5K...

Our Stake theme for the year has been Health & Wellness. Yesterday was the 5K run/walk (guess what we did??) The WALK was from the Stake Center to the Temple and back.

We're ready to go!!

Trying to wake up...

Our group.

We're off...

Just keep walking...and walking...

HALFWAY!!!

This is what halfway looks like.

Sam decided he was DONE with us slow pokes & decided to run the rest of the way. And he really did!

We finished!

(Can anyone recommend a good wrinkle cream?? gheesh.)

This really was a lot of fun. We did a good job of bringing up the rear (what with all of the stopping to look at bugs & sunflowers, get a drink, take off jackets, put jackets back on..."hold your own jacket.", etc) The real challenge was getting our family there at the crack of dawn with somewhat of a smile on all of our faces, and virtually no complaining. In that respect, we won!!

they did it...

By "it" I mean that my boys walked home together...two days in a row!!!!

The history of this grand achievement:

Day 1: Matt & Zach pick up Sam from Kindergarten so they can all walk home together. On the way home, Sam passes them up...crosses the street BY HIMSELF, and arrives home a good 5 min before the big brothers even round the corner of our street.

This incurred a tongue lashing from mom about socializing after school for too long, responsibility, etc. And they had better keep little brother in their sight tomorrow, or else.

Day 2: Sam, having heard yesterdays tongue lashing, RUNS home with the sole purpose of upsetting the big brothers, and {hopefully} get them in trouble yet again, and thus diminishing the fantasy their mom had of the three boys finally attending school together, looking out for each other, brotherly love, blah, blah, blah...

Day(s) 4 & 5: They did it!! Today, Zach was even carrying Sam's backpack.

I did also hear of an incident the other day where Sam & his buddy were being bullied at recess and the big brothers came to the rescue!!

Warms my heart!!!

Seriously!!!

recipe...

Hey ladies!! Some of you requested the banana bread recipe...you can find it here.

Happy Birthday...

A- Amazing Aunt

U-Undeniably fashionable

N- Nifty

T- Timeless

I- Incredible

E- Expensive

D- Domestic (hee hee!!)

I- Incredible Sister

Happy Birthday you *%$*@ year old girl, you!!

Love you!!

happiness is...

Baking

Music (?)

Spending my afternoons with this little peanut!

We gave pics a shot...this is where she (seriously) said "No more pictures." While she thrashed around on the floor.
Four boys (my three plus a friend) that came home from school and went STRAIGHT to the table to do their Math homework. No lie. I even got the question "Can I do the rest of my homework now, too?" Apparantly...pigs do fly...

Four boys that polish off 2 1/2 (smallish) loaves of the banana bread that you made especially for them!

Life is good!!!

(oh yea...the Kleenex STAYED at school this time, but the glue sticks are back!!!!!)

oh sammy...

The Kindergartners were asked to donate two...just two...things to their class.

Kleenex

Glue Sticks

We purchased both of these things well before school started. Well, the glue sticks were sent in the backpack on the first day of school.

They came back.

So, thinking it was too hard for Sam to remember that they were in his backpack, I sent them in his hands.

They came back.

I asked him why the glue sticks kept finding their way back to our house. "I didn't need them today."

Today the Kleenex was sent...a package of three. Guess what?

They came back.

He didn't need them today, either.

(Sam walks up a VERY big hill to get home...the three pack of Kleenex is not the lightest thing for a 5 year old to carry...)

We'll try again tomorrow!

block party...

Setting up...

...a packed house...YAY!!!

I got the idea for the cookie election from Gab. It was a HIT!!

Pinata + Kids = FUN TIMES!!! & a lot of candy...

We LOVE our neighbors and had such a great time hanging out with them!!

Next September...same time...same place!!!