#%#&#!!! Varmints!!

I found this out in my front flower beds today:

Some dang-blasted varmint has been munching on my greenery!!! (The one on the right should look like the one on the left.)

This makes me extra mad because I put these plants in last year specifically because I had seen them flourishing around the neighborhood - not munched on.

What the what.

Also, it's been raining just about non-stop for the entire week.  (Well, it stopped yesterday evening, but of course we had History Fair and RS activities.)  So the lawn is in DIRE need of being mowed.  The rain stopped for a bit and Weather.com claimed it wouldn't rain again for another couple of hours.

Weather.com lies. I got about 1/4 of the lawn mowed before the heavens burst forth and a deluge descended upon us.  (Us being Tess, Cole, and I. Tess and Cole were running around like caged animals who had been released, which they kinda were.)

I raised my fist to the heavens and gave up. We went inside and made cookies for the LAN party tonight instead.

Since Spencer and Josh have come home I've noticed several of the cookies missing.  Those dang varmints are everywhere.

History Fair

Last night was Spencer's History Fair.  (Think Science Fair, only with history.  Tri-boards, presentations, and the kids dress up in costume.)

About a month ago the kids were given a rather extensive list of American History topics, or they could come up with one of their own.  Spencer forgot to turn in his top three choices and got stuck with - wait for it - the Jim Crow Laws.

Oy.

I mean, don't get me wrong.  This is an important part of history that everyone should know about.  But not exactly the most fun for a history fair.  And definitely hard to come up with a racially-sensitive costume.  Seriously.

The best thing about History Fair is that they do most of the work at school, which meant I didn't really have to deal with it at home.  That's the best kind of school project, in my book!

We ended up putting Spencer in his church clothes and putting a hat on him.  Hey, it got the job done! (And didn't offend anyone.)

It was pretty noisy in the gym, but Spencer did a great job of presenting his topic.  I was really proud of him!

I tried to get another picture, but sometimes little brothers are punks.

I think Spencer is just glad the whole project was almost over with... until next year when he gets to do it again!  (Fingers crossed for a better topic!)

Mother's Day... Finally!

I know, I know.  I'm a little late in this.  It's ridiculous.  Same old excuses: lots of end-of-term editing, sick kiddos, house work, yard work, whatever.  But today is like the 38th day of rain in a row here (okay, maybe 4th), and it's turned a bit chilly again, so I'm holed up in the basement with Tess and Cole.  We're snuggling in blankets and watching reruns of Phineas and Ferb.

It's a good life.

It was a good Mother's Day, too.

It started super early - like 4:30am early.  Tess came into our room, talking incoherently and climbing into bed with me.  I let her because I thought it was around 7am or something.  But then I looked at the clock and decided the girl needed to go back to bed.  I finally got her tucked in and back to sleep, just in time for a GINORMOUS thunderstorm to come rolling through.  I swear, the lightening was right outside our house, it was that loud.  I couldn't sleep for the noise, and I thought for sure that Tess would be coming back in.  But Tess stayed in bed and the storm ended and I finally got back to sleep for a bit.

We got up and started to get ready for church, only to learn that Spencer was sick.  Since I was introducing a new ward program that day I had to be at church, so Lance had to stay home.  Which meant I got to go to church with my three littlest imps.

It wasn't that bad.  I mean it wasn't great, either.  But it could have been a whole lot worse.  Although Cole did decide he wasn't going to Primary that day.  He followed me around while I did some Relief Society stuff and then lasted approximately 49.4 seconds in Sunday School, when he decided Primary was the more interesting choice.  That boy.

Lance made me lunch that afternoon and dinner that evening.  I chose sub sandwiches for dinner because 1) I love me a good sandwich, and 2) it was something easy that Lance could make. :)  We also made homemade peanut butter brownie batter swirl ice cream, which was a little piece of heaven in a bowl.

I didn't get any gifts on Sunday because I had ordered my gift the week before and it hadn't gotten here yet.  Yes, I ordered my own gift, because I knew what I wanted and it was easier than telling Lance and sending him the link and making sure he ordered the right one and on time and blah blah blah.  Anyway.  I'm finally getting a patio dining set!!  Yay!  Hopefully it will get here tomorrow or Friday.

Actually, I did get a couple of little gifts. I got this cute flower from church:

Way better than a rose, because now I can plant these in my garden!

Cole made me this little picture on the last day of preschool.  Super cute.

Random - here's the painting we did as a family at Cole's end of year program for preschool.  I know it's not Mother's Day related, but it's sitting in our front room and I figured I might as well add it here.  It's our fine art, and totally rivals anything that hack Monet ever did, right?

Spencer and Josh made me these little bowls in art class.  They also have a place of honor in our front entrance.

Josh also made me this CUTE book. It's so darling that I had to put it all on here. (Reasons #2 and 7 are my fav.)

"I love you because you read me chapter books."

"I love you because you cook the best shrimp."

"I love you because you help me with projects."

"I love you because you make me laugh when you tell me funny stories."

"I love you because you taught me how to ride my scooter."

"I love you because you take your time to play with me."

"I love you because you smell like roses."

"I love you because you work hard on helping me."

"I love you because you are really good at being nice."

"I love you because you are the BEST mom ever!"

Despite the early hour it started, it was a pretty great Mother's Day.

Father/Son Campout - Mommy/Daughter Date

The boys are all off at the annual Father/Son campout.  It's been raining.  A lot.  I hope they're okay and not too miserable.

Because then I might feel a teeny bit guilty about the lovely evening I had.

Gigi and I took our girlies out for dinner and pedicures, because that's what girls do, right?  (Well, these girls, anyways.)

*True Story:  Josh asked me if we have mommy/daughter camp outs and was quite shocked when I told him no.  "But that's not fair!  You should get to go on a camp out, too!"  To which I replied "If we wanted to go on a camp out we would.  But this mommy would rather spend an evening with her friends and then sleep in her bed."  Josh now thinks I'm crazy.*

Bergen and Tess were too cute for words getting their pedicures.  They actually had to wait quite a while to get them done, but they both behaved so well!  Okay, yes, I had to tell Tess a couple times not to splash or sit in the foot tub, but she's three and that alone forgives/explains a lot.

I only had my phone with me so the pictures aren't fantastic.  But better than nothing!

Tess was pretty excited to get to sit in the pink Hello Kitty-ish chair.

Bergen chose teal for her toes - it was super cute.

Tess, of course, chose pink.  They even put a little flower on her big toes!

Where were Gig and I?  Off to the side, getting our own pedicures and chatting about life, the universe, and everything.  It was a lovely evening.

And now it's time for bed.  In my warm bed - not in a soggy tent.  I really, really like being a mom.

Like Rabbits

An actual conversation I had with Josh at 6:45 this morning:

Josh: Look!  There's a rabbit!  Oh - there's TWO rabbits!

Me: Well, where's there's one rabbit there's always more.

Josh: They're fighting.

Me: Um, what?

Josh: Yeah, they're fighting.  One is trying to jump over the other one.

Me: And soon there will be LOTS more rabbits. (*rimshot*)

Josh: What?

Me: Go get dressed.  It's too early for this conversation.

Josh: Okay.

Winter Blues

Despite the 84 degree weather I am still suffering from the winter blues. I keep finding more and more winter damage to my landscaping.  So far I have lost 2 mums, 4 raspberry plants, 2 lavender plants, and 1 hydrangea.  (Okay, in all fairness I'm pretty sure at least 2 of the raspberries were overtaken by curious children.  But still, the cold certainly didn't help.)

My fruit trees seem pretty upset, too.  Only 2 of the 3 apples have a few spotty blossoms, and the peach tree is really, really angry.  I'm not sure about the pears yet, but since I only planted them last fall I'm just glad they're still alive.

This means I have a lot of work to do outside.

But I also have a lot of work to do inside, because I've become the unofficial travel agent for Aimpad and we're going to Taiwan for a week at the beginning of June. (Taipei, to be exact.) It is both exhilarating and terrifying to be going somewhere so completely foreign.  I have to decide where to go, how to get there, what to do, what to pack, how to entertain myself for the 22+ hour flight, on top of getting the house and the kids ready for the Silvers to watch them again.

It's a lot.

I need a nap.

But I suspect there will be no napping until I'm on that plane!

Another Season, Another Reason...

... why I never buy school pictures.

Me: Josh, why aren't you smiling?
Josh: I thought I was...
Me: You thought wrong.

Me: Spencer, why in the world did you wear pants with such big holes in the knees?
Spencer: Because I know you don't buy school pictures.
Me: Truth.  Go Cougs.