Danny waves bye

I love the way he sticks his arm straight out... so cute!

Saying Good-bye

Our neighbors and best friends have moved to bigger and better adventures in Tennessee. It was assumed if I couldn't find my kids - they were probably next door! And with that thought, if my kids couldn't find me - I was probably next door! If Hunter was starting to look like a TV zombie, I just had to say "why don't you go find Carter" and he'd jump up and run over to see if he could play. I loved hearing them play on the trampoline - their funny games about "powers" and "special tricks." Cole and Whitney would talk about who would play at who's house on the way home from preschool and maybe Whitney's mom would let her eat Mac-N-Cheese at our house.

I can't help but to reflect back 4 years ago when I met Chari - they moved in a few weeks after us. She had a newborn and I was 9 months pregnant. We already had a lot in common! After I had Cole, we decided to start going to the gym together. We started with walking around the track and at first that was plenty! Then we decided to be "REALLY BRAVE" and try a class there. It was such a big deal (to me!) to try a class because it was challenging and exhausting... but we did it! We even did as many as 5 classes a week.... we were crazy. We kept each other going this past year as she was pregnant with #4 and I was pregnant with Danny - we both worked out till our delivery days. (all that stuff about recovery being easier with exercise is SOOO TRUE). Anyhoo - I'm so glad that Chari got me going and kept me going. Our friendship wasn't only about the gym, but it was the starting point. And it has been our "escape" for just an hour from the demands of children, housework, and everything else. We always have SOMETHING to talk about! Luckily, I have a new work-out buddy. So, the gym will continue to be a part of my life (it wouldn't happen without you Kristy!) But the fact that our next door neighbor is going to be someone else, makes us all sad. We've really enjoyed their family next to us and they are already sorely missed (it's been 4 days)!

Last week the movers came to box up their belongings and their family moved into our basement for 5 days. It was a dream come true for my kids. I know that Chari and Brian would have preferred their own beds - but it was sure fun to have them here all week. Here are some pics the morning they left. You've gotta love that Danny is already making moves on that cute little Kemery!

Summer Chores

Well, today is the first OFFICIAL day of Summer Break and we're starting with a run. I made new "to-do charts" for the boys and I'm afraid I've set the expectation way too high! I have a pretty long list for Hunter - but then again, I really think he can do it! I have him doing the following things:
Get Dressed
Brush Teeth
Piano
Brain Game (flash cards, writing, or a page in a math book)
Read 15 minutes
Chore 1
Chore 2 (THIS IS NEW AND I'M LOVING IT!)
Bedroom (just picked up)

Cole has the same things, except for Piano. His "brain game" is going to be writing letters. Today, he wrote his name.

So, I think I'm ambitious and then again, I think I'm such a slacker that this seems like such a big deal to us! Hunter is excited to fill out the chart everyday and Cole just wants to play with his buddy. Hopefully the "no friends, TV, or games till the chart is done" will stick. One day done and many, many, many more to go!!

Recital Time

Many of you know that I have been doing a variety of "musical" things with Hunter for the past couple of years. First we did "Let's Play Music" which is AMAZING, WONDERFUL, and I can't say enough good things about it. This past year, we transitioned to regular piano lessons. He was doing fine with me - but at the same time, it was really tough to be the mommy, the encourager, and the critic. We managed till February and I decided to send him to a neighbor for lessons. My role changed dramatically. I became the helper and the motivator - which is what I really want to do. I still sit down with him every day to help him with his lesson and I really love that time. It's so fun to watch/help him progress. He's so bright and talented. (I'm the mommy, I can be prejudice!) One of my favorite things is hearing him run to the piano and do something over and over and over again - just because he loves playing it. I'm so proud of his hard work! Tonight he had a little recital - check out the clips! And yes, Cole decided to be a part of the duet.

Cole is 4!

My little Cole is 4 YEARS OLD!! We had a little Mother's Day dinner at our place on Sunday with Shayne's sisters (and families), my brother (and his wife), and my parents. After dinner we fulfilled the only request Cole had for this birthday -- a Spiderman pinata. I think he was inspired by his little cousin's pinata at her birthday - but it had to be Spiderman. Luckily, mommy found one! And yes, Cole got a costume for his birthday. He is constantly dressing up to be a super-hero. I'm not sure how he really feels about being a "bad" Spiderman - but he did put on the costume and ran to his room to put the "good" one right on top of the black one. I know that I'm really going to look back at these years and miss the things that Cole says and does - he is a one-man show!

I had to throw this one in - just love to see the "laugh" even in a picture. I should have video taped it!

5K with 18,000

I'm not even kidding about the 18,000 participants! I did my 2nd official race with my workout buddies in SLC's "Race for the Cure." It was surreal. The people, the MASSES, the sponsors (and all the free stuff ROCKED!), and the whole experience was really unforgettable. Everyone had the same number, "2009" and on our backs we could pin a sign to honor or celebrate someone we knew with breast cancer. I ran thinking of Deidre (my cousin who passed away last year). She was an AMAZING person and inspiration to all who knew her.
When they did the "shot gun" to start the race, we just stood there! We couldn't move because there were so many people! When we started moving - there was no room to move. We had to walk and sort of pretend we would start running/jogging soon. It was funny. It was just shoulder to shoulder people and more people. After a couple blocks, we started to jog a little on the side of the mass of people. I could see ahead and it looked like 10 blocks of people - and the race had just started! And there were still blocks of people behind me. There were great outfits all around us - men in pink sports bras, shirts stating "bookin' for boobies" and all sorts of untraditional attire around us. I loved seeing the men with comments such as "in celebration of my hot wife" on their backs. I wish I had just carried my camera with me for the event. We took a few pics before the race started and they do not do justice to the experience! Thank you C and K for keeping me running! (I'm never sure if I should type peoples names in my blog).

A few more...

"look at my kavention" (invention) and he says this A LOT!

"I'm thirstied"

"I have a stitch" (itch!)

Honestly, he says all three of these A LOT! So cute!

The things he says...

There are so many cute things that Cole keeps saying and I'll think to myself, I have got to write this down! So, here are a few that I can remember at the moment!

"I'm sugaring" (instead of 'shivering')

"Look mommy, I'm all sprinkled!" (instead of 'wrinkled')

"I can't know" (instead of 'I don't know how')

the classic, "Mommy, I have more bless you's"