Aidan's Final Pinewood Derby

This year's pinewood derby marked Aidan's third and final (HOORAY) year participating.  We've learned a few tricks along the way, like to always use spray paint, so much better looking than brush paint; Eric has learned how to remove the burrs from the wheels, and how to polish the axles.  We've also learned that no matter what, it is Aidan's choice what his final car looks like.  Hence this year's car: the most un-aerodynamic car imaginable: a truck.  Aidan named it "Optimus Prime".


Aidan wanted to make Optimus Prime this year.

Eric had to work late all week: something about the State's budget getting passed.  Which left all of the final prep to me.  I had to make sure that the wheels were running straight, that the axles were graphited, etc. 

All-in-all, it wasn't too bad.  Aidan came in second in two of his runs, which made him very happy.  Eric made it in time to help us all back into the car as we were leaving.  Poor dad, he was sad to have missed it.



But not to worry, Davin will be 8 in December, so we won't be taking a break from pinewood derby.  Six un-interrupted years of pinewood derby, I know you're all envious.

Gramma's here!!

We were so lucky to get to have Gramma come and spend some days with us!  True, we had to split a week and a half of Gramma with Tom and Heather, but it was so worth it to get a few days with my mom.

Gramma giving Aidan his 10 year old's quilt

Mom came in Saturday night, so it was a quick un-pack, get the kids to bed, and then bid my mom goodnight.  Sunday was lovely, it was so nice to be able to bring my mom with me to church.  I think we floored mom with the size of our ward too! Growing up, our ward wasn't huge, it was a good size, but not HUGE.  And for the past 5 years they've been in Pennsylvania, where their ward is tiny.  So it was a bit of a shock to see our ward, and it is ENORMOUS (we have three nurseries w/ another one opening in the summer.)

It's Harry Potter's Dragon Challenge, w/ all four dragons.

On Monday we hit the JoAnn's and Barnes and Noble, when doesn't Mom go to a book store?  While at JoAnn's, a lovely new machine found it's way into our cart, along with loads of fabric, notions, and patterns.  It was also a super rainy day for us, which was greatly appreciated after the heat wave of last week.

Monday night we settled in for some serious sewing, or rather we would have, if I had remembered to buy thread-oops!

So Tuesday we headed out to the other two JoAnn's stores (we've got 3 w/in 15 miles of us), and of course came home with more fabric, notions, and this time, THREAD.  Once home, we settled in to cut fabric and listen to that new machine purr.  I was able to finish two skirts, one apiece, for the girls Tuesday night.

And while I sewed, the kids got to play with their super cool bubble guns from Gramma.  Our only complaint is that the trip was so short.  On the upside, I get to see Mom and Dad again in December for Davin's baptism (which means they get to see my house all decked out for Christmas!!!), and then they'll be back next July for Aidan's ordination.  Not too bad, two more visits every 6 months, I can handle that.

Spring Break, zoo trips galore

bonus! They are actually awake!

For spring break this year we headed to the zoo.  Yes, it's the same thing we do EVERY year, but the weather IS fantastic mid-March, it gets the kids and I out of the house for some excercise, and the kids got to say farewell to our Koalas.



We hit the zoo bright and early Monday morning, as members we get to head in earlier than general admission.  The bonus was that we got to see all that we wanted to, knowing we'd be back again before the week was out, and then we left right as it started to get too warm and too crowded.

Tuesday, we just hung out at home.  My knee was bothering me after walking those hills for 2 hours, so I was grateful for a day at home.  I also called for an appt with the orthopedist for my knee.  Wednesday we headed back to the zoo, this time with cousins, aunts, and Nana.  LOTS of fun.  We actually saw the same things, but the kids had so much fun being with their cousins.

Thurday, we hung out, pinched each other (St Patrick's Day), and debated whether or not to go and watch the fountain turn green.  I opted not too, I thought we could use a movie day at home instead (although next year, I'm in).  Friday, we cleaned and cleaned.  Rather, I cleaned and cleaned while the kids made messes and bickered (what can you do, it's Friday of spring break).  The only thing keeping us all from utter chaos was the fact that Gramma Seguine was coming in the next day!  Nice timing Gramma, and thank you for the sanity saver :)

1st Grade Musical

my monkey-boy

Here are some pics from the first grade musical.  It has been quite the on-going drama here since the kids got back from winter break.  Every week Davin has come home with some sad event at music:  he didn't like the song; he couldn't remember the song; he got told "no, no, no" at his attempt to Cha-cha; he got measured to be the giraffe, but he didn't want to be the giraffe...

  In the end, his class were the monkies, they got to sing and dance (2 classes did a song and a dance, the other 2 just did a dance), and he had a great time.

The classes did a couple of songs and dances while telling the story from Giraffes Can't Dance. It was well timed, not too long (horray!), and very cute.

Eme's First Tooth

One Saturday night, while brushing teeth, Eric called me to come look at Eme's teeth.  Turns out she had one  shark tooth and two loose teeth!  Holy Cow, she's only 5!  The next morning we pulled out the first tooth, and here she is all proud of that missing tooth.

 We pulled out the second tooth the following Saturday morning, I have loved seeing that cute gap-toothed smile.  On a down-note, when I went in for my dentist appointment the next week, I mentioned it to my dentist (she seems kind of young).  My dentist thought this was great!  That it means she'll hit puberty early.  Um, excusse ME?! Eme and Davin may hit at the same time?!

The universe has a pretty sick sense of humor.

Ordinarily

Ordinarily my week is pretty plain and simple.  I'm up by 6:30, pilates, kids up by 7, breakfast, lunches, the boys off to school, then Eric off to work.  On MWF Eme goes to preschool, and on MW I watch my friend's baby during preschool.  Tuesday and Thursday are my errand running days, and errands around here also include the park, the zoo, and the dinosaur museum.  The girls and I have playtime together after lunch, and then they have quiet time together (Maddie is phasing out of naps, usually 2 a week).  The boys get home from school by 3:15, and we have snacks, 2 shows, homework, flute practice, outside playtime, and an occasional fight.  Eric gets home from work by 6:30 and we eat dinner, get into pj's by 7:30 (me too), and then it's bedtimes at 8 and 8:30.

But not this past week.  I got a cortizone shot in my foot on Monday (OUCH!!), watched my 3 1/2 yo nephew on Tues and Wed (he came with us to feed the ducks and dig for dinosaurs), delt with low-grade fevers for 2 kids-again, ran Eric to and from the hospital yesterday and the girls to and from a friend's house, and am now playing nurse to Eric while he recovers from some orthroscopic knee surgery yesterday.  He's doing much better than the last time he did this (same knee too), but it's still rough being the only one going upstairs to break up a lego fight, or put Maddie back in bed for the 5th or 6th time (okay, it was really only 4 times, but she was naked on one of them).

Ordinarily our Saturdays are filled with chores: cleaning and yard work and woodworking in the garage.  But I'm thinking that tomorrow we need to do something different.  I need to get out of the house, and since the weather will be lovely (low 70's), I'm thinking we'll leave Eric home to watch some movies, and the kids and I will head to the zoo.  Just what we need.

I'm looking forward to it.

I finally get it

When I was little, well maybe not so little, I had to be at least 7 when this all happened, my parents did something that I have harbored against them, until now.

I was a bit of an, let's just say, emotional child.  Okay, I would melt into a heap of blubbering tears at the drop of a hat.  Oh my poor parents.  And it's only now that I really feel for them.  Now, when I am a parent.  A parent with children that try my patience at the drop of a hat.  A parent of a daughter who, at least for the last week or so, has dissolved into her own heap of blubbering tears.

I remember the evening with perfect clarity.  I remember sitting in my bed in tears, again.  I remember my mom and dad sitting, one on my bed, the other on the table between Julie's bed and mine.  My dad had just pulled out a small glass bottle with a black twist-cap, and was trying to catch my tears in it.  My mom began to tell me that if I kept on crying, I would use up all of my tears and then wouldn't have enough left for when I was an adult.  They were just trying to help me out, so I'd have enough tears for when it really mattered.  To illustrate the point both mom and dad asked if I ever saw them cry, really cry.  "no", to which they replied: "well that's because we used up so many of ours when we were little, that now we have to be careful with the few tears we have left, you don't want that, do you?"  Of course, this all made me cry even harder, about loosing all my tears.

Now, I see it as one of the funniest things that they ever did.  Because they did it so straight faced, and I'm sure, especially when I started to cry harder, they were barely holding in the laughter.  I may not have appreciated it then, but I am so glad that I have that memory of both mom and dad.  And I'm very glad to know that I came by it honestly, remember my own words of wisdom to my children?  Ah, I can hardly wait for what's to come.