Week in Review

What have we been up to lately? Well, first off the garage sale went well. I made about $125 and my friend, Julie made about $175, so overall we did ok. It was a lot of work, but I guess I got some money out of it so it was worth it. Here are all our kids in the back of Jon's old pick-up. Between ours and the neighbor kids coming over, we had a bunch and the kids thought it was a blast!

The next day, I got my garden in. This year I planted celery, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, radishes (don't ask me why), carrots, tomatoes, and different kinds of peppers. Hopefully, I can keep it all alive this year!
The next day, Jonnie had his field day. Boys this age are very competitive and it is all about winning! It was fun to watch him run around (:

Jonnie and his friend Chadwick

The next day we celebrated Ollie's 1st birthday. Thanks great-grandma for the wonderful gifts! It's hard to believe we've already had him for a year! Happy Birthday Ollie!


The next day I headed over to Alaina's field day. At this age it is not so much about winning. Not much effort is given and they are all happy to just be out of school and giggle and talk about boys-it's crazy how boy crazy some of her friends are-have I mentioned I am not ready for this! There is a boy that has his sights on Alaina and he stares at her all the time and shows off when she's around-NOOOOOOOOOO! Thankfully, she doesn't seem to have much time for them.



After her field day, I went to work for my last day ): It was weird to think I would never be there again and it felt like I still had so many unresolved jobs to do....it all hit me when I handed over my key. We also had to say goodbye to Sherry (Sawyer's daycare) and that was sad for me-I know he will miss his friend there. She did say if I needed to drop him off this summer for a day to feel free. She said she will really miss him and he was so fun to have. I really hate ending things......

After that Sawyer and I headed over to the Senior Center where Jonnie was putting on a program with the seniors. His class has been visiting with a group of seniors all year and this was the last day they would be there. It was very sweet and I love the connection between the kids and the elders. I love that his class was able to that this year!
Here is his senior buddy, Jim. Jonnie loved him and talked about him all the time. It was sweet and sad when I overheard Jim say to Jonnie, "what am I gonna do without you next year, buddy?" He reminded me of my dad a little.
They finished the program with an ice cream sunday-yum!
On to today..... Sawyer and I went with Jonnie's class to the Nelson Farm. This is the first time I have been there in the spring and it was fun to see all the new baby animals that have just been born. I learned quite a bit that I didn't know. Sawyer is a celebrity in Jonnie's class. They all love him and laugh at everything he does and says. They all look after him, too which is fun to see. He loved it and Jonnie loved it, too.


I loved this pig named 'fudge.' He was adorable. One thing about that farm is if you didn't know that animals were raised for food before you got there, you definitely knew when you left. They don't dance around that subject at all.

A favorite part of the day was the hay ride. Sawyer wanted to sit by the boys, but kept his eye on me the whole time when we started going. It was a little scary at times when we went down hills and I wanted to hold him, but he seemed fine and loved it (:

Jonnie and one of his best friends, Gunnar

Swinging in the hay loft is also a favorite! It was an awesome day and just beautiful. I loved hanging out with Jonnie's class one last time. They will all be split up next year as schools are closing and they are merging them all together in 2 large schools-I am just sick about it. I am sure he will be split up from the kids he has been friends with since preschool!!

We finished out the week seeing "UP" I loved it! I was even crying within the first 10 minutes. It is a sweet, sad, funny, uplifting movie all in one. It got a little intense at the end and Sawyer got a little scared then, but it was a great movie.

Have a great weekend everyone!!

I never know what I will find when I check on Sawyer at night......

Question

What makes it so fun for a toddler to run away from you every chance he can get? At the babysitters today, Sherry asked Sawyer to get her mail out of the mailbox for her right as we were leaving and I saw it in his eyes....that split second when he decided to just take off like a bullet down the sidewalk. He got about a block away when my threats of cars coming finally sank in. Have any of you every ran after a 2 year old? They are fast!

Then later when we were at a store in the mall, with my hands full of items, he takes off out the door! I had to drop everything off on the counter and take off after him, AGAIN! This time it was right outside a restaurant that has tables all around that I had to weave through and listen to all the people laughing and watching. This time my threats included losing him or someone taking him (you say what you have to say) which didn't work.....I had to full out run! He was laughing so hard (which thankfully slowed him down a bit) and screaming because his mother was chasing him. Finally, when I caught him a table starting cheering for me-totally embarrassing! He was loving every minute of it.

Why, WHY??

Busy, busy.....

Does anyone else feel extremely busy these days? I think it has to do with the end of the school year and I honestly have something planned almost everyday at one of the kids' schools. I always thought when Alaina and Jonnie were little that things would get easier as they got older, but believe me they don't. I now look back on those times as easy and carefree.

Plus, I am planning a garage sale this weekend and I forget how much work that is each year. I really need to make some extra money. Some of you may not have heard, but the center where I work is closing it's doors May 30th, so I am officially laid off. That has never happened to me before and I am sad.....mostly for the kids we are helping and their families. It is a big commitment for them to make and now I feel we are just up and leaving them. On the bright side of all that, I now have 3, possibly 4 students to privately tutor over the summer. I am VERY excited to have my own little business and I will be making more $$ than at the center, so that is always a plus. I am mostly excited to help the kids and plan my own lessons and see them grow and learn over the summer. So, the reason I really need to make some money this weekend is so I can afford the books and materials I need to teach these kids! The biggest challenge so far is just finding the right materials, but it has been fun searching for books and knowing they are for me (:

I hope to plant my garden soon, too. I planted some flower beds, but the main garden is still empty, sigh....it will all get done in time. Sawyer loves to help me garden and digs holes for me with his new "shovel" and helps me water. I can't wait to see him when we plant the big garden-he will have a blast! Alaina is going to plant a garden for just Ollie. I am sure we will have lots of carrots for him! Jonnie wants to try and plant just soybeans, but I told him there will be plenty in the fields. It will be fun to see what they come up with (:

Jon had off the past two days to help on the farm and Sawyer has gotten to stay with him and ride in the tractors. It will be hard to get him back at the sitters tomorrow, but it's fun to see him and Jon together-such buddies (:

Well, that is all for now....I will let you know how I do on the sale. Again, if anyone has anything they want to bring over, feel free!

A VERY loved mom

Love is a gene
that can always be seen,
which comes from a mother
passed on to another.
It makes you sweet and kind,
and it makes you use your mind.
This gene can be quite fine
if it came from a mother,
mine...

Written by: Alaina Swanson

Can you believe how sweet that poem is?? When I read it this morning, I just cried by the sweetness of it and the talent my beautiful daughter has! I am teary now reading it again...

I was blessed this morning by my three and their creativity. I received a lot of homemade goodies. Jonnie made me a jewelry box, a music maker, and an adorable card that said, "my love for you grows and grows" and he made a flower out of tissue paper. He also drew a picture of him and I holding hands-it was adorable. Alaina made me an "8th Generation fortune box" and everyday I am supposed to take a fortune out and read it. Today's said I would be going out to eat and it was right! She also made me some bracelets and the most hysterical gift-it was a tube that you look through and on the other side was a black line. When you look at someone it looks like they have a moustache-I laughed so hard, it was hilarious!! I don't know how they come up with the gifts they do, but they are so awesome! Sawyer bought me a pediegg (have you seen those advertised on tv?) I love it and my heals feel softer tonight (: I also got a reed diffuser with a glass bowl that is beautiful.

After we opened gifts we went out to brunch with the Swanson's at The Oaks and then I went to visit my mom at work and brought her a plant. Then I went home and took a 3 hour nap with Sawyer while Alaina hung out with Grandma K. and Jonnie went to the field with daddy to pick rock. I am sure I will be up late after that long nap, but it was soooo worth it!

I hope all you mothers had a fantastic day! I also hope I can live up to all the love I received from mine~I love you all to the moon and back!

How to become a super hero

First, wait until you are in bed and your mom thinks you are sleeping.

Second, find a marker (I used purple).

Third, make a mark on your forehead, on your hands, up and down your legs, and don't forget the bottoms of your feet!

In the morning when your mom is laughingly asking you why you look like that just tell her in a tough guy voice, "I superhero!"

That's all it takes, now I am off to save the world!