Yeah you did it!

Tyler had his piano recital today and we are so proud of him! He is in his 3rd year taking from Anne Slater and is doing really well. The recital was held at the Snohomish church building and because it was in the chapel we weren't able to video record it so we had him play it again here at home. This piece was a challenging one for him and sometimes practicing it got very frustrating (he must get his perfectionism from his mother!), but the look on his face when he was done was priceless and he said "Mom, I did it!" We are so proud of how hard he is working! (When you view it, make sure you pause the music playlist on the sidebar so you can hear it).

Here are some more pictures after the recital. (Madeline didn't get a nap that day so she wasn't acting happy to have her picture taken!):

Swinging Monkey Business

"Mommy Can You Push Me?"

How can I say no to that face? She wants to swing everyday! Yesterday went like this... "Mom, can I swing?". "Well, you see that black cloud up there? That means it's going to rain." "Mom I want to swing!". "Okay, well I'll push you until that black cloud gets right over us and it starts pouring!" "Okay!". (Not even concerned about being dumped on). But hey, isn't that par for the course for our weather in May? She did get to swing though, and I got some cute pictures. I think that black cloud was holding out for us.

Pure bliss on her face!

Next she tried being a monkey.

Naptime - How Long Will it Last?
Today, however, the swinging thing didn't go well. I explained that she could swing for 5 minutes and then it was storytime. (That's what we call it, don't call it a nap or it won't happen!) We rock and read stories and see what happens. Usually she's so tired she falls asleep on the 3rd or 4th book, I also have to sing all the lullabies I know. Some of you are probably thinking, nap?? she's 4 1/2! Well I'll take it while I can. It's mostly for me really. It's mommy's quiet time. Well back to the swings, after the 5 minutes were over, a complete meltdown started, tears and all. Wow, the sadness! She just loves to swing! I had to promise that Daddy would push her again this afternoon. After a bit of a struggle and many tears, we read some stories and she did eventually fall asleep. But when I went in later to wake her up (so she'll still go to bed at a decent hour) she was on the floor! I don't know if she fell off the bed, or was just rebelling against sleeping.

So cute! I know I'm lucky she still takes naps! You'd think I'd get a whole lot done, but no, it's time for me to relax, read, or just think in quiet, until the craziness starts again.

Happy Anniversary!

Wow, I can't believe it's been 14 years! We even got married on Friday the 13th, but for us it's been a lucky number. Heaven only knows we've been through a lot together, all the ups and downs of life -- finding a job, starting a family, house searching, graduate school, infertility, health challenges, moving, adoption, callings, raising a family, finding balance! But we have been very, very blessed, and I thank the Lord every day for our family and our blessings. Jeff is a wonderful husband and so VERY supportive and helpful and I am so lucky to be his wife and to experience all these things with him. Happy Anniversary! Here's some pictures of our wedding day:

What more can I say?

Wow, really, what more is there to say?! If Jeff sees this, he'll die! How funny, I just had to post this. Sometimes though, I tell you, why do we have hormones?? Some days! Anyway, it's been a long time since I've posted, I have a lot of catching up to do! What a day, so far! I woke up to screaming from (it had to be) Madeline, and Tyler carrying her up the stairs. He put her on my bed and said that when he got up at 6:50 a.m. she was already downstairs laying on the couch. Who knows how long she had been up. That girl can open her door and sneak downstairs without anyone hearing! He said she was staring at the t.v. but it wasn't on because she doesn't know how to change the channels yet (thank goodness!). Then while preparing breakfast and helping Tyler get ready for school, he yells at me to come into the bathroom, "Mom, you're gonna want to see this!" There was toilet water overflowing everywhere on the floor. Based on the caption above, do you think I handled it very well?? Well I'm trying. Anyway, it seemed that he didn't know that the toilet was clogged and so he flushed it again and again. (I wonder who might have clogged it??) She would use a whole roll of toilet paper if I'd let her.

Well I got him off to school, and as I was busy bleaching and sterilizing the floor (no, there are no pictures that you'd want to see!) I get a call from the school, (I think, oh no, what's next, did he get sick??) and it's Tyler saying that it's picture day and he doesn't have the order form or check. Picture day, I totally forgot! I guess he'll have his taken in his skateboarding t-shirt. Oh well. So I run it up to the school and take Maddie to preschool, and now that the bathroom is clean and smells like bleach (I love that, even though it's not good for us!), I'm taking a blogging break. But hey, it's only noon and the day's not over yet! Oh the joys of motherhood...