Life these days

I haven't given up on blogging, but I am close. By the time I actually sit at my computer I just want to mindlessly play Candy Crush or read all about team grades from the NFL draft.

But I shall persevere. I shall record every single event of my kids lives for posterity's sake. And when I say posterity, I mean for my Mommy guilt's sake.

I used to have things to say. I used to write important stuff like my thoughts on the tension between Russia and Ukraine. Okay, maybe not, but I used to at least post new recipes and other things besides pictures of my kids.

But I'm too tired. I give up. I have nothing to say except that the ending of Once Upon a Time last night was totally cool (ELSA??!!) and if Spencer doesn't win this season of Survivor, I am officially done. Oh, and AJ  falling to the 5th round in the draft was majorly disappointing.

There you have it. That's as deep as I am going to get these days. On to pictures of the kids. Only my Mom is excited about that.

Okay, first up. My oldest had her first piano recital. We were so incredibly proud of her. She was the youngest in the recital but she totally held her own. Who says 5 year olds can't start taking piano? Not me. This was a quote from Bennett after the recital, "I was really nervous, but I sat at the piano and took a deep breath. The I got my fingers into position and then I was okay." Love that kid!

So, of course my camera ran out of room in the middle of her piece. And right before she "got to the hard part where my fingers changed keys and positions, Mom!!?"  Ugh. Story of my life. But seriously, look how little she looks walking up there. Sniff sniff...

Who is that big girl?

 Bowing for her adoring audience. Or bowing before the crowd of tired parents who had to sit there for an hour to hear their one kid play for 45 seconds. Either way.

My parents drove down for the recital and it meant the world to Bennett to have them there. She adores her grandparents.

While we're on the subject of Bennett, I had a great time at her very first Spring Fling. Of course I was on the planning committee and volunteered to help out all day long. I don't know if it is because it is my first year having a kid in grade school, but I swear I am every PTO's dream come true. I say yes to everything. I feel like I am always up at that school. Rob says that by the time Lainey is in Kindergarten I will be curled up in the fetal position crying, "No! My therapist tells me to just say no!" Anyway, here are just a few shots from the 500 that I took. See how I am sparing you there?

It was an awesome day. You know what else is awesome? A lemonade stand. That's right. Nothing is better than having your three kids offer flavored sugar water to strangers in exchange for a quarter. And they made $32! What have I been doing with my life?

Of course, what do we do with the money? Why we shop garage sales until we find the coolest lot of Geotrax ever!  If we had bought all of this retail we would have spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars. But if you time it out correctly at a garage sale, you too can use your lemonade money to bring home all of this awesomeness.We are now the hit of the neighborhood.

Oh, and have you met this kid? Otherwise known  as the sweetest kid ever? Y'all, I'm not kidding. This one right here has a heart of gold. Nearly every day his preschool teacher tells me some sweet story as she walks him out to the carpool line. Usually it's something like how Will tells her that he loves her so much that it hurts. She said she has never wanted to kidnap a child and take him home more than Will. He is so sweet in school that he is usually on blue or purple most days (that's a good thing. I promise) and everyone adores him. I couldn't be prouder.

And then there's this one. Oh, friends. I have a feeling that I need to buckle my seat belt because I am in for a bumpy ride. This one, at 19 month old, is all sass and opinions. The older she gets I am realizing how headstrong she is and how she has always been that way. She knows exactly who she wants holding her and who she does not. If she doesn't want you to talk to her she will turn her head all the way and pretend that you aren't there. She pushes her older siblings out of chairs if she doesn't want them sitting there. She climbs on everything and Bennett and Will have had to start eating their snacks in secret to hide from Lainey who will push them and run away with their snacks. Lord, give me courage.

Typical Lainey face. Rob probably looked at her the wrong way. I'm not kidding.

But when she wants to be sweet and cuddle with you, there isn't a sweeter little bugaboo in the world. We love this little thing so stinkin' much.

Hmmmm.... what else? Oh, yeah. Bennett's reading is all kinds of awesome. She is reading like full on books now? Is that even a phrase? Full on books? I don't know. My mind is still reeling because the Cowboys aren't on the Amazing Race anymore. Full on books is the best I can do at descriptions this morning. But check out this Frozen book. 130 pages and very few pictures. You go, Bennett! #smartgirlsrule

We are loving Daylight Savings and taking long bike rides and walks in the evening

Oh, how I love these four. And this picture.

Meg got jealous. She is so needy sometimes.

I have absolutely loved teaching preschool enrichment this year. I wish more than anything that I could post pictures of all the fun things we have done this year, but I can't do that without getting permission from all the parents and I am far too lazy to do that. But we have had an amazing year. I have really enjoyed working part time as well. It's a step back into the work force and I am excited about that. On our last day we decorated chef's hats and made pancakes. Here are a couple of pictures and I used the kid I know I can  post on the blog.

Speaking of my Will, here is the sweet note he wrote for Mother's Day. It worries me that he only loves me because I don't get on to him "very much." His love is so conditional.

And we are so proud of our Will because he tested into Bennett's magnet school for next year. Siblings get a priority placement so I wasn't sure how well he had done on his test. But a teacher at the school said Will's scores were extremely high and said he would have easily gotten in even without a sibling priority placement. I am so so proud of him. I think sometimes Bennett can overshadow Will because she is so smart, but he is too. He can do complicated math problems with ease and asks at night if we will do math with him and work with him on his reading. We don't push, but he loves to learn as much as his big sister. I think he has his Grandaddy's engineer brain. Way to go, buddy.

Sooooo...... Mother's Day was yesterday. And guess what I did? I left my children. That's right. I sure did. I went away with girlfriends for the first time in years. We went to the beach and ate at restaurants. With no sippy cups. And no highchairs. And we sat quietly by the ocean. And I didn't have to bury anyone in sand. Or reapply sunscreen 30 times. Or break up fights because someone was using the wrong shovel. It was absolutely heavenly.

And while I was away, Rob let the kids eat whatever they wanted....

....wherever they wanted.

He even organized a play date for the husbands left behind at home. Is my husband not the best? No, seriously. Is he not?

We are missing 4 of the kids in this picture, but no matter. And what are these kids doing? I guess when the Dad are in charge you play with toilet paper attached to sticks?

Lainey hated it. Of course she did.

Oh, and remember that sweet boy I was telling you about earlier? Apparently he missed me the most of my kids. Rob went to check on him one night and found this. Yup. He had taken a picture of me to bed with him and had fallen asleep with it beside him. You guys.... I just can't.

But I have to say that I am very thankful I have good friends that I can go away with for a weekend. Starting over in new towns in so hard. I have done it so many times. I even went to college 7 hours away from home where I did not know one soul on campus. And ever since then I feel as if I have started over at least a half dozen times. I think it gets harder with each move as well. Friendships are established already. When you move in your 30's, people are very nice, but they already have their groups. Their kids already have their best friends. I have been so so lucky that every time I have gone somewhere new (Tennessee, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Montana, New York, Montgomery, Kansas City, Dothan) I have been so fortunate to find wonderful friends. I have amazing friendships formed all over the country and I really do not take that lightly. I am so so grateful.

Whew! I think that's it for now. We're gearing up for a busy few weeks- dance recitals, field day, trips, preschool graduation, honors day, and just life. But we're ready. We did it. We made it through Kindergarten and are ready to enjoy every bit of our summer!