Summer's here!  And the kids are out of school so I am finally finding time to blog!
The NCAA tournament came to Boise this year and Eric was given some tickets so we went to a few games.  It was a lot of fun!  I'm not a big football fan but I enjoy a game of basketball.   Ami had Birch (it was a Thursday) so it was a treat to have a date during the daytime.  And all the teams I had chosen in my bracket won so extra plus!!

 B finished his tumbling class.  I took the kids to Tumble Time a few days later for some open play, which they loved.

 I just love our magnolia tree in the early spring when it starts to bud and blossom.  Its one of my favorite things about our yard.  The blooms only last for a week or so, which makes that time even sweeter.

 Easter time - hunting for eggs at Grammie's and Papa's on Saturday.

 Afterward Beckham and Birch disappeared, and I found them in little B's pack n play reading books together.  These two really love each other!

That morning the kids had gotten their Easter baskets.

I just love the little outfit we found for Birch!

 I never got a photo of Roo in her dress :(. Here's one of the boys under the magnolia.

 We headed to Bogus Basin for Spring Break.  We rented a condo up there, which has been on our bucket list for some time.  Mom and Dad joined us for a night while we were there; we had a great time skiing, snowshoeing, and playing in the condo.  There was a hot tub, sauna and ping pong table in the common area so we had a great time exploring those as well.

 Aspen and Oakley were often resting on the ground between runs.  I guess we wore them out!

I found a new run this year that's my favorite, Upper Nugget.  The cat track there has beautiful views and the run meanders through some trees before its steep slope begins.  I actually found it with Dad when he was out earlier so took the kids on it this time.

 One day Aspen's friend Ashlyn and her dad Ryan joined us for a day of skiing.  A and A both had the same ski coat.

 I took the boys snowshoeing one afternoon while Aspen and Eric skied with Ashlyn and Ryan.  I gave them the option of skiing or snowshoeing and they chose the latter.

 After about 10 minutes B had given up.  He started to whine about how tired he was.  He couldn't walk; his legs were exhausted.  He couldn't go any further.  The whining just got worse.  Our trip didn't last as long as I had hoped!  O and I left him for a bit while we went on ahead to explore, then we headed back.

 While we were skiing one day one of our friends sent me this photo he had found online of Eric and his family, when Dad became a Boise police officer.  He thought I might enjoy it.  To make things even better, Eric informed me his overalls were shorts.

 Roo and Ashlyn

 We had such a great time staying at Bogus; we can't wait to do it again.

 I ordered some piano music; I am trying to take time to play again.  Now that it's summer I should have some more time!

 We also had some time during Spring Break to work on some yard projects.  Eric pulled out our barberry bushes and we layed down weed mat underneath.  The plan was to put more garden boxes in the yard, where the barberry bushes had been, and we finished that a few weeks later.  It's so nice not to have to pull morning glory out of those thorny bushes anymore!

 Oakley's crocodile face he made at school.

 Aspen's friends Araleigh and Carmen (these three are inseparable) and the boys at their school's Spring Fling.

 tulips from the yard

 love this photo of B

 Roo and her magformer cat

 All of the kids played soccer this spring, and Eric coached both boys' teams.  Eric has never played soccer himself and doesn't love the sport, but volunteered to coach B's team, and agreed to coach O's when no one else volunteered.  I would see him watching youtube videos during the season so he could learn new strategies and ways to teach the kids.  And the boys loved having their dad coach their teams.

 The bergenia in the yard this year grew so high when they bloomed.  I'd never seen them grow so well and bloom so much.  I loved looking at them when I drove out of the driveway or worked in the front yard; they are so pretty.

 crabapple blooms

 I lost my engagement ring when I was putting a planter together.  It took me some time to assemble my flowers the way that I wanted, and then when I finished and washed my hands I realized my ring was gone!  I looked in the sink and the garage where I had been working, but no luck.  Then I looked at the planter, all perfect and done.  I knew my ring was in that planter....

I searched the surface a few times over the next day or two, but finally realized I was going to have to take my flowers out to find the ring.  It was hard.  Taking out those flowers was so disappointing!  B was with me for support; I asked him to say a prayer that I would find my ring and after taking out almost all the soil there it was.  My flowers didn't go back in as orderly as before, but the planter turned out alright.

 cuts from the daphne bushes

The kids and I were at home one morning and heard a thud on the window.  Oakley came and told me that a dove had flown into the window and was lying on the ground outside.  We all rushed out to see it and were saddened that it was struggling and not going to make it.  The kids were begging me to save it, to do something, but I had to tell them there was nothing I could do!  Poor Oakley sobbed and sobbed.  He felt so bad for that beautiful bird.  He and Eric took it up towards the mountains and gave it a special burial.

B's life cycle of a frog.  He made this while I was cooking dinner; I had no idea he was making it but sent a photo of it to his preschool teacher afterward. We were both impressed and amused.

kids' art.  O's

Roo's lion that I finally took off the art wall to replace with something else.  I really love this lion; Roo made it a few years ago.

Roo's

B on a hike at Jump Creek with his grandparents

Roo was the only girl on her soccer team this year.  It was fun to watch her interact with the boys on her team.  She improved a lot during the season.

Out to dinner with Marmie and Papi for Marmie's birthday when they drove through town.  Always love it when they stay with us!

I took B to a place called the Village here, with fun shops and a beautiful fountain and playground, also a movie theater and ice cream parlor.  We went to the parlor after the playground so we could share a smoothie. 

He took a sip and then started crying.  Out of nowhere; I asked him what was wrong.  "I can't taste it Mama!"

He was devastated.  It had been a hard day on the playground! 
After encouragement from me to keep trying, he sipped through his sobs and was finally able to taste the smoothie.  Not sure what the problem had been, but was glad he had gotten through it ;)

Scentsy had a comic con type family night and we invited Aspen's friend Araleigh (who's a Star Wars fan) to come with us.  It was a fun night.

The girls got to see princesses and the boys R2D2 among other things.  Oakley participated in a Lego build competition (to see how high he could build a tower without it falling over) and won the first round.

O and his pal Tucker creating on the front porch

B with some friends who had come to play (Annie, Carly and Isaac)

Look at Aspen!  This girl's squats just amaze me.  The kids playing in Annie and Beckham's backyard.

Oakley's music program.  He's in the middle, second row from the top.  He square danced during the program, which made me so happy!  That was a fun surprise.

Roo came and watched but then had to get back to class.  I can't believe O is finished with first grade!  He had a great teacher this year; Roo's first grade teacher Ms. Sparks.  I'm hopeful B will get her too.  She loves the kids a lot and tries to make everything fun for them. 

O with his best buds from 1st grade: Tucker, Elin, Gavin and another girl from his class, Genna.

B on the field.  He wouldn't go on his first game.  He cried and told me it was because he didn't know the other kids would be there.  Oh Birch!  You are so funny sometimes!  The next week was so much better, and he began making friends with his teammates.

Mother's Day. 

with Grammie

B and the robot he made

One of our babysitters (Maddie) breeds and sells bunnies, and she and her friend Anna are both in 4H as well.  We had them come over one evening with their bunnies and 2 sheep and held a small petting zoo in the green space behind our house.  We invited neighbors and friends, and it was so much fun.

The bunnies were a big hit, and the girls brought about 8-10 of all differing colors.

Little B and big B

B with his friend Oliver

Roo with her friend Audrey

Anna (black top) and Maddie (black pants) were great; they stayed for an hour or so and let the kids pet and hold the bunnies all they wanted.  And they taught us about the animals too.  It was great to have a night with our friends/neighbors and to do something that brought us all together.

B's preschool graduation.  He's sitting next to his friend Finn (when Finn comes over he just giggles and laughs while B does silly things.  They get along so well).

B with his teacher Miss Nicole. I'm sad our preschool days with Nicole are over.  She's just amazing.

Roo at her orchestra concert (she's behind the girl in the blond bun).

Roo's hairdo she did herself.  She's getting better and better at fixing her own hair and styling it, mostly into buns which she loves.

Sitting on the back porch one night. 

Roo's music concert (she's top row center).  The kids did a lot of fun things; unconventional for a music program.  There was acting and a parachute involved.  It was a great show.

She also played the recorder.

I helped chaperone Aspen's fourth grade Rendevous, which was held at a middle school.  The kids did all sorts of pioneer type activities, and learned about Idaho history.  Here she is with her friends Araleigh and Carmen.

Panning for (fake) gold.

Bailey, Aspen's good friend from kindergarten on up, is on the right.  She just moved and won't be attending Galileo anymore, so Roo is sad about that.

The girls with a real prospector, Chuck something ;)

B's trophy on his last day of soccer

and with his awesome coach :)

O's team (he's under the ball).  O did really well this year.  Every time he made a goal he would throw his arms into the air and pump them forward.  It was so cute; he was so thrilled each time.

O's hot air balloon

I found this bubble set at Target and it's been great; B loves bubbles and he and his friends have stayed busy for long periods of time blowing endless bubbles.

Well the big news here is that I finally gave in to years of begging from Eric and the kids and we got a dog.  We went to look at Jones one night, not planning on buying him then, but he was so sweet and cute that we decided to take him home.  Also his owner wouldn't take a deposit ;).  Things have been interesting; I'm learning a lot about dogs and their behavior, etc.  This is all new to me since I've never owned a dog before.  The house training has been the hardest (getting him to adapt to his new environment), but he's a cuddly, mellow dog with fun spurts of energy.  And he loves other dogs, which is a good thing because each of our neighbors whose homes back up to the green space has a dog, and they are always out playing.

I got a fun surprise visit from Elder Fuiava (not a missionary anymore though) and Elder Hutchings.  Fuiava has been home from his mission for several months and came roadtripping with his brother from California, visiting people from his mission.  Elder Hutchings got permission to spend the day with them.  I had no idea they were coming! I was so glad I was home.  Eric was sad he missed them.  They both mentioned going to school at UVU in the fall, and said they'd be driving through a lot.  I hope thats true.  We had fun reminiscing about their time spent in Meridian; can't believe it's been so long.

We went up to the cabin for Memorial Day.

B found a frog!

Roo at the beach

B turned 5 while we were there.  5!  I can't believe it and that he'll be going to kindergarten in the fall.  He's still so tiny; my little boy.  He got some laser tag guns from us so he and Oaks can play with their friends.  We'd like to get one more set so we can all play.

Roo paddle boarding

rainbow; there were some amazing sunsets while we were there.

 B being silly at church.  I don't usually take photos at church but B wanted to see the fohawk I had just made in his hair.

Riding on the boat

There's no bathtub at the cabin so little B has this to use.  The boys loved climbing in there together.

O's pancakes

It got just barely warm enough to get wet. 

B opening some gifts when we got back.  He was so excited about this shark torpedo he got from Marmie and Papi.

After being in the mountains I was so eager to get Jones groomed!  His fur was pretty matted and I don't know how long it had been since his last grooming.  B and I stayed for a bit and watched as he was getting his haircut, but when we came and picked him up he looked like a completely different dog!  He's a pretty boy.

He follows me around EVERYwhere I go.  And when I try to play fetch with him he runs like crazy for the ball, then drops it every time on his way back!  And leaves it there.  Makes me laugh.

 Oakley participated in Galileo's walking and running club this year at school, and by the end of the year he had run 80 miles.  He was one of the few that did; he really liked pushing himself.  He would get a stick for each lap he ran, and was always wanting to increase the number of sticks he got each time.

The kids invited some friends over for a movie night the evening after school ended.

The garden is doing really well.  We've got one tomato plant, a pumpkin plant, peas, strawberries, peppers, broccoli, cabbage, potatoes and onions.  Only my strawberries are struggling, which is really disappointing.  This is supposed to be their best crop year.  First it was pillbugs eating them; now they have some type of mold or fungus but I haven't been able to diagnose which kind.  I've been watering them from above but they are now being watered through a drip line so maybe that will help.

O ran the 1 mile Capitol Classic again this year and did a great job.  His time was 10:54.  He wants to do it again next year, and Roo says she might join him.

We hung around afterward and enjoyed all the activities there were for the kids to do.  We had Aspen't friend Ashlyn with us.

photo from a ride Eric and his dad did together

Oakley brought this to me one morning.  "This is the plane the Wright Brothers made Mama."  He had spent some time building a model of the Flyer that we had read about the day before.  I was impressed!

At Wahooz Family Fun Zone celebrating B's birthday.  We went there last year together and that's what he chose to do this year instead of have a party with his friends.  He got to do the ropes course this time around and he said it was a little scary, but he did a great job!