Thunder-hawks Spring Soccer: In short...

 A blocked kick, 

 a goal scored, 

 an (inappropriate) celebratory slide,  

first place again this year.

She's huge awesomeness in a tiny package.

Gymnastics Invitational. 

A chance to show her fans what she's been up to.

They competed against each other using the USAG level 4 routines.

And if you're like me (and know nothing about gymnastics) I'm not sure that means much, a video would be more fun.  But all I know is that my body has never (and will never) been able to do what my little 6 year old is doing.  She's got her round-off back-handsprings down and kips/cast/front & back hip circle etc etc etc...

I'm being serious, but I'm being sarcastic because every time she learns something new, I come home and google/youtube it so I know what she is talking about. 

It's exciting, but she spends a lot of time at the gym and honestly, I miss her.

This summer is the first summer she is training with the big girls. 

Today her coach told me on the first day the girls were introducing themselves to each other, and were asked to tell the group one other thing they liked to do besides gymnastics.  The coach said most girls talked about swimming and sleepovers and boys (picture this: there is only one other 6 year old in her class, most girls are 9-12 yrs old...haha) and Lily said:  "I like to help my little sister."

Oh gosh.  Melt my heart.  It's so true too.

And as you can see from above photos, Lily's adoring little sister wants to be just like her.

Take your Child to Work Day

I remember as a teacher that this day always signaled the end of the school year (four weeks left!)
And I am pretty sure at this point my children see "take your child to work day" as one filled with donuts and lunch out.  But when I look at this picture, and those heads fitted with EcoElite hats, I can't help but feel a new and more personal significance to this yearly event.  I think it might always remind me of throwing our proverbial hat (and savings) in the ring...and all the unknowns and uncertainty that came with it.  We had no grand illusions of monetary success,  but more we were just trying to provide for our growing family, and take what felt like the right step (as scary and stress-inducing as it was).  Our children always displayed implicit trust in us.  Of course this shipment of hats (or uniforms or fliers or whatever) just showed up on the doorstep for Dad.  When inside I'm like, "Who the heck are we to be doing this!" as the delivery man walks away.  Perhaps it's just another one of those reversals I seem to constantly run into during this parenting experience. Here we are, supposedly exposing them to career ideas, letting them in on our "adult" day to day, when they have always been, and will always be both the motivation and the encouragement behind the entire operation.   

Happy 4th Birthday Roman!

                                                 

To celebrate Roman and Marquise's 4th birthday we went bowling.  On a Tuesday night.  At this point in our lives, weekends are so packed that it made sense for us. (my sister and I were planning in March, and every April weekend was spoken for)  It was so much fun that it got me thinking, we really should do more celebrating during the week.  Mr. Roman is 4.  He is such a cool cat, is that just a given for 3rd children?  He's got such an adorable Cheshire Cat smile.  He's always willing to return  a grin shot his way, but most often you'll find him serious-faced, and intent on taking in everything around him.  I have a feeling this will be such a huge year for him.  He tells David and I every week that he just "wants his own team".  I'm pretty sure he doesn't care what activity he plays, he's just ready to get out there.  Ready to cash in on his own after game snack and Gatorade.  While Roman is dying to be "bigger" ( he was pretty bummed to learn that this birthday wouldn't make him older than Zach :) I am loving simple days with my 4 year old.  Yesterday was so beautiful.  I took Poppy and Roman up to the sandbox and we built (and he smashed) hundreds of sandcastles.  Personally, that sort of thing is what I will enjoy most about this fourth year.  Love you Roman.

Easter

Poppy didn't really need the head start we gave her on our family egg hunt.  She ended up with a basket full of goodies mostly on her own...racing from egg to egg.  Like her older sister, she is excited by life.  One of my favorite things she is doing now is yelling "YAY!" whenever she senses something fun is about to happen. Waking up to easter baskets on Sunday, "YAY!"

Coming downstairs and seeing all the hard boiled eggs and dye cups 

(and trashbags covering the counters!), "YAY!"

She's a doll that little Poppy.

Ahhh, the best we could do.  After church, after the drive to my parents, and before the kids were allowed to take off their Easter Sunday best.  My expectations for snapshots have lowered considerably.  Are we all in the picture?  Perrrrrfect.

a new look

Kitchen time!  We are mostly finished with kitchen projects (still hunting for a light fixture for the breakfast nook..gotta finish some painting...)  But it feels so good to be here.  Good to be done with the crazy parts.

  I walk downstairs each morning and pinch myself.

Kitchen before (well, we had already refinished the floors)

I like the antique brass hardware, warms the space up.  Knobs on top, pulls on bottom.

It's a big process trying to decide exactly where you want to spend your money,

and your (husbands) time.

There were a few ideas that didn't make it pass the chopping block, but all in all, I am loving the changes we did make.

 This little nook to the left of the refrigerator is one of my favorite places.
It's my baking pantry in a cabinet (idea ala pinterest)

I keep most baking supplies here as opposed to in the pantry.

The drawer on the right is filled with baking spices, 

and the drawer on the left contains all those baking gadgets

(measuring cups and spoons, mixer attachments etc.)

Below are my baking pans and trays. 

Organizing in this fashion has really streamlined my process.

 I love this little area in a ridiculous way.

I love that it's something one could implement in any kitchen.

View from behind the island.

I soooo appreciate how quiet the dishwasher is :)

(anything that lowers the decibel level in this house is a friend of mine!)

There were decisions to save or splurge the whole way through.

The faucet was one place I spent a little more, and I don't regret it a bit.

It's front and center in the kitchen and to me, like jewelry.

We saved on hardware (clearance find!), backsplash, and doing most work ourselves, 

but the other splurge was probably the countertops and again...we are so happy with the result.

It's a white quartzite stone with beautiful veining.

Between my wonderful (but messy/destructive) children, and my own kitchen habits,

I appreciate that it is durable and performs like a granite. 

Also loving....that deep single basin sink.

 David ran a new gas line, and my cooking dreams came true.  It's as wonderful as I suspected.

 Most all of the changes we made were cosmetic.  One thing I always loved about this kitchen was the layout.  It functions so well and has pretty little corners (like the glass cabinets) that keep it interesting.

Like most good things the kitchen was a combination of preparation (saving up our pennies) and right-timing (how long I dreamed of my own home again) and a large dose of blessing.  I feel the blessing part every time I walk into the kitchen.  It's super fun to dream and scheme and then to make it/see it happen.  Lots of satisfaction in the process for sure!

Now it's on to other projects, like actually hanging something on a wall.

Baptism

This is surreal. 

It went through my mind each time I did something in preparation for Zachary's Baptism day.

Ordering his first quad-set with name lovingly engraved...

Emailing the program details...

Writing a little talk about the Gift of the Holy Ghost...

Shopping for a snazzy new church outfit (for him)...

The significance of the day was not lost on me.

It was simple and meaningful.

And most importantly, his choice.

(what I love most about being baptized at the age of 8)

While singing the opening hymn Baptism (again, his choice)

the most sweet spirit filled my heart.

There are few life experiences that actually, truly reach the designation of joyful, 

but this, 

this was one of them.