Basketball and bikes

This year, more than in years past, the kids have wanted to play out front more. I get it, they are bigger and there's more room. But that also means I have to be available to watch, I can't be working in the kitchen or also getting something else done, I have to be present and attentive. Which, I guess is not a bad thing, I tend to focus too much on my to-do list and not enough on my kids.

 

Basketball and bikes/scooters have been the favorites lately. Kailin just practices running!

Is it summer?

We have had the wettest spring that I can ever recall here in CO. It's just been rainy and chilly and not warm. Ever since we got home from China, it's been pretty miserable and dreary in my opinion.

The first week of official summer break it finally got warm enough to get out the little pool in the backyard and have some fun. I was surprised but even Logan and Preston got into it and the 4 younger kids (Brayden was at a golf lesson) played all afternoon outside in the water. I guess that is what a way-too-long-rainy-spring will do to you - make you desperate for any outdoor activity!

 

8

This guy turns 8 today!

 

He's my favorite 8-year-old in the whole world (for the next year)! Preston is a little ball of energy. Well I guess he's not so little anymore. If you can't find Preston you can look for him outside playing a sport or riding his bike, inside playing a game or if it's past 8 pm, asleep!

 

He is our active, intelligent, shy, aggressive, lovey, introverted boy and we love him so so much! He brings so much joy and excitement to our family. He really looks up to his older brothers and always wants to play them. He LOVES board games, and he's really good at strategy games. He also loves to play Legos, draw pictures, write stories and do math.

 

Preston is advanced in math at school and really enjoys school in general but gets bored because there isn't much of a challenge for him. He's so quiet teachers don't think he's getting it, but they are surprised when he is the first one done in class with a problem or asking for extra homework.

 

Preston, you make us proud and we are lucky to be your parents. Never stop being you, because you are awesome!

Girly girl

According to all the updates we received from the orphanage and foster family before we traveled to get Kailin, we were pretty sure she was a tomboy. We were told that her favorite toys were toy guns and that she "hated baby dolls".  She had 2 other little boys living in the foster home with her, so toy guns just might have been what she had to play if she wanted to play.

It is true that she likes toy guns, so much so that we have had to set rules about how to play with them, as in "you don't shoot people". (Ya, that's a fun one to explain to a 2-year-old who can't really understand what you're saying and hates being told "no"!!)

But we were surprised to see her start playing with all things girly pretty much right after we got home and she saw Ashten playing with them. She likes dress up, especially shoes and accessories. She likes baby dolls. She likes playing kitchen. She likes painting her nails. She likes being told she's pretty. She likes dresses and bows.

 

I would say she's a girly girl if I've ever met one! And that's fine by me (and Ashten)!

Happy daddy's day!!

Chris is an AMAZING father to our 5 kids! I'm sure the burden of that sometimes weighs heavily on him, but he doesn't let on. He is definitely the "fun" one of the two of us, but I love to see him doing stuff with the kids, whether it's taking them to go do something or just wrestling or cuddling at home. We are very blessed to have him heading our family!! I asked the kids these questions about their daddy and I thought they were fun! We love you Chris/daddy!!!

Brayden (age 11):

1.What is something dad always says to you? "B"
2. What makes dad happy? when he advises me to do something and I learn it
3. What makes dad sad? when I don't listen
4. How does your dad make you laugh? makes the elephant sound or a face
5. What was your dad like as a child? a kid just like me - sometimes naughty but mostly good
6. How old is your dad? 35
7. How tall is your dad? 5'11"
8. What is his favorite thing to do? be with his family
9. What does he do when you're not around? be's himself, doesn't change
10. If your dad becomes famous, what will it be for? either sports or his personality
11. What is your dad really good at? sports and being with his family
12. What is your dad not very good at? I can't think of anything dad's not very good at
13. What does your dad do for a job? teaches chemistry at Dakota Ridge High School and is my dad
14. What is your dad's favorite food? probably hamburgers and hotdogs
15. What makes you proud of your dad? that he is very intelligent and is willing to help
16. If your dad was a character, who would he be? Captain America
17. What do you and your dad do together? play sports
18. How are you and your dad the same? we both love to help out and will do sports
19. How are you and your dad different? I am quicker to anger
20. How do you know your dad loves you? because we trust each other and are very very good friends
21. What does your dad most like about your mom? her personality
22. Where is your dad's favorite place to go? anywhere with the family
23. How old was your dad when you were born? 24 or 23

Logan (age 10):

 

1.What is something dad always says to you? I love you
2. What makes dad happy? us being nice to him
3. What makes dad sad? when we disobey
4. How does your dad make you laugh? tickling me
5. What was your dad like as a child? I have no idea
6. How old is your dad? 35
7. How tall is your dad? 5'11"
8. What is his favorite thing to do? be with us
9. What does he do when you're not around? sit on the couch
10. If your dad becomes famous, what will it be for? a superhero
11. What is your dad really good at? teaching
12. What is your dad not very good at? making people not laugh
13. What does your dad do for a job? teach
14. What is your dad's favorite food? pizza
15. What makes you proud of your dad? he is loving
16. If your dad was a character, who would he be? Dr. Clay (from Dolphin Tale)
17. What do you and your dad do together? play poker
18. How are you and your dad the same? we are both in the same family
19. How are you and your dad different? I can't make him laugh but he can make me laugh
20. How do you know your dad loves you? he tucks me in every night
21. What does your dad most like about your mom? she loves him
22. Where is your dad's favorite place to go? somewhere with the family
23. How old was your dad when you were born? 23-25

Preston (age 7):



1.What is something dad always says to you? good job, sure I'll play poker with you
2. What makes dad happy? playing with us kids
3. What makes dad sad? when he's watching TV and we come up and ask to do something he doesn't want to do
4. How does your dad make you laugh? tickling me
5. What was your dad like as a child? he broke a lot of lamps
6. How old is your dad? 35
7. How tall is your dad? no idea
8. What is his favorite thing to do? play poker with me I think
9. What does he do when you're not around? I don't know
10. If your dad becomes famous, what will it be for? being a great teacher
11. What is your dad really good at? teaching
12. What is your dad not very good at? nothing
13. What does your dad do for a job? teaches
14. What is your dad's favorite food? Papa John's pizza
15. What makes you proud of your dad? his funniness
16. If your dad was a character, who would he be? superdaddy
17. What do you and your dad do together? play poker
18. How are you and your dad the same? we both laugh
19. How are you and your dad different? he's older than me
20. How do you know your dad loves you? because he tucks me in and gives me a kiss
21. What does your dad most like about your mom? I have no idea
22. Where is your dad's favorite place to go? anywhere with the family
23. How old was your dad when you were born? 38

Ashten (age 5):

1.What is something dad always says to you? Could you play with me?
2. What makes dad happy? going out to eat
3. What makes dad sad? being rude to him
4. How does your dad make you laugh? makes a silly face
5. What was your dad like as a child? he liked to eat everything
6. How old is your dad? big
7. How tall is your dad? really big
8. What is his favorite thing to do? play games, poker
9. What does he do when you're not around? work and stuff
10. If your dad becomes famous, what will it be for? playing games
11. What is your dad really good at? baseball, soccer, anything
12. What is your dad not very good at? jumping
13. What does your dad do for a job? work
14. What is your dad's favorite food? anything
15. What makes you proud of your dad? when he's gone and comes back
16. If your dad was a character, who would he be? the prince in Cinderella
17. What do you and your dad do together? play poker
18. How are you and your dad the same? we both have arms
19. How are you and your dad different? he's a boy and I'm a girl
20. How do you know your dad loves you? I make him really happy
21. What does your dad most like about your mom? she's pretty and happy
22. Where is your dad's favorite place to go? Chinese food and the mall
23. How old was your dad when you were born? 13 or just a kid, like 7 or 8 or something

Kailin (age 2):

Happy Father's Day!! We all love you sooooooooo much!!

Ear piercings

I had been anxiously awaiting the day that Ashten asked to get her ears pierced. I didn't want to pressure her into it earlier than she was ready so I didn't say anything, but I also wasn't going to make her wait once she asked. I was so excited when she finally asked!!!

She asked right at the end of the school year and Chris and I made her a deal if she could stop sucking her finger at night she would be a big girl and could get her ears pierced! She stopped immediately (that girl has the willpower I wish I had) and then a few days later (just to make sure) we went and got her ears pierced.

The day we did it we were actually already going out for a little bit with my mom and sisters to celebrate Mother's Day with my mom. We went to Olive Garden for lunch and then Ashten told everyone she was going to get her ears pierced (I was going to do it on the way home) and everyone wanted to come see so we did it right after lunch.

Ashten was very brave, she did really good. She did cry a little, but not until it was all over. My mom treated her to a new stuffed animal (she chose a pink kitty) and then she was all smiles. Ashten chose Elsa earrings, which are pretty cute! We're already kind of slacking on the cleaning 3 times a day, but they are healing well.

After that we continued on with our Mother's Day celebration and went and got pedicures and ice cream! It was a fun, girly day!

6th grade continuation

It's so hard for me to believe that Brayden is all done with elementary school and moving on to 7th grade and middle school. He's gotten so grown up and it seems like not enough time has passed to make him that grown up!

He had a continuation at school where each student received a diploma and any extracurricular awards and there was a slideshow with pictures and a little reception afterwards. Brayden participated in orchestra in 5th and 6th grade and he is planning to continue on in middle school! He is very musically talented and I'm proud to see him using his gifts to enjoy a little extracurricular orchestra!

getting his award for orchestra

getting his award for high achievement for an ensemble performance



it's official - 6th grade is over!

Brayden and his friend, Taylor

Brayden, Taylor and Ashten

what he wants to be when he grows up

I may have cried a little at the continuation. Not much, but this is definitely a new area for us too and I'm a little nervous to navigate middle school and teenage-hood. I'm excited, but I am comfortable with elementary school and I'm not big on change (says the person who has probably had the biggest year of change in her life this year)

Brayden also attended the 6th grade BBQ and that's when it really hit me that he's growing up. He walked to the BBQ with friends (it was at a park by the school), he texted me when he was ready to be picked up, he asked for a little more time, then he texted me again when he was ready to be picked up.

Plays at school

Each of the boys put on an end of the year play with their class. This is the first year they have done something like this and the music teacher arranged it, and I'm glad she did. They all did little mini versions of Broadway musicals, about 20-30 minutes long. Despite cocooning, I went to the kids musicals anyway, I didn't want to miss out on more than I already had. I just wore Kailin in the ergo, came late and stood in the back.

Logan's class did Annie. He played the part of the dog catcher and the butler. He really got into it, he had so much fun. I think Logan will enjoy more choir and drama activities as he gets older!

Preston's class did Suessical Jr. It was so cute! Preston had a line from Horton Hears a Who and he did perfect on it! You can tell this is not Preston's thing, but he gave it his best and took it seriously anyway!

Brayden's class did Once Upon an Island. I really didn't care for the story at all, but his class did good. Brayden especially took it very seriously and delivered his lines and his parts in character! Brayden also had the special honor of playing the piano while parents arrived as after the musical as they left. We are very proud of him for that!!

Whether or not they choose to pursue this kind of extracurricular activity again, I don't care so much, but I am glad they got the opportunity to do it now in elementary school to at least try it out.