Ryder Completes Kindegarten!

My Ryder is done with Kindergarten! Well, he will be tomorrow. I feel like the last week of school can be easily compared to the final mile of a marathon. Just die, I say! I can't take one more time change or themed dress-up day! 

If not for nothing, it does make for some great pictures. 

In mid-May, Ryder's Kindergarten class had a day where they showed off there animal dioramas (a final project of sorts) and performed for us a few songs. 

Here he is with a couple of this friends from class. 

Here he is with his diorama. He picked a komodo dragon, which I thought was quite clever.

And here he is singing us a few songs. He's the cute tall one in the back. 

On the second to last week of school, each day they had a theme. Can you tell what the first one was?

Cowboy Day! For these photos he said, Mom! Instead of "cheese", I'm gonna say, "yeehaw!"

One of the other days that they got to dress up for what Hawaiian Day. We own one article Hawaiian apparel and it just happens to be an adult man's size shirt, so that is what he wore. We also thought the mohawk and the cowabunga sign gave him a nice surfer vibe that really pulled the look together.

Their elementary school also did a 5k that week! They take of about a mile for the Kindergarteners, but I was very impressed with how well Ryder did. I couldn't help envisioning him on the side of the trail somewhere crying and whining about how tired he was...hmmm, I wonder why? (It's because that's probably what I would do.)

There is something about crossing a finish line--no matter the age or the distance--that makes me ridiculously emotional. 

This week we did a "Bubble Day" that included blowing bubbles, chewing bubble gum and othere water activities. He had a "Feild Day" where they had a bunch of relays and races, and to top it all off? A dance festival. Why not? Who doesn't love a good dance festival? 

I can't believe how fast these last nine months have gone. If Ryder's school years continue to go by this fast, I'm in serious trouble.

But in the end, I ooze pride for this boy and I love him with all my heart and I always will. 

Penny Rae's Preschool Graduation

This week has been filled with the end of the school year activities. Which pretty much means I've been pleased as punch watching my littles be cute and I get a peek into what they've been up to each time I drop them off to school.

Our first event: Penelope's preschool graduation. (Now keep in mind she still has one more year of preschool--but the more preschool graduations the merrier, I say). I apologize for the photo overload, but I decided it was my goal was to make you feel as though you were there in person. In fact, I'm pretty sure that if you scroll down fast enough it will almost be like your watching the whole thing on video.

First, she sat in her seat. And looked really excited and cute.

After spotting us, she waved. I just thought this was so adorbs I kept making Phil wave at her (provoking her to wave back) until I caught it on camera.

 Her speaking part in the program was introducing and leading everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance.

The morning of her graduation Penny told me she was scared she was going to be shy and not sing loud enough. She wasn't....at all.

Watching her sing with her little actions was just...delightful.

"Look, those are my parents!"

"When! I! Grow! Up! I want! To be! An! Artist!"

And what's a commencement ceremony without socializing with your fellow graduates?

Ta da! There she is with her "diploma". 

 And of course, a photo with her favorite preschool friend, Isabelle! Or rather Izzy-belle (as Penny likes to call her). Don't make me explain the cuteness of these two.  

Oh my Penny Rae! You are a delight and we're so proud of you!

Stay tuned for Ryder's last week 'o fun at Kindergarten...

Trying

It's been an interesting few weeks. Right after I got over bronchitis, I came down with this weird bug with a sore throat and congestion for symptoms. I was so grateful not to be coughing every five seconds that I paid it no mind. But when a few days turned into a few weeks, I was getting very annoyed. It wasn't bad enough that I couldn't go about my usual routine, but irritating enough that I was left no energy for anything else--like blogging. That combined with getting engrossed into a couple of shows (Drop Dead Diva and The Blacklist) left me one unmotivated lady.

During this time I got to spend one day at BYU Women's Conference with my sister, which was super fun, but I got home and became rather frustrated because I had all these desires to improve, yet no motivation whatsoever. Which may sound like the same thing, but I assure you it's not. It was like wanting to run a race (which is rare) with cement shoes on.

I've been all better for a week or two now and have made some efforts to follow though on those previously mentioned desires. I couldn't help notice the continuing theme of, "Good, Better, Best" while we were at Women's Conference and knowing I had already been pondering the idea of priorities and what mine should be, I thought this idea would be the foundation for me to make some improvements. I don't want to bore you with the specifics, but just an overall trying to do better in general. And I have to tell you--I'm pooped out. Trying to be a really good mom is exhausting. I now totally understand what they're talking about when they say that motherhood is hard. I mean is it really THAT bad to just sit around and watch movies and snuggle all day?


There are worse things...

...but there is also better things.

And I think that can be applied in almost everything we do in life, but the point is that we keep trying.  I seriously think that is one of my favorite things about this life, is that we can always go to bed and try again tomorrow.

 Speaking of which...

Good night!  Zzzzzzzzzzz.

Vintage Mother's Day

A few months ago I took a few snapshots of these photos I consider priceless and have been saving them specifically to post on Mother's Day. 

"We knew"

Oh, how I love my mom. One of my most treasured blog post is this one from Mother's Day 2012. In addition to those thoughts, these photos put me in a very relatable place to her. These pictures of us show her in the stage of life that I am in now. Her third and last baby, who just so happens to also be a (rather cute) little girl (after another girl and a boy before that as well).  

This was also the stage that marked the beginning of us. The only unfortunate thing about our situation is that she had to come before me. That I wasn't there with her for any of the stages that came before this one and that there will come a time where she won't be with me for any of the stages I go through after she leaves. But how I will rejoice now and forever for the time on this earth that we overlap. And for everything she has taught and continues to teach me, and how we can be laughing together one minute and crying the next, and how we totally get each others senses of humor and therefore think each other is super funny...and wise, and how I just have to say "hello" on the phone and she knows something is wrong (only when something is actually wrong though), and how she still (even though I'm 30) has that magical power to make everything okay. Seriously, sometimes it's like things haven't changed a bit since those days in these photos.

Dear Mom, I can't help but to hope one day (I'm sure after this life when you and I are kickin' back enjoying the eternities) I'll get to find out why I was so blessed to have you for my mom. 

I love you--more than I can say. Happy Mother's Day!