Hailey is Eight!!!!!

I cannot believe she is eight! I truly live by, moments are long years are short motto. I love her more than anything. I hope she had a fun birthday. We had a party yesterday, with her ten closest friends, and the microphone, and her very own playlist. Wow, that was fun. We had snowcones, and cupcakes, and a lot of screaming, the good kind. :)
Today, I took her class some treats, and got to brag about her......then by her teachers suggestion, I took her to lunch.
Tonight we took her to her favorite, Chick Fil A! I had a lot of laughs with her today, and a lot of one on one moments, mommys favorite! I hope she had a great day!

8 things about Hailey: (everything duh!!!!)

She loves to dance and sing
She includes everyone
She is very nice
She is loving
She is caring
She always is wondering what is going on with people
She is the best
She is the one that made me a mommy, that is really special to me, and so is my Hailey Baby!!!!

                                                     Happy Birthday. Eight will be so great!!!!!

kindergarten has begun!!!!:/

Ryker has sure been ready to go to school himself, and loves to greet Hailey.

The hug!:)

 Ryker was sooooo ready to start school today. He looked and acted the part quite well.

He was like "the sun is in my eyes mom!"

                            After this picture, he told me, I might run in to class, okay mom.

 Here he is sitting at his desk, all ready for the morning. He forgot to hug me, I had to ask for one!

He was all done with school, which he LOVED!!!!

                              Walking him in to class, how bittersweet......I had to fight the tears.

                         He was all smiles, he had to tell me everything, and I loved to hear it.

Here is Hailey, we were watching a you tube motivational exercise video, and this was the face of shock!

This is the result of the video.......he was trying to do cool tricks with the laundry basket.

This was his attempt of a pull up......we were trying to do pistol squats all day.....wow, amazing.

 

They are just growing up so fast.

 

After I dropped them both off, tear, I went and helped Haileys teacher get settled. I made the folders for homework, wrote down homework stuff, and just filed certain things.....thank goodness I did not have to leave the school.

I need to work into this new routine, baby steps. I hope other moms and dads have these feelings, and that I am not the only one.

I am hopeful that my kids got the best teachers, and I do trust them, and am so very grateful for them. They truly are an answer to sooooo many prayers.

Next up:

SOCCER POSTS. We are in the season now, the crazy soccer practice, and games season, but they love it, and they are so worn out from exercising so much, I think it is great to see them in action.

First day of school, and kindergarten assessment day!:)

 Hailey was more than ready for school this morning. She went to bed at eight, after laying for an hour she fell asleep. She woke up at two, three, four, and finally at six. She was all ready, and they rode bikes and I ran behind with her book bag on my back! She says her clock is super slow, and that she was ready for the awesomeness to start!

 Walking home with my little guy, he was so thrilled to have done so well on the kindergarten assessment. I cannot even believe they are this age already. Who ever said that days are long and the years are short was so right.

            Our zinnias have done sooooo well this year. This yard view makes me smile so much.

                                         The colors are amazing, and I love how tall they get.

                                                It almost hits the house, some are super close.

 another view of them, cannot get enough of them, I may have packed them in too tight, but they are so pretty, I couldn't help it.

pictures I found on the camera. Hailey sure knows her way around the computer. She sure loves the violin player on the Mormon channel.

                                       they were having a party for their stuffed animals.

 It's hard to catch this boy in a picture these days. He is always on the move.

                                             Hailey and tattoo baby. This baby is so loved.

                    my attempt of having them both in a picture before taking her to school.

While I am sad that they are both growing up, and they won't be around me all of the time. I am so proud of both of them. They are both so great. They are kind, loving, and so caring. I could not ask for better kids. I am so proud of what they have become.
This makes me think of the card I received when Ryker was brand new, I got it in the mail from Grammy Robin, it says, under newborn feet, Imagine where they will go. I did imagine, and now I can't believe it is happening.
We did it, and now we are doing a new chapter, I am sure we will look back and think, wow, We did that too!

conversations with Ryker

I was on the phone today with his school. We were setting up kindergarten assessments. He came in, asked what that was. I explained to him that it was a time where he could tell the teacher his letter sounds, and read, and write and spell his name. I tested him, he knew all the letter sounds, and he reads sight words. I then said spell your name. He said it starts with an H, but I don't know how to spell it. I said, what? That is Hailey's name, silly guy. He said no, that is H for Harry Potter, and I don't know how to spell that name! This shocked me, I laughed soooo hard!

I assure you, he now knows that he can not go by a different name at school, and he does know his name, and he can spell it and write it!!!

He also knows that he is hilarious.......this could be a struggle.

We are getting ready for a few last summer things, and then it will be getting kids ready for school, and missing them. I even might miss the fighting,..maybe.

pictures! and updates:)

I forgot to say that I still go for a run daily! I am loving this weather.....so fun to run in. I wake up so excited to go, and I come home and feel ready for the day. Mike wakes up and exercises as well, sometimes basketball, and sometimes lifting weights. He is liking too, we feel a lot better when we are active.

 

 Guess who might be wearing some make up now? For those who have known me for a long time, know that I have not worn make up in 10 plus years! I finally felt like it was time, to cover up some stuff and have a more polished look......not for everyday quite yet, but maybe someday. MAC products are great!!! My mom and I went shopping and I just felt like being brave! I am still learning how to use it all, wow, there is a ton of stuff to know and such a technique is needed....this might not be much to you, but it feels like such a big difference to me. Make up makes my face itchy!!! Anyone else?
I even do my hair now!!! Small steps, ya know:)

This is what was going on while I was mowing the lawn, they both were eating cones, they sure love their ice cream.....I do too.

Summer is in full swing around here!!!! We are loving our Van, and even have a few places planned to go! We feel super happy and grateful:)

Doing our thing!

We have not had many spare moments, but when we do, it's all about lounging around, watching the Disney channel. We go to many parks, go on many walks, eat a lot, and try to go to sleep on time. The kids have done great reading and doing math packets this summer! I still am trying to teach them daily, they need to exercise that brain! We mow many lawns, and weed a lot too. We have been to my parents house a few times as well.  We have been to a few water parks, and splash pads too, it has been a hot one! I try to have one down day a week, where we stay home and just chill!!!
My Grandma is not doing well. We went up on Monday to see her. She is 97 years old. She is amazing.....she is so lovely. She has been without my Grandpa since 2004, what an anticipated reunion! We do believe in Families Forever, and we will see all of them again. I really believe this, and that is what gives the biggest peace to people who have lost loved ones. we can see each other again, and be with them again. These are the blessings of the Temple!
Hailey is always wanting to learn how to do something. She is a really nice helper. She is too funny! She wanted to learn how to do her own laundry, and start the dishwasher last night. She is always wanting to learn a mom job, as she calls them! She always wants a play date!! We have had a few of her friends over, it is fun to see them play. A couple of days ago, her friend said that she didn't want to be a mom or ever get married, and she doesn't want children. This bothered Hailey, she said I want to be a mom so bad, and I really want kids, and I for sure want to get married someday, and be a grandma too!!! I just love everything about her. I cherish these slower days and nights with her.
Ryker has been into Harry Potter lately, he dresses as him daily, and even puts a scar on his forehead! He tells everyone that he is the real Harry Potter! He is also in to Napoleon Dynamite.....I know right? Well a few nights ago at dinner, Mike said something, and Ryker looked at him, and said, "you can leave." We all started laughing soooo hard!!! Ryker has great timing.
A few nights ago we were looking at Vans, we came home, and Ryker was talking to me. He asked if I liked the Van, and I said I did, but wouldn't buy it from the man, because he rubbed me wrong. He was so concerned, he said "where did that man rub you?" I quickly explained myself. He is such a fun little man, I am going to miss him when he goes to school. He just graduated from preschool. He did so great this year!
Hailey loves to watch movies as well as TV, she is for sure mine! It seems as though she cannot function, we may have to do something about this......at least we have managed this long to keep video games out of the house! I think we would all get addicted.....no time for those silly games!
WE just got a VAN, WE ALL love it! It's a blue Kia Sedona, it is in great shape! Mike sure knows his cars. I really like the cargo room, I need it to haul all of their stuff, bikes, and other stuff. It is going to be great for trips as well, CANNOT EVEN WAIT!!!!! No DVD, NO POWER DOORS, NO PROBLEM! Less things for my kids to play with, and more conversation.....we have always been a NO DVD kind of a family.....this might change, don't quote me!

This morning some van talk happened:
Hailey: can we go to breakfast in our van? at least a ride?
Ryker: I could not stop looking at the van last night, I kept getting out of bed! I love this van!
Hailey: I want this car.....
Ryker: It is our car!
Hailey: (pretending to be a mom friend)
You know when you sleep and you forget you have a van, ya, this happened to me this morning, funny right?

Too funny!!!

Busy Summer

We have had a busy summer so far.
soccer camps for Hailey and Ryker, whole month of June!
swim lessons-now over
running club
going to visit grandparents
cleaning and decluttering the yard and home
homework-reading and writing and more reading and math. got to keep their minds working!
waterslides with cousins
waterslides with us
late nights
fireworks
cuddling
friends
bike rides
water anything!
outdoor plays
movies
Mom fail....no pictures of anything, we have been living in the moment!!! I need to do better.


This week I am hoping for more waterslides, more sun, more hiking and less late nights!

I love summer, and this is one is the best so far! My kids make me laugh so hard! I love staying at home and having fun with them. Their dad is awesome like that, he works so hard for us, so this is possible. I hope he knows how much he is loved and how much we appreciate him. I need to tell him more!

Field Day!!!!

Haileys' team won first place in the relay, and won again against the whole first grade girls!!! I was so proud of her, and her friends! They were so happy and really excited to win as well.
She also participated in the 50 yard dash, she is a speedy runner! Ryker and I were so happy to see her run her heart out!
Ryker got to do some events too. They had fun with the tug-o-war, and even won that too!
She had a great field day, and so did we:)

                                                She is getting ready, getting set and going!

                                   She was playing "down by the banks", it was fun to watch:)

                                                                Her winning relay team!

                                           A bunch of her friends! So much fun to watch:)

                  He was playing with a piece of wood, on tar, like a car! So fun:), such a boy!!!

                                                                        getting ready!

                                                  waiting for relay member, place #2!

                                                    great job, great form! amazing:)

                                                little girls just trying to beat each other!

                                                                   number one!!!!

                                                  wwwwwaaaaaaaahoooooooo hailey!

                                                         her class! what a great time!

                                                             sharks and lifeguards!!!

                                                         they are tugging, and war-ing!

Marathoners unite!

I really only have some words, and a lot of emotion....it is so weird to think that I, myself, have crossed a couple of "finisher banners" at the end of a marathon. To think how much their bodies have just done, and how long their friends and families have been their waiting, to hug, and some spread inspiration, motivation, and a whole lot of celebrating, the outcome in Boston scares me.
I am not making a lot of sense, maybe I never do. Yesterday was so hard on me, and last night, any sound woke me up. I felt as if runners had been targeted. I felt, the thing that is so much a part of my life, was now tanted.
I WAS WRONG! I woke up and just thought about running. I put on my running clothes, but had not a lot of desire to go. I read a few running blogs, and so many awesome people, were so uplifting, and so heartfelt, but yet more motivated? I don't even know if that is possible, to make a marathoner more motivated! I was thinking that as runners we hit a lot of walls, so I was thinking of this, as the wall of all walls.....and I got on that treadmill, and ran 26 minutes and 2 seconds that fastest I have in a long time, and I did it in silence. I felt so tearful the whole time. What a connection runners have, I love this sport, the people, and the kindness shown towards the hurt, so many heros yesterday.....THANK YOU!!! (the soldiers, the police, the running personnel, and everyone who helped, oh.my.goodness., thanks so much to many heros.) I feel so much sadness for the families who lost their loved ones. I am praying for them, and will be.
I don't know a lot of what I can do, but giving up racing is now not an option. It may have entered my mind yesterday, but man, when Hailey said that she was never going to run another race, it broke my running mom heart! I said, now Hailey, that is not the answer! She said are you going to race again, and I said yes. I have to be brave for her, and show her that their might be some evil, but there is a WHOLE lot of awesome in the world!!! (you just happen to see a lot of the world when you race! Some of the best people I have met are while running a marathon, or training for one, such.a.great.community.)

I saw this and I love it:

"If you are trying to defeat the human spirit, marathoners are the wrong group to target."
                                                                 unkown

I love the running community. I also read that when they were done running, some runners ran to the hospital to donate blood, AWESOME!

I have hope for this nation. I have hope for marathoners. I have hope for my children. Today, I just have hope. Not a lot of sense, just somber hope.

Thanks for reading.

Spring Break day 3

 

Hailey and Ryker eating at the train place!

They loved to pretend with this thing. We ate in the caboose.

 

They get along so well.

We then went a little out of my comfort zone, but we went on a wild adventure to Park City! This is us on Main Street, they were so fun!

They were watching the skiers, I have never been this close either, they thought it was amazing! (so did I:))

They loved every minute.

See what we mean, I mean that is awesome.

Then we went to a Park, because it is Park City, right?

They had so much fun exploring, climbing, zip lining, and just having so much fun! I let them just have at it!

This was fun to watch, they kept saying "this is a sticky situation!"

I love them too much.

He was a little scared, he was up so high.

Hailey loved every minute of it.

She loved the zip line, she held on so tight.

Oh, he is a climber!

My little jack in the box!

He loved this.

She loved to do the pick up, and Ryker loved to dump it!

Hailey has always loved to swing, she goes really high, and today she decided to do the splits with her legs to make pumping a little harder.

Ryker has just got around to liking the whole swinging sensation, he is doing great and now can go really high.

I love them, and am grateful they still want to hang out with me, I have heard that changes......please not soon.