Summer Sadness

I knew it would hit this summer.  Just how much I miss my friend, Emily.  You all already know that her husband got some hoity toity job in Washington DC, so they left us!  They moved in January?  February?  It's kind of a blur.  My family was sooooo sick at the time.  Plus, I was just really busy.  And even though I knew it would be horrible for her to leave, somehow I knew summer would be so much worse.

You have to understand that Emily's husband (Tom) and my husband have been best friends since they were preschoolers.  So when we started dating the boys, it was imperative that she and I got along.  And we did more than get along.  We became family.  I even dare say that she and I are closer than Todd and Tom!  Emily and I are the kind of friends that could walk into eachother's house, open the fridge and help ourselves!  The kind of friend you can totally poop in front of while giving birth and not even care.  True story, but I won't tell you which one of us it was!  Ok.  It was me.  Aint no shame.  (Sorry, Hil!  I know you hate the P word!)

(This was my first birth without my real sister, so I definitely needed Em there! 

Let's pretend I look cuter after I give birth...)

For the past 5 summers I have done EVERYTHING with Emily.  Trips to the zoo, picnics at the park, swimming, running through the downtown fountain.  And here I am less than 2 weeks into summer vacation, and I feel so lost.  The days are dragging.  I took my kids to the park the other day and I was the ONLY mom there alone.  It sucked!

I have put off writing this post because I don't want any of my other friends to feel like I don't value them.  So I just need to point out that I LOVE all of my friends, and am SO thankful for an awesome group of friends.  But having Emily move is comparable to having a sister move.  It's just a different relationship.  It was so hard, I couldn't even bring myself to take a picture of us their last night in town.  We are so close that I actually had people checking in with me to make sure I was going to be ok without her.  Did it make me feel like a loser?  Yes.  But it just goes to show how great of a friend she is to me.


Did you know that I lived in the same house from age 6 until the day I got married?  Well, I totally did!  I am a homebody, and I want all the people I love to be, too.  I really thought that I would move somewhere to raise my family, and stay there forever.  And while I am pretty committed to that, I am learning that most people aren't.  So many of my friends have just moved, and I am realizing that most of my relationships will have some sort of expiration date.

I only have one real regret from high school.  Not putting enough effort into my friendships.  (OK, 2 regrets.  I probably cared a little too much about having a boyfriend...)  :)  Anyways, I was so super disciplined back then that I would literally skip a sleepover because I didn't want to tire my voice.  And while my goals and ambitions may have kept me out of trouble, they also kept me from having alot of fun with these awesome girls.

But then one day, Lauralee (who I don't think I said a word to in high school) moved to Boise and became an amazing friend!  I can't believe her two years are already up.  So not cool.  It was great to have a second chance to be her friend.  Good luck in Arizona!

My book club girls.  Our last night with all 5 couples.  Good luck Jeff and Melissa!  I fully expect you to move back to Boise when your residency is over!  (PS, could we be a cuter group of brunettes?)

So there it is.  My pity party.  I hate when people move.  I am coming down with some serious abandonment issues.  So if you are my friend and live in Boise, don't even think about leaving!  I need you!

GO! BIG! GREEN!

I have been shouting "GO BIG BLUE" for pretty much my whole life.  My high school and the two colleges I attended were blue, so it felt a little unnatural saying "green" this morning at the Borah High School Cheerleading camp performance.  For the past 3 mornings my girls have been cheerleaders in training, and really enjoyed it.  I couldn't help but smile yesterday when I heard them shouting "We've got spirit!  How 'bout you?" in the backyard.  They even got to decorate a frame to hold their cheerleading picture in.

And I gotta say... there's something about being in a high school gym with the music pumping that just boosts your spirits!  

I guess if you can't be a Digger, then a Borah Lion will have to do.  :)

100th Post!!! Kindergarten Grad.

Our first year of public education has come and gone!  Last Friday Bronwyn graduated from Kindergarten.  And much to my surprise... I didn't even get emotional!  Very odd.  The kids marched in, sang some songs, and everyone said what they wanted to be when they grew up.  

The day before the last day of school, Bronwyn was eating an apple.  She got all the way down to the core and found the seeds and the star inside the apple.  She was ecstatic about it!  She started telling me that she was an apple scientist.  She then spent the night outside with Todd who was pruning our cherry tree.  She learned all about tree rings and bark.  So when she announced that she wants to be a scientist when she grows up, I wasn't surprised at all.  She already is such a great little scientist!  

Let's be honest... things didn't start out great with Mrs. Higgs. 

 But we worked through it, and ended up having a great year!

Two of Bronwyn's favorite people:  Daddy and Julia!

It will be really weird to have Bronwyn gone all day when she starts grade school next year!  So I am just going to soak in every moment with her this summer!

Evacuate the Dance Floor!

 Last night my little ballerinas had their ballet recital.  It was sooooo fun!  The festivities began with getting hair and make up done.  Both girls were excited, and not nervous at all.  Don't they look beautiful?

I LOVE this picture.  Check out both girls good posture, straight arms, and Bronwyns pointed toe!  I'm a little proud ot them...

 Backstage

So..... The girls' skirts were a little too big.  This is evidenced by how Magdalen keeps putting her arms down her skirt and playing with it.  I had to choose between being annoyed and amused, and opted for amusement.  She looks pretty quirky in the first video.  Who knows why Bronwyn kept rubbing her chest and tummy.  Thankfully, they both settled into real dancing as the dance went on!

This video is right before the final curtain call.  Each performer had their named called, and they could run and leap across the stage.  This video has 3 dancers.  First is Magdalen, then our good friend Brooklyn, and then Bronwyn.  Bronwyn's leaps totally rocked!  (Magsy's were good too, of course.)

Final curtain call.  Magsy is on the front-right in the top picture, and Bronwyn is in the middle with her arms up in the bottom picture.

One of my favorite memories of childhood is going out for treats after a recital.  The tradition lives on, and we ended the night with good food and great friends.  

My Bronwyn

Yesterday was Bronwyn's first school-music program.  It was Cinderella, and oh so cute!  Here is my favorite clip.  Bronwyn did such a great job.  She used to get so nervous for any type of performance, so I never really know what to expect.  But she sang all the songs and did the actions.  She kept looking at me and smiling.  Such a sweetheart. 

She has come so far.  I have thought so much about her progress as we recently reached the 5 year anniversary of her brain tumor surgery.  It has been a bumpy ride.  There was a time that I doubted she would start school on time.  There were times that I felt like the real her was hidden behind the stress of MRI's.  But now I truly feel like the real Bronwyn is shining through.  She is happy, intelligent, loving, sweet, brave, and funny.

To celebrate her 5 year mark, we threw a fundraiser/party at Monkey Bizness.  We had a great time with friends and family from church, school, and even from Magsy's preschool class.  A huge thank you to all those who came and supported us, and an even bigger thank you to the many who have supported us during the past 5 years!

Mother Dearest

Have I ever told you that I love being a mom?

Well, I do.

It didn't come easy.  It actually was pretty hard the first couple years.  

The days dragged on, and I really wondered how anyone could handle more than 2 kids.  

But over the years, things have changed.  They have gotten WAY easier.  Way more fun.  

And instead of long days, I am finding that the weeks and months go by too fast.  

I love it more and more all the time.

I love being loved by my kids.  They will often run up to me just to tell me that they love me.  :)

I love seeing them love eachother.  They bring out the best in eachother.  

Sometimes the worst, but usually the best.

I usually love the chaos. 

 A house filled with noise, laughter, music, and running footsteps is a house where 

great childhood memories are made.

I love my kids' animated faces!  Huge eyes and silly facial expressions make any dull day a blast.

I love really knowing how much my parents love me.

We spent Mother's Day in Orem with my mom, and boy did I get spoiled!

Crafts from kindergarten, preschool, sheet music to "WICKED!", and a day at the salon!

I felt the love, BIG TIME!

Our weekend was jampacked with fun activities.  Starting with a race for polio vaccines.

I even got to sing with the band!

We also got to ooh and aah all over the new baby!  

The girls started begging me to have another one...

Looks like I'll have to.  :)