The past 4 months summerized in pictures

I finally emptied my camera and so here is a snapshot of life since February.



Kenna turned 3.  Here she is changing her new baby's diaper.  She didn't have a friend party because she refused (and still refuses) to use the potty.

Rhyan and Katie competed at the USA Cheerleading Junior Nationals at the California Adventure.  We took a girls trip with Nana and spent a couple of days prior to the competition at the Disneyland parks.



The competition started out rough.  Both parks were closed for a bomb threat and so the first session started over an hour behind schedule.  The girls competed in session 3.  It meant a lot of sitting around waiting because we no longer had a difinitive start time.

At the competition, Katie's team took first in their category.

Way to go Katie!



Rhyan's team took first in their category and Grand National Champions which means they had the highest score for all the teams in all the sessions for the whole day!

Grand Champs!


 


Look at my medal!

Katie and her coaches







 



   





 

 

At the end of February, the youngest 4's birth mom had a new baby... Baby C.  She was placed with another family. (see told you we were really done having kids)!  We went to Baby C's baby shower and got to love on her.



Our sister from another mother!

Here is Baby C with her awesome Momma A!  (Baby C's older brother "B" looks so much like Seth that they look more related then Seth and Baby C do)! 

Katie turned 7.  Her birthday falls at the end of March and in the middle of tax season so her friend party didn't acutally occur until April after the tax deadline.

Finally she got to have her party.  The weeks between her actual birthday and the party were full of a lot of  "when can we go to Chuck E. Cheese!"

Levi turned 13.  He didn't get to have a friend party either because he also chose not to do the things he had to do in order to have one.

The girls' team got recognized by the Las Vegas City Council.  I think its because we are currently the only recreation team in the Las Vegas area but I'm not sure.  The girls didn't care, they got to miss a half day of school.

 

Most of my kids were born without the shyness gene.  I think that's why it was so shocking that at Isabelle's graduation from preschool she was so embarassed she wouldn't even look at us. 

Maybe if I don't look at them they won't know its' me!

Finally, after the ceremony she loosened up a little bit!

Isabelle turned 5.  She had a massive super hero themed birthday party with all of her "best" friends, (all 20 or them)!

Baby C all superheroed out!

  

One of Isabelle's presents.  Does Momma A get her or what?!



Rhyan graduated from elementary school and is now a middle-schooler!  She was so excited because she got six certificates and she told me she never gets more that one.  She got a promotion (graduation) certificate, one for Honor Choir, one for Student Council, one for citizenship, one for the GREAT (Gang Resisitance Education and Training) program, and the Awesome Gladiator award for all her hard work in becoming the most improved in her class.   I am really proud that she got the Awesome Gladiator award.  She has worked hard to overcome all her learning issues and has not let them hold her back!

Family Pictures

We recently had our family pictures taken.  Our local FSA is putting together books on adoption as part of the goal to promote awareness of the option of adoption.  A wonderful local photographer Marissa of Marissa D Photography volunteered her services and we now have some fabulous pictures.

So what do you think?  Pretty great, right!?

Back to School 2011

First Day of School had so many plusses and minuses.

Quiet Naptimes - Plus.
Alone time - Plus.
Less T.V. - Plus.
No More Kindergarten for Katie - Plus.
Less messes - Plus & Plus.
Less fighting - Plus, Plus & Plus.

Rhyan's Last Year of Elementary School - Minus.
Levi's second Year of Middle School - Minus.
Getting Up Early - Minus & Minus.
I'm Getting Older (along with my kids) - Minus, Minus & Minus.

I know...I know

It's been way too long since my last post. I have decided I am waaay too old to be having another baby. Seth has really kicked my butt. So some things have had to go by the wayside. Mostly I am too tired to think up blog posts. Seth is getting older now so I hope to post more often. I make no promises though. So here is the year so far in pictures.

The bliss of (mostly) silence

Today was the first day of school for my kids. Brand new schools for everyone. Levi started (sniff) Middle School, while Rhyan moved to 4th grade and Katie started kindergarten. While kindergarten was very old hat to Katie (who went from full day preschool to half day kindergarten) but it had a few bumps for the others. Levi couldn't figure out how to use his student number to buy lunch and so skipped that meal while Rhyan discovered she had 5 minutes (her words) to eat her lunch and so basically skipped lunch too. On a plus note, Levi aced the lockers and didn't get lost once on his way to class.

The best part of today...my house stayed clean for almost 3 hours. I know, its shocking.

Happy Birthday Rhyan!

If Rhyan had 3 wishes she would wish for:
1) The opportunity to meet Hannah Montana
2) An older sister
3) A baby brother

Rhyan's Birthday interview :
My favorite color ... green and pink and blue
I feel happy when ... I’m with my family
I like to eat ... Tortellini Alfredo
My Favorite Movie ... Marmaduke
I feel sad when ... my family members get hurt
I like to play with ... my brother
My favorite song ... Rock Star by Hannah Montanna
My dad is ... amazing
My mom is ... fantastic

My favorite holiday ... Christmas
I love to ... go to school
My favorite food is ... baked potatoes
My favorite thing to do as a family ... jump on the trampoline
My favorite toy is ... Littlest Pet Shop

It makes me happy when ... when I get to play with my friends
My favorite thing to do in my free time ... play in the toy room
My favorite number ... 8
I feel frustrated when ... I can’t learn a new trick in gymnastics
I really like it when ... I get to ride my bike outside
My favorite subject in school ... reading
My favorite game ... hide and seek
What I like about me ... is I’m talented
What do you want to do when you grow up... a teacher
What is the best thing about your birthday ... getting presents
Who is your hero, the person you look up to, or want to be like when you grow up ... my mom.

Happy Birthday sweetheart! I am so grateful to such a kind and thoughtful child. She genuinely loves those around her. Her teachers in school constantly compliment her on befriending those around her. One of her best friends in school was an autistic boy. He had never had friends in school before. When I told her how proud I was that she was his friend, she gave me a “duh” and said that she liked him, that he was funny, not realizing that most kids wouldn’t bother to get to know him. Her sisters adore her. Kenna screams Rhyan whenever she sees her. Sometimes in the morning I hear Isabelle go in her room and ask her to make her cereal. Steve and I adore her too. She is a blessing and a gift to our family.

Wild & Crazy

And may the Force be with you!

Recently Steve and I took Levi and Rhyan to see "Star Wars in concert." It was so much fun and I did not see as many weirdos as I thought I would. Before the concert they had all kinds of movie props and things to look at that were pretty cool. The concert itself was narrated by Anthony Daniels, who for all you non-Star Wars nerds is the guy who plays C-3PO in the movies. While the orchestra played the famous pieces of music from the Star Wars movie they played clips from the movies on the screen behind them. I was tons of fun and as close to culture as this town gets. Here's a small sample of what the concert looked like.





PS I don't know what Levi's problem was pre-show but he is smiling in all the pics post-show.

Tag..you're it!

About 2 months ago, Heather K challenged me to the "Photo Tag Contest".

Here's how you play.

Open your photos folder or program.

Go to the first folder that comes up.

Go to the 10th picture in that folder.

Post that picture and tell about it.

This is a picture of Rhyan from August 2004. Rhyan can always (even now) fall asleep anywhere, anytime. In the close up of this picture you can see she's sleeping with her eyes open. I have met anyone who can do that.

Garrett or Sarah, Becky, Susan and Lisa...Tag You're It!

The Nutcracker Tradition

Today I took Rhyan to see 'The Nutcracker' ballet. This is the third time she has gone and she still she has trouble following the story. It reminded me though, of all the times my parents took me to see the same ballet as a child. I could never remember what was going on from year to year. I find it interesting that she fell asleep in the same part that I would when I was her age. Her favorite parts are the ones I loved so much as a child. It makes me feel as if I have come full circle. Now when I watch the ballet I pay attention to the intricate footwork and marvel at the skill the dancers have, just like my mother did. I hope that one day Rhyan will take her daughter and she will fall asleep and Rhyan will watch the dancers and the circle will continue on and on.