MAY

SCHOOL'S OUT FOR THE SUMMER
The end of another school year has come. Every May I look forward to the end of school. I'm tired of waking up early. I'm tired of making sack lunches and getting everyone out the door. I'm tired of homework, and I'm tired of early bedtime. I know when fall comes I'll be ready for them to go back to school, but for now I look forward to the lazy days of summer!

Z's school program was combined with a bunch of other schools of 5th graders. The program is called Hope of America. Z's favorite song is "We can be a light".


Can't see Z? We couldn't really either. If you look to the top right of the flag he is in the first white stripe.

T's school program was a review of a bunch of different songs that they'd learned throughout the year. They sang Halloween songs and Christmas songs and a bunch more. T's favorite was "I Love America".


T singing "Won't you be my V-A-L-E-N-T-I-N-E".

S's school program, and preschool graduation. He looked so cute, and so serious. His favorite song was "a-too-tee-tah-a-too-tee-tah-a-too-tee-tah-tah".



T was taking a bunch of pictures and S smiled patiently, then he mouthed the words "no more pictures".


S playing the triangle in the 'Rock-N-Roll Rhythm Band'. This was one of the few times he actually looked like he was having fun.

SPORTS
May is a busy month when it comes to sports. Soccer and baseball keep us on the go. Some nights I don't know when we'll eat dinner, or even IF we'll eat dinner. We have a great time though. I love watching the boys play and have fun. I like it even more when they support each other. It can be busy, but it's great, too!

Soccer games this spring were more often cold and rainy than warm and sunny. This was one game where at least the sun was trying to shine. It was still very cold though! Z is #3 on the Shooters.


Getting ready for the ball to be thrown in.

Z did great in some races this spring. In the school fun-run he placed 2nd out of the 5th grade boys. At the 5th grade Hershey track meet he ran the 100 and 200. He was 1st place in his heat in the 100 and went to the semifinals. Great running Z!


(Z in lane 4 in the white shirt.)

S got to run in the Lollipop race at the Hershey track meet. He had a slow start, but he made it across the finish line.


(S in lane 3 in the white shirt.)

T is on the Mets this year. He plays 'machine pitch' (actually it's coach pitch most of the time because the machines never work). He is doing great and has got some awesome hits this year. He's also been known to play more than one position at a time (which does not make his teammates happy). We are encouraging him to remember that baseball is a team sport.



Z is #2 on the Rockies. He plays 2nd base and outfield. His favorite part of playing baseball is spitting sunflower seeds and that the coach bribes them with candy bars if they get a hit, or a dollar if they catch a pop fly.



PINEWOOD DERBY
The cubscouts did the pinewood derby this month and invited the 11 year old scouts to join them, so we made 2 cars. Actually...Grandpa made 2 cars-I take no credit. Both boys had fun and their cars were great. T was so excited to actually be able to have a car and race, and then, to top it off, he took 3rd place. Great job T!


T with his car. He won 3rd place and also his car was awarded 'Most Colorful'.


Z with his car (tank). He was awarded 'Most Lethal'.

APRIL

HAPPY EASTER
On Easter morning we woke up to fresh snow, about 4 inches. One of the great things about snow in the spring is that it doesn't last very long. I love Easter for many reasons. It is a reminder of the atonement and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It means shaking off the old and welcoming the new. It means spring cleaning and organizing (one of my favorite things). It means that warm weather is on the way. It means a change in wardrobe- Hooray for flip-flops! It means chocolate bunnies, jelly beans and excited kiddos. This year we had the boys hunt for their Easter surprises. We had a spider web of different colored string throughout our living room. They had to ravel up the string and climb over and under it to get to the end. It was a lot of fun.


S was the slowest, but he got all of his string wound up good and he made it to the end all by himself.


Climbing over, under, and through.

SPRING BREAK
For spring break this year we really wanted to go to St. George with friends, but it just didn't work out. It was okay though. We had fun spending time together as a family and we did some fun things like going to the movie and going swimming. We also spent one day in Salt Lake.


The boys at Discovery Gateway.

SOCCER
Z's soccer team was invited to have a private tour of Rio Tinto Stadium (soccer stadium for Real Salt Lake). We got a tour of the locker rooms, the private suites, the presidents office and suite and we got to go out on the field- well...kind of out on the field. We could stand on the sidewalk around the field but they wouldn't let us touch the grass because it is so expensive. Crazy! Who would ever think that grass would be so expensive?


Z and teammate E with Leo the Lion.

BIRTHDAY BOY
Everyone always says that 'time flies' and it's true. I can't believe that my baby has turned 5. We just love this youngest member of our family. His personality is so unique. I am always laughing or smiling at his facial expressions and at the funny things he says. He is a great help to his mom and dad, and he is a great brother, too. Happy Birthday S! We love you.


Thanks to Aunt T for making the cool fire truck cake. S had been planning on getting that number 5 candle for months. We sang, he blew out the candle, he took the candle out of the cake, he licked the frosting off and then... he took a big old bite right out of the wax candle, chewed it up and swallowed it. I'm not sure what he expected, but after months of anticipation, I'm not sure that it was what he thought it would be.


Very first friend birthday party. Thanks to S's friends (and their moms) for coming to our fun, and a little bit windy, birthday party!

ALLERGIES
Every April S has his blood drawn and tested. They are looking to see if his levels go down, which means the allergies are going away. He was so brave for his blood test this year. He sat on dad's lap and talked to the nurse. He watched everything she did very closely, including the part where she stuck the needle in his arm. It almost made me cry to watch him sitting there so bravely. After a week or two we go back to see our doctor and she tells us the results.

This year, I really expected great news. S will be going to kindergarten, and they say that kids usually grow out of their food allergies right around the time they go to kindergarten. I guess we did get some good news. His egg allergy is continuing to decrease. He can start eating foods that have cooked egg in them, so that is good. Nuts stayed the same, the level is still low, but nuts are the most dangerous, so we won't be giving any nuts. And milk.... well in the doctors words, "milk is going the wrong way". Last year his level was 23 and this year his level is 37. Because it keeps increasing, it is unlikely that he will outgrow it. There is still a chance, but not a big one. It's frustrating! But, it is what he knows and he is okay with it. His only comment was, "T is going to be so mad that I can't eat pizza". (T was hoping that S would finally get to try some Little Ceasars).


S after his blood test. He is showing off his "cast".

MARCH

PRESCHOOL
At preschool this month S learned all about food. They made pizza, they made pancakes, they made cookies, and they had an icecream party. Of course, because of his allergies, S couldn't eat very much but he still had fun learning about how everything was made. They made these cute aprons and hats too.

The preschool also had a 'mom and me' day and we went to see the play, 'If You Give A Mouse A Cookie' based on the childrens book by Laura Numeroff. He was pretty excited, but he was a little confused about what a 'play' was. Then when we got there, he kept asking me if the mouse was real. (Yes, a 5 1/2 foot tall mouse) He kept saying, "I see skin hands".

After it was over, I asked him what his favorite part was.
He said-"At the end, when the mouse took his head off".


HAPPY BIRTHDAY
It is DH J's birthday this month. He is sad that he can't say he is in his 'early 30's' anymore. The boys were very excited to celebrate. We had birthday dinner and cupcakes and opened presents: a new tie, some books and a BYU sweatshirt. Everyone told dad something that they like about him, like: he plays with me, he tickles me, he likes sports. We are very lucky to have such a good guy in our life! Happy Birthday J! We love you!


Wasn't he a cute baby?
--You can see where our boys got their eyes from.

FEBRUARY

Another big month for T. He couldn't wait to get baptized. Thanks to all of our wonderful family and friends that came to support him. It was a very special day. We are so proud of him!





BASKETBALL SEASON
Z and T finished up their basketball seasons this month. Z's team, the Wolves, had a great season. They only had one loss and they played really well. T's team, the Spurs, had fun learning skills and playing practice games.



Z on defense. He is # 20 - guarding # 3 on the black team.




SCOUTING NEWS
Congratulations to Z and T!
Z earned his First Aid merit badge this month,
and T earned his Bobcat.

JANUARY

January was a big month for our T!
He celebrated his 8th birthday, had a birthday party at Trafalga, and became a Bobcat (cubscout). He had been waiting a LONG time for the day he could go to scouts.



T and his friends mini golfing at Trafalga

The newest cubscout! He's so EXCITED!


SNOW FUN
The kids love to go sledding at Grandma and Grandpa C's house because they get to be pulled behind the 4-wheeler. We had a beautiful day for sledding and took advantage!

Z on the sled.


T waiting impatiently for his turn.


S and cousin E loving it.


S after a face plant-so sad!