Who Is This Man...

And What Have You Done With My Husband?!

When I married John, I was always rather surprised when we went out to dinner.  He would order what he wanted and maybe even a soda or raspberry lemonade or a desert.  Being a teen of the 80's I had learned to be pretty tight with money.  Even on vacation, my family had usually packed meals. I loved eating out once in awhile, now that I could afford it but I had usually ordered less than more in an effort to save where I could.   Though we were never big spenders, with John I learned to relax a little bit and enjoy a nice meal and worry less about the cost the whole time.

Imagine my surprise when suddenly, lately, this man with whom I've enjoyed a few meals out over the past 15 years suddenly turns on me.  "I really hate eating out."  he says with a disenchanted look all about him. " It's just so expensive and it'll kill you ya know." he'll tell me as I dream of eating a nice batch of chips and salsa and maybe an enchilada out, while I look moodily in the cupboards trying to dream up something as satisfying as all that.

Imagine again, my shock and amazement when lately, this same man drives up at 3 in the afternoon, asks me if I'd like to load everyone up and go to Boise with him.  He has a service call.  We can all go and then do something fun like go to the park.  Oh,  but of course, he's rebelling against eating out though, so we will need to bring some dinner.  And,  he needs to leave, now.

I remember my friend Kevera and also my sister Annie's words...."just throw in the peanut butter and grab a loaf of bread."   So we did.  I was even more amazed when my usually ever-so-proper husband chose the parking lot of TJ Max as the place to prepare dinner.   Just picture it, people coming out with bags of bargain clothes, and my man making sandwiches right out of the back of the van!  Hilarious!  Sort of fun, even, him doing it!

"There." he says as we all buckle our seat belts while eating Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches and drinking our juice bags (isn't that the weirdest word?  "juice bag"?  I can hardly say it).   "And we're already done,  that fast."  he states with great satisfaction.  "You know it's just not worth taking kids out to dinner.  They don't even eat anything," he tells me as we  pull out of the parking lot on the way to the park.

And I think, he must be right.

Grace

Clara

and Emma at the Discovery center.  After a nice meal in the car.

Ivy Lynn's Adorable Parents....

Sunday Afternoon

Our Kindergarten Grad!

Emma's happy day of graduation was today!

We were quite delighted that Grandpa Rod could come!

Here's Emma's good friends,

Melissa, Emma, and Elizabeth

Happy Mother's Day Mom.

You were the best because you were mine. 

And, Happy Mother's Day to the other Mother's in my life.

Mom Gayle who's done a great job sort of being two Moms for about 10 years.

To Grandma who's been there for me since the beginning and esp. in the tough times with all her heart.

And of course, to our wonderful Aunt Sandra who's worked with her heart and soul to fill in all the empty or hard times with her love. 

The Birthday Princess!

Miss Clara enjoyed turning 3!

Grandma and Grandpa brought Clara a tiara and feather boa to help her achieve the desired princess look....

We had a festive party with Grandpa and Grandma, Aunt Cindy, Uncle Tim, Brittani, Brian, Isaiah, and Ivy and us!

When asked what kind of cake she wanted, Clara said, "Strawberry".

I think she really enjoyed everyone clapping for her.

The girls all enjoyed the "Package from Aunt Sandy" with all it's goodies!

And the Birthday Fairy came and left new pajamas on Clara's bed that night.

Why Go To The Theater?

A Fun Little Visit

I love watching Gracie hold a brand new baby. She just looks down the whole time, with a quiet peaceful, almost reverent, look. She just loves to hold them, even when they cry.

Ivy was a bit fussy until we handed her Grandpa Rod. Then she suddenly was very happy and looked around at all of us.

Clara was quite taken with her, sort of squeezing up with the joy of looking at such a tiny darling baby!