The Last Day of School, 2013!

Ah, look at these sweet faces.  Is it just me, their teacher, or can you see their personalities jump out of this picture?  We shared a great year...they will be missed!

...and this is the picture that we all imagine at numerous times during the year...  Adios, have a great summer!  :)

For Times When I Think My Kids are Normal...

For a week or two, the kids were obsessed with taping their toys to paper.  One night after they were asleep I found several innocent toys strapped to notebook paper.  I love their little creative minds...

Buddy Kai

In all the June craziness, the two teacher-mamas got their kids together for a fun morning.  We love this Kai boy!  C'mon, Kalei and Alea--when does school get out?  We're ready to play!

June Mornings

Our last few June mornings with Oden were so nice--we didn't have preschool to escort Gracie to, so we just got to laze around.  Oden loves any kitchen utensil or yard tool--if it has a handle and looks like it has a purpose, he wants it!  Most days Annie would bring him into the house with a wooden spoon in his hand.  Here, he's stirring a bowl full of cheerios.

The big cousins snuck a few...and Chef Oden patted Joshy on the head, "Good job, Joshy."

 And one day we were having water play by 9:30 in the morning!  :)

 Look at this amazing bed-head!  :)

...and our girl has learned how to pump herself higher and higher on the swing!  She must be five!  :)

Bike Rider

Gracie's graduated from going around the block to going down the road with Daddy.

Happy Father's Day, Daddy!

With Father's Day right around the corner, I thought I'd highlight this sweet man that our kids call Daddy...

--Adventures w/ Daddy--
Our kids have come to know that "Daddy" and "Adventure" go hand-in-hand.  They light right up when Daddy asks them if they're ready to go on an adventure...knowing that it may be a hike, a park visit, a walk or bike ride around the neighborhood, a drive to look at houses...heck, even boring-ol' errands are exciting with this guy.  These pictures were taken at Kamiak Butte, on our way back from the farm when we decided to take the day to visit the places we normally would just drive by.

--Pancakes--
No one makes them like Daddy.  He puts in secret amounts of banana and cinnamon...just TRY to get the recipe from him!

--Yard Play--
Daddy is the best adult to play outside with.  He always comes out with a soccer ball, frisbee, or basketball hoop.  Besides that, he gives the BEST underdogs...

--Reading with Daddy--
Jeff spoils these two with reading time before bedtime.  If they can put on jams and brush teeth in five minutes, they each get a book.  Cozy in the blue rocker, they read books...and listen to Dad yawn...and I do recall a time that the reading put DADDY to sleep before the kids.  :)  They always see him reading books, too, so if our kids grow to love books like we hope they do, we can give Daddy the credit for good modeling!  :)

--Night Time Fears--
Gracie has learned to go straight to Jeff's side of the bed when she gets scared in the middle of the night.  Daddy has the magic touch to help her be brave.  He also stuffs the pillow pets in just the right spots between the bed and the wall to help Joshy not be afraid of "the crack."  And if they forget, I'm writing it down for all of posterity:  he's even spent a few nights on the kids' floor in a sleeping bag to help them be brave.

--Genetic Gifts--
The kids love to talk about what they "got" from Daddy.  Gracie claims his curly hair and her love of the water...Joshy has the hazel eyes and love of sweets...and if you're around either of them and you hear them talk about numbers (counting and adding right now) you'll know they both got their love of numeration from their dad.  He loves to talk numbers with them.

--His love for Mommy--
And perhaps the greatest gift that he gives our kids is his love for me.  :)  Gracie asked us what "divorce" meant last week and I was trying to explain it by asking her if she had any friends whose mom and dad lived in separate houses.  Her eyes grew wide and Jeff jumped in, to ease her worrying mind:  "But you NEVER have to worry about that happening with us.  Your mommy and I love each other too much to ever let that happen."

Happy Fathers Day, Jeff!  We all love you and are so blessed to call you ours!  :)

Okay...as a PS to this post...I've been wanting to record this funny Joshy story, and I figured the end of this post would be as good a  place as any...  :)  So now that I've honored Jeff, I'll embarrass him.  But we have to remember this story FOREVER...

One day after church, Josh had to go to the bathroom, so I took him to the ladies' restroom.  We take one of the three stalls, and Josh has to sit for awhile, so he starts chatting with me while he waits.

"Mommy, there's something behind my penis.  Is it my 'bagina'?"
"No, honey.  Those are your testicles," I whisper.  Ladies in all surrounding stalls, toddler voice MUCH louder than necessary.
He points to his bum.  "Is THIS my 'bagina'?"
"Nope.  You are a boy and only girls have vaginas.  Gracie has one, but you're a boy so you have a penis."  She is probably the teacher of this new-found vocabulary word.
"Do YOU have a 'bagina'?" he asks.
"Yep." I whisper, hoping he'll match my volume.
"Does Daddy have a 'bagina'?"
"Daddy is a boy..."
Josh lifts his index finger with realization:  "PENIS!"
"Right." He's starting to understand gender anatomy.
And in a very loud, dramatic voice, he continues:  "Daddy has a HUGE, HUUUUUUGE penis!"
I crack up and utter something like, "Maybe soooo..."
"No, I know!" And now he finally whispers:  "I peeked when he went potty."
The lady in the stall beside us:  "Wow.  You learn all sorts of things in the bathroom these days!"

I had to ask Jeff if he got some funny looks as ladies walked by him on the way out...I'm pretty sure I laughed so hard that I cried...

The Ebay Purchase That Grounded Dad From the Internet

It's a 1962 Chevy Impala!  Just like he drove in high school.  He called Mom at work one day and excitedly confessed to what he'd done...and asked her what time she was getting home so they could go pick it up in Lewiston.

Even grounded, he doesn't look too remorseful, does he?

It's a sweet ride.  Can't wait to see it in the Johnson Parade, Dad!

Gracie is FIVE!!!

Gracie had been giving us a "birthday countdown" for probably twenty days before her big day...so we'd been hearing, "Twelve more days 'til my birthday!" and "Three more days 'til my birthday!" all month long.  When the day finally arrived, it was FULLY anticipated.

Daddy had taken her to Costco the day before and got her a purple outfit just for her day...and we'd planned on taking her to Old European so she could have her "Teddy Bear Pancake."

 And this is proof that Auntie Julie had just visited...she "taught Mommy" how to do Gracie's hair...

 We'd been planning for an Ariel birthday...but "the Ariel in the dress, not the Ariel with the fin."  And Jeff and I were done BEFORE midnight the night before her party.  A record!

 Gracie was spoiled to have TONS of friends and family come spoil her on her birthday...

 ...I didn't think we could fit so many on our deck!  :)

Uncle Tom and Aunt Diane sent her a special Belle cake...such a surprise!  Birthday Cousin, Rori, got and Aurora cake.

 LOVE this pic of Henry peeking out of Jen's skirt...

 All the kids!  We took this right before Oden came, so he's the only one missing...besides poor sick Kai...

At the end of the day, I asked Gracie if she was having a good birthday and she said, "I forgot what it was like to have a birthday!"  She was spoiled enough to last the year!

We Get Auntie Julie ALL TO OURSELVES!

The kids and I were THRILLED to have Julz come visit over Memorial Day Weekend!  Jeff was gone to Tacoma for track, so the kids didn't have to "share" her with him, AND she stayed at our house, so that was a double non-sharing bonus!  The icing on the cake was that she brought one of our favorite canines, Ollie, with her.  We had a great time doing a lot of playing here at the house, eating at Applebee's with her, and taking pizza to the Van Sickles.  Julz' exciting news was that she had just bought a HOUSE and they were starting construction the following week...we can't wait to go see it!

Aunt Annie's Dress-Up Box

Aunt Annie has the best dress-up box in town!

The kids have claimed "Aunt Annie's house" as their second home...

Sorry, Drew--apparently it's too hard for them to call it "Uncle Dragon Slayer's house."