Daddies Can Multitask

Jacob @ 7 months

The Lambs are in Sacramento!

Connor Swallowed a Screw

Andrew's 9th Birthday

Root Beer Floats @ Grandma's

The Minsons & The Lambs

Elyxzia, Anyx, Mazzie, Josh, Cayzia, Andrew, Xidis, Connor

Maggie and I bring balance to the world, with her 4 girls and my 4 boys.  We have been neighbors for about 7 years and I couldn't have asked for a better one.

School's Out for Summer

 I'm so glad Joshy got Mrs. McDonald this year.  She was Andrew's kindergarten teacher as well.  She had retired the year before, but because class sizes were huge this year, she was hired back on.  She told me that when the principal called her in to talk about coming back, on the drive there she intended to tell Mrs. Miller no.  I'm so glad she didn't!  You can tell that she truly, honestly loves the kids and teaching.  Whenever one of her kids came up to her to tell her something, she'd stop in her tracks, pay attention to him/her and make them feel so special. 

Seth, Nate, Andrew, Allen

Andrew was in a combined 2nd/3rd grade class.  I wasn't super excited about this situation, wasn't sure how it would work.  But Mrs. Fuller handled the task great, she is a very fun, yet strict, teacher and Andrew thrived.  The bonus to having a combined class, the third graders and second graders sat at separate tables.  There were only four third grade boys and they became very close knit friends. 

Three Little Monkeys

Watching movies on the bed. (While mommy gets some packing done!)

Jacob's Kidney Ultrasound

Jacob had his 6 month follow-up ultrasound this week.  The ureter is still "mega" according to the radiologist, but the urologist says it's "mild"  and wants to "let him grow."  I see the radiologist first, and it always seems doom and gloom. And then we meet with the urologist and it seems like this is no big deal.  So, we will do another follow up ultrasound in Sacramento when baby boy is 15 months.  Jacob was so calm and mild during the ultrasound.  Such a sweet baby.  I had Josh & Connor with me and they were good little monkeys, too. 

Summer Buzz Cuts

I couldn't get them to stand still for anything.  Yay for no hair-combing!

Mickey D's with Great Grandma

Andrew: "Mc Donald's is a reeaaally good restaurant."

We've loved our outings to McDonald's with Great Grandma Doris. 

The Worst End of School Mom Ever

Oh, I can so relate.  Hilarious and a must read.  http://jenhatmaker.com/blog/2013/05/30/worst-end-of-school-year-mom-ever

I Kid You Not.

This was written by Josh's teacher on his 3rd term report card:

Josh continues to be an excellent kindergarten student!  He is a very focused kindergarten student!  Even if he is sitting next to students who are talking and not working, he stays right focused on his work and doesn't let them bother him.  Though he is fairly quiet during class time, he seems to be very confident in his abilities and goes ahead and does his personal best.  As I mentioned before, he is also very kind to all his classmates.  I know he will accomplish great things in his life.  I am going to miss him!  Good luck Josh as you go to a new state and a new school.  Remember that you are awesome!

Sundays

The Naptime Dilemma

Life is not too stressful over here.  It's crazy.  Busy, too.  But not too many worries.  Except for the fact that there's a crazy 2-year-old on the loose.  My daily struggle:  Do I put him down for a nap?  Do I let him stay up and put him to bed early?  Either way I'm paying the price.  If he doesn't nap, then, well, I have a crazy AND tired 2-year-old on the loose with no break during the day.  If he does nap, then I have a crazy-2-year-old that won't go to bed at night, that climbs up onto big brother's bed (over and over and over and over again), and generally reigns terror and doesn't fall asleep until late in the night.  So...I usually choose to not nap him and deal with the daytime crazy.  Which means I don't get near the amount of work done that needs to get done.  Many days, though, he does this:  Collapses on the couch while watching TV.  Yes, he is still in his jammies.  That's how we roll over here.

Lamby + Connor.  BFF.

Jacob @ 6 Months

Look at those crazy, amazingly long eyelashes. Yesterday Jacob turned 6 months. Randy took the older two boys fishing. I should have spent the day packing, but instead, I held on to my babies, who are growing way too fast. We cuddled and napped, and cuddled some more. When the older kids were in bed, I got Jacob up (gasp!) and cuddled him back to sleep while I watched a movie. I wish I could cuddle him all day everyday.

Old School

As kids, we had to write sentences as a form of punishment, my sister especially.  Andrew teased Joshy.  Joshy screamed.  Oh, how I hate the screaming.  So, I put them to work writing sentences.  "I will not tease my brother." 50 times.  "I will use my words." 25 times.  And I had a few moments of peace.

The Cutest 6 Year Old I Know

And this makes him even cuter....

His tooth had been hanging by a thread for weeks, but he wouldn't wiggle it, and most definitely wouldn't let me touch it. He wanted to get a "treasure chest" from the school office (a cheap plastic container given to kids that lose a tooth at school). On Thursday, I told him that he'd better lose that tooth at school that day, or he'd probably miss his chance since he had a four-day weekend ahead and no way was that tooth going to hang on that long. So when I went to pick him up, the tooth was still in his mouth. I asked him if he wanted me to give it a yank. He consented. I gave it a yank, but I didn't get it out before he backed away from me. Then Mrs. McDonald said to let her give it a try, she gave it a little twist, and out came the tooth. And Joshy got his treasure chest.

The Problem Solver

I took the footstool out of the kitchen because #3 kept getting into the stuff on the counter tops.  Now he knows how to climb up without the footstool.  Problem solved.