The Object of Micah's Affection

On trips to the farm, he squeals...

 ...he giggles...

 ...and kicks his feet with excitement...

 ...for miles before and miles after...

...THE FANS!!!!!!

"Faa-faa!" he cries and giggles through a bicky-plugged mouth.  His arms move in circles as he shows how the fans work.

At the beginning of a trip to the farm a few weeks later, I asked Jeff, "Do you think Micah ever wonders where we're going?  We just plop him in the car and we're off.  Maybe we should communicate with him to help him make connections."  So I told him we were going to the farm.  "Faa?!"  he cried.  "FAA?!"  And with an enormous grin and excited legs kicking, he kept saying, FAN, for the next 30 miles until we reached them.

Micah:  "Mama?"
Me:  "Yes, Micah?"
Micah:  "Faaa?"
Me:  "Yep, the fans are coming."
Micah:  "Faaaa!!!"
(repeat this conversation x20...)

And THIS GIRL graduated, too!!!

We couldn't believe this one, either.  I mean, we had no doubt Brooke Marie Morrow would graduate SOMEDAY, but when that SOMEDAY becomes the PRESENT DAY, one has to carry tissues.  We are so proud of Brooke and all of her accomplishments.  And it was fun to celebrate her all weekend in Clarkston.

The day of Brooke's graduation we got to see Abby play softball.  I am claiming all softball talent that this girl demonstrates.  Genes can come from an Auntie, right?  This was also the first time I'd seen her newly acquired BRACES.  Love the closed-mouth smile that she's already acquired!  (And who is that cute stinker behind me?!?)

Brooke's graduation was on Saturday night, and Aunt Kelly was sweet enough to volunteer to watch the kids at G'ma Joan's house so we could be kidless.  There's Brooke smiling up at all of us from the front row!

Her party was the following day, after her senior all-nighter.  Mom and I came down early to set up tables and food and decorations.  But Michelle saved the day by cutting up veggies after graduation and keeping us all happy with alcoholic beverages.  :)

 Baby Lolo!

 Suitcase, towels, books ("Oh yay, a book!" sarcastically says Brooke) and a HAMMOCK!

 Micah was pretty much glued to the ice chest all afternoon.  "Opee, opee..."

And just in case anyone forgot, this girl is going to WHITWORTH in the fall!!!

so. excited.

Mr. Independent

Micah is loving his independence.  And he's so happy.  I lost him on this particular day, and found him out on the porch, humming and rocking in a big person chair that he'd climbed into all by himself.  Of course when the video camera/phone came out to capture it, all he said was, "Uh-oh."  Cute, nonetheless. :)

A Sleeping Bag, a Headlight, and the new Annie

Here's the birthday girl, on her ACTUAL birthday.  She awoke to Daddy home too--for a while, it was the SPS Walk-Out Day--and her birthday gifts waiting for her.  Daddy picked just the right items:  a sleeping bag, her very own headlight for all of her night time reading, and the movie Annie.

She went to school, laden with RINGPOPS for her classmates.  ("Nothing homemade" to school really saves moms!)  It was a great day!

And I had to snap pictures of these sweet birthday cards...

Lochhead Boy Tuesday

Odie and Nels got to come over to play one morning when Slick and Twinkles were out of town.  Gracie and I had LOTS of Lochhead boys to entertain us.

I am realizing that the Lochhead name is going to live strong for the next generation or so...Scott was the only male Lochhead of his generation (right?) but then his two sons each had two sons of their own.  And just like that, BAMMO!  The Lochhead name is pulled off of the endangered list.

Relaxing Weekend after a Party...

On Sunday we were POOPED!  We were so relieved to be invited to BBQ at G'ma Colleen and Papa Scott's that afternoon.  Relaxing at their place is THE BEST.  Josh took a little nap on the way.

And this was the classic moment that we were so happy to capture on film.  We call it, The Sneak.  The grass is always greener on your cousin's highchair tray.  :)

And on Monday, I took Gracie to get a pedicure for her birthday.  This was her second time--the first was before Auntie Debbie's wedding a few years ago.  I told her that she and I needed to do more girly outings together like this.

Our Birthday Girl

Here's our Memorial Day Weekend baby!  She was born on the Tuesday after Memorial Day and each year she gets a three-day weekend right near her day.  This year, she turned SEVEN and we decided to let her have a family AND FRIENDS birthday party...at the YMCA!  This girl LOVES the water, and we thought it was the natural place for her first birthday party out of the house.

Her theme was a SUMMER PARTY! Again, perfect for our girl who would wear flip flops even through the winter.  And we didn't make a cake this birthday, because she wanted these blue jello swimming pools for dessert.  Score!  The first birthday Jeff and I weren't up late the night before a party!

Gracie was so honored to have so many of her friends and family come to the party.  We didn't want to leave anyone out, so we invited the girls in her class, the girls on her soccer team, and a few friends who didn't fall into those categories.  We thought that we'd have a hard time getting people to come--on the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend--but there were SO MANY PARTIERS!!!  It was so fun.

 We had lots of help--friends and brothers helping open presents, G'ma Colleen and Linnea helping me set up the party room, G'ma Joan helping take pictures and hold babies, Papa Scott running around with Micah during the party--making the day a success!

The girls decorated flip flops and then we dove into goodies and presents.  The hour before swimming flew by!

 But swimming was definitely the highlight.  :)

Of course, MY highlight was the margarita waiting for me at Rancho Chico afterwards!  Mom and Kelly and the kids ate dinner with us before they headed back to the farm.  Ahhhh, the relief after a day of partying.  Gracie loved each moment.  (And her brother tried hard to be the second fiddle...)

'Nnea

We love living with this lady.  Our kids call down the stairs, "'Nnnneeeeeaaaaa!" and greet her with excitement each morning.

Big Day for the Suby

It laughs in the face of senility and refuses to admit that the nursing home (wrecking yard) looms in its future...

Preschool Graduate!

And here's another graduation we tried to stop from coming...  Joshua Scott graduated from preschool on Thursday, May 21.  Daddy and G'ma Colleen and Linnea went to celebrate him (it was a Mama work day, boo, hiss!) and of course Auntie Heidi was there to celebrate the other graduate, Kai Boomer.

I guess it's good that I couldn't attend.  They had a SLIDE SHOW, people.  Slideshows are big chapter-closers, AKA tear springers for this mama.  I would've been a wreck.  I did, however, share the picture of my graduate with my students when it came through my phone.

Colbert Pres Preschool was just the perfect spot for Josh.  He thrived here--oftentimes bouncing into class in the morning, telling me he'd really, really miss me, and then bounding away to color.  Pick-up was always fun--he'd have to empty his backpack in the hallway (that he'd just packed up) to show me his artwork or letter worksheet that he did that morning.  And of course, school with Kai was just THE BEST.  We wish they could go to the same elementary schools...  Kai is already telling Heidi that he's not going to kindergarten because Josh won't be there.  Such sweet buddies!

Kendall Yards Wednesday Market

Linnea moved in!  I didn't snag a moving picture, but will always remember the many trips up and down the stairs made by Linnea, myself, and her amazing friend (who wouldn't leave until she had everything in!) Kevin.  With her she brought her fun, new ideas for this boring old routine family.  The first one we jumped on was to go explore the Wednesday night market at Kendall Yards.  It was HOT!  And very fun...

...but the hot was soon forgotten when the kids found out that they were having Frannie's Ice Pops for DINNER.  And it wasn't even (technically) summer yet!

Our hungry bellies got the best of us, though, and we decided to grab some pizza dinner at Veraci's.  Delicious pizza, but hot/tired babies altered our dining enjoyment...next time, date night!

Edible.