Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Tanner vs. the headboard

Friday night after we put the boys to bed we could hear Tanner crying.  Stephen checked on him and left, but he continued to cry so Stephen took a flashlight this time for further investigation only to find Tanner with a huge black eye.  He likes to flop down onto his pillow and we think he meant to do that and hit the headboad instead.  Sad times!  The next morning it was quite swollen  and purple.  I took this picture of him yesterday.  He is starting to heal.  Today it is a lovely yellow and greenish color.  I think the headboard won this round.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Recital

We can't stay away from my parent's house this month.  I am glad we live close enough to see them often.  Rose is a senior so even though we don't live with her our life is becoming wrapped up with hers.  :)  Yesterday was her senior recital and so we went up to see it.  She played the bassoon and the piano.  It was enjoyable.  I didn't take a picture of her because I had a kid in my arms the whole time, but I did take a picture of Jillian, Vance, and Tanner enjoying their refreshments after the recital was over.  Fruit with yummy dip, cakeballs, and this popcorn (I don't know the name) that is really yummy. 
The boys really want a copy of "Rose's Cinderella"  Grandpa Porter, can you help us out with that?  They are really cute about it.
More Rose to come later in the week because she graduates on Friday!  :)

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Ten Years

I know it is hard to believe, but I graduated from high school 10 years ago.  Gasp!  I know, I am so young, right?  There must be a mistake.  Alas, it is true.  I am writing this post mainly so I can vent a little frustration and move on.  Feel free to skip it if you so desire. 
I will be honest, I have been pretty on the fence about attending my high school reunion.  Should I go?  Should I not?  Will it be worth it?  Will Stephen and I be looking at each other the whole time having a silent conversation on how quickly we can escape?  I graduated with a whopping 70 some other kids.  I went to a small high school where you know everyone, even if you don't talk to everyone you know who they  are.  I think I could flip through my year book and at least tell you what types of activities everyone did or who they hung out with even if I never spoke to them.  I graduated with some wonderful people who I care about.  Truth be told though, I am not close to a lot of my classmates.  Between being quiet and spending the majority of my high school career dating the same person (who I don't care to ever see or talk to again) I didn't hang out with a lot of people.  Alas, there are some people who I haven't seen since graduation that I would like to see again.  I also have good friends I have seen since then, but don't get a chance to chat with very often so I finally decided I would just go.  Besides, if nothing else it'd give Stephen and I an excuse to go out without our children. 

I knew early on that the plan was to have our reunion at a winery in town.  Not where I would choose to have it, but I figured there was a good chance of that happening.  There are lots of wineries in town and more than one kid I graduated with have parents who own wineries.  Not excited about the location, but wineries are very nice.  Last weekend I found out that it was going to cost $40 a person to go.  I knew we were going to have to pay something, but my naive little brain was thinking more like $40 for both of us not a piece.  I wondered what exactly was covered in the $40 so I risked looking like a cheapskate and asked.  This price includes the winery, food, and drinks (which I think we can all agree is wine, right?).  Maybe I really am just that cheap, but I don't want to spend that much money to go hang out with a handful of people I care about.  I don't know what they are serving, but with as picky an eater that Stephen is it is very doubtful that he would eat anything.  Obviously neither of us will be drinking any wine and do I really want to pay for other people to drink alcohol? No.  Do I really want any of my money to go to a winery anyway?  No. I feel like I am the only one from my class who actually thinks this is a lot of money to spend on a reunion.  I guess, that is what frustrates me.  I know a couple of people have three kids like I do, but most have less.  I don't know if anyone else is a student or married to a student, but I am. Am I the only one watching every penny? Quite frankly, Stephen and I never pay that much to go out.  That could buy me four boxes of diapers!  

My classmates can go and have a great time at the reunion.  I am sure it will be lovely for those who go, but I personally am going to spend my $80 on something much more useful.  Hopefully, I can see those handful of people I care to see some other time. 

But really I would like someone to validate my feelings.  Any takers?

Monday, May 23, 2011

Princes and a Princess

Jillian, Vance, and Tanner were pretending to be a princess and princes yesterday before church.  I am glad my boys get a long with there cousins. 

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Bragging about Rosemary

With my baby sister, Rosemary about to graduate we are keeping ourselves busy with the big events that have been happening in her life lately.  This past weekend we went over to my parents for the high school play she was in.   They did Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. (I have ALWAYS loved this version).  Rosemary was Cinderella.  She did a Fabulous job!

Not a great picture, but here we all our with the Prince and the director, Mrs. Brant.  Stephen and Sean's shirts said, "Cinderella's Bodyguards"  Holly and I were "The REAL sisters", my mom was the "Fairygod mother" and my dad was "The Clock that struck midnight".

Here are the five grandkids in their t-shirts.  All the shirts said "Team Cinderella" on the back.  The boys shirts said "Prince in Training" and the girls said, "Princess in Training"

On Saturday they had a matinee performance that we took our kids too.  My older sister, Holly and her family was there too.  My mom made us shirts that were fun.  The kids really enjoyed it.  Afterwards they we were invited to have ice cream and meet the cast.  My boys had no interest in meeting the cast.  Tanner was very tired and emotional and I didn't even get a picture of him and Rose like I wanted.  Oh well.  He did LOVE the play.  In the evening Holly and I went back with my parents and left our hubby's to tend to the children.  We needed to see it without kids crawling all over our laps. 

I was feeling sentimental since it was Rosemary's last play and she is the last in my family of the five kids to do theater in high school.  I have posted about that more here and here.
The sisters.  Eric came last week and saw the play and Glen is on his mission so this is as close as we got to being all together.
I also have to brag about my mom too because she sewed several costumes for Rose.  She and Rose worked really hard on getting the transformation from her scrubs to her ball gown and it was awesome so I am showing a little clip of it here.

The Stepmother ripping her first ball gown.

Just after the transformation.

They had three stepsisters.  I will quote Tanner afterr they finished their main song, "Those three girls are awesome!"

Have to get a picture with the prince in there too. Rose used my mom's real veil from when she got married.
Rosemary, Vance, and the Prince.
Rose, Porter, and the Prince
 AWESOME JOB ROSEMARY!

Thursday, May 19, 2011

More Scrapbook Pages

Here are some more scrapbook pages I have done recently.  The last one is a two-pager.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Community Days

We made a day trip over to my parents yesterday.  The main reason was because my brother, Eric and his wife Tami were in town.  It was also community days in our small town so we were able to go to the parade as well.  Some of the pictures I am posting are ones that Eric took.  His camera rocks and he is a better photographer than the point and shooter photographer I am. 
 Eric and Tami.  They make a cute pair. (Told you he has a cool camera)  My boys LOVE Eric and Tami.  They were so excited to hang out with them.  Vance insisted on sitting by Eric the entire day.  He tried to be Eric's shadow.  :)
 Grandma and Grandpa were entertaining the boys before the parade got started.
 Porter was having fun playing Pat-A-Cake with Grandma.
 See the cute girl leading the band?  Yep, that's my little sister.  She did a great job too.  They had 5th grade-through high school band kids playing.
 A close up of Rose.  Doesn't she look all professional with her gloves and the whistle in her mouth?  :)
 Vance was pumped for the parade.  He was counting down the days until we went.
 Tanner looking awfully cute in the camp chair.
 Porter did great!  He enjoyed the parade and danced as the bands went passed.
 Here is proof that I was there too.  I do have a lovely sunburn to prove it as well.
 Vance was excited to collect candy!
 Tanner has a tongue fetish.
 I like this picture of Vance.
 Stephen was holding our camera and a clown came by, took the camera, and the snapped this picture of him.  It made me laugh.  Stephen told me to erase it, but I posted it here instead.  :)
 Waving at the people going by.
Porter was so tired.  In fact, he fell asleep in the stroller as we walked home.  He was a good sport though.

We had a great time.  I will probably post more pictures on facebook.  Next weekend we will be back up to my parents.  Rose's play opened this passed weekend and we are going to see it next weekend.  Holly and her family will be up next weeked too.  Fun, Fun, Fun!

Friday, May 13, 2011

Loving the Beautiful Weather

WARNING:  This post contains lots of pictures of cute little boys!
I have to take a picture of the three of them smiling whenever I get a chance.

Scooters and of course, Porter had to join in the fun with his lion.
Sidewalk Chalk!



Porter was helping with the rake.

Checking out a bug.
 Bubbles!



 Vance and Tanner went into the house first yesterday evening from playing outside and the first sight I saw was this...
 Followed by this...
They told me that they were mad at each other and were not talking to each other.  I don't know what brought this on.  I tried to get some kind of explaination out of them and couldn't.  I actually think they were pretending to be mad at each other because neither one truly seemed put out, despite the look Tanner has on his face.  I think Vance was hiding his face so I couldn't see him smiling.  Silly kids.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

It's an airplane

While playing outside Tanner says to me "Mom, I think I hear something." 
 "It's an airplane!"

Monday, May 9, 2011

Mother's Day

I had a wonderful Mother's Day.  I hope all of you wonderful mothers did as well.  I have been blessed with a great Mother.  I have also been blessed by other great mothers in my life (mother-in-law, grandmothers, sister, sister-in-law, and many more).  I just realized that I spent Mother's Day with my mom, but I didn't take a picture with her.  That is criminal isn't it?  I did however get a picture with my boys before we sent off to my parents ward yesterday morning.
Highlights from my Mother's Day 2011:

1. Spending it with my mom
2.  Talking to my brother, Glen who is on a mission
3.  Spending the day with my children and husband
4.  Seeing my long-time friend, Angela.  She has three little girls the same ages as my boys (and she is as beautiful as ever, I might add)
4.  My Dad made steaks for dinner. 
5.  Getting a pedicure from my younger sister.

Aside from going to my parents for Mother's Day and getting the chance to talk to my brother on the phone Stephen had a test to take.  For whatever reason his IT tests he has to taken at a tech school an 1 1/2 away from us, but it's only 1/2 hour a way from my parents so he did that this morning.  Now he is Security+ Certified.  Way to go Stephen!

While Stephen was taking his test, my parents were at work, and Rose was at school so the boys and I went and played outside.  It is a beautiful spring day!  I am loving it.
Porter admiring some of Grandma's flowers.

Tanner testing out Grandpa's step project out back.

Vance had fun jumping off this "wall".
I am very excited for what is coming in the next few weeks.  My brother Eric and his wife Tami will be up here next weekend.  The weekend after that my sister Holly and her family will be up here.  Everyone is coming up to see my baby sister, Rose in her high school play.  They are doing Cinderella and Rose is Cinderella so we will be going to that one weekend as well.  Woo-hoo!  Rose is also graduating soon so we will be going to that!  Fun times to come.