Music to my ears

Pictures of the boys after their first concert!!  I mention after... because we were all completely done (should have taken pictures before...) ... the concert went long... it was close to two hours... and we didn't eat until near their bedtime... anyways, not the point -- they were AMAZING!  And equally amazing that they sat through all the performances!

It's tradition for the parent to accompany their child... or in my case.. children, on the final concert.  I'm excited to get the video and see how cute the boys actually were! -- we got several compliments.  I'm also kind'of curious about how we sounded...

So proud of Levi and Seth and how much they have improved and accomplished on their violins thus far.  Next year, I am looking forward to watching my boys though instead of playing with them!

Good job Seth and Levi!

sweet

Levi woke up early today... and decided to make breakfast.

He got the toaster, bread, peanut butter, and jam out.  -- Not a small feet for a four year old!

It was such a sweet surprise to find that he made toast for Seth and Rae too.

Soccer Saturdays are gone...

Levi's last game:

We held some reptiles at the "Radical, Reptile Rally" ....

and fell asleep while watching Planet Earth

Saturdays go by too fast.

My flower child

Yesterday at the science center Mrs. Donna read to the children The Lorax. 

Raya was transfixed!  She was very concerned about the pollution, and the dirty pond, and would stop Mrs. Donna to share her sympathies with the animals being dispersed. 

I've never seen her so emotionally involved in a book.

Today she wanted to wear a flower in her hair... and then her bears needed one too :)

Love her.

a moment

The boys are in mine and Jeff's room playing mancala while listening to a Mariner's game.

Rae and I in the living room cuddling and reading books.

It's so simple and perfect.

eeeeeeeeeee!

My kids + TOMS = cuteness overload.

Who knew shoes could make me so happy?

"All good things are born wild, and free"

One day I'll actually dress my kids up for wall-worthy pictures, but today... it was all about mud :)

"FROG!"

I love how tom-boyish Rae looks here <3 -- and Levi's run ... :) Man, I have cute kids!

 Seth for the longest time was trying to pick up frogs with two sticks.  He was thinking the chop-stick method might work.  He was so excited when he finally caught a frog (with his hands).  He picked it up, started yelling and running!  He just started running up a hill with this frog yelling, "I've caught one, I've caught one!"

I can't wait for summer. 

Happy Earth Day!

What a beautiful day!

Today we hiked around Moscow Mountain and then walked along the U of I arboretum admiring the new spring blossoms. 

What a beautiful day!

(click) (click)

I should have taken a lot of pictures today.. but I didn't.  So I'll just make a list of what I should have taken a snapshot of:

-8:00am bike ride with my boys! (click)

I took Levi on the add-a-bike and Seth rode on his bike. Such a beautiful day!

-Seth's soccer came (click) 

He did such a great job passing and positioning himself on the field! And he scored two goals!  I love watching my kids play soccer :)

-Pushed bikes up the steepest hill in Pullman (click) 

Actually, I'm glad there wasn't a picture of this; that hill is a beast!

-Levi's soccer game (click)

I love how happy he looks when he runs, and his yellow soccer socks :)

-Fun Run (click)

The boys ran half a mile and got a free t-shirt!

-Family fun fair (click)

Raya's first time in the giant inflatable obstacle course.

-Seth wrecking on his bike (click)

He was ran off the road by an elderly guy in a wheelchair.  I'm glad both are ok.

More biking... more sun. We actually wiped Seth out today!  It only took biking 5 miles, running a 1/2 mile, a soccer game, and a late night of swimming during last nights Splash and Dash for 3 1/2 hours (Victory! -- but only for an hour, the kids are recharged again).

"Date" Night

Raya's first Splash'N'Dash... We made it an hour and a half before we got the call... Raya needed to be picked up. Oh, Raya.  When I went in to fetch her she was in the child's pose yoga position, on the hard pavement away from the pool, wet bathing suit, with her hands cupped to her mouth sobbing while a swim instructor was gently patting her trying to soothe her.

It was sad.
(Maybe we will try when she is three.)

Well, at least Jeff and I got to bike ride sans kids! -- Rae joined us for dinner, by the pictures you wouldn't have known she was so unhappy 15 minutes earlier.

dog poop

dog poop, dog poop, dog poop.

My neighbors' dogs love to poop in our front yard.  I on the other hand do not love our neighbors' dogs pooping in our front yard.  Today I spent close to an hour, first trying to rake dog poop out of my yard... then ended up pressure spraying it out of my yard.

I think I'm going to teach my kids to crap on my neighbors' front porch.  Isn't it fair?  You let your babies poop on my property where I walk... I'll let my babies poop on your property where you walk. I think it's fair.

I've said it before and I'll say it again... I don't think most pet owners should own their pets.  Shouldn't their be an adoption service to make sure people are responsible enough to care for their animals?

Swimming

Just thought I would post an update on the kids' swimming levels.

Levi is doing great!  He is a "Frog", and I am amazed at how comfortable he is in the water and how well he is doing with his strokes.  It's hard to believe he is only four.  

Seth is also doing great!  He was really excited to move up to Seahorse level today.  He had the biggest grin.  His instructors comment frequently that he has great form.  I can't wait for his little six year old body to catch up to his ability -- I think he will be an amazing swimmer when he grows up.

Rae ... is doing great :) -- we opt out of lessons until 3, just because they are water adjustment classes, and I take her swimming twice a week.  At the swimming pool she likes to play with the ducks... cook pretend meals, and practice her swimming.  She's not a huge fan of jumping in the water though. I'm excited for this upcoming fall! She'll be able to participate in soccer and swimming.  (My baby will be three! AH!)

I never thought swimming would become such a big part of our lives... At first it was just something to do during Pullman winters -- it's spring now and we're still going, twice a week... They love it, and they seem to be doing really well too (double bonus).

Spring

It felt like Spring this weekend.....

Long days.. ate our meals outside... busy.

-Science Center Astronomy  -Underwater egg hunt  -City Egg hunt  -2 soccer games  -Babysitting  -Entomology Club Easter event  

... playing... eating... 

I'm sad Seth's Spring break is over... I am counting down the days for Summer break!

Experiments at the science center.  They had a great out of school event: Planetarium, crafts, rockets, kitchen chemistry.

I love the chaos of a large crowd.  It makes this Easter egg hunt so much fun!

We found some friends! -- Raya did not like Levi holding Butch's hand... not at all.

There were only three kids on Seth's team (him included) for his game on Saturday.... and they still kept the other team running!
Seth scored three goals!

... I am a slightly introverted person... until you bring me to one of my kids' soccer games ;)

Seth still loves being a goalie... he had some pretty sweet dives and saves.

Raya and Kharisma! Could you get any more hippy sounding names? They're cute.

Easter baskets...

We're going to have so much fun swimming this week :)

This was a lively event:  Holding insects (and arachnids), cockroach races, crafts, food, egghunt ... 

they handed out chocolate covered crickets!

Face painting

Levi said he wanted a yellow ant :)

The ladies painting faces were enamored with the kids. 

Embodiment of Spring:

Beautiful girl, inside and out.

Chicken cordon bleu and sweet berry bruschetta are a must for Easter from now on.  -- I found Raya passed out in front of the kitchen waiting to eat. -- Levi won the egg fight!! A more happy winner you could not find!

 ... and I'm spent.

We went on a dam tour

There were a lot of dam jokes in our house before we left:

I love that the kids have such great friends (and me too for that matter!)

 These two were inseparable

 Levi and Emerson

 I am glad we went on the tour... but next time, I would skip it and spend all day at the dunes:

 We even got a little sunburned! It felt great.  I needed a sun recharge.  What does 2 hours at a tour 2 hours at the dunes and 2 hours in a car look like?

My poor Raya! -- but don't worry, she had a great time, but completely zonked on the ride home... and she didn't have any extra clothes... (she's wearing a clean diaper though) ... because she went in the water... at the beach.

grandparent recap

Lots of smiles: -- ok my recap is done. 

Thanks for coming! We had a lot of fun.