A Byrdie Dinner

Friday evening we invited our friends Jen and Steve for dinner and they brought a fun little group with them, GIRLS!! Their sweet little nieces Kyla and Baylee. As they were heading over to our house Kyla asked where they were going and Jen said, "We're going to the Byrd's house." Translated by a 3 year old she of course thought they were going to a bird house. Her first response was, "Do they have teeth?" Kids are hilarious. When they arrived I'm not so sure she still understood our last name is Byrd and we are not in fact feathered friends. (Which if we were would be totally gross and horrifying.) After we enjoyed vegetarian burritos the kids all headed outside to play. Ethan is quite the ladies man!

Vroom Vroom!!
Kyla had some difficulty steering the John Deere. Jase was dutiful in trailing behind on his bike and offering road side assistant.

Love Kyla's face here just before she smashed into the basketball standard. Jase was done being the passenger after that.
Kaden did the best he could to try and corral her in, but some women cannot be tamed.

Jen loves to get out and play with the kids, and I love that about her. She's a terrific aunt to her nieces. And while she may not be my boys blood aunt, she is certainly always there for them and we consider her and Steve family.
It was far from warm Friday evening but the kids didn't seem to mind. It wasn't until a storm started to really encroach that it was time to pack it in. Of course as soon as they were all inside they wanted popsicles. You gotta love kids. When the girls left Kyla had a pretty good melt down, because she didn't want to leave. As tears streamed down her cheeks she sobbed, "But my byrdie friends are so nice." It was precious.

A Little Pomp & Circumstance

Tis the season for black square hats and tassels. We haven't had a graduation now for a few years so it was high time. We are so very proud of our little Pre-School graduate Jase. This picture totally cracks me up.

"First step pre-school graduation, second step world domination." Mwwuahahahhh!!

Ah that's a bit more like it. That's a suitable face for a highly distinguished pres-school grad capable of singing his ABC's.

We had a special celebratory dinner for Jase before the ceremony. Everybody's favorite lasagna. (Including the missionaries who were so lucky to join us.) Grandma Marley was also in attendance and brought the graduate a bouquet of balloons.

Apparently we still need to work on Jase's skills in sharing. Ethan chased Jase around the table 5 or 6 times screaming because he wanted a balloon.

Precious moments.

Attached to the balloon bouquet was also a card from Grandma and Grandpa Marley with some money. Nothing says good work to a 4 year old like cold hard cash. He was totally excited.

Mom and Dad also got Jase a little present. A bag full of all of Jase's favorite candy (and a side walk chalk making thingy, but who cares about that when there's a bag full of candy?) Ironically while I was at the Wal*Mart purchasing said candy, Jason was at home cleaning up a couple of sticky messes and laying down a

"FORBIDDEN: All things sticky" rule.

The graduation ceremony was a lot of fun. Jase's teacher had a few displays of the kids' art work. It was nice to finally see the art work that contributed to a ruined pair of brand new jeans.

Jase's handwriting skills have come a long way over the course of the year. We are so proud, his handwriting is even better than Jason's. Nice work Jase!

The kids all sang the cutest graduation song complete with hand motions.

Too stinking cute for words.

As part of the program the kids all demonstrated their skills at pattern making. Jase aced it!

Finally the big moment arrived and Jase received his Certificate of Completion of Pre-School.

Congratulations to ABC Express Class of 2010.

Jase really learned so much this year and we are so very proud of him. I couldn't help but shed a few tears watching him sing and dance and do his solo part. It's certainly been said a time or two before, but time flies!! It doesn't seem so long ago that he was my rolly polly baby with cheeks the size of Texas. Now he's off to kindergarten. I've never been one of those moms that wishes her children would stay little. I'm always so excited for them to learn and to watch them grow and become their own people. In their growing they teach me something new daily and I'm forever grateful for them. Jase is a complex, deeply loving, sensitive, never say quit kind of guy and I love him. He challenges me endlessly and through the challenges has given me some of my most profound joys. Congratulations Jaser Facer! You did it! And remember when someone tells you the sky is the limit, remind them we've been to the moon, and nothing is impossible!

Mother's Day

What a marvelous Mother's Day I had! I woke up (after sleeping in until after 9, so glorious) to the delicious smell of pancakes and roast beef eggs.

Oh it was heaven on a plate!

The boys were so excited to give me the gifts they had chosen for me. And boy do my boys know me. I couldn't stop smiling with each gift I opened.

Well...I didn't really get to "open" them, the boys took care of that for me. So Jase picked out a Poison CD for me! RAD!!! And Kaden chose New Moon on DVD for me. Perfect! Oh and they each got me a bag of chips Cheetohs and sour cream and onion. Sweets and my pregnant tummy aren't friends (total bummer!) so treats have to be salty.

Jase also made me a very special gift in preschool, a sweet little hand cast. It made sense as one day he came home from school and told me had to put his hand in yogurt. I thought, "Huh." But now I get it.
Kaden brought me home a gift from school as well. When I saw the plant in a cup I asked him what kind of flower it was, to which he replied, "A radish". Completely random! I love it! He also made a Mother's Day coupon book full of coupons good for chores and hugs! What more could a mom ask for?!

I'm not one to let a precious teaching moment with my sons pass me by. So I cradled Jase in my lap and lovingly taught him why Poison is by far and away the best rock and roll band ever!
It wasn't long before Kaden wanted in on the educational bonding moment. It was a moment I'll cherish for always, Jase asking me if they were real men. To which I answered, "Yes sweetie, the prettiest men I have ever seen." Ahhh precious.
Every year my favorite part of Mother's Day is having a picnic (for which we skip church..shhhh). It was a beautiful spring day and I so loved being up West Fork watching my boys explore. Kaden and Jase were very sweet waiting for Ethan.
Jase informed me they were playing army and they found a baby (Ethan). He cracks me up.
Yep that's me! I was finally able to get my bag of Cheetohs away from Ethan. I think he was covered in Cheetoh dust virtually all day. Not that I blame him. Cheetohs are sooo good!

Everything was wonderful. The sun was shining, the breeze was light and refreshing and my family was all together. I was perfectly content.

Then the dog wandered back to our picnic spot, covered in cow crap. Oh yes! Apparently he thought it tasted so good (yes he was eating it) that he just had to cover himself in it. Stupid mutt! That effectively ended our picnic. As it was Mother's Day, and I just received a new Poison CD, we blasted it in the car. Kaden and Jase loved singing along with me. Ethan however is not a Poison fan. He kept putting his fingers in his ears and yelling NO! Poor boy, he shares his dad's taste in music. Have no fear, I'll convert him sooner or later.
The ride home was less than pleasant. The dog made sure of that. Instead of his head hanging out the window, it was mine. Our car smelled like a barn and I was sure I was going to lose my lunch. Luckily we got home quickly and then it was bath time for ole Copper. He wasn't too happy about a cold bath outside with the garden hose, but he knew he was in trouble so he complied.

Celebrating Mother's Day with my boys was wonderful. All I ever wanted to be when I grew up was a mom. I had not the complete concept of love until Kaden was placed in my arms. I knew in an instant I would give up everything I am, everything I have, for that beautiful little life that was now in my care. Each child has proven to me that love is without end and the heart contains a miraculous ability to expand to include a spot for every sweet spirit whose life touches it. Motherhood is the most precious gift my Father in Heaven has blessed me with. I know without doubt that it is a divine calling, one that I pray daily to magnify. More gratitude fills me than I can express to Jason for loving me and entrusting me with his children. Everyday is an adventure and I treasure each moment of love and chaos.

McDARE Night

McDonald's hosted our first McDARE Night this past week. I was really excited about this fundraiser. Forming a connection between McDonald's and the DARE program has been something I've tried to put together for about 2 years. Finally we've been able to come together and it's a new exciting part of my job. The DARE officers are fantastic and it's great to be a part of a program that is hopefully making a difference in our community. Our local McDonald's sponsored a portion of the new DARE car, which is pretty freakin rad! It's not only a really cool looking car that gets students excited about the DARE program, but it's also a learning tool. It's fully equipped with a flat screen TV and DVD player in the truck for the students to watch DARE videos on. It was a huge draw to have the car at the fundraiser. Kids really enjoyed getting a closer look at it and having their picture taken with the officers.

Toward the end of the night my sweet little boys stopped by to see me, or did they stop by for ice cream??? It's hard to tell.

The fundraiser was a success and we raised $641.10 for the local DARE program! Not too shabby for a two hour event. We plan on making this an annual event and I look forward to it becoming larger and more successful with every year.

Dutch Oven Night

We had the opportunity to feed the missionaries this past week. I always take the chance to feed the elders, as someday I'll have boys out on missions and I can only hope someone will feed them (and feed them something that won't jack up their stomachs for the rest of their lives). I always worry that I'll fix something they've eaten 6 times already that week, but I thought since the weather has been so crappy no one else would have been dutch oven cooking. So the menu was Barn Bustin' dutch oven ribs, bacon potatoes, cheesy bread, pear cobbler and a fresh fruit bowl to cut some of the heaviness (well for that, and I can't get enough fruit these days. I heart fresh pineapple). Jason came home early from work to help me get things together, because I haven't been feeling so hot and because he's wonderful. There's only one way to get hot coals for dutch ovening and that's with fire. But how you ask do you have fire in the rain/blizzard with 40 mph wind gusts? Oh that's simple, in the garage of course! I had the fire extinguisher standing by, but Jason was confident it would be fine.

After the flames died down Jason moved to the other side of the garage to heat the dutches. Wise move! It was closer to the door leading to the kitchen so all the smell could waft in. Almost a week later my house still smells of campfire.

The boys couldn't let those extra hot coals go to waste. Roasted mallows make a perfect appetizer.

I wonder where he gets that big mouth from?
I forgot to get a picture of dinner before we ate, so this is after the elders left. If I was worried they didn't like it, my fears were calmed after they got seconds and then thirds. My ribs were fall apart in your mouth delicious! I have to brag a little, because dang if I don't make some good ribs! The potatoes were clearly heart healthy, loaded with 2 pounds of bacon and a pound of cheese. Ohhhh sooooo good! And Jason's cobbler was a hit. Why is it no one has ever had pear cobbler? It's yummy (or so I hear, I don't eat it, warm fruit grosses me out). We really enjoyed having the missionaries over, they were very kind. I tried to get them to do a service project for me before they left when they asked if there was anything they could do for us. I told them I had a mountain they could move for me....a mountain of laundry. But they just laughed. I wasn't kidding though :o). Maybe next time!

Jase's Sweet New Do

There's just nothing quite like being woke up at 7:45 on a Saturday with two boys at the foot of your bed, one minus a big chunk of his hair. (Right in front...shorn to the scalp.) And the other more than eager to rat him out. And thus began my day.

With every ounce of composure that could be mustered, Jase was sent to time out while I got the hair cutting gear out. Look at that face! Does he look remorseful or unabashed? Naughty little thing!

He was less barefaced after the first few swipes of the clippers.

That's starting to look a little more penitent.

And voila! Jase's sweet new do! Which is just in time for pre-school graduation announcement pictures. Of course.

But honestly how do you look at that face and not giggle? Trying to be serious was undeniable a challenge. But really I would prefer he not play barber shop again. He's never been this bald. Not even when he was born. Bless his little heart.