princess party

 on vivian's actual birthday, she woke up and everyone had already left for school.

it was quiet.

i fixed her an eggo with a candle in it.

my mom always made me a pancake with a candle on my birthday. 

vivian loved singing happy birthday and blowing out the candle.  we did it over and over and over!

then we invited the princesses and it turned into a party:)

 i truly enjoy watching vivian learn and grow.  she is a gift!

spring

we are ready.

opportunities

here are some things that don't get acknowledged everyday, but i feel are worth noticing.

i got this email from max's teacher and decided to celebrate.  working hard in school is so important and i'm grateful my kids want to do well.

we went out for pizza as a family and then dave took max bowling! 

way to go max!!!! 

"We all know that education unlocks the door of opportunity for the young." 

- Gordon B Hinkley

abe is so involved with sports, but has this whole other side of him.  he is really musical.  he and sadie sang in sacrament meeting together and i thought they did such a great job.  i was proud of myself because i expanded my comfort zone and wrote an arrangement for the accompaniment because i couldn't find one i liked.  i was really happy with the way it turned out and enjoyed doing it.

abe had his spring concert for orchestra last night.  he skipped soccer and basketball to be there and i had a good time watching him play his cello.  he told me he might like to take choir and has been writing songs himself.  they are really good!!!   he is one creative kid.  it was also the art night and some of his art was chosen to be displayed.  the art teacher told him to write a children's book and illustrate it.   hmmm!  maybe a great summer project.   

i'm grateful for all the opportunities we have around us and
i delight in watching my kids develop their talents! 

max's birthday party

celebrating max's 7th birthday

love this kid!

he made invitations and was so excited to run from house to house delivering them.

MAKE A WISH!!!

we split into two groups and rotated through a craft and games.

found this craft on pinterest.  

they were fun to make and turned out really cute.

sadie and abe were in charge of games stations.  

sadie played pin the beak on the bird and abe made some form of ski ball.   they were willing to help and make it fun, which was the best gift of all.  

PRESENT TIME!!

ended with a group hug surrounding max

...until they all fell over!  

the night concluded watching RIO- max loves this movie and is convinced that dave is taking him to brazil to explore a rain forest:)  

what?!  

he even told me not to feel bad that just him and dave would be going because he would take lots of pictures, so it would be like i didn't even miss out:)

max handed out a pack of yellow peeps to all his buddies with this little tag tied to it.

a small token of thanks for making his birthday really great.

car rides

with mother's day just around the bend

i wanted to share

two car rides that made me feel so much joy

and the privilege it is

to 

MOM

these 

kiddos.

car ride #1

vivian and i drove abe to practice.  it was a friday and abe had an extremely over scheduled week and was feeling some anxiety...also feeling like practice was the last thing he wanted to do on a friday night following his hectic week.

he leaned the front seat back and started to tear up...

vivian, sensed his emotion (she is really good at this) and said, "abe?  abe?  you ok abe?"

holding back tears, abe said, "ya vivs?  i'm ok."

she paused for a few more seconds, like she was thinking.  

then she said,  "abe?"

pause.

then as perky as she could, she said

"PINK!"

abe and i both started laughing.  

it was her way of trying to cheer up her brother and i think the happiest thought she could think of was...pink!

car ride #2

riding to abe's game on our 'CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT YOU DAY'  (more details coming later)

the kids just kept laughing with each other.  

this month i have been getting way down on myself.

life has been too busy and i can't get it all done.

laundry is piling up

i'm sure my kids eat way too much starch and i have been a horrible lunch maker this month.

my house is still not decorated and we moved in two years ago.  

i haven't exercised in months

oh, believe me, i could go on and on.

so, i'm taking my own advice.  i tell my kids when they have discouraging thoughts--debate them!

be a good debater, finish the the story.  

i realize there are so many things i would like to be doing better, and i will keep working at it.   we have decided that spring basketball will be taken off the list next year, because it was just too much along with everything else. 

so amidst my feeling like a failing mom  

THIS car ride made me so happy!

happy kids=not failing

lots of things i want to do better, but this moment together reminded me that some things matter more than others.  my kids are nice to each other, we enjoy being together and they know they are loved. 

that counts!

so let's all hear it for starch!!! 

have a happy weekend!

celebrating vivs

we celebrated vivian's second birthday a day early.

dave had to work her entire birthday, so the night before, we had a birthday party.

grandma and grandpa came with us to max's first soccer game and then we came home to

BIRTHDAY TABLE!

featuring the only thing vivian said she wanted for her birthday:

a pink cake.

her first glimpse:

she took it in for a second, then...

she did something like a 

cheerleading move 

and said,

"YAY!!!"

"PINK CAKE!!!!"

she walked right over to it and 

finger swiped it!!!

we sang and i think she made a wish....

then blew....

and blew....

and blew....

it was tricky, but she did it!

vivian was all smiles while she opened presents.  it was cute to watch her reactions.

this set of princesses was definitely a hit.

sparkly shoes!  she needed them on right away, so abe happily helped her.

which reminded me of...

this picture from her first birthday...

when abe helped her put on new shoes (vivian LOVES shoes)!

some things have changed so much- they both look so much older, but some things haven't changed a bit, like having an awesome brother who dotes and adores!

she really liked her sparky shoes!

every little girl needs a carriage!

i'm so excited to take her for rides!

she really liked everything

especially

finger dipping her cake.

she did it 

A LOT!!!  

and why not?!

by the end, i asked if anyone would like some cake?

um, no....that's a big no....

so we let her finger swipe all night:)

WE LOVE YOU VIVIAN!!!

two years old

vivian sophia tullis

turns two today!

she adds so much happiness to our home.

one of my favorite things vivian does lately is say, "shane shoo, mommy!"  she tells me thank you ALL the time for the simplest things i do for her.  it makes me smile!  not only to hear her cute, cute little voice, but that she recognizes the little things and thanks without hesitation. 

..................
terrific two's, here we come!