Preschool Graduation

Lillie Loved the Bounce House
So did Sierra...

Sierra and her best friend Karlie

L to R: Gracie Howard, Olivia Howard, Karlie Rigby, and Sierra

BFF!!

Sierra and Lillie...just try to get them to look at the camera, I challenge you!!

My sweet, sweet Sierra graduated preschool!! I can not believe it! I never thought I would be one of those crying moms, but shoot...I can't stop it! Sierra's preschool teacher is just the greatest. We just love Teacher Paskett. Sierra even started crying at the end and said, " I will never see Teacher Paskett again!" She was so worried. It was really kind of sad. I told her she would see Teacher Paskett over the summer and than helped her calm down. Also, it is kind of hard to keep crying and eat popcorn at the same time, so...

Anyway, Sierra sang all her songs and said her line, which was, "I know what policemen and mailmen do." Teacher Paskett had put together a cute little program and video of all their activities. They even got to wear graduation gowns. It was so funny, all the kids in Sierra's class fit their gowns, and since Sierra is about 4 inches shorter then anyone else her age, her gown was so huge on her and she had to carry it around just so she could walk in it. Teacher Paskett had asked all the kids what they wanted to be when they grew up, and Sierra said she wanted to be a Cowgirl!!! I was so proud! I got all choked up, of course.

After the ceremony, there was a carnival (hence the aforementioned popcorn) and all the kids got to "fish pond" and jump in the bounce house, and everyone won prizes. It was a good time. Sierra was really excited to come home and find a graduation present at home. A new slip'n'slide and swimming pool for summer. BEST DAY EVER!!! Now all we need is some sun!

XXOO Baby girl! I love you so much. I am so proud of you!

Spring Dance Recital

Nanny gave her a rose after her performance

Nanny, Papa, & Go-go all came up for the Recital

Sierra and her friend Jordan

Sierra had her spring dance recital. She was so cute. She did a ballet and a tap number. My parents and Grandma Judd came up for the dance recital. The kids performed so cute. They are so funny at this age, because they are all up there just basically doing their own thing. But Sierra did really good and she was so proud of herself for dancing up on the big stage!! She loves that part the best. She is a real performer. I am just proud of her, she is so dang cute.

Is Somebody Cooking Soup?

Sometimes it is the little subtle differences in your kids that really tells you a lot about them as individuals. This morning Lillie and Sierra were hard at work in Sierra's Pretend Kitchen. I was in watching the Today Show when Lillie came running in and wanted me to try her "soup." She had half a puzzle box and a plastic spoon and she told me, "Mom, Carrot in it!" I told her it was very tasty and that I LOVED carrots. Then Sierra brought her soup in...she said, "Mom, it has pineapple in it. If that doesn't tell you about the differences in their personalities...I don't know what does.

Baby Animal Days 2010

David and Turtle

The only animal Lillie decided it was ok to touch...

If you will notice, the goat IS, in fact, eating her hair...

Lillie and Uncle Steve

Marjorie and Hannah

Wagon ride...good.

Pony ride...not so much.

Cowgirl.

Bear faces....rrrroooaaarrrr!

Snuggling the baby duck!

And the baby rabbit!

Gabe and his rabbit!

As you can see baby animal days was a huge success this year! We had so much fun. My sister and brother-in-law, came and brought the cousins. Oh man, everyone had a great time. Except maybe Lillie who was skeptical about the whole ordeal. After the baby turtle's claws scratched her, she remained luke warm towards the idea of touching baby animals. Except for, the baby pigs. Which she walked right in and patted on the behind as if they were old friends. Then she declared them her favorite animal!! (This may not be surprising to some of you who are familiar with her garbage eating escapades.) I have to say, I have some pretty cute nieces and nephews. I think Emma has now realized what her heaven will be like! And I actually saw my nephew David smile...AND LAUGH!! This is a big step in our relationship. We all had a good time eating cotton candy, regular candy, and my personal favorite fair food, kettle corn. All in all, I say, good job animal days, you never disappoint.

Happy Birthday Miner!

Not many people can be known by just one name...Madonna, Sting, Ghandi, Elvis, Santa, Cher...but there is just something about them that stands out, something that when you say that name, everyone just knows what and who you are talking about...and that is how it is for Miner. There is just something about him that needs no explanation!

I am so grateful to be your wife and your friend. You are a very special person. You are so smart and funny. You are so good to people and I think it is so great that you want the world to be a better place. You are so fun, you make me push the limits of my bravery sometimes, but it is always fun, and always an experience to remember! You are always an accomplisher...by that I mean, that when you set your mind to something you will find a way to get it done, no matter what your goals may be. If it is remodeling a bathroom, running a 6-minute-mile-5k, meeting a deadline, or planning a vacation. I know if you want something, it is as good as done. I can count on you and that means a whole lot to me. You continuously challenge yourself and me and I need that sometimes. You are a good friend. People really like you, you are a good talker (ha ha). You make friends easily and you retain your friends for a lifetime. I think it is because you are honest and you speak your mind, and people respond to that. They know you aren't fake and that draws people to you. You are a good dad. Your girls love you so much, they love you for all the things I just mentioned, and they love you, because you play games with them, and drag them around on the sleigh, and haul them around in backpacks, and you make them laugh, and you watch cartoons, and read books. You are so great, and I hope this year is great for you. I love you, Your Loving Wife.

Happy Easter!

Leaving Carrots for the Easter Bunny

Easter Egg Hunters!!

The Big Haul!

We had Easter at the Cabin this year. Of course my camera battery went dead so I only got a few pictures of the kids on Easter morning, but we had so much fun. Preston, Barbara, Jacob, and Stephanie were there with us, too. It was nice to share our Easter traditions with our cousins and to have them with us to color eggs and play cards! I have to say I am quite the Progressive Rummy player. I can thank good card playing genes for that! And I also have to give a shout out to Aunt Barb, she brought "tie-die" easter eggs to color and that was the greatest thing ever. Although, I think the best part for my kids was "tie-die" colored hands! Lillie didn't want to use the spoon to color her eggs...it was much more effective to use her hands! Thanks for the egg coloring Aunt Barb it was awesome! Sierra and Stephanie had tea parties all night, and Sierra even pointed out to me that it was Stephanies "best idea ever" to get the water and use actual real water for the tea party! Sierra was so cute! We left carrots out for the Easter Bunny and then we went outside and yelled for the Easter Bunny to come. "WE LEFT CARROTS!! EASTER BUNNY YOU CAN COME NOW, WE HAVE CARROTS!!" Sure enought the Easter Bunny came and nibbled all our carrots and left a mess. Sierra ran downstairs in the morning to see if he ate our carrots, and upon seeing the mess of nibbled carrots she declared, "I guess, he REALLY IS REAL!!" I don't know what was better seeing how excited the kids were, or watching Miner and Uncle Preston nibble those carrots the night before!! Hilarious!!

Good thing I didn't recycle the old Razr...

Well, I had a little accident on Saturday. I was wearing a sweatshirt and had my cell phone in the front pocket. Everything was just a normal day, it was a little snowy outside and then...flush, good-bye cell phone. Yup, that's right, I flushed it down the toilet. It fell out of my pocket at just the perfect moment for the water to flush it down the drain. It didn't even clog the pipes. It was just gone! It's a good thing I still have my trusty ol' Razr from about 5 years ago. I was supposed to mail it in to be recycled, but accually it was a good thing I never got around to that, because I have had to use my old Razr three different times. First, I had to use it when my newer old cell phone was dropped and the cheap-o plastic back shattered. Then Rose used it when her cell phone got stolen, and now I am using it again. Thank goodness it is made of pure metal, I think the Razr must have been the greatest cell phone ever made, just for the pure fact that it is indestructable!! Let's just hope it's no match for the toilet!

As a side note: Technology has made it such that you never have to commit a phone number to memory anymore, so if you want me to call you, you should probably email me your number, because any numbers I had, they got flushed, too. Thanks.