Last day of school!

Why is the last day of school hard for me? Makes me sad to think my kids changing grades and Blake being a 1st grader! Ugh! All day! Part of me wants to do a little happy dance and the other part of me gets a little sad.  Change is hard.  It's hard to start over with new teachers when you figure out the old ones.  Blake was sad when he realized his friends will not be in his class next year (they already met their next year teachers and classmates). 

Ok so there is a story with this picture.  Blake hates, HATES, hates pictures.  He threw a full out fit right in front of the school when I said I wanted him to pose with Mrs. Searle for a picture.  It's amazing he looks as normal as he does.  He freaked out for the next 10 minutes after we left too.  Which is weird now I think about it because...

 Ty did about the same thing but for different reasons.  Here is Ty today just after getting out of school:

 Then we got home.  And I thought I would be a kick butt mom and make a banner for them to run though that says "welcome to summer!".  We went to a printing store and bought the paper, came home and colored it and it took me forever to tape it up.  The little boys help me color (scribble more like) to decorate it and they were proud of it.  When Ty saw his poster he FLIPPED OUT! "why is it so ugly? their are scribbles all over it!" and on and on.  Holy cow! I thought I was the cool mom not a bad mom! Well sometimes I feel like good cop bad cop from the lego movie.  I go from being nice and sweet to horribly angry and mad.  Seriously how could he get SO upset with something fun I was trying to do!  So I said Stockton could run through it and then he came up to do it:

 I had enough paper for Blake to do one too.  He got to decorate his own so he was happy. Maybe they were both flipping out with all the changes too??  Now I think about it.  At any rate they are camping with Bryan today and I am enjoying my sweet little boys that don't talk back to me... yet.

 Ty and Blakes first and last days of school. 

Graduation

Right after my college graduation I was trying to get a teaching job around the valley.  With the size of the valley I live in and the amount of teachers coming out of Utah State it was a long shot to say the least.  I was lucky enough to have been asked to interview at Greenville elementary for a 4th grade teacher job- half time.  I had just found out I was pregnant with Tyson and I was at the beginning of my 9 months of morning sickness and was very, very ill.  I prayed really hard that I would feel well enough to interview.  I remember sitting in the hall outside the room they were interviewing feeling like I was going to puke.  It was horrible. Then as soon as they called me in a freaking miracle happened.  I felt totally fine, said just what I wanted to say (which to this day never happens.  I'm a little backward socially sometimes) and did awesome.  As soon as I left and got into my car the sickness came back.  I'm pretty sure I had to go to my in laws where Bryan was up the street and puke.  It was totally the grace of God that I got that wonderful job.  The reason I brought this up is because my 4th graders graduated yesterday.  Can you believe it?  I'm that old! A little while ago one of them posted a throw back picture of me with the class.  All these kids from my class that are not connected with me on facebook were commenting on how much they loved me and how I was the best.  Holy cow did that make me feel good.  It's made me think about my graduations: 

 This is one of the very few pictures from my high school graduation.  My parents computer crashed so we only have a couple pictures we printed off the computer.  We graduated outside and this crazy storm blew in.  The wind was insane! Everyones hats were flying off and the big speakers on the tripods were blowing over.  When I got my diploma I was holding onto my hat with one hand because the wind was crazy! Because I was in the top 10% of my class (not hard to do at my high school) we helped plan graduation so we decided to sit in the front.  =)  haha That was back in 2001- 13 years ago! Holy cow I've been out of school longer then I was in school.  Then 4 years later came this:

I graduated from Utah State with my degree in Elementary Education.  I LOVED Utah State! Seriously it was the best experience.  Bryan hated being in school.  HATED it. I like school.  It was a lot more fun to go through most of it single too.  Look how long my  hair was?  I miss it.  I had the best friends in my education program.  

This was in 2005- 9 years ago.  Holy cow where is the time going?  My life has changed so much since then.  My nephew graduated this week as well.  I keep thinking about how once a kid graduates your relationship changes so much with them.  I feel like they are almost no longer your kids and adults that call you mom.  The time to guide them is over and they are on their own.  I wish life would slow down so I can catch my breath a little and enjoy my boys while they are so little.  I know every parent feels this way but life seems to be going in hyper speed!

Spring family pics

Which one should I print for my wall??? 

Notice Blake.  What a little fart. 

Spring family pictures- the boys

I've been dying to get some family pictures since I got my lens.  I was racking my brain on how to do it since my camera doesn't have a remote to it and wont do multiple exposers on a timer.  (Time for a new camera Bryan!) We ended up having our neighbor come to help us and it was much better to have Kristin then just my camera on a timer.  For sure! But I was get the exposer I want then she would stand a little off from where I was and it would be off.  Not her fault at all but hard to judge what to do. For what it was we did ok.  This first set was all me.  I'm going to nit pick them a bit but here we go- 

Bake was the hardest one to take pictures of because he HATES it so bad.  He even broke down crying for awhile because of it.  (that's him pouting below).  I need a reflector when I'm shooting with backlight.  (the sun is behind their heads) so their faces are not so dark.  Note to self.  ;) But isn't the light yummy??  Oh I loved it! 

 Brett was the best! He was so good! I wish I got a few more of him in the dandelions.  He was so sweet!

 Stockton was a little bit of a pill for the family pictures for some reason.  He was good for his own pictures for the most part.

 See my point about their faces?  I need to learn how to fix that in photoshop.  Anyone know how to help me?

 The fields were COVERED in dandelions that have gone to seed (we call them wishers) and the boys ran up and down the field.  We were at our friend Scotts property in wellsville where the boys always go fishing.  It was so beautiful.

To sum up- It was a lot of work.  And my kids were kind of a pain.  But I'm making small progress with my photos.  I'm trying at least!

Mothers Day

This was one of the best mothers day I have ever had.  Bryan did so much! My house was clean, kids were taken care of.  I got flowers and the curling iron I wanted.  good day!

I love my crazies that make me a mom. 

Tyson had cowboy day at school.  He was worried he would be the only one dressed up but a lot of 2nd graders were so he was ok.  I think he looks dang cute.  =)

We went up to my mother in laws for dinner on Mothers day.  On the way home Brett kept saying temple so I made Bryan stop.  Brett and and Stockton both think that Jesus will come out and see them at the temple so they get upset when we go to leave and they haven't seen him yet.  It's hard to explain to them.  I think it's really sweet though.

 I wish I were a better photographer! Here the light was PERFECT and I messed it up! It's too grainy! Maybe next time.

 I love how you can see the gate in the window.

 They all wanted to touch the temple.

For the record I tried to get a picture of Blake alone but he would not let me.  I feel bad I don't have as many pictures of him!

I'm so grateful to have my boys forever.