"I am a Graduate."

Ab had Kindergarten Graduation this past Wednesday, and made sure anyone she was around knew she "was a graduate."

Abby had also predecided that many of the actions during the songs were "beneath her." She sang every word to every song...but only did the cool actions. When the poor kid next to her got kind-of excited doing the actions, she turned and looked at me and rolled her eyes. So proud.




Abby's teacher asked all the kids to pause and smile for their parents when they got their diploma...They all obeyed so nicely, except Ab. She booked it pretty fast. Fast enough that all the parents laughed. So, I had to sneak in this picture of her with her fantastic teacher, Mrs. Hoffman.

To top it off, Abby recieved a medal that she will keep all her elementary years at Heritage Elementary. The students are able to earn pins to place on the ribbon for academic excellence, citizenship, and even running at recess.

My Abby came home and promptly put her Zac Efron High School Musical Pin on the ribbon. She has definite priorities.

(PS - I already know I don't win "Mom of the Year" for the photos. They pretty much suck. I forgot the memory card, and my iphone camera broke, and I didn't bring my video camera like all the other dutiful parents...so I am lucky to have these.)

The little Campfire that was...and, the Zoo without Ridalin

Abby had a little bit of a breakdown last Sunday night because she had "never tasted smores in her whole life." Due to my overindulgent parenting and my own personal guilt about the fact that I am really not a camper (sorry kids)...Monday night, we set off to find a spot to roast marshmallows.

Stop #1: Fernwood Picnic Area in Layton.

Problem: No campfires allowed ever. They have filled the pits with concrete. Not very "mountainy" if you ask me.

Solution: We ate our $5 Pizza and went on a 5 second hike up the asphalt road to our car.

Stop #2: Farmington Canyon.

Problem: That road is from Hell. Why my parents ever let me drive/ride to the top of that canyon several weekends with 16/17 year old drivers, I do not know. (Oh yea, they didn't know.) It was dark, and often I was riding in the back of pickup trucks and jeeps with like 25 other people. I remember one time we even rode to the top blasting Nine Inch Nails. Oh...very rebellious.

Solution: Turn around as fast as we can, repent for past drives without obtaining parental consent, and hope we don't die. Also, proceed to lecture Abby about how she will never see the light of day if she decides to drive up the canyons with boys in High school. (I have a feeling that she listened about as well as I did.)

Stop #3: Farmington Pond.

Problem: The misc. teenagers who were trying to peacefully smoke their cigarettes and weed. Too bad the cops in Farmington have nothing better to do than wait for 16 year olds to light one up. (They were apprehended).

Solution: There were fire pits!! (Only available until June 1st, we barely made it.)

We had a fantastic time enjoying our smores. They were good. I also remembered why I don't really camp that much. ____________________________________________________________________
Kindergarten Zoo Trip

I went to the Zoo with Ab's Kindergarten Class this past Tuesday. I had the cutest little group of kids, but bless their hearts - they could not focus to save their lives. On the bus ride there, they announced that we would have about one hour and a half to explore the Zoo with our group. I thought to myself, "Wow, we are not going to be able to see everything. We'll have to choose."

Boy was I wrong.

Due to the attention problems, we seriously made it through the Zoo, including seeing the White alligator...

In 22 minutes flat.

Imagine that you were on the Amazing Race and had to see all of the animals (dead or alive) at Hogle Zoo in order to win the million dollar prize.

We kicked all the kindergartner's' trash, and totally took second and third too.

It left us plenty of time to pose for these darling pictures.

I had a great time, but was a little sad to find out that my little girl would rather sit with her girlfriends and scream songs at the top of her lungs, than hang out with me. She is getting too old.

They are still cute though.

Just Wondering...

• Why people who drive on 200 North in Kaysville think it is okay to just speed past everyone, put on their blinker, and then push their way in front of you. And then, think you want to be friends with them just because they gave you a friendly wave.
• Why I got so much pleasure giving a really hard tag to the butt of an annoying player (she was a girl) in last night's softball game. Sadly, I even got more pleasure when it jiggled profusely. ( I am not saying mine wouldn't).
• Why I feel a crazy amount of pressure to keep a perfectly clean house, do all my laundry, and cook dinner. Those might be normal "woman" things I guess, but I don't like them, and I don't want to do them everyday any more. (Oh wait, I kind-of don't).
• Why the New Kids on the Block's new song totally has to suck. I was hoping they would be reinvented to sound like Coldplay or something.
• Why the Padres are a huge disapointment to a very loyal fan. My hope was finally restored the past couple of years, and now they suck again.
• Why things can't stay the same. My best boss ever is leaving me for a higher position next year. I don't handle adjustment or change well. I keep having flashbacks of my old boss who let the kids store their weed in classrooms.

I have many more burning thoughts in my head. But, I am done for now. Advice Welcome (Except for anything that has to do with dissing the Padres...You know who you are.)

The Best Week Ever.

This week was filled with so much fun and life at our house....it just doesn't get much better. (Beating the Lakers would've helped...but, oh well. Hopefully next year everyone will show up to to play.)

Reason #1: A Monkey/Diego Party for our little monkey.

Deak's party was so much fun. He absolutely LOVED all the attention and kept us all entranced as he sat in his highchair and did his classic "fake laugh" for 15 minutes. He intermingled his fake laugh with his favorite new word...."MAMA!" (I have only practiced with him 2 hours daily for the past 6 months :) It melts my heart!!!

(Just a few of the "watchers.)

Deak loved it so much, that the next day as he ate his lunch he made me stand in front of him and laugh (or he screamed hysterically). We just might have a future in show business.

It was so fun watching Deak play with all his presents this year; he was so excited for all of them! Thanks so much everyone!!

(Blair setting up his, oops, Deak's racetrack.) Deak sits in the middle as Blair races the cars :)

We also had fun hitting a monkey pinata in the front yard. It was filled with the first real candy Deak ate...Starburst.

We were so lucky to have our family and friends celebrate this special day with us! Thanks so much for coming!!!

Reason #2: Abby lost a front tooth and is sure she now looks "seven."

Reason #3: Ab had her last soccer game, and had a bunch of steals and one assist - which are all very important :)

(Notice the purple bow which accessorizes the outfit. I did not put that on her.)

Reason #4: Deak has discovered his love of motorized vehicles. Now, Blair thinks we have to buy four wheeler this week. For Real. Blair and I really do think he is gifted and will most likely be a famous driver of cars, motorcycles or whatever. Just you watch.

I don't think any argument could beat this week. Love the family and love watching them grow. Nothing is cooler.

Our Baby Boy

The phrase, "Our Baby Boy" is probably heard hundreds of times a day in hospitals as parents greet their sons for the first time; I understand that. To me, the phrase is so close to my heart that sometimes I feel as if it will spill over and burst.

There was a time period when I was pregnant with Deakon that I believed, as I had been told several times by doctors, that I would not be able to have or hold "our baby boy." As part of my grieving process, I began to make blankets - kind of obsessively. I wanted my son, even if he wasn't going to take a breath on this earth, to feel the warmth of a blanket that was made from the person who loved him more than words. In essence, I was preparing the blankets for his burial.

One blanket in particular, was especially hard for me because I had to crochet an edging along all the sides. I worked for hours, sitting on the couch, watching TV - trying to get the blanket done in time for whatever was coming next. My dear friend, Lisa, offered to take the blanket to be embroidered, and asked what I wanted to write on it. All I needed to say was, "Our Baby Boy" and his name, Deakon Blair Howe.

Now, two years later, that blanket has been washed and folded countless times. It has stains and fuzzballs and life. It has been used by a baby boy who talks, moves, cries, laughs, and eats. "Our Baby Boy" is now a toddler, with a whole lot of life left to go.

Happy Birthday My Baby Boy... My heart is so full of love.

My Mom Is...(By Abby)

I am under direct instructions to not post this on "the blog," so in doing so, I may be forfeiting the trust of my daughter. I weighed the consequences and decided I still had to do it...it is just too classic.

Ab gave me a card for Mother's Day today that she had made in Kindergarten last Friday. It was gorgeous, and it also had lovely fill in the blank questions to answer about me.

For your enjoyment:

1. My favorite thing to do with my mom is ...Go Shopping. (Not cuddle, read or spend good old-fashioned quality time - there needs to be an exchange of money.)

2. My mom is special because...She works at my school and reads books in my class. (That one was sweet).

3. I like it when my mom... takes me to Arby's. (McDonald's is way beneath her at the moment. She has to have official "roast beef" and hates any sort of chicken).

4. My mom can do many things! I think she is best at...talking on the phone for a long time. (Smart Ass - She hates it when I am on the phone, and had a funny little grin when I read that one out loud this morning).

5. My mom is smart! She even knows...how to play baseball. (I did have a couple good hits last week that I have been shamelessly boasting about :)

I love this girl...in all her spunk and honesty. I am so lucky to be her mom.

Tag - The Memories

I decided to do this tag because I took some cute pics of the kids today, and wanted an excuse to post them. So, it's okay if you don't read and scroll down and only look at pictures :)

• 20 Years Ago: I was in San Diego and playing softball. I am not an athletically gifted girl, so I had to work my butt off in order to make the Competitive tournament team for our city. I had to work even harder to get playing time. I remember pitching 100 pitches every single day with my Dad when he got home from work. That year I learned the value of hard work and determination - and that if you really want to do something, you can.

• 10 Years Ago: I was mourning my missionary that I had sent off. I was probably writing daily letters and sending weekly packages. I was getting ready to attend USU with Burg, and beginning to find out what I wanted out of the rest of my life. (The letters, and Mtn. Dew packages eventually faded, and the missionary became a "Dear John.")

• 5 Years Ago: Blair and I were living in Syracuse with our first little baby, Abby. Blair was working out of town a ton, and I was getting my Master's, working full time for Youth Corrections, and raising a very independent little girl. Abby was (and still is) the absolute center of my life, and I was having so much fun being with her. At the time though, I thought life couldn't get any busier (Ha.) I soon learned otherwise.
  

• 3 Years Ago: We were building our house we live in now, and living with my parents. I was graduated and working for the school district part-time as a school counselor. We were deciding we wanted another little kiddo (basically Abby told us it was time).


• 1 Year Ago: I was just beginning to see the light, after a couple of really intense years. I spent a lot of time worrying, praying, and hoping. I became friends with the doctors I so frequently visited. Although it was a hard time, I would not change a second. I discovered a strength within myself I didn't know was there, and I learned how fragile life is. I vividly remember holding Deakon for the first real time. Due to his syndrome and an emergency c-section, I didn't get the opportunity to spend any quality time with him for about 14 hours or so. One of the great NICU nurses brought Deak in after he had gotten a CAT Scan early in the morning, the day after he was born, and I felt his precious little body. I knew I was holding a miracle; I have never felt anything so strong in my life.






• This Past year: This has been a great year. Deak is healthier, Abby is growing up so freaking fast, and Blair and I are enjoying the ride. We are looking forward to spending time together and vacationing some this summer.


• Yesterday: I worked - which means I taught 5 classes about Empathy, helped place students with teachers for next year, ran a group with some cute kids, and tried to help a little guy cope with his mother's suicide. Then, I worked some more....Picked up the kids, went to the grocery store, made Tacos (nothing fancy on a work day), bathed and played with children, folded laundry, watched "Greys" and a couple of my Tivo'd shows (The Hills, and Brothers and Sisters).


• Today: More laundry (that never ends)...and then on a whim, decided to take the kids to the "This is the Place" park. I had never been there and they were having some sort of special Pioneer event. It was actually pretty fun. Abby got her face painted, Deak rode his first pony (he was a little nervous, but overall pretty excited), and we rode a train. I always feel so proud of myself when I venture out with both kids alone - I don't know how the crap anyone with more than two goes anywhere; Bless you.

Oh yes...a Jazz party with the fam is scheduled tonight. Go Jazz!!

• Tomorrow: Yard work, a soccer game, and probably a date with Blair. I love those kind of days.

So, there is my life in a nutshell. Nothing very exciting right now, but that's okay considering we have had our share of excitement over the past few years. I'll take calm and boring, in fact I love it.