Hooray for May!

Well May has come and gone and we had a slower type month, but we did have some fun along the way.  The weather has been just a big ol' tease this month and couldn't decide if it wanted to get warm or not.  We had some supper hot days, then it cooled way back down and now I think the heat is here to stay finally.

 

The girls have recently developed of love of Johnny's skateboard.  It actually causes a lot of arguments among them but it is fun watching them to do things like Daddy.



 New matching swimsuits :)

 Skateboard bowling anyone????

 I found this super cute hat on clearance and I was going to give it away to my nephew for his birthday but the girls fell in love with it and Lexi is rocking her modeling skills.

Mother's day was wonderful this year.  The girls and daddy spoiled me with new flower pots with flowers for the front porch, waffles for breakfast, and we had a yummy dinner with Juan and Angela and their sweet family.  It was a great day and I look forward to it each year. I don't except anything but it is always a good reminder of what is truly important in life.  I adore my children and I think I have the best job in the world.  This pic below is just part of the yumminess I also had that day.

I was in charge of planning a women's retreat for the sisters in my ward.  We went to a little lake close to Spokane, WA where the bishop's wife's parents live.  They were so generous to allow us to come stay there for the weekend.  The house had four levels and had beds enough for 18 people and plenty of floor space for air beds.  They had so many fun things to keep us busy, it was a blast.  If you got bored, then you are a boring person! 

It is hard to tell but I am in the blue kayak.  It was my first time and it was so much fun. The lake had an area that was covered by lily pads and we went through those and also had a good laugh when my friend fell in the lake. :) 

They had a huge zip line.  Here is Ang showing how tall it actually is.  I don't like heights too much but I forced myself to go, (I was shaking like crazy the first time) but it was so much fun.

This is the biggest merry-go-round I have even seen.  We never put it to the full force test but trust me I would have thrown up.

One of my new friends gave me some photography lessons.  Here is where I learned how to make the background blurry. I need some more practice but she helped me learn tons of new things.

We did a humanitarian project while we were there too.  A young women in our ward was diagnosed with cancer a few years back.  While she was going through chemo treatments someone gave her a pair of decorated flip flops.  She loved walking in those rather then the ugly hospital socks.  So her and a friend starting a non-profit organization called Fancy Feet.  They put together fun items and deliver them to kids who are fighting cancer. We were able to make 27 that night and had about 20 more to make.  It is a great cause and I think there will be some little girls out there that will love these.

We are missing a few women but here was most of the women who came.  I know all these women but I grew so much closer to them.  We were there 2 nights and I think I got 8 hours of sleep the whole time.  I loved staying up to 3am talking and having a giggling fest.  I felt like a teenager all over again. It was a lot of stress and work for me but I would do it again in a heartbeat.   But the best part of the whole trip was coming home to hear from Danielle, "I really missed you Mommy!" 

My awesome friend Betsy invited us to go rock climbing and swimming at their gym and Lexi loved it!  She did it like 5 times and she didn't even hesitate.  Johnny and I decided to join so we can do it as a family and swim with our friends over the summer. It has been a lot of fun. 

 We love visits from our cousins who live only a few houses away!

My girls have decided lately to steal my high heels.  Danielle had quite a scare after attempting to walk downstairs with them on.  Now she has decided that I was right when I said not to wear them on the stairs!

 This is so gross!

 We are sharing our love of music with our kiddos.

One night we went to the river and there was all these baby geese and their mommas.  I have never in my life seen so many.  I tried to count and there was more then 20. They were so sweet.

 Anyone have some floss?

Lexi has finished Kindergarten.  She has loved going to school.  She has grown so much I can't even believe this is the same girl.  She is more confident in front of others, and will talk to most people when they talk to her. She is reading pretty well and loves to do some math and to tell made up jokes. She had a music program during the last week of school.  It was a beach theme and she was so adorable. 

I had no idea but they gave out Starship Awards with is basically for good citizenship and following the school motto.  Her teacher picked her to have the award and she received it in front of all the kindergarten classes and parents.  I tried so hard to hold back the tears. I am so proud of my Lexi Lou

 Danielle "take a picture of me too mom"

 I also attended Lexi's field day and snapped a few pictures of the fun she had.

 

Today was also a very bittersweet day for me.  I was released from serving in the Relief Society Presidency.  I was very burnt out and have had a lot of recent drama so I was ready to be released and focus on me and my family for awhile. I will miss working with the amazing women and serving the ladies in my ward.  I know that the Lord qualified me to do his work when I didn't think I was capable of doing it.  I had many challenging but even more blessings.  I am forever grateful for the things I experienced and learned.  My testimony has grown so much and I know the calling was meant for me at that time.  I was filled when I needed to be filled so I could handle some of the hard times over the last couple of years. I hope that my service mattered to someone but if not, it mattered to me. For now I will have a little break but I have a feeling they will find something for me soon.

 

And to end with a funny quote from Danielle while we were eating dinner a few weeks ago she announced, "Jesus said not to put fruit in Jello"  There you have it, Jesus said it so it must be true!!!! I will never make that mistake ever again.  Ha Ha Ha!