Kindergarten Graduation

Graduation Day

Zach and Miss Washburn

Zach & his buddy Benson (Yes, he is the same age as Zach. He's is so tall, I know, but such a cutie)

Ava was so excited for Zach

This is why our video of the graduation is a motion sickness nightmare! She just had to sit on my lap and periodically look at the LCD.

Zach graduated kindergarten on June 3rd. I was so sad but happy for him. I don't know what I'm going to do next year when he is in school all day. I would look forward to seeing his little blond head in the window of the bus as it passed in front of our house. I love it when he spots me on the corner and his face lights up and he yells "MOM!", as if he thought for a moment that I might not be there. I love that the first thing he asks me is "What's for lunch, mom?". I love it when he tells me about his day and how much he loves his teacher. I love it when he asks "What day is it tommorow?" and when I reply, "Saturday, why?", and he says, "I don't know. I just wanted to go to school. Thats all." I will even admit that I cried myself to sleep that night and my throat still gets tight when I talk about it. I love him so much and I want him to excel in everything he does. It is bittersweet to be a parent. I worry about him and Ava so much these days with everything that kids are exposed to. I often worry if I'm a good Mom and what he will be like when he is older. I often have to remind myselft that this is MY "test" and that if I follow His plan I can not go wrong. I love you Zach! You make me so proud to be your mom!

Where the heck have you been?

Oh Yeah! I have a blog!

I must say that this has been the hardest 4 months that I can remember! My poor family has suffered while I suffered through school. I think everyone knows I went back to school to obtain my nurse practitioner and boy has it kicked my trash! I always thought I could do anything I wanted to do. I just had to put my mind to it. Well.... My mind is mush right now - AND I know it is not possible to have it all and keep everything balanced. You can have a "little bit" of everything, but no, you can not have it ALL. I couldn't be there for my family when they needed me while I was cramming for a stats test or a cardiac test. It was so difficult, that nothing is phasing me right now. Everything just seems so easy now that school is done. Haha! I feel invincible. I wonder how long this will last? But... perseverance paid off. I got a 4.0 and was the highest grade in my stats class. My stats teacher emailed to tell me and congratulate me on earning the highest grade. (I printed it off and keep it in my wallet to remind me of all my hard work). This is the class I cried over... Lost sleep over... Cried over some more... I think one of the hardest parts was that this class was once a week from 4:10pm-7:00pm. She never kept us in class past 5:30pm. Which is good and bad. I think alot of us really needed the extra time but there were a couple of "know-it-all" engineers in the class that made it kind of intimidating for the rest of us to say anything. They seemed so bored and always finished their tests in like 10 minutes! So the most satisfying part is that I BEAT them! But I certainly put the time in. Ask Chris, I'm sure he'll vouch for that!

(Yes!! I am totally tooting my own horn - and I felt like I deserved it after this hellish semester! TOOT TOOT!)

So I had a little catching up to do... hence that multiple posts below.

Transformers! Roll Out!

Zach racing down the field! Zach scoring a goal. Yeah Zach! (I love how the kid on the other team is smacking his head as Zach scores)

Even Av's showed up in her best duds! Zach throwing the ball in. He looks so serious!

One last goal for the Z-man.

On Saturday, Z-man had his last soccer game. We were sad and happy. Happy because I think Zach was done with soccer. He really likes basketball and baseball a lot more. Sad because he did so STINKIN' good. I really wish he was more into soccer, but he said he didn't want to sign up for the fall. Oh, well. We had fun while it lasted. The "invisible ninjas"made their appearance at almost every game except for a couple, including the last one. Grandma and Grandpa Baddley made it to almost every one and were sad that he isn't going to play next year, but excited to watch him in all of his other activities. We have one more make-up game on May 30th that we missed in March due to bad weather where he will get his trophy and have one last hurrah with the Transformers. Yes, that was the name of his team this year. Their pre-game cheer was "Transformers! Roll Out!!!" and "Transformers! More Than Meets the Eye!" It was super cute! So suffice to say we will be retiring the "Orange Transformer Jersey" next to last years "Green Goblin Jersey."

Lazy Days...

I went over to hang with Stacey last week while Zach and Gage were at baseball practice with their dads, and look who was there... Ava (this is where I got the name for MY Ava. I totally stole it) and Addison, Brandi's (Stacey's sister) cute kids. They were visiting from California. Stacey was watching them for a couple of hours and we all had some good outdoor fun on Stacey's play yard. Apparently, Addy isn't too fond of strangers but low and behold she loved me! Unlike her cousin Tanner! She was so cute! So here are some fun pics for you Stacey and Brandi.

Wait for it..... Yes. I did. I have FINALLY won over Tanner. I only took 2o months!

Tanner being a goof ball.

Cute little Addyson. She lit right up when we put her in the swing!

I'm leaving on a jet plane...

Zach's School Field Trip

Zach, Tate, & Riley

This is our friend. Well... we thought he was our friend until he started peeing in front of us just like this.
Zach, Tate, & Riley checking out the Black Bear.

Zach had a field trip to Hogle Zoo and I thought it would be fun to volunteer to be a class mom. Zach was so excited to go! He was so thrilled that we had to pack a sack lunch. He asked me everyday leading up to the trip if he could bring a Lunchable. I caved and took him the night before to get our sack lunch (no, I did not get a Lunchable too, in case you are wondering). I've decided his teacher must have grilled it into them that they had to be at the school by 8:45am or the bus would leave, because he kept reminding me and telling me over and over and over..... "Mom, we can't be late or the bus driver will leave without us!" The morning of, I got up early and got ready and went to wake Zach up. He mumbled something and rolled over and then all of the sudden sat bolt upright. "MOM! WHAT TIME IS IT??" The kid cracks me up! Needless to say we made it on time and Zach rode the bus with his friends while mommy and a couple of her friends followed in moms car (I get car sick very easily and have been known to get car sick driving myself !). I was paired with another mom and together we had 3 kids total. That's the perk of living in an area where parents are really involved I guess. We had a blast and I love that I got to spend such a great day with just me and Zach!

Easter!

Zach and Ava Easter Morining before church.

We had a great Easter this year. Zach and Ava were so cute for us and had a lot of fun and it was great that the weather cooperated!
Chris was a real peach to take this pic of me and my kiddos! Love how I'm not
even smiling and Ava looks like I smell bad! Zach and Ava hamming it up for the camera while dying Easter eggs. Ava quickly found good use for the extra "crowns" for her princess easter eggs.
The finished product.
However, no one really wanted to eat a speckled egg!
Z-man on Easter morning.
Ava's basket from the Easter Bunny.
Zach's basket from the Easter Bunny.


We had an easter egg hunt at Grandma & Grandpa Baddley's house where they were spoiled. This kids had a lot of fun and we all had dinner together. Aunt Krissy and Uncle Josh were there and helped Z & A find their loot.


Zach & Ava finding Easter treats at my Mom & Dad's.
Ava got this super fun bubble machiene and it entertained her for hours.
It REALLY puts out alot of bubbles!

Bubble fun.

My mom gave Ava a jump rope that has light-up handles.....
She would jump so hard and fast that she kept loosing her shorts.

The Saturday before Easter we had our annual Easter egg hunt at "Grandpa's Pasture." This is the Easter egg hunt with the Lessig side of the family. We packed a lunch and headed out to Hooper for our fun day. However, it was bittersweet because Grandma Garner couldn't make it. She is still recouperating from her fall earlier this year.



Chris, Zach & Ava right before the egg hunt. Mitch, Anne, & Cannon are in the background on the left. We love them!

I love this picture! Ava must not have inherited her moms equilibrium because she had a blast piling on to this old merry-go-round and she never got sick. I'm sick just looking at it! Lily is next to her and Jaden is in the front .

Lately, I'm really into....

• Perusing Etsy, saw it on the news and just can't get enough of it.

• The idea of starting a book blog, after I'm finished with the semester of course, ( I know, seriously, this is so much more ME than this type of blogging. Glad I thought of it :)

• Learning to run (yes, it is something I have to LEARN)

• Possibly registering to take the CNRN (Certified Neuroscience Registerd Nurse) exam this fall....again. I have always found an excuse out of taking it (having babies, not enough clinician hours, and maybe just too lazy).

Funny!

Zach and I had a good laugh at this. In fact, whenever we think about it, we bust a gut.

How Are You Doing on Your Test?

This morning as I lay in my bed, Zach snuggled up next to me and turned on his DS. He was playing for a few minutes before he said "Mom, I'm doing good on my test, right?" (never looking up from his game). I started laughing and told him I wasn't testing him on his ability to pass Super Mario Brothers. He then briefly looked up and said "No silly. I mean my test, you know, my TEST?" I was totally stunned. I knew then what he was talking about. And as I got all choked up I replied, "Yes Zach. You are doing VERY good on your Test and Heavenly Father would be so proud of you." I'm so blessed to have Zach. I often feel accomplished when I show him how to tie his shoe or sound out a difficult word, but honestly... They have taught me more than I have ever taught them in the short time since they were given to me. What a wonderful beginning to my conference weekend.
In case you are wondering... About 2 years ago or so, I wanted to explain to Zach the importance of our short time here on earth, and what Heavenly Father expected from us. That this is just a small part of the BIG plan. I also wanted him to be aware of Satan and know that he could never hurt us unless you let him, because sometimes kids associate Satan with someone who could physically hurt us. After many explanations on my end and many confused looks on his end, I came up with The Test. I told him that we were sent here by our Father in Heaven as a Test. I told him that we CHOSE to come here and take this Test and that nobody made us come here. I remember telling him that sometimes people ask us to do things that we know is not right and that this is all part of The Test and he has to remember that it is a Test and to always do what's right so that we can pass our Test. I said that if we pass our Test our reward is to live with Heavenly Father forever in Heaven, and that this is the GREATEST reward, even better than "noodles and white sauce" (his favorite thing). For several weeks after that conversation, I would encourage Zach by telling him that he was doing great on his Test and other times trying to encourage him to think twice before doing something. It kind of lost momentum and months would go by before I would remember to remind him of The Test. I think the last time we talked about his Test was around his birthday in October. But as I look back, I believe that this is the best way for ME to teach my kids. I have renewed motivation now to teach this simple learning to Ava.

Thanks Zach, I love you.

Faith in something greater than ourselves it enables us to do what we have said we'll do, to press forward when we are tired or hurt or afraid, to keep going when the challenge seems overwhelming and the course is entirely uncertain.

~President Gordon B. Hinckley

Itty Bitty Basketball Time!

Zach practicing his dribbling

Zach taking a shot!

I'm so proud that he's actually FOLLOWING the ball!

This is Gages little brother Tanner. This little guy LOVES to HATE me! I keep trying though!

He's probably looking for Gage to pass the ball to!

Gage getting some dribbling pointers. He loves it too!

Ava, of course, found a friend (Abby) and they played with Ava's hair bows and Ava's birthday sunglasses the whole time!

Tuesday March 16th Zach started basketball. He was a little nervous because he hasn't ever played it, but he ended up liking it alot! The pictures are grainy and bad but Zach is number 13 and his friend Gage is number 5 (he HAD to be number 5, I was afraid he wouldn't play if he didn't get it!). They were SO cute! The coach gives them colored wrist bands when they are out on the court and they are supposed to guard the kid on the other team that is wearing the same colored wrist band. Zach even does pretty good. Chris has been working on dribbling the ball with him and I think he is getting the hang of it. This past game on Tuesday the 23rd he even scored a basket! He was SO excited!! Anyone who has seen Zach play soccer is probably wondering if he fights his "invisible ninjas" on the b-ball court? Well, luckily the "ninjas" made a brief appearance in the first game but they didn't come back for the second game! Zach gets a little distracted on the soccer field and he just starts doing fight moves all by himself on the opposite end of the field! We have great video of him "fighting" and it is pretty funny, but I'm hoping the "ninjas" don't show up for his soccer game this Saturday!

Ava's First Dance Class

They did a little dance with teddy bears and she caught right on!

Ava dancing in her "dancey-class-shoes", as she would say

Ava being a "fish in the sea"

This is their "Freeze" dance where they dress up and freeze when the music stops

This is hands-down her favorite part!

Ava post-dance class (and post-yogurt!)

I finally decided to enroll Ava in dance class. She had her first dance class on March 16th. I have been thinking about this for a while because she has been asking to go to "dance class" for months since she found out one of her friends goes. So I called the Syracuse Dance Academy and they said I could trial one class to make sure she understood what she was expected to do. I was sure it would be a flop because when I enrolled Zach in a Mom & Tot class when he was 2 or 2 1/2, it was horrible. He was so naughty. We never went again! And I think that Ava is the youngest one in the class, she just turned 3 and the class is 3-5 years. But Ava loved it! She LISTENED to the teacher and tried SO hard. I was so proud I almost cried. I took pictures because the only reason they let me sit in on the class was because it was her first time. So I took full advantage of my visit. It is a closed studio except for the first Tuesday of every month. This makes me sad, but they know what they are doing and told me that kids this young do better if their parents aren't there. She has a recital in June (seriously! a recital!) at the Val A. Browning building at WSU. I can't wait. They are doing a dance to the music of "Painting the Roses Red" from Alice and Wonderland. The theme of the whole recital is "Let's go to the Movies". She has already been fitted for her costume and I think I'm more excited than she is! Is that crazy or what? Maybe just sad!