A Touch Of Tyrell

Breckie has grown SOOO much this school year in her reading and writing.  She's struggled the last 2 years but something finally clicked and it's great! And her drawings are always so cute and clever!  

One of the neighbor girls has really, really been wanting to babysit. I also had an engagement shoot in Scottsdale on a Friday night and Jake thought we could turn it into a date... so we had her come babysit for us.  We were gone for a big chunk of the evening and for bedtime.  I found these notes on Breckie's door when we got home and I LOVED them!!! I know I'm such a nerd for being so obsessed with my kids, but I just am.  **I am not asleep. Mom, I miss you so much and I can't fall asleep but I can write in my journal and lay in my bed and I tried to tell Layla but she said No I have to go to bed at 7:30 You are taking me to the park helping me practice my rollerskates*** And sure enough, the next day she roller staked all around the kitchen and actually got pretty good! I was so proud of her for finding things to do in her room and following the babysitters rules (even though I said bedtime was 8-8:30!) She's growing up so fast!

I walked into our bedroom the other day and was a little shocked when I saw this drawing on my nightstand! I wasn't 100% sure if it was from Jake or Breckie! Turns out Breckie drew me a "giraffe with it's long neck and head bent down like this" She's such a little sweetheart and is always drawing me pictures and making me things (like our friendship rainbow drawing we each keep our half in our nightstands). Lately she has been posting announcements on her bedroom door too. This one was my favorite (other than the "DO NOT INTR") from last week: *Do not come in. I am reading  

The kids got to go to school for real today! All day I was feeling grateful, relieved, thankful, glad.  It was a big milestone and I'm so grateful that we were able to do it. Breckie thrives on in-person learning and online learning was ALMOST the death of our relationship.  Everett exceeds either way but MUCH prefers going to school in person.  They both came home SO happy and full of energy.  They are both happy with their teachers and both said they made a new friend.  It's good for everyone in our family that school is back in session (some families are nervous and would rather continue online learning).  Roxy watched the iPad for 6 hours while I cleaned my heart out.  (I do this any time guests leave our house. I clean and clean and clean.) I cleaned for all 7 hours they were gone and it felt amazing. I LOVE a clean, quiet house!  

Everett was excited for the last day of second grade. It was a few days before his real birthday but he got to celebrate it and bring donuts for the class.  He passed out his donuts, got to wear a crown and a birthday sticker, got treats AND a necklace with his name on it!  He also brought home several end-of-year treasures. His friends wrote words that describe him on his compli-Mat. It took me a few minutes to figure out some of the words... phenomenal and awesome speller! When I figured out 'awesome speller' I laughed for 5 minutes straight! I loved the monsters inc. painting and his drawing about the trip we're taking to Mexico is complete with a conversation bubble: uno, dos I love Everett so much! I love getting to read his stories and see his artwork! He really does LOVE others and I think he really will miss his friends and teachers over the summer and next year. 

For 6 school days Everett was out of school for the Red for Ed campaign/strike/teacher walkout. I don't know all of the details but from what I gather the teachers "walked out" and didn't want to come back to school until they got more funding.  We knew a couple days in advance for each day they weren't coming back to school so it wasn't too bad... but by day 5 I was ready for school to be back in session.  Everett is a great kid. But still, having all three home and all three fighting or whining or crying about somethings was a little much at times. We went to IKEA one day because Everett wakes up way too early (even with blinds) so we went to get some curtains.  IKEA has great prices on long curtains and that's what we needed.  Roxy and I shopped while the other two were in the play place. When I picked them up and walked through the rest of the store I was ready to abandon them! They were being so naughty! I threatened to smas...

Everett has brought back some interesting drawings from school. The first was his spring break snapshot and news. The snapshot is correct. He played x-box pretty much any second he could.  The news... hmm. I really can't remember when we went to the zoo! In fact, I think the last time we went to the zoo was LAST spring break when Grammy took us!  I felt kind-of lame that I didn't really do something memorable for Spring Break... but we can't always be awesome :) The Mr Krupp drawing is amazing and on the other side is a Captain Underpants drawing and he's staying "tra la la!"  Just a few days ago he brings home the angry sun drawing. He didn't want to tell me at first but when I asked him again the next day he said it was him jumping on the trampoline so high he touched the sun and then he died!  😂 I'm not sure why he didn't want to tell me at first, I think it's hilarious! And I'm so happy he has something ...

I follow letterfolk on Instagram. They are a letter board company.   Their boards are always funny or witty or clever and they truly are wordsmiths (and I am not) so it's fun the see others put my thoughts into fun phrases or quotes on letter boards.  This was one of my recent favorites because it absolutely fits my current life (in a funny- not depressed kind-of way)! Here's an examples... washing a diaper.  Letting freshly washed clothes rot in the washer because I forgot to put them in the dryer.  Roxy using our entire house as her coloring book.  Breckie (queen of junk messes) making massive messes everywhere. Even on me.  Going to Breckie's FOUR-YEAR-OLD checkup a month after she turns FIVE! Roxy taking over the Dr's computer... ...and turning the exam table into a slide.   I'm also winning because Breckie does not know how to spell her name, identity all lett...

I felt pretty bad about not doing cool things with the kids for the first week of Spring break (although we still had fun, Jake was sick, and we played with friends) so I planned some actual things to do for the second week.  We took a big, long bike/scooter ride on the QC trail. It was actually quite successful with minimal complaining and the weather was great! Everett rode all 5 miles on his scooter.  We had pizza afterwards and I must have thought it was so successful that we didn't "do" anything again until Friday (besides free cone day and having friends over to play).  Friday we went exploring a little. We found this really beautiful place along the salt river. There were little tiny cabins and a horse corral and it was gorgeous.  Plus it was still pretty early in the morning (9 am) with the morning glow of the sun and it was crisp out still. There were sprinklers watering the lawn next to the river and it was Heavenly.  W...