funtertainment

While looking for a movie to rent the other day, Grace said "No...that one is not full of funtertainment."
What!?
She makes me laugh every day.

Last Day of School!!! Yippee!

Having a pizza party...a Dominoes dude came and demonstrated how to make dough and pizza...
She got the "always ready in less than a minute" award...it was funny because when the teacher read out each award the kids yelled out who they thought was getting it...Grace's name was yelled out for almost every category...friendly, best librarian, best line leader etc :) She is such a sweet girl!
Fabulous Mrs Bills...she and Grace both cried a little when they said goodbye...
THEN we saw "UP" at Jordan Commons and even got to play video games after! Another fantastic last day of school with the family!

flying

While driving home today, Grace suddenly piped up with this little gem:
"If you close your eyes in the car it feels like you're flying!"

I glanced in the rear-view mirror and sure enough, there her little face was framed perfectly, eyes squinched shut, lips forming a happy little grin.
Thanks again baby for reminding me of the simple joys.

Tooth Fairy

Grace has a number of loose teeth. The bottom one has been SUPER loose for days now. Seriously, I could see UNDER it when she wiggled it. It wanted to come out. I've always thought it sad when kids lose teeth at school...do their parents not pay attention to what is going on dentally with their children? How can that happen? Not one of my kids has ever lost a tooth at school. We always handle it at home.
It was time tonight. She clearly is very unhappy about it, and was hysterical about pulling it out. She pretended to try to get it out herself...but obviously wasn't actually pulling.
1/2 a second on my lap in the bathroom did the job. But it hurts my heart a little to see the disillusionment in her eyes. A small piece of her innocence came out with that tooth.
She's happy as can be now though.
It took almost an entire box of Kleenex to mop up the tears and other discharge from her face throughout the entire episode.
It doesn't help that she has a serious phobia about blood. The sight of any red liquid sends her into fits of hysteria. And usually requires an entire box of band-aids. She's so funny.
I am proud to note however, that this time I didn't collapse into fits of giggles at her out-of-control frenzy. Remember the Montauk Monster episode? Scroll back a few months if you don't. It's a classic.
Ryan and Jill weren't so collected. But at least they left the room to laugh so she didn't witness their uncontrollable mirth. She won't be scarred by THAT part of the evening at least. Just by her mother's plucking of the tooth.
The craziest part happened afterward. I found myself in a puddle of tears holding her little tooth in my hand. My LAST FIRST baby tooth gone. My baby is growing up.

A River Runs Through It

We went to my family's annual "clean, fix and open the cabin" day last Saturday. Dan picked up Dad so he could be with us for the day.
It drizzled most of the day. The men went to work repairing the barbed-wire fence. Andrew got to impress his fellow workers by felling a tree with his brute strength alone....we later found a pretty sizeable bruise on his bicep as a result.
Uncle Dave entertained the small ones...something he is gifted at thank goodness. Did I mention the rain? We were kind of stuck inside.
I'm convinced that I contracted the Hantavirus whilst cleaning. Yuck. Use your imagination.
Zzzzzz. It's exhausting to play all day, apparently. Notice that the baby chose to sleep on Ryan, and not the other direction... on Tyler. His arm was probably asleep and he would let it fall off rather than disturb her.
It was a great day, great family, and a beautiful place. Can't wait to spend some time there this summer!

Gettin' their dance on

Ryan's last choir concert of the year. I do have video of him "getting his dance on" but I'm withholding it for a later date. (read blackmail.)
He, surprisingly, really can dance. Who knew?
The baby's dance festival at school. Good times. I am SO ready for this school year to be over.

9th Grade Honors Night

Last night we were invited to Lehi Jr. High's 9th Grade Honors Night. Ryan was honored as one of the HIGH HONOR ROLL recipients. He actually will finish his 9th grade year with a perfect 4.0 for every quarter of the year. (He's taken 2 honors classes as well as a language too!) He'll be immortalized with a bronze plaque with his name and the year in a display at the front of the school.
(Jillian has a plaque for her perfect 8th grade year....I'm feeling kind of sad for my poor Gracie right now. The bar is set pretty high. No pressure.)

Way to go Ry! We're so proud of you.