A blast from the past...

Pegged pants. Does that phrase bring back memories for anyone else? Please say yes. A few days ago I loaded Shayla, Garrett and Grant into the bike trailer (made for 2) and headed off on a bike ride. Shortly after I started my pants got snagged in the chain, so I had to do something to save my pants. Yes, you guessed it. I remember back to my 7th-grade so-cool pegged-pants days, and saved the day. Yes, I biked all over our neighborhood looking like this--I have no pride. So, was this a fashion that just hit Idaho Falls, or did anyone else peg their pants, too.

Visit with family...

I've finally uploaded photos from the camera and wanted to post about our playset building visit with cousins and grandparents.It was such a fun mother's day weekend!Nana and Grant

Grant (squared)

Garrett the dribbling king

Shayla swinging queen

The completed playset--what a beauty!

Cousins!

Wrestling with Grandpa

The preparers of the feast

The beneficiaries of the feast

Breaking in the new hoop

I know it is way past Mother's Day, but I just wanted to thank my Mom for raising me, teaching me and loving me unconditionally. Her example always lifts me and makes me want to do better. And my Mother-in-law for treating me like one of her own, and always being willing to help out with anything and everything--true charity. I had such a great Mother's Day--I love my kids and good-lookin' hubby. They spoiled me with fun treats, food, cards, gifts, and lots of hugs and kisses. I love you guys!

Crawling...

He crawls! The family dynamics have changed forever. Now Grant is constantly into everyone's toys and I hear a lot of, "Grant! No, Mom! He's ruining my (fill-in-the-blank)" Good thing he's so cute :)

Shayla's Joy School Graduation

We had a Graduation BBQ at our house for Shayla and her classmates. It was a bit of a cold day, so we moved the graduation inside, but everyone had a great time. The kids sang a few songs for us. Shayla LOVES to sing, but if you notice her trying to hide behind her hands in the pics, it is because her big bro and his friend were teasing her on the front row. Oh, the joy of big brothers :)

Laundry, how I love thee...

So, have any of you ever wondered what would happen if you accidentally threw a pull-up into the washing machine? Wonder-no-more!
You know those little silicone-like-beads that come out of a diaper that has gone swimming? Yep, a combination of those beads and lint becomes imbedded on each and every article of clothing in the washer. And FYI, it's not enough just to run the wash cycle again to get everything clean. You must take everything out, shake as much of the sticky beads out of each individual piece of clothing as is humanly possible and THEN run the washer a third time in order to have clothes free of pull-up remains.
Now I'm really behind on the laundry--it did me in to wash one load three times.
On a side note, I used to do laundry just one day a week. A huge mountain of laundry, but at least I only had to do it once a week. Four kids made that entirely impossible, so I try to do a little each day. I'm pretty good at getting it all washed, but folding it is another thing entirely. But I just copied an idea from my sis-in-law and put a 5-shelf storage in the laundry room. Now I try to fold the clothes as soon as they come out of the dryer instead of piling them in baskets to fold when I have some free time (ha-ha). Every member of the fam has a 1/2 shelf where I put their folded clothes and I throw all the socks in a basket for the kids to fold. I still have a mountain of laundry to deal with, but it seems so much more manageable.
So, what are your laundry secrets? Tips? Anyway to make it disappear?

Losing my mind...

I swear, I used to have a brain, and a pretty good one at that. Not anymore. The other day I got up, got the kids all ready and out the door, ran my errands, worked out at the Y, came home for lunch and naps and realized that I spaced the photo appointment I had for Grant at Target. Oops.
So later that night, I took Ty to baseball practice. We were running late--it was picture night, so Ty hopped out of the car, ran over to the group picture, while I sat in the car to finish writing out the check. I nonchalantly dropped the keys on the passenger seat, making a mental note to be sure and pick them up before I rushed out of the car. Yeah, I know, my first mistake. Finished writing the check, gathered up all of my Joy School stuff to finish prepping while I watch Ty practice, grabbed the keys, hopped out of the car, locked and slammed the door...just as I realized that I grabbed my PEN, NOT the keys, before I locked the door. Drat! At least I had my cell phone with me--I'll just call Tyler and he'll come rescue me with the spare key...wait a minute...the spare key is in my purse, which happens to be locked in the car right next to the other keys. Yes, I managed to lock BOTH sets of keys in the car. Yes, thank you, I am really quite proud of myself :)
So, Tyler rescued me by calling all over and finding a locksmith who would come out and open the door. He told me that they would call my cell phone when they got there and I could meet them at the car. So, I'm sitting with the other parents who i haven't met yet because I'm in a bad mood, trying to cut out paper dolls (about a billion of them) for Shayla's preschool, when a young guy walks over to the parent section dangling my keys in the air, "Who was it who locked herself out of her car?" Um, hi, that would be me. Thank you so very much for announcing it to everyone. Now my reputation among the parents is, "that ditzy lady who locked herself out of her car the first night of practice and likes to cut out paper dolls." Not a bad start :) At least I know one thing for sure...it can only get better from here on out...right?!!

Smorgasbord...

I haven't been posting much lately--our computer has been acting up, we've had some beautiful warm days, garage sale season has started up again...and well, excuses, excuses. Anyway, here is a random sampling of photos of what we've been up to lately.

Have a fabulous Mother's Day weekend! Garrett loves to feed Grant.
This is where Grant has spent a good portion of his life--peeking out of his car-seat cover.
Always has a finger in his mouth, and usually a big smile, too.
Grant loves feeding himself--especially macaroni and cheese.
Ty's a pretty daring guy on the playground. This was taken after his 1st grade music concert. Notice the huge ketchup stain on his shirt--Ty has a pretty close relationship with his food :) Ty is working on HoneyBee. I've been teaching him, sporadically, for the past little while. He really enjoys playing--it's just the practicing that is a problem :)
Shayla loves gymnastics. The bar and beam are her favorites.
Her teacher, Aun, is Korean. When Shayla didn't understand Aun's accent, she said, "I don't understand my teacher--she was speaking Spanish."
So we have cold cereal 99% of the time, but one morning I got up early to make a favorite breakfast. While the kids waited for breakfast, I could hear them sneaking around, whispering in the other room. Then they ran in and surprised me with these lovely pictures they had colored for me. What a way to start the day!
Crepes, strawberries, whipped cream and chocolate pudding. Yum!

Wacky Hair Day at school--Ty had to have a mohawk. This baby was stiff as a board (gel, mouse, hairspray, blowdryer, more hairspray, etc.) Ty got many "cool mohawk" comments, and was quite proud of his 'do.
The next day he requested I give him a buzz. Talk about going from one extreme to the next!
So Garrett got a much-needed haircut, too.
This is the after-picture. He is thrilled because he is done, and now gets a sucker.
Shayla observing the haircuts--she has crazy hair like me--you don't want to see us first thing in the morning or late at night.