Everyday moments

 Here are just a few pictures of everyday things that have gone on around the house.

Hailey received a Student of the Month award again. This time from her art teacher. We were able to totally surprise her this time, she didn't see us in the audience and was shocked when her name was called. Such a fun moment.

Emery asks to bake something almost daily. Cupcakes are her usual request, but I usually convince her to go with cookies. This time it was chocolate chip.

Emery loves to help me fold the laundry. She is actually super helpful matching up the socks. However I don't really consider trying on multiple pairs of your brothers underwear really helping. 

 The kids were just playing around one evening. Emery loves for Carter to be her horse.

 Kayden loves for Carter to be his horse too.

This picture says volumes about Kayden and his sense of humor. His room is always a mess. Always. Even after he cleans it. It's a huge source of frustration for me because he just doesn't see it. The other day I had walked by there and asked to pick up all the clothes and hangers off his floor. Later I went by again and saw this beauty.

 I did ask him to get the hangers off the floor. 

Next time I will be more specific. 

After Hailey's birthday party, the little kids made a clubhouse with leftover decorations and tissue paper. They played in it for hours.

Life according to my phone

 1. Emery wanted to take a picture of me

2. Emery has a hard time staying awake while we wait for kids afterschool

3.What it's like if she doesn't fall asleep while we wait for kids afterschool

4. I watched a friends baby one night, Carter loved it as much as I did

5. This was from Cub Scout Day Camp. We decided to dress up, our theme was "Be the Pilot of your own Destiny"

6.The girl can't be trusted, unfortunately she can climb the onto the counter now without opening the drawers and cabinets and using them for steps.

 

7.Seriously this child has been so tired lately and when she's tired it's not fun for anyone. This happened when I put her in her room for locking me out of the house. (that's a whole other story!)

8. We made another visit to the school. (better picture and full report in a later post)

9. Emery insisted on buying matching clothes for her and Hailey

10. During conference. I was really about to pack and sell or donate the Littlest Pet shop toys. They hadn't been touched in months and months. So of course, what did they play with all that weekend? They must have read my mind and sensed what I was going to do.

11. Morning concert complete with bulb syringe microphone

12.Another pick up time pass out

13. Carter shocked us and got a real haircut. It's weird seeing him without his longer hair, but now he combs it straight up.

14. Blurry picture, but such a  fun birthday present from Grandma Barlow. I might give these as gifts from now on

15. Random picture of something I liked from Target. I am wanting to do a new gallery display upstairs and this would be so fun for it.

A week of celebration

Hailey enjoyed a full week of birthday celebrations. Although her birthday was Monday, we started the celebrations a little early. Corey and I took her out on her birthday date the Saturday before. She wanted to eat at Macaroni Grill, we took some birthday pictures, and then we took her to Marble slab on the way home. 

On her actual birthday, she celebrated at school. She brought sugar cookies for everyone to enjoy. She came home pretty excited.

Her teacher gave her the crown, and her teacher from last year got a hold of her and made sure she had 7 stickers to wear for the day.

Then we had a pretty laid back celebration at home.

 I let her pick the dinner menu. And of all the things she could have picked, all she wanted was shell macaroni and cheese with edamame.

Then we opened presents. I had taken her to look for ideas a few days earlier. She had been wanting a new scooter, but not one that was girl colors. She was so happy we found one. She also spotted the Merida doll with her horse and put it on top of her list. She could care less about the doll, she handed it right off to Emery, but she saw that black horse and was in love.

 We ended the night with chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream.

As if all this wasn't enough, I let her have a friend party this year too. We decided to have a birthday breakfast in our pj's and it was a lot of fun. 

We served muffins, doughnuts, cereal, fruit, yogurt and juice. 

Stuck the candles in a chocolate muffin this time instead of cake, and sang away.

 She was spoiled with some fun presents.

I handed out pajama awards and we played a couple of games. Including an intense game of "what breakfast food am I", and thanked everyone for coming with a fun little treat bag. 

She had such a fun week. I am now wondering how I can make my birthday last a whole week. I'm not sure if my friends would come for a pajama party though. 

Happy Day

 This girl adds so much personality to our house. She is so much fun to have around. 

She can also add a lot of drama and be super stubborn, but most days she is happy as can be. 

She is still obsessed with horses. If she isn't pretending to be one, then it's only because we taking care of her imaginary horse "blackout", he goes with us wherever we we go. Except school because, of course, horses aren't allowed at school.

She isn't a morning person. At all. She loves to stay in her PJ's whenever possible. So getting up and getting dressed in the morning are really not her favorite things. We struggle every morning with this. But once she's going she fine and loves, loves school.

She loves cold cereal, just like me, and will take that for dinner anytime she gets the chance. 

Her best friends are boys. 

She loves to color and draw and is so talented at it. 

She loves her hair long. 

Her favorite thing, and the way to her heart, is to tickle her back. She would sit for hours and be tickled. 

We just love her and are so glad she is a part of our family. 

A busy Saturday

A few weeks ago our ward had a St. Patricks/ Easter/ 5k/ breakfast. Everyone that wanted to participate in the 5k or 1 mile walk came early and we even had our own leprechaun to chase who left prizes along the way. Carter ran the whole thing. Brendan was bound and determined to run the whole way. He gave it his best effort, but was a couple laps short. The next time he will be ready. The girls and I walked and enjoyed visiting with friends as we made our laps around the park. I'm not sure what Kayden did, he took off with friends and I hardly saw him till the end.

Once the run/walk was done we enjoyed a good breakfast and moved onto an Easter egg hunt.

 Even leprechauns enjoy a good Easter egg hunt!

Proof that Kayden was around.

After the party we headed home for a short rest and then loaded back up for Carter's 2nd swim meet. I was worried he would be too tired after running a 5k, but he did just fine.

This meet was a little harder for him because he had to swim in races using his least favorite strokes, butterfly and breast stroke. But he also got to race in a medley, a combo of four strokes, which he really enjoyed. 

He is improving everyday. He even was able to move up a team and really loves it. It's so fun to see him enjoy something so much.