3-Year-Old Preschool Graduation

The end of the year snuck up on us…but ready or not, Josh was the first one in our family to reach [sing the next phrase with the tune from Chevy's Chase's "Christmas Vacation"…] Summer Vacation!  Summer Vacation!  We took flowers for his teachers who are amazing!

  
Josh knows how to perform!  He had me in stitches with his exuberance!  I kept thinking about what his teachers said back in October when I checked in with them to see how he was doing…"He's just excited about life!"

 Love this one.  :)

 I really could eat him up, he's so cute.

 Kai Guy getting his certificate.

 And last but not least, JOSHUA LOCHHEAD!

 I love how he's grabbing Mrs. Johnson's pant leg…

Josh grew so much this year!  He loved going to school--even if he said each morning that he'd miss me when I was gone--and had a very good experience.  So glad we have one more  year before he's a Kindergartner! :)

I love this picture of Josh and his buddy, Kai.  They're goofs.

Machine Gun Kisses

Our pediatrician prescribed 1,000 kisses/day.  No problem.  :)

But here's the cuter video that happened in the making of the first…

Overcoming Fears

This boy.  I was so concerned about his end-of-year preschool field trip to Jump and Party--mainly because we'd been there a month earlier and he cried the entire hour because the slide and jumping frightened him.  But he really wanted to go, so I made arrangements to have Heidi take him (my work day!) with Kai.  Jeff ran over during his prep to check on him and sent me this video on my phone.  Exuberance abounds when this kid squelches a fear.  It's pretty sweet to see.

Our Bridge

Jeff sent me this pic in a text one morning--he'd biked on the way to work and got to see the falls misting that bridge where I talked him into getting married.  :)

Kaitlyn's Last Week in Spokane

Our good friend, Kaitlyn, just finished her junior year at Whitworth.  We can't believe three years has gone by so fast.  Parting with her for the summer was such sweet sorrow--but at least we know she'll be back in August!  Let's not even TALK about what's going to happen NEXT year at this time.  We hope you have a great summer in Salem, Kaitlyn!

PS, she survived a very BUSY eating experience with us.  I do believe this was the last restaurant we visited before deciding that Papa Murphy's will be our "eating-out" option for the next five years!

Our Millie Visit

Cousin Millie came to spend the night with us!  Her mom and G'ma and aunties went to see, "Wicked" and slept over at a hotel downtown.  Millie was happier with US!

 They played so well together outside--I actually got some gardening done!

And then we met her mommy at our church to return her.  She did so well!  Not the least bit phased.  We were so happy to have her. :)

The Soccer Team!

End of season BBQ!  We love the girls on this team.  Gracie had a great time, even though she says basketball is her favorite.  :)

May 16.

We love that Auntie!  Happy, happy birthday, from all of us to you!

Goodbye, National Boards!!!

The day Jeff submitted all of his Nat'l Boards paperwork, we celebrated with swimming at the YMCA and Didier's for dessert.  Gracie was able to jump into the pool and swim to the ladder all by herself for the first time!  So we were celebrating that, too.

We are so proud of all the hard work that Jeff put toward his Boards this year.  It was a lot of planning, collecting evidence, video taping, and writing, writing, writing!  He had many late nights at the kitchen table (his office A) and days in the coffee shop (his office B).  The kids and I had a few days and evenings when we were adventuring without him, but he worked so hard to try to not miss out on family time.  We are so proud of him!  And so relived that he's done.  Nice job, hon!

Mother's Day Weekend

Darling kids with darling gifts for ME...

We went down to the farm for the weekend.  Carmen was graduating from Vet School and we went to help throw her reception at the farm, and to love on G'ma Joan, of course.  You see in the background Jeff's National Board papers…this was the last few days to the finish line of turning in all of that work! Oh, this was also the weekend of Katie's School Auction, in which we made a large donation in order to receive SIX DOZEN COOKIES each month!  It's such a great story...

 Gregory Thomas.  Micah Gregory.  Matchey-matchey striped boys.

 Abby LOVES the babies.  Micah snuggled right in.

Papa's still got the touch.  We went to visit one afternoon.  This may or may not have been the time that the kids LICKED G'ma Trudy's windows and had to wash them for her.  So proud, so proud.

Gracie's 1st Jog-a-thon

It was a gorgeous day for a few laps around the play field.  Her goal was 10 laps…was 7 the official finish?

At one point she came around the corner holding Ivy's hand.  So fun for me to watch.

The City Bus

That "Mimi" Judy loves to spoil these boys.  This was the day that I dropped Josh off at the cottage because Mimi wanted to take the boys on a field trip to ride the city bus.  Of course they had a blast, seeing all sorts of things on the way downtown and back.  For weeks after, Joshy was pointing out any blue and green bus, telling me that THAT was the bus that he rode with Kai.

He still likes the burrito.

He fell asleep on the carpet like this.  I was going to put him in his crib, but got distracted...

Evie.

Evelyn Rose Fuller

Born May 6, 2014 (4 hours before her mom's birthday)

9 lbs. 5 oz. with the round Fuller face

This sweet little pumpkin is who we've been waiting for all school year!  I will never forget the school year that started off with a six month pregnant lady (ahem, me) buying a pregnancy test at the small town grocery store for her teaching partner who was too nervous (and known) to go get it herself.  And the rest of the year, as they say, went down in history--two teachers, each having babies in the same school calendar year.

Evie's big sisters were SUCH good helpers.

 Kristen, Cassie and I were so excited to meet Evie and to celebrate Melissa's birthday with her at the hospital.  Cassie picked up cake, I got flowers, and Kristen drove us in her swanky hybrid ("is this thing running?") car.

My new favorite family of SEVEN.  And yes, FIVE little girls.  What fun these sisters will have in their lifetime--when they're not fighting over clothes.  Love you, Fuller family!!!

An Early Birthday Present!

She looks so big!  Daddy couldn't wait to give Gracie her bike at the end of May...

May Bits and Pieces

Kid writing.  I like it so much you could call me Lucy Calkins.  I can't get enough.  You'll see more pics later, because pics of writing I can keep.  Thousands of pieces of paper would sit in a file forever…  It's now JUNE and Gracie has since brought home her writing folder from school.  She and I read through her writing--it was like CHRISTMAS!!!  So darling, what their little minds write about.

Grace played soccer this spring and Joshy filled my camera phone with pics and videos.  This one was worth keeping.

Could this baby be any cuter?!?

In May I was inspired to make letters for Micah's nursery.  This third child didn't have the nursery completely put together before he came, like his siblings.  It's a work in progress.  :)  Josh and Grace have letters, so I made these to match.  (Inspired by my cousin, Megan Dobroth--who just got engaged, btw!)

 And then there was that day of soccer where Jeff was working on National Boards and the kids and I went to Kalei's game after Gracie's game and then there was a break before Alea's game in which I took the boys to Fred Meyer to get groceries while Gracie stayed with the girls.  Phew.  I'm tired just remembering that day.  But don't these boys just fill you with joy?!?  Oh. I could eat them up.

The exersaucer was popular in May--as were this boy's CHEEKS!  He really is the cutest, baldest boy I like to kiss.  :)

Making cookies!  I have such good helpers these days!  This reminds me that I need to blog about The $400 Cookies…that happened in May, too.

Joshy can't seem to stay out of Micah's space bubble.  Does Micah look annoyed?  Or was this a photo bomb?  It seems so every-day...