Madison's Birthday Party

Madison had her 8th Birthday Party on Friday! It was the funnest and easiest (for me). Madison and 5 friends plus Maya went swimming. They had a great time.

Maya and Tacy cheesing it up for the camera!

Enjoying ice cream treats and making crazy faces!

Madison and Annika (from church) cooling off by eating ice cream cones!

The Whole Gang - Izzy, Paige, Madi, Elena, Annika and Tacy.

2 hours of swimming + ice cream cones + warm day = lots and lots of fun

Happy Birthday Madison - We love you!!!

The Shed Part 2

Here are the pictures from our shed that I should have posted awhile ago! Bryant did a great job and we even have a coat of paint on it! Now it I can put our bikes in it during the summer since it is too hot to ride them! Thanks for all of you hard work!

It's Official...

... I am now the meanest mom. I knew that one day one of my kids would say it to me. And today it happened.

I took the kids swimming today and as we were leaving the pool after 1 1/2 hours of swimming, Madison told me that I said that they could swim for 1 to 2 hours and that it was not time to leave yet. It was not the words that she used but rather the tone. Imagine one hand on a hip and the other hand pointing at me. Well, she had asked for her cousin to come over and play. I told her that her cousin would not be coming over since she was not being very nice to me. She begged for one more chance (I am sure that most of you know exactly what I am talking about). Well, I have given a lot of one more chances since Thursday and school finishing.

I then got the sentence that according to my Dad make me a real mom, "Mom you are the meanest mom." Well, we talked about why she said that and why I didn't give her one more chance. Even after our talk, she said it to me again which means I must be doing something right.

But now, I can claim the title of the Meanest Mom. Here is a picture of the kids that makes me laugh and remind me why I love being the meanest mom!

May Happenings

May is always a busy time of the year. With the end of school stuff and the weather getting warmer, time seems to go by quickly.

Madi and Max both had their Spring Sing and they sang lots of songs. Maya was dying to be up on the stage with them. But she still has one more year before Kindergarten. We have had year end school swim parties and year end Piano Recital for Madi.

The best part of May has been with Bryant - sorry no picture of this one yet. Last fall, Bryant studied long and hard for a test for work which he did GREAT on in order to get a promotion. He then had an oral board and a practical test which he aced as well. On Monday - he will be promoted at work. A Big deal for him and for us. He starts the next level of his career and the kids say that now he gets to be a boss at work as well as at home. The only sad part of this change will be his work schedule. For the past 5 years he has either worked Mon to Thur or Tues to Fri. Now for the next year he will be Sat to Tuesday, which leaves me alone at church. But I am very grateful for the 5 years he was at church with me.

Once the promotion happens on Monday - I will post some pictures. But in the mean time, here are some pictures of the kids!

You know it is getting warm in Arizona when...

1. Max with his "old man" hair cut. He did want Bryant to cut off any more hair until he saw what it looked it. It is all gone now.

2. The kids play on the trampoline with the sprinklers on and get all wet.

3. Maya thinks that she can fly and tries over and over.

4. Maya and Madi doing their different poses for when the water hits them.

So in case you are wondering, yes it is getting warmer in AZ and we can't wait until Memorial Day when the pools open and the kids get to go swimming and "catch tans" while they are having fun!

Bryant's Birthday

Monday was Bryant's 34th Birthday. The kids had picked out the gifts from Bryant with a theme in mind. He has started to work the 3rd shift due to a promotion at work (hurray!!) Maya gave Bryant a neck pillow to use if he got tired driving home from work (she wanted him to be comfortable - never mind that he might fall asleep while driving). Madison chose a steering wheel cover. On his old car he had a Simpson one - no luck in finding one for his new car. Max got him a heated massager that gets plugged into the lighter. He wanted to make that Bryant's back was nice and relaxed as he drove. Pepper (the dog) got him a baseball mitt so he can play with the kids in the backyard and Kari got him a new Dewalt Router Combo Kit.

That night for dinner, Bryant chose to go to McGrath's Fish House. He got fish and the rest of us did not! The kids loved eating out because they got as much soda as they wanted. To end the party, Madi and Max had their Spring Sing concert which we all enjoyed!

Happy Birthday Bryant!! WE LOVE YOU!

Typical Max - loves prizes

I just had to post this so that I will remember.

On Thursday Morning, the kids had left for school and Bryant was eating some Captain Crunch Berries before he went to bed (new shift - more on that in another post). He was eating it without a problem when all of the sudden he spit it back into the bowl. I asked him what was wrong and then he showed me an eraser that goes on the end of a pencil (the kind that goes on top of the one that comes with the pencil). Some how it had gotten into the cereal. Bryant was done eating and gave the rest to our dog.

Fast forward to 3 pm when the kids got home from school. I asked them if they had spilled some Captain Crunch Berries on the table and picked it up. They said no but Max had a look on his face that said he knew something. I asked him what - he told me that he had put the eraser in the cereal as a prize for whoever found it.

Bryant and I had a hard time not laughing and we told Max that we appreciated the prize but next time stick it in a baggie so that it won't be eaten!

Thanks Max for making us laugh and that is typical Max - always wanting a prize in his cereal!