A Fabulous Friday

On Friday in honor of my mom's birthday we ventured to a local nursery for some retail therepy and then some lunching. We took Max along and left Jack and Morfar to do a much need construction project. Max loved the nursery, all the plants, and the fact that we let him wander. He had a great time. At the end of our day all were sufficently hot (due to crazy hot weather), happy and tired. It was a great way to spend a Friday. Thanks mom for all the fun.






While Mom and I shopped, Jack and Morfar contructed a much needed gate at their house. The fence is needed because Max is fast..and quiet. This way we are guarenteed to keep Max in the backyard. Jack did a great job assisting Morfar in the project and then got to paint it. He felt like such a big kid.

Happy Graduation Jack

Wednesday night we gathered with family and friends to celebrate Preschool graduation. Once again Jack's class put on quiet a show, highlighting with songs and memory verses what they studied each month. Jack was such a great perfomer. He knew all the words, sang with just the right amount of gusto was spot on when it came to the motions. At the end each child was presented with a "dipoloma" and a bible. We will dine out as a family on friday night to celebrate the end of school and beginning of summer. * Max was there and enjoyed the show...but could not be caputured on film....to busy*..and besides: it was Jack's Night.




Jack and his friends from church Mia and Jonathan

Jack and Mrs. Lisa, his fabulous teacher..who he says he already misses.

FunDay Sunday

This last sunday it was beautiful outside and so we loaded up and hit the zoo. One of our favorite places. This time though as a special treat Nan and Pop (jon's parents) came along too. *seeing as they are paying for our membership (great christmas gift by the way) they should see how much the boys love the zoo. Jack loved having them along and Max once again was a fan off the meerkats and the fish.

So Typical

The essence of Max captured at 7:08 am.

Boys + Star Wars = Occupied

Thursdays we have our friend Jonathan come and play for the day. He arrives around 8am and heads home around 5. This has been happening for the past few months and each time has gone very smoothly. Jack and Jonathan have a great time together, especailly because they share the deep love of StarWars. Today was no different. Shortly after arriving the boys pulled out stacks of paper and the most amazing book of starwars stickers that one has ever seen. They then spent the next hour and a half (I kid you not) working on creating books. Complete with stickers, illustrations and story lines. Then each brought me his book to write in as they dictated their story. It was so great. The books are fantastic. And as if one was not enought around 3 they settled back in to work on a second book. Also amazing.

Happy Birthday Robby and Gavin

Yesterday Jack's cousins Robby and Gavin turned six years old. Jack wanted to throw them a surprise party, decor and all. So we worked hard on tuesday getting everything just right. Decorations, Games, Gifts...and cake. We decorated the house Wednesday morning just before school and made it home in time after school to hide on the stairs with balloons. When Robby and Gavin arrived...they let themselves into the house and we ambushed them with shouts and balloons from the stairs. We then enjoyed lunch, a game, cake and presents. Happy Birthday Boys. We love you.

Mother's Day 09

Mother's day began in typical mother of a preschool fashion...at 6:45 am with a card shoved in my face while I was still dead asleep. Jack then sat on top of me saying "open it, open it", So at 6:47 I opened a great card from Jack. Jon then sweetly rolled over and said that he and Jack would run to Starbucks to get me coffee and breakfast. (now stop right there. for those of you who don't know my husband you may not know that his is a huge gift. he hates coffee, thinks spending money on it is ridiculous, he hates driving..and he hates food in his car..) so this was the gift of all gifts. Jack and Jon returned home to Max and I egarly awaiting some deliciousness. We had a great family breakfast and then Max presented me with my card from him. It had a dog on the front and it was in spanish. perfect. We then got ready for church and I made that all time mothering error just prior to walking out the door "lets take a picture" Alas, the one you see below was the best: Jack hiding and being mischevious, me talking (big surprise) and Max pitching a fit because he would have really preferred to be using the skateboard he saw off to the side instead. Such is life and the realities of mommyhood.


We headed to church and then embarked on a day of bbq's and family. We had a great lunch with Jon's parents, enjoyed their badmition net and got aquainted with the newest dog member of the family. After that we headed to my parents for some backyard baseball fun, dinner on the deck and delicious ice cream sandwiches (thanks Jon). We returned home, put children to bed and then i left a pile of dishes off to the side of the sink, sat down and read a book till bed time. It was a great day. And here is a special shout out to Jon...Thanks so much for letting me be mom, for letting me be home with our boys, and for doing such a great job of encouraging me as a mother. Thanks for sharing life and family with me. I am one lucky mom.

" I know my mom well "

At Jack's mothers day tea yesterday each child made their mom a placemat.The placemat served as not only nice decoration but it contained a lovely picture that the child drew of himself and mom as well as his answers to some questions about mom. Here is Jack's:

I Know My Mom Well, by JACK

My mom is __15___ years old.

My mom is __15___ inches tall.

My mom's favorite color is ___orange___

My mom loves to eat __ ravioli___

My mom likes to __ play games and fold the laundry___

My mom looks pretty when __she gets dressed___

My mom likes me to help her ____fold the laundry and put Max to bed__

I wish mom would buy me _____Lego Starwars guys___

I love my mom because we ___sing songs every night____

Big Day for Jack & Mom

Today was chalked full of big happenings.
KINDERGARTEN ROUND UP
This morning Jack and Mom attended Kindergarten round up. It was great introduction to what will be our new school come this fall. We met the teachers, got to ride the bus around the parking lot and visit the classrooms. Then the kids stayed to get acquainted with the teacher and the rooms while the parents returned to the library to meet and hear from several of the school staff members. By all accounts it sounds like we are at a great school. When Jack returned and we walked to the car I asked him what he thought about the "big" school. He simply replied "it is going to be so much better than preschool". Excellent. That is the answer we wanted.


Here Max has no idea that the day is not about him today


Loving the bus ride


Getting ready for circle time in the classroom


Showing off his class room project

MOTHER'S DAY TEA
After round up we rushed to Jack's preschool for Mothers Day Tea. Jack hosted a lovely little lunch with his classmates. We dined, we were entertained with songs and then were presented with handmade gifts. I have scored myself a lovely necklace and a beautiful potted plant. It was such a special morning to hang with my kiddo Jack.


Mommy and her little man. (ugh- how do they grow up so quickly)


Jack serving me my fantastic lunch


Rocking the house with some mom themed tunes


Here is Jack and his fantastic teacher Ms.Lisa, she has been so great for Jack.

Oh Max!

Today I attmpted to take Max with me to the chiropractor minus the stroller and all it's lovely child containment straps. It did not go well. Luckily I have the greatest chiropractor and his wife, the receptionist is awesome. They found the whole debaucal very funny. When our time at the chiro ended Max had: sent the trifold screen that divides patients in the "roller room" crashing to the floor and breaking it into a gazillion pieces, he had visited all of the other patients rooms waving and saying hi all whilest he had a gnarly smelling load in his pants, and he had followed dr. murry from room to room saying "hi guy". ugh it was mortifying. I offered several times to just reschedule and leave but they kept laughing at Max and saying.."this is just fine, he is so cute and great entertainment.." Next time I will be bringing the stroller and a straight jacket.

Signs of a Successfull Dinner

Tonight Jon and I hosted some friends for dinner and having the last of the friends just walk out the door we would call it a success. A few weeks ago Jon mentioned that he was getting a hankering to cook another of his tasty BonAppetite inspired meals..and thus my job was to round up some friends. We decided that tonight was the night for the world traveling/Canadian contingent from church. We invited our friends Lee&Shannon, Johnny&Marisa and Benton&Judy. ( I do feel compelled at this point to point out that Benton and Judy are at least in their sixties but some of the greatest folks we have come to know while at our church.We "heart" the Melbournes)We had a great time together and Jon put together a wonderful meal. On the menu: Tequila and Lime Glazed Chicken cooked on the BBQ, a jalapenos and bacon southern style cornbread, tasty salad and from scratch, hardcore, margaritas...which by my post you might be able to tell ..I am still feeling. It was a great meal, shared with good friends, old and new..and is just the beginning of the lyons family new commitment to quarterly dinner parties. Ahhh- see, now you are all hoping that you are on the invite list aren't you .