Friends

This is Bailee and one of her best friends Kennedy. They just started to be close the last couple of months - but now Kennedy's family is moving to Tennessee on Sunday. Bailee is really going to miss her but they have promised to keep in touch with email and blogs. Bailee got a free meal coupon to Texas Roadhouse from her school for having perfect attendance last quarter - I know , crazy ( especially cuz I think school can be optional sometimes ) -  and I thought it would be fun to take  just the two of them out to dinner and then to the store to find Bailee a new swimsuit. Lots of giggling, laughing and having fun! Also Bailee has really worked hard this year with her math and was able to get her grade up enough this quarter to make On-A-Roll ( honor roll). I am so proud of her- it hasnt been easy but she never gave up. Love you Bailee!

On to new and bigger things

I've never been one to be overly excited about preschool. If my kids wanted to go and it wasn't very expensive then that was fine- but I'm not one to put them in when they are just turning three, camp overnight to get them in  and pay a fortune for it. If you do- that's great  and I hope I dont hurt your feelings -  its just not a priority of mine. I figure they will be gone soon enough and I can teach them what they need to know to get ready for kindergarten. That being said - Bailee went to one semester of a preschool and Lexi and Raden both went  a year to the marana playroom - not an accredited preschool. It was cheap and only for 3 hours two days a week - so I figured why not. Lexi had a little graduation last Saturday for her class. Now when Raden went - we didn't even go to his "graduation" - he didn't care - and I wasn't planning on going to this one. HELLO PEOPLE ITS PRESCHOOL - I will be there for her high school graduation. Jared was working that day and Raden had a baseball game so I told Lexi that we were going to miss it. Well she turned on the huge crocodile tears and I caved and told her we would work it out. She told me that they had been practicing songs and everything for it. So as much as I didn't care to go - I realized that it was important to her and made plans for Raden to go with a friend to his game - since we have been to all his games and there are more to go. The little ceremony was hot, loud and a little crazy. But when they walked out in their little cap and gown - yes they wore a cap and gown- I realized that maybe the reason I didn't want to go was because I would have to admit that my little Lexi is too old for preschool and will be starting "real" school in a couple months. Out in to the real big world. On to new and bigger things.You would think I would be used to this - but it doesn't get any easier, if anything it gets harder and they seem so much littler when they get on the bus that first time, and second time, and 100th time- even when they are going into second and fifth grade.  Dang- where did the time go and why does it have to go so fast!?  Doesn't she look cute in her cap and gown? Here is to 11 short weeks of getting to have my babies home with me.

Up up and away ...

Bailee made a huge paper airplane and gave it to Raden - he decided to turn it into a jet pack and tried it out on the trampoline - too fun! I love this crazy kid!

Temple Trip

We had the opportunity to take our kids to the Gila Valley Temple open house. They were so excited to be able to go through the temple before they were old enough to get a recommend. The tour itself only lasted about 30 min but we were able to go through all the rooms. It is impossible to describe the feeling of being there with the kids. Maybe just a taste of what after this life can be like. It is a small but beautiful temple. We met Alicia and Hyrum and their kids there too and went to lunch with them after - at Casa Manana of course. It was also fun because Jared and I both went to college there and that is where we met so we were able to show the kids our old stomping grounds. I hope that the kids will remember that day and the feeling they felt inside the temple.

Raden's first.... and second lost teeth

So Raden has been waiting and waiting for his teeth to fall out. He is the last one of his friends to have teeth fall out. We noticed one day that all four front teeth were loose and I told him that he was going to lose all four at the same time. I was close ...

His first tooth was really loose and really bothering him when he ate so he asked me to pull it. Jared doesnt do teeth pulling - you would think with all that he sees in his job it wouldnt bother him- but it does- so I am the designated tooth puller - unless Tata ( Jared's Dad) is around and then the kids want him to pull it because he gives them money ( Bailee once got $11 out of him). I do it for free:)  So here is the first tooth picture.. and yes he had to stand by his star wars poster :)

Then later that night he told me that this other tooth was bothering him and I looked and saw that it was really loose too - probably could have waited a couple more days but he wanted to go to school with both teeth missing so I tried to pull that one too - took three times but out it popped! He was SO excited! Bailee made him a tooth holder out of a sock she cut and he ran and put it under his pillow. I'm pretty sure it was a clean sock.  Later  he asked if he could sleep with me ( Jared was working) and I asked him why. He motioned to me to come to his room because it was a secret so I followed him in and then he whispered " I know that you are the tooth fairy and I know that you put the money under my pillow. I know you dont feel good so I didnt want you to have to walk to my room to do it".  Who could resist that? So he slept  in my bed and somehow ended up in his bed sometime in the middle of the night. SO I had to walk to his room anyway.  He announced to me this morning that he got $3 from the tooth fairy - I'm thinking ... What? I only gave you two! Either I was really tired or Bailee wanted to be in on the tooth fairy fun!  He is very excited to drink his juice box with the straw in the hole in his teeth and cant wait to show his friends that he can spit with his mouth closed. Now that is talent!