school's out for summer!

Yesterday was Kyler's LAST day of school as a Roosevelt Raptor! I am stunned by how fast this year has gone by, my baby boy is going to be a 2nd grader! Thursday I volunteered for his field day, we had a blast. I was there for 3 hours helping out with the 3 legged race. At the end of the day a firetruck stopped by and drenched the kids. My son, as I am so proud, was at the very front of the hoses harassing the firemen to spray him. haha. What a great year it's been, I have loved his friends and his teacher. I have made a few wonderful friends myself that I will miss dearly as we move (come to Oregon Endo family!!).
Some photos from the last week:
Wednesday, Joey, Lexi and I took my mom to breakfast.
He is such a good uncle, he has so much fun playing with the kids.

Sunday:

We went to my in law's to help vacuum out their pool and ended up going to dinner together and later the kids decided they wanted to spend the night with grandma and Aunt Nicole.

grandma and Kyler (being goofy as always)

grandma and Lexi

Lexi, aunt Nicole and Kyler

Wednesday:

Uncle Johnny stopped by to visit
Winky is all healed up! Slip n slide fun! Daniel, Kyler and Tegan

Lexi and connor

The kids and I had a sleep over at my mom's last night. We had a blast! We ordered pizza, played Monopoly (which has quickly become Kyler's favorite game!) and made hot fudge brownie sundaes.

I have only told a few, but on Monday morning, my mom had a really terrible fall down the stairs at her home. She called me telling me she couldn't get the bleeding to stop, I rushed over there and took her to the ER, her entry way of her home looked like a murder scene, it was horrific! I was so afraid and angry! She had been to the dr. the previous day worried about her hip, and he said she was fine and sent her home. Well, he was wrong. She got home and her hip gave out and she took a brutal beating down her stairs (black eye, bruises EVERYWHERE, blood, cuts, etc). I get so fed up with drs she has to deal with. Anyone who knows anything about my mom and her situation SHOULD understand. She injured herself 20 years ago by working TOO hard trying to support her kids on her own. Since then, she has been looked down upon and frowned upon for her prescription pain medications her dr gives her. She suffers from chronic pain on a daily basis. I (and most) cannot even begin to understand what that is like. She is an amazing mom, grandmother, (was) daughter, sister, aunt, friend and just a very giving, loving, empathetic person and it angers me beyond belief that this happened simply because the dr thought he was GOD and had the right to judge someone. NO ONE has that right! She is healing wonderfully, as she is a very strong person. I love her so dearly and I just hope people will stop judging her and others. I didn't mean to rant, but it hurts to see someone you love and you know is simply amazing in every aspect of the word, be treated like that.

Today at my mom's:
Danielle and I

Orion, Lexi and Gabey

Yesterday:
Lexi had too much fun with her Hannah Montana lipstick!

Thursday:

When I was a little girl/toddler, I loved my belly button, she does the same. And yes, she has been practically living in her bathing suit

Lexi and her best friend, connor

and so the days fly past us...

The countdown to the end of first grade has begun...today marks 4 more days left. Where has the time gone? I remember so well taking him to kindergarten the first day, trying desperately not to cry and watching how my baby held his head up high and walked into the unknown as fearless as can be. Watching your children grow is so beautiful but at the same time so painful. The days have come and gone so quickly, it's hard to take it all in. I'm not ready to let my kids grow at the rate they are doing so. At least I can say I am utterly proud of these 2. They are so smart, sweet, caring, GOOFY, loving, and just all around special people.
Here are some photos from the week, it's been a busy one...

Last night: Danielle had a concert at the high school, she did so well and looked so beautiful.
me and Dani

Kyler had 'show and teach' and he showed the class how to make a diorama.

Lexi was kissing herself in the mirror!

Danielle, look at how grown up she is. About to go into 6th grade!

mama, Lexi and Dani

my mama and I

My award for volunteering at his school.

Kyler's first grade class. He is in the back row on the very far right. I'm impressed, back row with the tallest kids?! I never made it to back row, haha. Who would've thought Jared and I would have TALL kids? (his crushes are both in the front row, one in the left corner and then the other is the third from the left)

As part of the PTA funding this year, the first grade students had the opportunity to make a book. I love it, it will be something we cherish forever.

He dedicated his book to me, it says "I'd like to dedicate this book to my mom who's been nice to me". So sweet.

Wednesday: Winky had dental surgery, he had so many abscessed teeth, they pulled them ALL. My poor baby, I have realized this week, he IS old. I have been in denial up until this point. He is my first baby. 13 for a dog, is a severe senior. My poor baby

I have bee packing up a storm ONE HANDED! Sunday marks 4 weeks left in Utah. May has flown by...

weekend photos galore!

We're home! We left on Fri and it took 8 long deserty dry hours to get to beautiful Lake Tahoe. As soon as we pulled away my heart started aching to be without the kids. As a couple, we needed some non-parenting days to share and the kids had a blast. The weekend was SO fun! I hadn't seen my friends in 2 LONG years!
Here are some photos...
Samantha and cindy
sam, cin and me

Lake Tahoe, they were married at a beautiful look out spot

Samantha and Richard, they've been married for 10 years now

the bride and groom...Mr and Mrs Jacobson

the guys! Jared, Rich, Dave and chris

getting ready

I love this photo

finishing at the salon, we LOVED our hair!

these are my girls, I've known them since I was 4...

I miss them already

cindy wanted pompadours and curls

cindy's son (3 months younger than Lexi) Dean with Ellie, the dog we overfed and made vomit (sorry Janelle!)

our first night there, after 8 hours of driving:

Jared and Richard, you get these 2 together and they go on and on about fish and football for hours!

my beautiful girls

I love this pic, we were laughing so hard!

Thursday:

Kyler's self portrait, he loves VanGogh, that's my son!

he had a parent night Thursday, they had a band and a story teller. Here he is with one of his best friends chance

another adventure ahead...

Tomorrow we head to Lake Tahoe for my friend's wedding. I have known her since I was 4, I consider her my sister. It will be our first trip sans kids since December 2005, when we went to Montreal together for the weekend. We're excited as are the kids to spend some time with grandma and aunty. We rented a small car so as to not rack up anymore miles on the Subaru (in the last month and a half we took it to New Mexico and Oregon!). It'll be a short trip-Friday to Sunday. Lake Tahoe is gorgeous though. It was a travel spot we ventured to frequently growing up in NORcal. It'll be fun to show Jared the natural beauty there. I just hope the many fires that hit there in the last several years haven't destroyed it all.

This is why Jared is such a great dad, while we were at BBQ to celebrate my sister in law's birthday, Jared hopped on the trampoline and played with the kids while all the other adults were talking amongst ourselves.
Lexi is his baby...

he would bounce her up and catch her in the air

triple time! Bouncing Lexi, Gabriel and Kyler!

Kyler is so tall!

Gabriel FLEW!

Saturday at the park:

Lexi sits like a little lady

Lexi, Gabriel and Orion

Kyler took a self portrait the other day, haha! I had to post it. He's a funny guy.

I needed a change so I had my hair done:

this is before, faded reddish and split ends galore!

this is after, it's an A line with dramatic blond highlights

Hope everyone has a great weekend!