MAY STUFF

I got my first case of Mom Spring Fever this year. I was so over school by May. But then all the activities and filed trips and graduations and final projects began and it felt a tiny bit like torture. I will not elaborate further because someone already wrote a great post that captures my feelings perfectly HERE.

Not Torture: Addie's final band concert. These kids have come a long way this year.
 Addie is so cute playing her flute. I'm really proud of her...

...as evidenced in this photo.

 

***

On the night before their big first grade picnic, James' teacher called and begged me to come help. I usually say no to afternoon things because hell hath no fury like Niles without a nap, but I caved (she will never do that again, I assure you. He was tantrum-tastic). I was glad I went, even with the screaming, because it's fun to be with James and it was a beautiful day.

James

Brother Hugs at the park

Niles

Ms. Linton's First Grade Class at Pompey's Playground

On the way back from the park picnic, we stopped at Rosedale Gardens nursery and they taught the kids about plants and let them pot a flower for their moms. It's a magical place!

we began laying out on our lawn on sunny afternoons, too

 

Heidi had a very belated friend birthday party on May 10th. Aunt Laura came from Helena to have a sleepover at the ranch and do nails with these crazy girls.

back: Querencia, Debbie
front: Addie, Hailey, Ember, Heidi, Marissa, Ashley

Pretty Piggies!

A Less-Silly shot of the girls. It was a fun night; I was glad to have my friend Kim with me to make it even "funner."

We had a good time with Aunt Laura! She stayed Friday and Saturday night, but we let her go home to her family to celebrate Mother's Day Sunday. Here's Niles saying goodbye.

Me and my beautiful kids on Mother's Day after church.

James loved my pretty flowers!

Friday May 17th The Postums stopped by on their way home from a fancy-schmancy police banquet in Billings where Uncle Matt received a life-saving award. It was really fun to see them!

James, Jake and Sam...silly cousins

Action shot! Emily about to smack Heidi with a rice bag. We had so much fun with cousins!

Later that night, we went to a zombie party at the Palmer's house celebrating our friend Mike's 40th Birthday. I didn't get a picture of the girls, but here's James in his zombie make up. It was pretty dang fun.

 

Another thing we celebrate in May is spring finally coming around, although we had 3 weeks of rain so it didn't FEEL very springy. However, there were a few gloriously warm, sunny days where I got to hang out my laundry and let my dishes dry on the window sill. I put out all the caps and stoppers to Niles' sippy cups and noticed that letting them dry in the sun killed all the little moldy spots that were so hard to clean. Magical! I thought--the sun is indeed the best cleanser. Then I immediately recognized an allegory to a favorite scripture in my mind (you can read the scripture HERE). The sun cleans things that seem un-cleanable, and The Son cleans things that seem un-cleanable ("though your sins...be red like crimson, they shall be as wool"). Yes. But you can take it a step further because the sun & The Son are the same (see first reference). Sitting in the sun with my lovies, watching our plants grow, making lots of invigorating vitamin D is a more holy experience since I had that thought.

 

"And he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made...which giveth light to all things..."

--Happy Spring!--