May Madness

Spring is usually a pretty easy-going time of the year for us.  Not this year.  The girls decided they both wanted to play spring basketball and Jason is playing in his second baseball season.  Which means we have practices during the week and multiple games on Saturday.  Add to that all the busyness that comes with nearing the end of the school year, a social life, and a couple more kiddos…  Let’s look at yesterday for example.

** Important to note that Justin and Jason left for the ward Father/Son’s campout Friday evening so I was flying solo til after noon…

8:30-10am        Carly Basketball Game (Downtown Snoqualmie)

9-10am             Abigail Basketball Game (Fall City)

(Thankfully, this was changed last minute to a 5pm game, which she had to miss because she was babysitting)

9:45-2pm          Carly Birthday Party (Skate King in Bellevue)

12-3pm             Abigail Birthday Party (BBQ in Snoqualmie Ridge)

1:30-3pm          Jason Baseball Game (North Bend)

2-4pm               Carly Birthday Party (Si View Pool in North Bend)

4-10pm             Date Night with Friends (Federal Way & Auburn)

Once you add in travel times, being double booked in a few instances, coordinating rides when it’s impossible to be in two places at the same time, meals, a baby that takes two long naps everyday, etc....  Thankfully once Justin and I walked out the door at 3:30pm we were off duty for the night and could enjoy a fun evening with friends while the girls held down the fort – oh, once Carly got a ride home from her second party that day.

It’s been a fun, albeit busy, month for our family.  Justin played basketball with our ward the last few months and his team took first place in the stake.  They went on to play in regionals and ended up placing second overall.  He was in primary until just recently so he’s really enjoyed getting a chance to get to know some guys in the ward better.  (Justin is now serving in the high priest presidency, which in our ward is primarily older folks).  

Justin’s also caught the family history bug.  He’s done the work for his grandpa and uncle and has spent hours and hours on the computer researching his ancestors and has about 70 names ready for temple ordinances.

I’m a pretty independent woman and I definitely have some introvert-ish tendencies; however, I really value time with friends, I think I even ‘need’ it {gasp} – this month feels like I’ve had an abundance of amazing, fun-filled experiences.  First there was Utah, with friends I’ve known for over a decade and that have remained friends even though we all live in different cities and/or states now.  I’ve got some great friends in our ward here too.  Last week a bunch of us went to the temple and dinner, earlier in the month a few of us went to a Japanese karaoke club in Seattle and had a crazy, fun night!  I still attend a book club here and in Auburn each month.  It’s all about balance, right?  And I feel like I’ve got a good balance going on.

The three big kids are busy with sports, friends, birthday parties and church activities and piano for the girls.   The weather has been wonderful.  May has a reputation for being nice and sunny getting us Seattleites excited for summer then June tends to come in and put us in our place – reminding us that summer truly doesn’t start here til after July 4th.  I’m sure we’re just getting a little teaser, but we’re enjoying it.

While in Utah my friends convinced me to start an instagram account – I’m still trying to figure out when I’d rather post something there over facebook, but anyhow… just a few of the pictures I posted to instagram this month:

A huge bug that I fished out of Drew’s mouth – still alive!  I first thought the trail of goo was saliva, but on further examination it appears it may be bug guts – yuck!

 

Katie entertaining Drew with my iPad while I was selling during our community garage sale mid-month

Justin took a few pictures while I was in Utah.  He took the kids to XXX Burger one evening for dinner.

 

Apparently Katie got out of bed one evening and fell asleep on the stairs.

Our sister-in-law Cammy came into town for work mid-May.  We were able to pick her up in Seattle Sunday afternoon and spend a few hours with her at the house.   Cammy is one of those people that seem to get along with everyone – she’s especially good with my kids and they love her (and not just cause she came bearing gifts).  After the three youngest went to bed we stayed up and played cards with the girls.  Unfortunately, I didn’t take any pictures while she was here, but I do have a picture of our tally sheet.  Carly came in first with 111, followed by Justin at 119, Cammy at 137, Abigail at 157, and me at 186.  If you take out the 50 point penalty I earned by listening to Cammy’s advice I wouldn’t have lost to her.

Justin and the three oldest hiked up Little Si on Saturday, May 24th.  Katie really, really, really wanted to go but Justin thought it best he check it out before taking anyone with questionable ability (I think that includes me)

Thursday night we were double booked {shocker!}.  Abigail had her final band concert for the school year and Carly had her piano recital.  We were disappointed that Abigail’s concert fell on the same night as the piano recital.  Abigail used to take lessons from Kori and Kori had asked Abigail to come as a former student and play one of her favorite songs – Waterfall by Jon Schmidt (of The Piano Guys).  Kori is moving away this summer so our final recital with her.  We’ve really loved her teaching our girls and are nervous about the changes that will need to be made with her leaving.

Carly played two arrangements.  She was the very first performer of the evening playing, The Spinning Song by Ellmenreich:

Her second song was, For the First Time in Forever from the movie Frozen – here is the first half:

(Again, for some reason I’m not able to see any blog videos on my iPad, phone, or computer so not sure if they are working for anyone else either)

This afternoon Abigail had a piano recital as well.  She played the following two pieces:  

Doesn't she look so happy to be there?  Since switching to the Chopin Academy this past year Abigail hasn’t been as passionate about piano as she has in past years.  I have no idea if it’s the new teacher, the music she’s playing, or just her.  Either way some changes might be taking place there.

I hardly took any pictures of Drew all month!  That’s a travesty!  Just a few playing upstairs one morning

My attempt to get a picture of him wearing a fireman hat with his fireman jammies

Snapped this next picture on Friday – doesn’t look like he’s too heartbroken to have been left out of the father/son campout.  I think next year he won’t be as understanding.

And lastly a couple pictures of Jason enjoying the giant slip-n-slide at the father/son campout yesterday.

You’d never know that kid eats like a grown adult.

The next few weeks are incredibly busy with the end of school year activities, field trips, and sporting events.  I’m also in charge of a big tri-ward service project.  I keep thinking I just gotta get through _______ (the next big event) then I can think about ________ (the following big event).  Just a few more weeks then we should be enjoying some lazy summer days!  Just gotta get through ________...