May

Ivy worked and worked on her headstands and cartwheels so she could be as good as Brynn.  Her cartwheels got really good but her headstands still need some work.  Brynn can do headstands forever so I'm not sure anyone will beat her!

Molly and I finished her book, Genesis Begins Again.  This was a book that hadn't come recommended or anything, I just asked her a book that she had recently enjoyed, we looked it up on Goodreads, found recommendations for other books that were similar, and found the one that was available on the online library.  I think Molly enjoyed the book.  It took us a while to get through it since she was so busy.

 

May was a crazy month.  I felt like I was barely keeping my head above water and it left me completely exhausted.  I am so happy to support my kids in their "things" but it's just a lot sometimes, especially with my piano schedule.  There were a couple of nights that it was just Ivy and me at home during dinner.  My family was lucky to get a decent meal some nights-this particular night it was pancakes...but, they were made from scratch with buttermilk syrup.  And I made two different pancake options: whole wheat buttermilk and banana chocolate chip.  So not too shabby for last minute.

 

Cinco de Mayo night for Young Women's and Young Men's on the 5th.  This was the first time we were allowed to combine with the Young Men since before Covid-it felt so nice and normal! Or nice to be normal! Our class was in charge and we had each class (6 total with YW and YM) bring ingredients for a salsa.  They prepped it there and then we had a salsa taste test.  We had little sample cups and they could come back as many times as they wanted.  Justin had the priests make the authentic fresh salsa that he got from a Hispanic co-worker.  We made it last year with our tomatoes and it was so good.  I had my girls make a tomatilla salsa that we usually pour over pork tacos.  Both equally good!  We had our whole family there and everyone had the best time!

Kelsey Larsen, Pallas Andersen, Lauren Whimpey, Emma Stinebaugh, Sam Steiner, Molly, Sloane Ellingford

 

Man our grass struggled this spring.  After my years of work, this was hard to see.  I babied it for a while and it paid off but for a while there I wasn't sure it was going to pull through.  Anyway, Ivy loved every chance she had to play in the water and used the first good day to take full advantage of those sprinklers.

Piano recital!  So happy to be able to do this again after not being able to do it last spring.  When I called around to get a venue in early March, no one was letting outside groups into their buildings so I told my families that I would still go ahead with a recital but hold it at my house.  I had to divide my students, hold two smaller recitals and limit the amount of guests they could bring, but it worked out well and was so fun!  I have 17 students but two were gone and one opted out of the recital (a mom so I didn't push it-both her kids played).  They all did such a wonderful job and it was a rewarding night for me.  Ivy was the only one of my kids I could get to participate.  I'm an awesome piano teacher (wink) but not for my own kids, apparently.

London Jensen, Taylee and Tessa Baird, Taylor Allen, Nora Owens, Raylie Anderson, Ivy, Easton Anderson, me

Mallory Pearson, Blain, Chloe, and Avenlea Mitchell, Ivy, me, Verity Phelps, Maya and Tristan Treu

After taking a year of cheer and doing the cheer clinic at the high school, Brynn knew cheer was the future for her.  I could see it too-in her excitement over everything cheer.  The place where she has been taking her cheer class has a competition team and tryouts were in May.  I was (and still am) hesitant to commit to this but I also didn't see how I could tell her no-after seeing how happy it made her and after letting Molly and Stockton follow their passions.  We went to the "team reveal" the Saturday after tryouts to find out that she had made the "Altitude" team for her age group.  She was beyond excited and has looked forward to every practice and event since.  She is, no surprise, one of their fliers.

Mother's Day-

Mother's Day was so much better than last year. (Remember how I was super excited to finally see my family again after quarantine and Ivy got pink eye out of nowhere?  And then Justin got sick and spent the entire day in bed?  Yeah, didn't want a repeat of that Mother's Day.)  I got treated to a delicious breakfast made by Justin and the kids...French Toast, buttermilk syrup, berries, whipped cream, bacon.  We got to go to church for 2 hours.  We had started back to our normal block with everyone the week before.  I went to Young Women's in person instead of over Zoom.  We got giant cinnamon rolls from Midway Bakery.

 

After church we went to Gene and April's where I did nothing to help with dinner prep.  Gene smoked a pork butt for sandwiches and we also had coleslaw, our favorite pasta salad, April's famous rolls, probably some other really yummy stuff, and strawberry shortcake.  We played games, ran around outside, and tried out Grandpa's harmonica.  It was just the break I was needing since I was feeling fairly exhausted with our schedule at that point.  I'm so grateful to have married into a family where I am loved and accepted as one of their own and where I feel completely comfortable.  It is a huge blessing in my life and in the life of my kids.

this is how Brynn feels about strawberries

silly times with Grandpa

the cups stuck to his ears and every time he smiled, the cups would move up

 

Ivy and I spent several hours prepping the greenhouse.  I've done a decent job of ridding the yard of weeds but the pasture is a different story, especially where the sheep aren't grazing.  Ivy spent one morning picking "flowers" while I worked.  She gathered bundles in the wagon, tied bouquets with string, and delivered them to neighbors.  I talked her into just setting the bouquet by their mailboxes since I wasn't sure how many neighbors would appreciate the gift of weeds.

 

Part of the reason for our month of "MAYhem" was Molly's intense schedule.  She was playing on her normal '06 team and that is busy enough with games and practices.  On top of that, she agreed to double roster with one of the '05 teams when they found themselves short on girls.  Luckily they all practiced together but it meant twice as many games.  And then, on top of all of that, whenever the second '05 or '04 teams needed extra players, she would play for them as well.  It was a lot and super hard to keep up with.  But-she loved every single minute of every single game and I didn't want to be the one to hold her back.  And I think it really helped her as a player-I saw immense improvement from her.  Her main '06 team has been playing together since 4th grade and they are doing so well.  I love watching her and them.  I had a hard time making it to all the games with piano and other kids' things but I tried hard to be there when I could make it work.  She scored a beautiful goal at her last '06 game-I wasn't there to see it but I heard it was beautiful.  She ended up with a concussion at the last '05 game-that was a bummer.

  

Coach Eric Anderson, Kate Giles, Savannah Frost, Carley Anderson, Brigitte Ferreyra, Kylie Bishop, Lexi Harris, Regan Heywood, Coach DJ, Hannah Risto, Aspen Ivie, Lucy Miller, Caroline Turner, Jordan Gibby, Natalia Wagstaff, Molly

 

This is the face Justin made when I asked him to make sure the kids showered one night.  I wasn't home to make sure it was happening.  He is rolling his eyes at me as a way of telling me he was already on it.

 

My parents have birthdays 9 days apart and they both turned 70 this year.  We knew we had to do something so my siblings and I planned a birthday weekend for them.  We had a surprise party for them the second Friday night in May.  We had fed them a story about throwing a birthday party for Erin (whose birthday is the 16th) but when they showed up, it was really a birthday party for them!  Ali did a great job with decorations.  We had invited a few of their friends but we kept it small and it was mostly our family.  We didn't think they would want anything too big and fancy-and it ended up being perfect.  We had food from Maddox and spent the night visiting together.  I could go on and on about these two and how lucky I am to be their daughter but it's hard to find words.  I am just grateful for both of them and so very, very blessed to have this family.

Steve and Julie Broadbent, Ali, Stockton, Grant

Christopher and Erin, Jeff, Justin and me, Erin and Bryce

Grace, Abby, Chloe, Molly, Ben, Gavin

Grant, Stockton, Chloe, Grace, Molly, Abby, Gavin, Ben, Tessa, Ivy, Grandma, Lucy, Harper, Grandpa, Josie, Brynn, Spencer, Seth

getting ready...

getting closer...

Ready!  Erin and Bryce, Christopher and Erin, Ben, Gavin, Ali and Jeff, me and Justin, Stockton, Grant, Tessa, Grandma, Spencer, Grandpa, Abby, Grace, Harper, Josie, Lucy, Ivy, Brynn, Molly, Seth, Chloe

The cousins all had sleepovers at one place or another and in the morning we left all the kids to fend for themselves while the adults went to breakfast.  We spent the afternoon at the pool.  It was a beautiful day and the perfect weekend to celebrate my parents.

 

I love, love, love watching my kids learn and grow in the gospel.  Stockton was asked to give his first sacrament meeting talk.  His topic was the 4th Article of Faith.  I sat down with him and helped him write it.  He had a lot of great ideas and did most of it on his own, with a little guidance from me.  That Sunday morning, he also attended Bishop's Youth Council and was in charge of assigning the deacon's a passing assignment for the sacrament as part of his role as first counselor in the deacon's quorum.  I'm so grateful for the greater responsibility that is put on our youth these days.  I know it will help them grow into the leaders they need to be. 

Often at night, Ivy likes to draw/color/write until she gets tired and falls asleep.  One night she did not want me to see what she was doing but I peeked when I went to check on her before I went to bed.  This is the paper that I found.  "Mom I luv you I rily luv you I rily rily luv you" (and on and on...).  Does it get any better than that?!  I don't think so!

 

The next night, Ivy fell asleep while writing down what flavor and color everyone would be if they were a sugar cookie frosting. The color did not need to match the flavor. (For example, I was chocolate-flavored, yellow frosting).

 

The middle school had an arts night where students played or displayed their art.  Stockton and Molly were supposed to be there for their percussion class.  Molly was so relieved when I excused her for a soccer game-she did not enjoy percussion this year and couldn't wait for it to be over!  Stockton has really enjoyed it and is looking forward to continuing it in 7th grade.  Also, I told him that he couldn't wear joggers with holes in the knee and he changed into different joggers.  That kid.

in the yellow shirt

Tea party night for a combined Young Women's activity the McLean's house.  (As in Michael McLean since they are in our ward.)  The girls were able to decorate hats and Sis McLean also had a collection of hats that the leaders could wear.  We ate finger foods and treats and had a spiritual thought about repentance from the bishop.  I have so much fun with these girls!

Kelsey, Pallas, Lauren, Sloane, Emma, Molly, Rachel Larsen, me, Rendi Holm

 

Ivy's last day of Kindergarten!  She finished a week before the other kids.  No Kindergarten graduation program, thanks a lot Covid.  But she was able to have a field trip the second-to-last day and field day on the last day so there was that.  Mrs. Smith was a great teacher and Ivy had a fabulous Kindergarten year.  I am so grateful she was able to go and that the half day program worked for her.  She was so sad to leave her teacher-tears were shed but I remember Molly doing the same the first few years of elementary school.   

I was happy that I could finally go help in Ivy's class for field day.  It wasn't quite the same because it was all of Kindergarten but it was better than nothing.  I signed up to play parachute games and Ivy and I had spent some time that morning filling up water balloons.  It ended up being a windy day so we wrestled with the parachute a little but I had a couple of mom helpers and the kids had a fun time.

morning and afternoon classes-Ivy's down in the front and center

 

Here are Ivy's first and last day pictures.  They are both adorable but I love the sweet Kindergartner anticipating her first day versus the cool Kindergartner ("peace out!") after completing a year.  The peace sign was all her idea, by the way.

I had to grab a quick picture of this flower bed.  We were on the way to cheer class so I had Brynn sit down real quick so I could snap a photo.  I planted those phlox a few years ago.  Just a couple of small plants but over the years they have spread and done so well!  I love the pop of bright color.  That bed is thriving...now I'm slowly working on my other bed.  It gets a lot of shade so it's been tricky for me to figure out.

 

Ivy was finished with Kindergarten but I still had a couple days left of preschool...so she got to come with me.  She enjoyed the crafts we did that Friday-butterflies and handprints.  She was able to go play with London Mathis the following Wednesday during preschool.  London was in her Kindergarten class and her little brother, Tommy, was one of my preschool students so it worked perfectly!

 

Stockton was invited to Ethan Pearson's birthday party at Momentum Climbing in Lehi.  He didn't think he would do any climbing but he was excited to go hang out with his buddies.  I told him to go as high as he dared and then try to go one step further.  I don't think he did anything major but I was pleased with what he did end up trying.  Ethan's mom, Janalyn, sent these pictures to me.

We are learning a lot in our attempt to become sheep farmers.  We had to band the babies' tails (and boy parts for boys), give them shots and de-worming medicine, and tag their ears.  Not to mention shearing them-whew, that's a job!  I've seen all of this done when I was a kid and around sheep but it was always my dad doing it.  It's been a learning curve, that's for sure.  It's a wonder our sheep are surviving! (After trying to shear one of the sheep, we decided to hire someone else to come do it-way worth the price!) 

Ivy looked forward to her dance recital for months.  She loved the costume, she loved wearing make-up, she loved her teacher (Miss Chelcee), and she loved her friends (Verity Phelps, London Mathis, Emery Pearson).  She was a little nervous for her recital but after doing the dress rehearsal, her nerves left and she was only excited.  She looked so cute and did such a good job.  She knew all the steps and was very happy onstage.  She was also happy to have all the support in the audience-her parents and siblings, Grandma and Grandpa Moyes, Grandma and Grandpa Goodrich, and Uncle Brett.  They drove all the way up to sit through 22 numbers before watching Ivy perform her one minute, ten second dance.  But, I think it was definitely worth it!

Ivy, Emery Pearson

Verity Phelps, Ivy, Emery

Ivy and Emery

with Brett and G & G Goodrich

with G & G Moyes

 

The middle school kids had the chance to go to Lagoon at a discounted rate on either of the last three days of school as long as they could find a ride down and back.  I told Stockton if he got a group together I could drive them down Tuesday morning (cuz I had nothing else to do, ha!).  He talked with his buddies and I ended up driving Stockton, Sam Freeman, Dylan Starks, and Joseph Ritchie that morning.  I pulled up and laughed out loud-I've been to Lagoon lots and lots but had never, ever seen it that busy!  I got all the boys through the gate and set them loose.  What a exciting moment for Stockton-he's never done anything like that!  Joseph's dad brought them home later that afternoon and I was anxious to hear how the day had gone.  Stockton said all the lines were long (they stood in line to get lunch for an hour) and they didn't ride tons of rides but that it was worth it.  Stockton has found himself a great group of friends for which I am so happy and grateful.

Dylan Starks, Joseph Ritchie, Stockton, Sam Freeman

Hair cut day for Stockton.  He sure does like it long on the top! 

Last day of school!!  I was so ready for this day.  These kids about killed me in April and May and I was ready for a break.  Stockton went first.  First and last day of 6th grade.  Broken-in middle schooler.

Then Molly.  Middle-school graduate and moving on to Wasatch High in the fall.  Signed up for driver's ed.  Wearing my chacos.  Her feet are bigger than mine.  We can share clothes.

 

Brynn.  Cutest 4th grader there is.  She had a great year but that is because Mrs. Hall is quite literally the.best.teacher.ever.  I don't think she's going to stick around long enough for Ivy to get her but I'm so glad Stockton and Brynn got her.  Brynn's reading improved by leaps and bounds.  She is ready to move onto 5th grade where she will be the oldest in the school.  She keeps reminding us that she has one year of elementary before she goes off to middle school.  Oh boy.

 

Brynn was the last one to get home that afternoon and insisted that we wait for her before taking off the last chain.  But Ivy wanted to be the one to actually remove it.  She needed a little help from big brother.  Yay for summer!!  Can't believe that we made it through a Covid school year-whew!

 

The rest of that day consisted of picnics on the tramp and lots of playing outside.  I didn't get my camera out much but they played all day with Corbin and Raylie.  Easton may have come over as well, something that has happened less and less as he's gotten older.  It was a fun day outside.

Brynn, Ivy, Raylie

Every weekend in May had something going on so I didn't get to take Stockton to dinner until almost the end of the month.  And it was a late dinner but, seeing as it was our last chance (he had a baseball tournament coming up), it was the only option.  So I picked him up from practice at 7:30 and we drove around a little bit before ending up at the Junction.  Stockton got a pizza and I got my favorite french dip and sweet potato fries.  There were TVs everywhere playing baseball games and Stockton loved that.  More than he loved my insistence on taking a picture of him.

Stockton played in a baseball tournament over Memorial Day weekend.  He had double headers on Friday and Saturday in Salem.  The little girls and I went down on Friday to watch him.  He doesn't love pitching and would rather play short stop or third but he does a really good job when he does pitch.  He doesn't pitch too many balls which means more people are hitting and the boys see more action in general.  Way better than walking batters over and over.  They didn't win any games (they never do) but I always tell Stockton to focus more on his individual performance and I think he was pretty happy with how he did.

The girls were good.  It was definitely not their idea of a fun way to spend their first day of summer but they were good sports about it.  We went to the garden center between games and I also bought them snow cones. (Molly was on concussion watch so I had left her home on her own and didn't make her baby-sit.)

 

When Justin and Molly made their little free library, Justin built a flower box around it so Molly could plant flowers.  I took her to the nursery and had her pick a few flowers that she liked and then we planted them.  The girls also set up the fairy garden there.

When the chicks got too big for the garage, we made a temporary "cage" in the greenhouse for them.  Eventually, it got too hot out there for them (we actually lost a few due to the heat and I felt awful for that) so we had to move them yet again.  The coop was not quite ready so we moved the mower to the greenhouse and put them in the barn where they had shade all day.  You can see how big they got so fast!

 

We picked up some radish and corn seeds.  Justin and Brynn planted them.  We have never done those in the greenhouse so we'll see how they turn out! (Update: corn is thriving and taller than me.  Radishes didn't take so I'll have to figure out why.)

 

Molly and Stockton decided to have a sleepover one night.  They kept it a secret from the little girls so it could be just them.  Molly's bed extends so that another full mattress can fit on it so that's a fun feature for sleepovers.  Kicking off the summer in a way that would happen often over the next several weeks.  I just cannot tell my kids no when they want to do things like this because it makes me pretty happy to see them choosing to be with each other.

 

For the holiday Monday, we didn't do much.  Justin cut some wood into garden markers.  Molly drew the pictures and wrote the words and Stockton burned them in with his wood burner kit.  They turned out so cute!  We need to go back and make more since we ran out of wood.  Gene and April came up for a lunch and then we drove down to Stockton's baseball game in Orem.  We watched him play and they treated us to ice cream after the game.  Baseball + ice cream = a great kick-off to summer!  (It was "officially" starting the following day for us since that was the first school day that wasn't a school day.)

Ivy, April, Gene, Brett, Stockton, Brynn, Justin