any regrets of moving out of this amazing yard disappear.  About three weeks ago I decided to be a big helper and mow the lawn while Shawn was at work, and as I got closer to the rock wall in the back I noticed our friendly resident snake had popped out to say hello!  I texted Shawn and let him know that my mowing days were officially over.  Since that precious moment, Shawn reported that he saw the snake in the grass by the rock wall.  Still claiming the wall as it's domain, I wasn't too bothered by it.....now fast forward to yesterday.  The kids were bouncing off the walls, so I told them to go play outside, but I decided it would be fun to add "Make sure you look for the snake in the grass!"  Jack starts heading out the door and he yells, "Mom, there's a snake!"  I'm thinking to myself... haha funny, they are just being silly.  Sam joins him in his anxious cries, and so I walk over to see for myself, and sure enough a NASTY HUGE TERRIFYING snake is sitting there in the drive way!

That's when I start to loose it... I yell for the kids to get inside, and reach for my phone.  As I'm speed dialing Shawn and informing him that he will no longer have a family to come home to if he doesn't get his you know what home and take care of this issue... the kids inform me that there is another snake.  Again, I think they are just imagining things.  There is black tarping in the landscaping to help with the weeds, and I'm sure that is what they think they see....but NO!  It is in fact another snake sitting right next to the front step.  Again I'm terrified.  Shawn pulls up seconds later and I'm screaming at him through the safety of the front door - "TWO SNAKES!"  "TWO SNAKES"

Shawn seeing that there is no way to calm me down at this point takes matters into his own hands - literally!  He gloves up, comes trucking out of the garage with a squeegee, ready to take these boys down.  Sure enough, my knight in green scrubs - adeptly pins snake #1 down and carries him down the road to be set free in the neighbors yard (a nice gift from us....and probably a stupid idea since they'll most likely come back to our yard again....Shawn just felt bad killing them since they help keep "other critters" out - this issue is for another day!)  Then he's back to hunt down snake #2 who's moseyed its way to the big lawn, finds it and disposes of it the same way (maybe they'll eat each other?)

Snakes are at least out of sight....but not out of my mind!  I'm going a little crazy with thoughts of these things taking over the house.  I'm officially ready, BEYOND ready, to be gone.

BFF's

These two are two of my favorite girls ever!  I have never seen two girls who are such great friends at such a young age, and it makes my heart smile!  They are kindred spirits, they are dear friends, they are buddies, and true friends!

Lyv & Kennedi

Watch out Brittney Spears

To my total surprise and complete terror - Lyv took the snake necklace challenge at Jack's field trip to the zoo!  The look on her face, makes me wonder if she didn't know exactly what she had gotten into - Yes, she's practicing for bigger and better ones in the future!

I snapped these two shots of her at the baseball game and loved them - here's our colorful, beautiful girl!

Play Ball

Baseball this year has been awesome for Sam.  He's had a great year thus far and has learned so much and improved his skills.  In fact he made a double play last game - accidentally, but it counts right?  He caught a fly ball and ran like crazy tagging 1st where a runner had been, getting them out.  What he didn't realize is that by catching the ball he had got an out....he was running to first because he thought he had to tag the bag!)  

Sam has been fortunate enough to make some great friends here in New York - his besty: Logan!

Sam is also blessed to have a great cheerleading squad at every game - AKA the whole damn fam!  Jack and Lyv do pretty good to watch, but this game they decided to do some foot races to kill some time.  Here's Jack and Lyv at the starting line....

Max's loving daddy!

Field Trip Frenzy

Jack's preschool has had a lot of end of the year parties and field trips, and it seems a lot of them have occured in the past two weeks.  The first exciting day, was my personal favorite, was a Mother's Day Tea.  I rarely get the opportunity to be with my kids one on one, and so this was a real treat for me.  Jack's class prepared a few songs, a wonderful snack, and made us a heart pin complete with jewelry box!  We even got to make a craft with our handprints.  My heart did melt a little when I saw Jack and my print - we both had a little spot that was paint free, exactly in the same place in our hand.  It just reinforced the love I have for this sweet boy.

We also have been on field trip to the Hudson Valley Children's Museum - and the kids went bananas on all of the cool exhibits there.  We ended that day with an extra special stop to the Culinary Institute's Apple Pie Bakery Cafe for lunch!!

The next day we found ourselves at the Forsyth Park.  It has a small "zoo" and we got a tour of the animals. Both of my kids braved the challenge of wearing a snake necklace!  Yuck!  I almost threw up watching them do it, but they thought it was pretty wicked awesome....and it was.

We have loved our experience with the Hurley Nursery school and have been blessed to have three wonderful teachers who have worked with Jack.  Jack has had a great preschool year, and I hope he's not too disappointed next year when he's back at home with me as his teacher!!  On that note... Jack and Lyv are only 18 months apart and this year has transformed them into twinees.  I get asked all the time if they are twins because they are about the same size, and yes, pretty close in age.  They play really great together - and Lyv will follow Jack into whatever shenanigans he finds himself. For example at the Culinary Institute it was an extremely hot and humid day, and there is a beautiful area with a cement fountain water spray- Jack headed right for it, no surprise!  Well Lyv followed right behind.  I turned and looked to see our other friends, the Thun girls, standing at the edge, obediently staying out of the water.  I would have joined my kiddos but I was wearing white shorts and thought better of see-through attire.  I love that they have become so close and I hope they will always be this way.

I snapped this candid picture the other morning - I had been feeding Max and Lyv was knocking on the door to come inside.  I ran to let her in and found Jack leading her to the backyard!  I quickly grabbed my camera and caught this precious moment on film.

Bippity Boppity Boo

What do you do when your mom is busy packing all the live long day?  Dress up in anything you can find!  That's what Shawn does, and Lyv has caught on to the fun!!  Lyv had her 3 year check up and she and Jack are only about 4 lbs. and 5 inches different right now: She weighed 30 lbs. and was 37 inches tall.  What a fun girl she is, and I hope she'll always be this way!

My Main Man Max

Max's 6 month doctor's visit was another huge success!  He continues to top the charts in the 90th Percentile for weight, height and head! (shocker I know).  He weighed 20.04 lbs, 28.5 inches long, and had a 36 3/4 cm head circumference.  He continues to be a Jack look alike and is very similar to Jack's temperament as well.  He is such a happy baby, and smiles at anyone who talks too him, or looks at him.

He has started to eat a larger variety of baby food, so gone are the days of the nice breast milk poops and it starting to get pretty stinky!  He is sitting up by himself really well, and is rolling when on his tummy or back.  He has 2 awesomely sharp bottom teeth, and is working on some more right now.  He is very active and loves to play with his siblings.

Some things I love about Max right now are that he still loves to cuddle.  When I pick him up he literally hugs me like it is the last time he'll ever see me again.  He loves to touch and while nursing plays with my hair if its down, or my hands or face, anything he can get his sticky little fingers on.  He screams out if he's attended to immediately, and I've never had a baby do that.  He also has mastered a fake cry... that's right ladies and gentlemen, I have a performer on my hands.

My best blessings call me Mom

Some days I must admit that I wish my kids would learn another name to call when they need their shoes tied, help in the bathroom, a snack, a boost, etc. And just as the thought crosses my mind, and I sadly see already how quickly that time is coming, and I wish that they will call me at all.  Being a mother is the most challenging, most demanding role I have ever played.  But it is by leaps and bounds the most rewarding, fun, breath taking, pure, joyful experience as well.  I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a mother and learn from four tailor-made teachers.

In the last General Conference a talk was given that talked about the importance of motherhood, and it quoted a blog written by a Christian mother of another faith, but I loved and agree whole heartedly with her. Speaking of today's view of motherhood, she wrote, 

"Children rank way below college. Below world travel for sure. Below the ability to go out at night at your leisure. Below honing your body at the gym. Below any job you may have or hope to get. In fact, children rate below your desire to sit around and pick your toes, if that is what you want to do. Below everything. Children are the last thing you should ever spend your time doing. Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling. You do not collect children because you find them cuter than stamps. It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in. It is what God gave you time for." (www.desiringgod.org)

Max 6 Months!!

Max made this silly face all on his own.  We were trying to get him to smile, and this is what he came up with.  It was too funny and too cute.  I could just kiss this face for hours, but seriously..... he is the BEST baby!  Not a happier child on earth. I'm so sad he is getting out of his "baby baby" stage.... it is all too soon.

Missionary Mother's Day

I had the unique opportunity to add and additional four sons to our family this Mother's Day.  We had the Elders that are serving a mission here in Kingston, NY over for dinner, and..... for the chance to Skype their families.  The missionaries are only allowed to call home on Mother's Day and Christmas, many of these boys haven't talked to or seen their families for months, so this is a real treat for them and their families, and I must admit for me!  No one in my immediate family has ever served a mission (Shawn's little brother Jake is going to break this streak when he leaves on his mission to Sydney Australia in August!), so I have never had the experience of seeing the excitement and love expressed during these conversations.  It was so much fun - and these are four Elders that we've had in our home on several occasions and have grown to love.    

 Elder Cloward, Elder Vasquez, Elder Bailey, and Elder Berryman

Smore Stuff

We needed to get rid of some of our firewood....this equaled FIRE!!!  We roasted hotdogs and smores and the kids loved it.  This is my annual hotdog consumption.  I don't like hotdogs, but if I can burn them black and cover them with cucumber relish it camouflages it enough for me to eat.  Smores on the other hand have turned into a bit of a culinary art at our house.  We try all different kinds of candies to melt, degrees of "toasted" on the marshmallow, and brand of graham cracker to create the perfect combination.  So far the favorite is PB cup, Nabisco grahams, and a nutty brown toasted marshmallow.

Max and his buddy Parker.  They are 6 weeks apart and we've loved watching them grow.  Max was very interested in Parker on this day.  I'm not sure Parker was a huge fan of Max's curiosity, but he was a good sport.

Got Your Game Face On?

Baseball season has started and Sam was more than ready, as you can tell by the face.  He missed team pictures because of our trip to Idaho, so we did a little photo shoot in the backyard....love the hose and beautiful siding backdrop?  Sam is doing great this year.  Amazing what a year can do.  He has been playing 1st and 3rd base and is doing really well, and he's hitting like an animal.

I thought this was an awesome tribute to those precious kids that were killed in Newtown.  

This is how Jack, Lyv and Max spend most of the game.  Sam has got a built in set of cheerleaders!  Okay maybe they don't actually watch the game, but they enjoy throwing rocks, pulling grass, and whining that their parents are too cheap to buy treats from the concession stand.