May

 May was super busy.  Besides Grace's birthday, we had scouts, baseball, soccer, and school activities.
I think Jack thought he was funny holding his award upside down.

 They just built a house on the empty lot behind our house.  Then, they started work on the pool.  I have to say I was a little jealous.  I would love a pool when it's in the 90s or 100s and high humidity.  I think it's a fiberglass pool.  They dug the hole then brought in the pool and hoisted it in with a crane.  It was pretty cool to watch.  They swung it over my other back neighbor's yard then partly into our yard before it found its home.  They could have left it in my yard.  I wouldn't have cared.  My boys could have dug the hole!

 Kade and Grace playing in our garden soil.  Good thing the plants weren't in yet.

 For some reason I didn't write the Dare graduation date in my calendar.  The night of graduation, we had just sat down to eat dinner and Josh casually mentions that it is Dare graduation.  I asked him what time and he told me in half an hour.  He then told me it was no big deal if he didn't go.  He didn't care.  I told him it was a school function and he needed to go.  We ate dinner in 5 minutes and were out the door.  We even got there before it started, amazingly.  Tom was out of town so I was on my own.  Megan was a little fussy but we made it.

 I think the swings are Megan's favorite thing at the park.  Perhaps once she starts walking the slides will be more exciting.

I don't know if Josh has enough awards.  

 Way to go, boys.

 Josh earned his tenderfoot and 2nd class at the last court of honor.  He is almost done with his first class as well.

 Jack is working on his eagle project.

Grace's Birthday

Megan has discovered the pantry, the cupboards, the trash...  She is into everything.  She climbed into the pantry the other day.

 Grace is now officially 4.  She loves barbies and little ponies.  She especially loves giving her ponies hair cuts. I keep telling her it won't grow back but that doesn't seem to matter to her.  I find pink pony hair all over the house as she tries to hide her crimes.  She lost scissor privileges but that hasn't stopped her (that is for another post).

 Grace really wanted a princess cake for her birthday.  She got a strawberry ice cream cake for her birthday and I told her I would make her a princess cake for her friend party.

 Grace got a basketball hoop for her birthday.  I think Josh and Kade were more excited about it than she was.

April

My Grandpa Seamons passed away in April so I made a quick trip to California.  There was much weeping and wailing in my house when I went because the boys all wanted to go.  I have to say that there are no cheap tickets out of Memphis - ever.  Even the bereavement rate was ridiculous.  Plus the boys were all still in school and it was state testing that week.  They were sure I was going to Disneyland and seeing all our old friends without them (which I didn't).  I flew out of Little Rock which was a 2 1/2 hour drive away then I had to get all our luggage, car seats, stroller, carry-ons and two little girls into the airport.  Thankfully Tom insisted I needed his help.  Going thru security was tricky especially since my bottles of formula looked so suspicious and had to be tested.  At least the security people were nice even if they didn't help me.

 I enjoyed being home with family.  It is always so much fun.  I only wish I could have stayed longer.  With so many little kids, it was pretty crazy but Grace loved being with her cousins.

 Grace and John

 Dallin is looking an awful lot like Santa there.

 
 We didn't go to Disneyland but we did go to the park by my parents' house.

 Grace and Lydia

 

 This is my cousin, Rachel's, baby who was born the day before Megan.

I'm glad I made it home for the funeral.  I loved my Grandpa.  I grew up with both sets of grandparents living about a mile down the street.  I remember my Grandpa being so much fun when we were little.  I can also remember going to his house and my sister getting into his secret stash of hard candies.  My grandma always had lemon cookies in her cupboard.  I also remember my grandparents sitting outside of their house and everybody would say hi to them.  My grandpa was outgoing and definitely a people person.  When we lived in California Tom, Chad, my dad and my grandpa would go golfing occasionally.  I also remember pool parties at Chad and Marcela's house.  My grandma liked to swim but not my Grandpa as much.  My grandparents always supported us in our activities.  My grandparents even made it up to Utah when I graduated from BYU.  My grandpa was a good gardener and had the best tangerine tree in his yard.  One of my favorite memories is one Christmas my grandpa got out his saxophone and was playing Christmas music.  My cousin Kyle was little at the time and told my grandpa to stop playing and making all that noise.  It was fun to see my Grandpa playing.

 I flew home on Easter.  I don't know what I was thinking because I didn't get back to the house until about 11 p.m. that night after leaving in the morning.  It was a loooong day and Megan cried on the first flight and then Grace cried for quite awhile on the second flight.  Both my flights were full and the airport was packed as well.

 This is my attempt at Easter pictures.  Megan wasn't too happy about it.  The picture below wasn't taken on Easter but it's close enough.

Mother of the Year

So I think I deserve the mother of the year award today.  I took Josh and Kade to swim practice this morning then took Jack to the orthodontist to get a bracket fixed.  They have a little computer game area that the kids love so Grace went in there right away to play.  Jack finished up and the lady came out to talk to me.  Then  we left.  I went to the bank and was on my way to the community center to get swim lesson forms for Grace when I realized that Grace was not in the car.  I panicked and couldn't believe I had left her at the orthodontist's office.  I am such a loser.  I have never forgotten one of my children.  They called me as I was getting there.  Grace was fine. They had taken her in the back and given her stickers and markers.  The front desk people looked at me like I was a horrible mother.  I guess I am.  Summer is supposed to be relaxed but I think I am busier than ever.

Scout Cake Auction

We had our annual scout cake auction fundraiser in March.  The boys really love "making" the cakes.  Jack and Josh both had to have a cake, and of course, Jack made sure that I had my own cake as well.  We had a busy week so it was hectic getting three cakes made but we did it.

  Jack decided on an Oreo cake.  He thought it was so unique since there weren't any of those last year. I guess other people had the same idea because there were three oreo cakes.  Jack's was the best.  He was very proud of his cake.

 Josh wanted to make a Red Wolves cake since that is the mascot for ASU here in our town.  I thought I could just go to Hobby Lobby and find a wolf cake pan.  No such luck.  We had to get a little creative.  He did a great job decorating his cake.

 I made my chocolate mousse cake.  This is the third time I have made it.  Big hit.

The young men's president said he would pay $100 for a Chuck Norris cake.  Someone in my ward constructed Chuck Norris doing a high kick out of Rice Krispies.  It was awesome.  I wish I would have taken a picture of it.  The YM President kept his promise.  He went home with some very expensive Rice Krispies.  People were very generous this year.  There were over 50 desserts to bid on.  I can't wait to see what people come up with next year.

Baby Chicks

 These pictures have nothing to do with baby chicks but I love how happy Megan is.  She was laughing at Jack in the bottom picture.  She sure loves her brothers.

 Kade's class hatched baby chicks in school.  He was so excited and talked about it every day.  There were over 20 chicks so the teacher sent a note home asking if anybody wanted chickens.  Kade really wants a pet.  He was dying for a chicken.

 I told him we aren't allowed to have farm animals in our neighborhood.  He seemed to take the news ok.  He came home the next day and said his teacher said we could babysit a couple of chicks for the weekend if we wanted to.

 He was so excited to have a pet for the weekend.  He loved them.  Grace was obsessed with them.  She sat by the tub and held them constantly.  Kade's teacher told him to use hand sanitizer after touching the chicks so Grace would hold the chicks then get her hand sanitizer then hold the chicks then get the hand sanitizer...

 I was hoping the chicks didn't die from the hand sanitizer overload.  She was pretty rough with them at first just because she's three, but she figured it out.  I'm sure the chicks must have grown used to her as well.  She took them up to her room twice and I told her we couldn't have chicks in the bedroom.  I think she would have slept with them if she had figured out a way to hide them from me in her room.

 It was a sad day when Monday rolled around.  Grace and Kade were both sad to see the chicks go.  They had a lot of fun.