Gotta Try This...

Sakura's Japanese Steakhouse is a great place for a family or group to go out to eat.  We took the family their last night for my birthday.  It was priceless to watch our kids faces as our chef wow'd us with his tricks as he cooked everything right before our eyes.  The kids loved it!

Where has the time gone?

This was from 2007.  Look how much Bre looked like Leia.  Or should I say Leia is looking like Bre. They have grown up so much.

Just For Fun...Robot?

This is a picture from a couple of months ago.  Leia wanted to be a robot.  She wanted to build a robot costume and so we did.  She decorated a box and we added some foil and she acted like a little robot all morning.

So Handsome

For Mother's Day Levi gave me a picture of himself that his YM leader took of him with a little note written on it.  It was just printed on computer paper.  I loved this picture so I got a copy of it from his leader and made this page.  I can't believe how handsome and grown up he looks.

Cute Haircut

Look who got a cut hair cut...

Just in time for summer...if it will ever come.  Bre is so funny.  Her new look and new hair cut is actually the result of a fortune cookie.  The other day she got a fortune cookie that said, "Be adventurous and try a new look."  So she begged me to get her hair cut.  I was all for it if it meant less tangles.  So we are both happy.

Some more digital pages...

The Monday Crazies

Yesterday started Teacher Appreciation week so as a room mom I get to coordinate that for Levi's class.  All the room moms decorate the teacher's door and coordinate different things to be brought in each day for the teachers.   I made these little treat buckets for 7 teachers.  Yes, with 4 kids at the school I actually had 7 teachers that work with my kids that I really appreciate!  The buckets have homemade caramels inside. :)

Now, about the Monday crazies;  sometimes I feel like I have to cram in as much as possible on Monday and so I run around like a crazy person.  I don't know, but I get this "Monday" crazy energy serge.  So for instance my Monday went like this:
Right after family scripture reading I ran down to wrap a birthday present for my daughter (going to a party straight after school) and gathered all the stuff to do the door decorating thing.
 Got the kids all ready and fed and we left by 8:30 am for the school.
Got the door done before 9am when school started (with the kids help) and then took Leia and went home.  We tore out in such a rush that there was a bit of house clean up to do.  So I cleaned up the house and thoroughly scoured my sink (it was bugging me), started some laundry and then got to shower and get ready for the day.
Next, after feeding Leia lunch I took her to school and passed out as many teacher gifts as I could.
Went home to do payroll and bills for the company.
Tried to fit in 30 min of piano practice and then went back to school to catch the last 2 teachers and pick up kids.
After that I balanced the business checking account (no small task) and did some scanning and e-filing. (while encouraging children to practice piano and homework)
Worked on more laundry (getting kids to help fold) and then took girls to dance practice.
Now it was dinner.  Luckily we had plenty of leftovers from Sunday so it was easy.
Picked up girls from dance.  (5:30)
Now family home evening...(read an article in the Friend magazine and discussed it)
Then dad promised to take the older kids to look at bicycles since they have out grown theirs. (another thing we can take away whenever there is bad behavior)
So while they were gone we (me and the younger girls) made slushies.
Then I did 3 Easter scrap book pages (digital) and posted to blog and then tucked my kids in bed and felt good that we got so much done that day.  Another crazy Monday competed.

Speed Stacking Fun

Levi speed stacking with his sisters as cheerleaders.

Levi and Addie took a speed stacking 4-H club at school.  Levi is especially into it.  There is a certain sequence to stacking and unstacking the cups and you try and beat your time.   Here is a little sample of what it is.

Could We Be Related?

Is everyone enjoying all the Royal fanfare with Will & Kate wedding?  I was not one to get up at 4am and watch it live but I enjoyed all the recaps.  So I got to thinking...hmmm...Kate Middleton? Actually my husband pointed out the connection to me.   My Great Grandmother on my father's side is a Middleton!  Could we be related?  Well, at this point I will never Know.  I can't find my great grandmother's family to know who her parents are.  Perhaps there will be more Middleton genealogy available now with her becoming a "royal".  That would be wonderful if I could solve the mystery of Great Grandma Susan and the Middleton line.

Happy Easter!