Wave Pool

The first time in a wave pool, we got about half out, when Andrew thought about the name. "Mom, maybe we should get out of here before the wave hits."

"What, you know it's not like a tidal wave crashing over us."

"I think I'll just get out, take me to that ladder."

Muffins

Alex said, "Relma made us some muffins but they never rose, so they were more like miniature pancakes."

"Oh, right! Relma mentioned that she tried to a new recipe. The first batch never managed to rise and she gave them to you older boys. But when she made the second batch she modified the recipe and they turned out much better."

Alex in a state of disbelief, "What happened to those?!"

Confidence

While at dinner, Mark said to Andrew, "Alex is wise."

Alex interjected, "Well, yes I am in fourth grade going into fifth."

Wise indeed. So much experience.

Andrew's Kindergarten Graduation Portrait

The world holds such hope and promise for the future. You can see the future in Andrew's eyes.

Poem inclued with kindergarten grad pictures:

ON MY WAY

I will climb the highest peaks
and find a way through the
deepest valleys as I follow
my heart in pursuing its dreams.

I will hold the sunlight and
welcome the rain as my garden
of knowledge prospers in its
quest to benefit the world.

I will learn from the defeats
as well as the triumphs on my
journey because from this day
forward there are no limits to
what I can achieve.

If we taking this kindergarten graduation any more seriously, what is left for college graduation?

Chicklets

We were all out of the car, some of us slower than others:

Ryan, furiously indicating foward with his arms, "Come on chick-witts let's go! Chick-witts come on!"

Dinosaur World

Andrew: "Mommy? Do you know that there's a Dinosaur World?"

Mommy: "There is? Where is it?"

Andrew: "MOM... It's in space. You know where ALL the WORLDS are."

I felt the 'duh' he kindly left unsaid.

The people that matter

There comes a point in your life when you realize:

Who matters,
Who never did,
Who won't anymore...
And who always will.

This quote's come around twice and it means something more to me than just an email forward. Those that have sent it to me, thank you.

The people that matter, the people you think about while doing the dishes, working, and gardening. For me those people are my family, a few beautiful friends, and some loved ones gone from the world but never forgotten.

My family: parents, sister, hubs, chicklets, extended family, and in-laws.
My friends: y'all know exactly who you are.
Those I know I'll meet again.

I don't always say how much they mean to me. But Mark can tell you how often I "accidentally" call him. Somehow hearing his voice makes the world a wee bit better for me.

To those I love, thank you for being part of my life, for helping me try to be better everyday.

Favorite stops with the Averys

The construction worker -- RyGuy and those boots are his very own.

The LifeFlight pilot Seany.


The rhino was attacked!

And the red panda, he really is that darling.

Easter Fun

A delighted Seany with his Easter Egg Hunt loot!

4 bunnies -- Seany, Alex, Andrew, and RyGuy.

Their Easter loot!


Back row: Alex, Papa, Carolyn, Andrew, and Nona
Front row: RyGuy and Seany

Webelos

Alex got his colors!

Guess what I am, by Alex

Have you got it yet?

A Blue Bird, by Andrew

The greatest kinder-painting ever. Andrew's artwork tends to make me happy.

Utahnizing the chicklets

After 7 blessed years living among the Utahns, we made the decision to Utahnize the chicklets. We want them to feel that they truly fit in amongst those with the most unusual names in the land.

Alex: 10 years old, christened Alexander David.
Utahnized: Alixter

Andrew: 6 years old, christened: Andrew James.
Utahnized: Andrewski. Andrewski finds the more acceptable version highly problematic. Actually preferring having a quote-unquote 'real' name.

Sean: 4 years old, member of 'the twix's should be enough to be unique as part of twix and nicknamed "Seany." Alas no, see Utahnized name for further clarification.
Utahnized: Seanathon. Curious coincidence, name father calls Seany in moments of tease.

Ryan: 4 years old, member 2 of 'the twix's thanks to benefit of birth.
Utahnized: Rylander. Actually, a far more appro-pro name than simple Ry (dash) an. Rylander imagines a more passionate, disgruntled, stubborn type person. A person more apt to say fill a soda can with hot cocoa in place of doing coloring the tiger preschool homework.

Five

Seany announced showing all his fingers, "Mom, I want to be 5! Not 4."

"Well, I've got good news for ya. Someday, you'll be 5."

"Yeah, Mom. Someday."

Chairs

RyGuy knew he was headed for trouble. He made a decision to stop the naughtiness in its tracks and find something else to do.

"MOMMY! Wook at me. I'm cleaning your chairs."

I replied, "Thanks, bud, that's awesome."

"Yeah, Mom I real awesome."

Seany jumped to attention, "MOMMY! I want to clean chairs too."

RyGuy, "Ah. Ok. Sean first you wipe off all the crumbs. Then you rub the towel. (pause) Hmmm. No Sean, first you wipe off the crumbs with your HAND not the towel!" (giggles commenced.)

Kindness

An incident has had my mind churning with thoughts of kindness. It is so easy for people to be unkind, to laugh at others, to create an environment of spite.

Sometimes, it is hard be kind, to be brave, to be respectful. Sometimes being kind feels akin to not being popular. But if cruelty equals popularity, I for one chose being picked last or perhaps not at all. The biggest bully is not popular, that person is not well liked, that person just has weak followers who don't want to be the next target.

I try to not feed into that gossip, that malice, and I hope, I think I usually avoid getting sucked into that vortex. The woman that I want to be and the mother I want the chicklets to see me as is kind, loving, well mannered and though not perfect (despite my best efforts :D) always tries to be a better version of myself.

I hope this is the lesson that the chicklets learn and that in time, they understand. Alex describes said lessons complimentary of me saying, "My mom is always kind, even when it doesn't matter."

Quote I'd like to remember

I read a lot of books. I'll get back to blogging on the other blog about them v. soon.

This is an excellent quote that I thinks illustrates how I feel about our life. It's from the Ember series by Jeanne DuPrau, in the fourth book of Ember, The Diamond of Darkhold. The Ember books by the way, I highly recommend to the preteen crowd, they are excellent stories.

"You know, son, I don't think there's such a thing as an easy life. There's always misfortunes we can't control lurking out at the edges -- storms, sickness, wolves. But there is such a thing as a good life, and I think we have one here."

Visiting

Can't wait for Easter! My mom, dad, and sister will all be here. The entire Avery family under one roof!

Store

RyGuy:

"Mommy. My butt has a STORE on it. It is so STORE, I am going to go put my butt medicine on it."

(full minute pause while he disappeared)

"Wow Mommy! My butt isn't STORE at all, anymore!

Monster

After 3 hours spent correcting behavior, I had it.

RyGuy: "MOMMY! I WANNA BE A MONSTER!"

Mommy said under her breath, "Ry. You already are a monster."