Primary Pizza Party

Our new arrivals

Jasmine had her kittens on the 28th of May while I had a house full of 5 girls! I had volunteered to tend Heather's three oldest while they got settled in their house in St. George. The girls were playing outside when they came and got me. They said they thought Jasmine's kittens were coming because "she was just laying there and there was kind-of a lump" in Sekoya's words. So for the next three hours I had to keep 5 curious little girls out of the unfinished room in my basement so Jasmine could have some privacy. I was pretty nervous for her since this was her first batch of kittens and she was pretty young herself. I know I probably made a bigger deal out of nature's course than I needed to, but I had never experienced birth in animals before. She ended up with five cute little kittens- 2 black, 1 white, 1 grey and white, and 1 calico like her. I was scared that the first black one was not going to make it, but they all did and Jasmine is a great little mommy cat! So........... we will need to find 5 good homes for kittens in about 6 weeks! Don't everybody jump at once!

Spring Dance Recital

Random Cuteness

These first two pictures were at the Ashman storytelling festival. I had to catch Sekoya being nice to her sister while they listened to a story by Mrs. Boyter.

These pictures show what happens when Sekoya gets a hold of my cell phone. I love her dimple in the second one! Too cute to delete!

Memorial Day weekend

We spent Memorial weekend camping at Fishlake and getting the property ready for the cabin. We hauled a big loader, bob cat, dump trailer, and mini excavator up there. The boys spent two whole days just "playing in the dirt". So did the kids! When the guys were busy I kept the kids out of the way and built stick huts, found bugs, and went for short 4 wheeler rides. They had to be short because it was still pretty cold up there. In fact it rained almost all day on Saturday. It was nice though to be away from the phones, tv, and internet!

Climbing up the dirt hill

I found some worms and Sekoya and Katera were the only ones that wanted to play with them! I am so glad that my girls aren't "sissy" girls!

We went for a walk along the path by the lake.

And of course threw rocks in the lake- one of their favorite camping activities.

Golf 101

While Jason was home this week we went to the golf course too. Sekoya has her own set of clubs that she got for her birthday last year. We walk over to the middle school quite often to let her practice swinging her clubs. So this time we went to the driving range. Jason gave her some quick pointers on how to hold the club, her back swing, and forward swing. Maybe if we're lucky she will make us rich some day! She really enjoys hitting the golf balls and LOVES it when Jason takes her on a round with him.

Katera chased the birds and ran around. She always stops and poses for me when she realizes I am taking a picture of her.

Last week of school

Jason has been home this last week, so I haven't been getting my new posts in. It has been great to have him home though. I would much rather have his company than the blogging world any day!! He has been able to see Sekoya in her t-ball games and her Kindergarten program. That's right, she is going to be a first grader! I can't believe she will be in school all day next year. I keep saying I can't wait for that, but I think I will miss her during the day! It was fun to watch all the kids that I helped with through the year. Some are so shy that it was absolutely terrifying for them to be in front of all those people. Not my Sekoya! She is not the least bit shy. She was hamming it up through the whole program. She couldn't even help herself from pulling faces at me and Jason. Right before the program started Katera wanted to go sit in the chairs. She can't wait to be big like Sekoya. Later in the day we went to the carnival that comes to town every summer. It is stinkin' expensive, but the girls had a blast. It doesn't help that it is right on main street so you drive by it when you are out running errands. Katera was big enough to go on all the kid rides this year and loved it! It makes me want to go back to Disneyland! Maybe in the next year or so if another little Rappleye doesn't come along. So that is what we have been doing for Sekoya's last week of school for the year. I am excited for summer and all the swimming, camping, boating, picnics, bike rides, night games, and all the ice cream and popsicles we can eat! (somebody will have to remind me that I said that about ice cream and popsicles)

Long lost friend

Recently I found my friend- Tavah-that I have not seen or talked to in 12 years! The funny thing is, this is the second time we have reconnected. We lived in Blanding together when we were very little- 5 years old. Then I moved away. We went back to Blanding for a camping trip when I was about twelve. I ran into her there and we became pen pals. We wrote each other letters practically every day. We would get to spend a few days each summer at each others house. Then I got married and we lost touch. She was such a great friend growing up. I could always vent about problems with friends at school, my parents, boys, and she was never prejudice about any of it. I was blog surfing one day and found her sister's blog, which led me to hers. Long story short I got in touch with her and we have been catching up on a lot. Last weekend I went to Salt Lake to see her. We spent the day getting a pedicure, had dinner at The Melting Pot, and then went to the movie- Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. It was so much fun! It was so great to hear what she had been up to for the last few years. We will definitely have to keep in touch from now on! She is such a fun person to be around. Thanks for a great time!

Kindergarten Program and Carnival

Mrs. Rasmussen her teacher We went to Sekoya's Kindergarten program today. They did a cute program centered around nursery rhymes. Sekoya chose Hickory Dickory Dock. They had to wear some sort of costume representing their nursery rhyme. I thought about her costume all week, but waited until this morning to make it. I thought it turned out pretty cute. While we were waiting for the kindergartners to come in Katera decided she needed to sit in the chairs and be the center of attention. That is always my kids' roles. Sekoya did very well reciting her nursery rhyme and sang all the cute songs. She was pulling faces at me and Jason the whole time. She is definitely not a shy child. It was funny to watch all the other kids who are shy. One looked like he just might throw up before it was over. When we left school after the program Sekoya cried because she is going to miss her teacher Mrs. Rasmussen. I must say she was a great teacher for Sekoya. She was very patient with her and handled her rambunctious shenanigans very well! I would recommend her as a teacher any day!

Sekoya and Abbie

Jayni

Hadyn and Parker

Pulling funny faces as requested by our photographer- Sekoya

After the program we went to the carnival that comes every year to the city park. Katera was finally big enough to ride all the kid rides. They had a blast going on the rides again and again. I didn't take any pictures because I have decided I want to have some fun with my kids and not always be behind the camera. Then we went home and had a hot dog picnic in our back yard. It was great to spend time with the kids with just the simpleness of the backyard and a blanket.

First T-ball game of the season

She wanted them to huddle to give their team cheer before they got up to bat. Her coach thought she said cuddle!
Ready for the ball!

Last night was Sekoya's first t-ball game for this summer. I thought she did great! This is her second year of t-ball while all her team mates are playing for their first time. Last year she didn't seem as interested in the game as she was with the sticks on the ground, the bugs in the air, or dancing to her own tune. Last night she showed major signs of improvement. She actually knew that you shouldn't all stand together in a big clump waiting for the ball. She also knew that you didn't need to chase the ball to the other side of the field along with all other seven players of the team. She hit the ball awesome. I even think she might have gotten a little faster too. She has always been a really slow runner. She was getting a little frustrated with her team and their lack of understanding. I was so proud of her! Maybe I will have a little athlete after all! Keep your fingers crossed.

Profound

"I really want to focus on happiness as a parent because I don't want my children to think their choices can manipulate my own. Or, more importantly, I don't want to manipulate my children's choices. I hope to establish a relationship based on education, learning from one another, rather than controlling one another.

I hope I will always have the faith to let him choose his way, knowing that as I allow his character to grow, mine will too. In learning to see that his choices are his own, I am empowered to own my reactions. And my desire--above all else--is to choose to be a happy mother."

I found these personal thoughts from a mother of one during one of my blog surfing sessions. I am not very eloquent with my words like this mother. She summed up all of my feelings of motherhood in two short paragraphs. I hope she doesn't mind that I copied and pasted to my blog, but I thought more people should be enlightened by her profoundness.

Good end to a BAD day

Katera has been potty trained for about 5 months now. You would have never known that today. She peed her pants, pooped her pants (at lunch at Pepperbelly's), and then pooped in the tub!!! I was completely at my limit as the mommy today. I was ready to pull my hair out. So I was getting the girls ready for and early bed time. I had to go turn the water off on the garden, which may I say is all coming up! I had told the girls to pick stories and jump in bed and I would be right there. When I got downstairs Sekoya was in bed with Katera reading the bed time stories! I just sat in the hall and listened. She only missed one word. She would stop occasionally and point out things in the pictures to Katera. It was sooooo sweet. I went in to say prayers and the Katera asked for a song. Sekoya volunteered to sing a song for her too. It made me realize that I am making some impression on my kids. I just took a deep breath and reminded myself how much I love my kids- the good, bad, and the ugly!

A couple more funnies from Katera:

For the last two days she has been saying- Will you make me a favor? ( Will you do me a favor?)

I gave her a pen to write with and I said I didn't know if it worked. She wrote on her hand and said "It works!"

Park Mommy?

I think not! I'm sorry, but I have a gripe. I was at the park with my kids today. I was following them around and pushing them in the swings. I got a phone call on my cell phone. While I was on the phone this 4-5 year old kid kept yelling at me to help him in the swings. I was pushing Katera in a big kid swing because the baby swing was occupied. I was not going to leave my child and take the chance of her falling out to help some other person's kid when they were sitting quietly on the bench reading a book. I would like to sit and read a book too, but I don't ignore my kids so someone else can take care of them. Besides, I was on the phone and the kid was being really rude yelling at me while I was talking. Sorry, if this was your kid!

Mom's Day/weekend

My Mother's Day lasted all weekend...... and the rest of the year too! I am so excited. Jason and the girls have decided that I get one weekend a month free from all 'Mom' duties. Yipeeeeeee! So I might be having mac 'n cheese for dinners (Sekoya's job) and clothes might be folded quite interesting (Katera's duty). I thought that was and will be a wonderful gift!

Friday night we did a project. We made plaster stepping stones. I don't know how well they will hold up, but the girls had fun doing them. I also let the girls stay up late to see the stars. Yes, my children are in bed way before the stars come out. They both were so excited when we walked out and there was a big, bright, full moon- or close to full anyway. We wrapped up in blankets and laid on our little trampoline. Sekoya kept asking where the big dipper was. I showed her that and then she asked where was 'the second star to the right'. Can you say cute!!! We listened to the crickets. I asked Katera if she could hear them and she said - Yeah, they go EEEk EEEk. Sekoya was asking hard questions that I don't know the answers to...... what is a star, why do crickets chirp, do they only chirp at night.... etc. I am going to ask Google on those ones.

While we waited for our plaster to set up I was weeding and found a worm. It broke in half and Sekoya was sad. I explained to her how worms can regenerate a new worm from a broken piece. Later, Katera lost her half of the worm and Sekoya broke her half in half again. She said, "What- you told me it can grow a new worm!"

Saturday we packed our bikes into the pickup and unloaded at the Marysvale bike path. Sekoya is doing so good without her training wheels. Grandma Sindy and Grandpa Mike drove up the highway stopping several times to take pictures for me. We met them at Hoovers for lunch. The only casualty was Katera, and she was in a bike trailer! She got out and wanted to walk. When Jason went to get her she ran from him. She tripped and fell scraping both knees and getting a big goose egg on her forehead. She was holding a sippy cup and couldn't break her fall. As if that wasn't bad enough, she had woken up that morning with a bad urinary tract infection. Poor thing. We sent the girls back home with Grandma and Grandpa while Jason and I rode the trail back down. We figured we rode about 11 miles. It was great, but my behind isn't broken in yet for bike riding. We went home and BBQ'd steak and crab. It was way yummy! Then I ran to the Miss Sevier pageant where I was a backstage helper. It was fun to be backstage and see all the craziness. All it did though was make my thoughts about pageants even more concrete. There were 12 girls competing and all of them- with the exception of one- deserved to win. They were all beautiful, talented, very poised girls. I don't know how the judges could pick just one. I really, really, really hope Sekoya never wants to do pageants!

At the start of the trail

Sunday was not too bad either. We were ready for church with enough time to walk there. That is a miracle. The girls weren't too bad through sacrament meeting and the rest of the day was pleasant too. The only thing that could have made it better was if I didn't have to teach primary. After dinner we roasted marshmellows on our BBQ. Thanks to my wonderful, loving husband and beautiful kids for a GREAT Mother's Day!

Evidence of her goose egg.

Katera has a serious aversion to sticky hands.