Four Jingle Bells

 Back to eating in the front room while packing. Didn't we just do this??=)  Grandma Barb and Daryll took us to pizza and playing the day before we left.  We loved spending more time with them.  The kids were so sad to leave them.  We all were.    Our new place has a marker board on the wall and the kids love it. Of course, the markers have already been used up!  We were getting ready to go somewhere and I saw the kids out reading.  It was so sweet to see them and Hailey being such a big helper.  It has been great to have a gated yard.  William's favorite word is "outside". He has many different versions of that word!  We went on a drive one day to get out and it was gorgeous!!  What a great new area we live in.  Can't wait to explore it more now that we know we will live here for longer than a year.  The river flooded a few days before we moved here.  The town next door is called Wate...

 Brooke and Hailey came across my wedding dress while we were packing so, of course, they played dress up in it.  They were so cute in it.  They had to do all kinds of hilarious poses.    Then they made me try it on. Hooray, 4 kids later and it fit!  We went to the Mississippi to say goodbye before the move.  This river will always be in my heart. We have a river in our new area, Cedar River, but nothing compares to the Mississippi!  Me and my Iowa baby  Brotherly love.   William and my feet in the river  Sisters in the river.  They were only supposed to stick their feet in, then suddenly they were all wet.  Such is life.  Luckily, I am understanding of kid fun.   Blake came after work.  I love these guys.  Home is wherever they are.  

Grandma Barb and William.  He loves the dog!  My friend, Sarah Wright, was over and she thought it was hilarious that William crawled up the stairs and pulled the broom up with him.  It was pretty tricky!  On our way to the caves. He looked yummy!  Blake's friend Travis from work, invited us to these awesome caves.  It was a super rainy day and we thought we wouldn't be able to make it, but it worked out.  They were dark and slippery and lots of cool rocks.  There was falling water here and the kids loved going under it with the umbrella because it was so loud.  Gorgeous area!!  We went on a hike and ended up a little lost, so we were on quite a walk.  The kids were troopers to keep going.  It's hard to be annoyed about being lost when it is this beautiful!  Brooke was so cute here.  We got to cross these rocks and she even stepped in the water and she didn't get mad.  Usually she is p...

 I was able to get a babysitter for the other kids to go on a field trip with Hailey. Since moving and having William, I haven't been able to volunteer in the classroom and I really missed it.  Glad we had the chance to do this, since we were moving soon.  They got to plant their own plants.  We went through the greenhouse and learned a lot about different kinds of plants. It was really interesting! We saw a lot of plants from the desert, so that made us feel at home.  Hailey's group.  She was in the "I am responsible group".  I don't remember what they really called it, but kids who can take care of themselves and listen.  I was really proud of her that she has worked hard to be a good student.  Hailey and her friend, Chloe with elephant ears in the botanical garden.  It is so beautiful in there! We were guided by a former teacher and he knew how to manage a class without being mean.  It was amazing to watch. ...

 The weather finally started to get nice enough to play in the water.  Brooke and William loved playing and splashing in it.  Who needs a pool when you have buckets of water!    Spencer brought me this flower from preschool for Mother's Day.  He was so sweet about it and very proud of himself.  He kept saying it was a big surprise!  I usually don't ask for anything for Mother's Day, but this year I wanted the kids to get me whatever they wanted.  No matter if it was the ugliest necklace or shirt!  I just wanted something from their sweet personalities.  Brooke got me the white towel, which has been great because it is the softest towel in the house!  I had mentioned a few days before that I had always wanted a pastry cutter but just used forks.  Hailey remember and got me the pastry cutter!   The yellow flowers are also from her from school.  Spencer got me a "diamond ring".  He has been taking...