Enjoying the weekend....

The pool is open and we have tested the waters.

Saturday morning the kids got up and jumped into their suits as if there were nothing else in their drawers. We packed the cooler, grabbed an arm load of towels and headed off. We spent most of the day just hangin' out with friends and soaking up the warmth of the sun. After the pool, we enjoyed a backyard bbq with more friends. By the end of the evening, we were officially pooped out.

Sunday, we spent most of the day at home. Scott helped me build a garden box for the deck so that the kids and I can grow some veggies and herbs right out the backdoor. We took off in the afternoon for the track. Scott and I got in a good run and the kids had fun burying treasures in the sandjump.

Today we are heading to Denver for another fun bbq at Scott's cousin's house. We are really loving the warmer temps and trying to stay busy outdoors :) Have a great Memorial Day!

Warning! Warning!

Bathing suit pictures coming soon!

Yeah!!! We are headed to the pool!!!!! Finally!

Stay tuned for more pics from our fun day at the pool.

Jennifer

Thunderbird Roar

Finally, finally, we are getting some beautiful weather around here. Today was no exception. Paige had her last day of preschool and they celebrated with water day. The teachers put out a sprinkler, kiddie pool, bubbles, etc. for the kids. She had a blast and said it was her favorite part of the day.

After picking her up we headed to a park just north of us to watch the Thunderbird show. Today was Air Force Academy graduation and they always have a spectacular air show at the end. We met some of our friends at the park for a picnic and an afternoon of play. It was so nice we spent most of the day.

Right now the kids are enjoying their movie. Well, it is Movie Wednesday after all. A perfect way to end the day.

Lettuce wraps for dinner and then off to swim team practice. I think we will all sleep well tonight!

Good Start

So far, so good on this summer vacation. I know, we are only two days into the break but really so far, so good.

Yesterday, the kids and I started a mural on the basement wall. We threw out some theme options but quickly decided upon an under the sea mural. We started out by taping off the mural area and then rolling on the blue water. After the water was dry, er paint, that is, we drew a huge shark and painted him grey.

Today we took Paige to gymnastics in the morning and then headed to Pueblo for a visit to the Buell Children's Museum. This is a small, fun, hands on, very crafty place for the younger set. The kids had a blast. Right now Alice is writing in her journal about all the fun she had at the museum.

When we got home, we noticed that the Thunderbirds were practicing formations right over the house (kinda hard not to notice unless you are wearing earplugs and shooting muffs). So....we plopped right down on the driveway with Popsicles (I plopped, kids ate) and enjoyed the view. After we were sure the planes had taken a break we headed inside to do some more work on the mural. Sam, Alice and Paige each drew a couple fish and then filled them in with their choice of paint. I added the clown fish, bubbles and eyes.

Tomorrow is Movie Wednesday and we are also hoping to add seaweed, coral and an anemone to our mural. I took these pics today after we added our fish to the shark infested waters.

I hope you all have a great day. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming.

School's Out For Summer.....

walking home from preschool/church

Alice and her buddy at swim team practice

the last day of school

Alice and daddy working on roller blading

Paige graduating from PreK

playing in the yard

Alice bridges over from Daisy to Brownie

Lots happening at the Wescott house. Looking forward to some down time with the kids. We started painting an under the sea mural today on the basement wall. Tomorrow we are heading to the fine arts museum to find some more murals. Fun times!!!!

Thankful Thursday

This post is mostly for me. A reminder that even though mornings are tough and 6 year old girls sometimes get really mad at their mommas, stomp their pink sparkly toenail polished feet, scream LOUDLY and throw a ridiculously silly tantrum, life is still good and I am thankful for that mostly sweet, kind, beautiful, 6 year old girl.

Even when she screams.....You don't love me anymore.

Oh yes, I do. Even when you stomp your foot.
Love, Mom

For Sale!

One sister for sale!
One sister for sale!
One crying and spying young sister for sale!
I'm really not kidding,
So who'll start the bidding?
Do I hear a dollar?
A nickel?
A penny?
Oh, isn't there, isn't there, isn't there any
One kid who will buy this old sister for sale.
This crying and spying young sister for sale?

Shel Silverstein


Just kidding. This sweet sister isn't for sale but the skirt and headband she is wearing are (she is only modeling, the items in my shop are brand new and handmade). If you didn't know, I have an Etsy shop, Ladybugs and Lovebugs. I have 5 items left and I am really trying to clear out so that I can fill it back up with new items. Feel free to click on my Etsy sidebar and check out the items that are still available. Everything is $5.00. Everything. So, if you know of anyone who is interested in some cute handmade dresses and skirts for low prices, send them to my shop! Check it out.

Jennifer

While the cat's away.....

Scott was gone all weekend and man, did we keep ourselves busy.

Friday night, I had a craving for pizza, so we all headed out to our local Italian restaurant and pizzeria, Piazza's, and enjoyed pizza, salad, flat bread and sodas (gasp!) After a month without soda, I truly savored mine. If you think that I am crazy for taking 4 kiddos to a fairly nice Italian restaurant you are very right. I am crazy. No just kidding, I had it completely under control. Well, sort of. Here's the deal. We went early (4:00pm) in hopes that the restaurant would be pretty empty, took a game to play at the table (Bananagrams) and practiced our manners. My kids are usually really good out as long as they understand the expectations.
Saturday, Paige had a soccer game so I had our favorite sitter over for 3 hours while I took her to her game. After I dropped Paige back off at the house, I took off and went out to lunch, all by myself, and to Kohl's, all by myself. All by myself is really fun. Really. Fun. I mean it.
Saturday night was rice night and then we finished it off with a movie.
Today was crazy busy. We started out at church, sent Paige off to her soccer game with friends, headed to Target with the other three to buy a present, took Sam to a birthday party, drove to the soccer game and picked up Paige, went to Chipotle, grocery shopped at Whole Foods, took the groceries home, jumped back in the car and went to the birthday party to pick up Sam. I should have clocked my mileage. It would have been high. The nice thing is we burned the entire day 8:45 am to 3:00 pm. Another day full of fun.

Scott is on his way home and I am planning out my quiet evening. I wonder if he has figured out my plan yet. The one that includes him. Him putting the kids to bed. Him reading bedtime stories. Him doing the dishes. Okay, that might be pushing it.

This is the kids last week of school before summer vacation. Look out!
Jennifer

Rice Night

I have read about this on some other blogs and thought that it was an interesting idea. Rice night. One night a week eat just rice and water. My kids were really put off tonight when they asked me what was for dinner and I replied....Rice. Kids: What?? Just rice???

For us, eating just rice, seems like a sacrifice but for many all over the world, rice is the staple, their meal; just rice. For some, rice is a luxury.

It is my hope that by eating rice one night a week, it will teach my children to be compassionate to the lives of other children. Children all over the world who hunger, children who do not have enough food, children who eat only when food is available, children who don't have the luxury of anything they want anytime they choose.

During dinner, we had a really nice conversation about eating just rice. The kids had a lot of good questions. Some questions I could answer and some I had to say I don't know.

Another reason to eat just rice is that it saves money. Extra money that we could put toward something important like a mission at our church or toward sponsoring a child in need.

You are probably wondering, do we need to eat just rice? No, but we want to. There are places in our lives where we can save money.

Now you are probably asking yourself, are those kids really understanding the concept of hunger by eating one bowl of rice a week? No, of course not, but it will help them start to understand and it stirs the thought in their minds that others may live differently than them. Others do not live as abundantly as they do. It also teaches all of us, big and small, that we can live with less. Much less.

Hey Honey, what's for dinner???

Just Rice.

Summer~ Still Waiting!

As the school year winds down, the amount of activities always seems too accumulate and ramp up. Sam and Alice have one more week of school left and then they are done for summer break. They both have started swimming two nights a week in pre-season practice for swim team. Sam is still trying to make it to karate until the end of the month. Alice will finish this last session of gymnastics and has one more daisy scout meeting before the end of school. Tonight Sam is attending an info meeting for Boy Scouts, really, because we don't have enough to do :) Paige is also finishing up her last gymnastics session. Mason continues to go along for the ride. We try and attend playgroups about every 3 weeks and he really enjoys that.

To top it off, it is still snowing. Word to Mother Nature...IT IS MAY!!! The pool opens in 2 weeks and IT IS STILL SNOWING! Can you tell that I am ready for some summer weather. Forget about spring. Go directly to SUMMER. I have put the winter coats away and have sorted through the warm weather clothes. We are so ready!

I have not had a good running week. Since the weather has been so crummy, I haven't really wanted to run outside and I have a mental block when it comes to running on the treadmill. I run for about 2 miles and then feel like I might die. I know, I know. It is silly but true. Anyway, this has resulted in me running very little. Because I have a fitness goal to run 3 times a week on top of my other workouts, I do it. Run on the treadmill that is. But I will never say that I enjoy it. That is definitely the truth. Like I said, the pool opens in two weeks and at some point, I will need to get into my bathing suit. Note to the treadmill~ My bathing suit thanks you.

Overall, life is good. The kids are fairly healthy and happy. Scott has been busy at work. He is getting away this week and flying to Michigan for a cousin's wedding. He is really excited. I am getting a sitter on Saturday afternoon and I am really excited about that.

Have a great end to the week. Here's to next Friday (last day of school, is case you skipped down to the bottom) and hoping that I don't collapse. Looking forward to a fun summer at the pool and hanging out with the kids.

Jennifer

Mother's Day

I had the best day. The kids were good. The weather was gorgeous. We spent the day outside. All the things I love.

We started the day at church, had bagels for lunch, hiked 4 miles in Cheyenne Canyon, had Mexican for dinner and opened a couple awesome presents from the kids. I had the best day.

The best part of all was that I spent the entire day with my kids and handsome husband. Couldn't have been better.

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there and those that are waiting or wishing to become mothers. Happy Mother's Day to the grandmas, aunts, friends and women who love children. You are honored today.

We had many stops along the way. We stopped to sit (and climb) on many a rock.

We stopped for many drinks.

We stopped for a snack.

We stopped to cuddle and be silly.

We stopped for more snacks.

We stopped to tie shoes.

We definitely stopped to smell the roses, so to speak.

This mom thing....

It is a hard job, but somebody's gotta do it.

Jennifer

Mother's Tea Times Two

Samuel had a Mother's Tea in his classroom yesterday afternoon and Paige had one at her preschool this morning. They were both really sweet. It is so nice to get one on one time with the kids without 3 siblings trailing behind. They each really soak it up because it doesn't happen all that often that they get alone time with just me.

Looking forward to a fun weekend! Happy Mother's Day to my mom and mother-in- law! Hugs and kisses from all their grandkids! We wish you were here!

Love, Jennifer

Track and Field Day 2010

This past Tuesday, Samuel and Alice had their track and field day at school. They have been really excited for this day. The weather was warm but really really windy. Here are the pics from the day.

Alice did really well. It is totally Alice to run in her big white sunglasses and a skort. My kids really are at their best outside being active.

Sam did well too. He was a bit disappointed that he didn't get any blue ribbons but the competition was tough. He came home with a rainbow of colorful ribbons and we were proud of him for trying his best.

Paige was not an enthusiastic spectator and spent most of her time rolling down the hills with her friend Ian.

Mason watched the back of his eyelids and spent most of the time in the stroller. It was so windy that he finally fell asleep holding onto his hat.

It has been a busy week with 2 Mother's Teas, a field trip, track and field day, teacher appreciation at the preschool and elementary, meetings at church and end of the year projects. If you add in all the day to day stuff and exercising, we are maxxed out.

I had another early morning run today. Started at 5:30 and ran a little over 4.5 miles. Great hills and warmer weather makes for a fun start to the day. We could have done without the wind but that is just part of spring in Colorado.

Have a wonderful day!

Jennifer