He's a Doctor!!!

Medical Graduates Reception

We were blessed enough to live in student housing with these great friends in Jared's class. I'm so grateful for these friendships and good times!

Dinner with Grandma Jenny

Jared's Grandma Jenny (and Jared also has a sister named, "Jenny"! And his other sister married a "Jared", just to keep us confused - wait, no, I think she liked him, too) invited us over for a delicious meal of coconut shrimp and other yummy goodies. She has always been a talented cook. Hopefully I can cook this recipe like she told me it's done.

Lance's Graduation from Preschool

Lance made great friends in preschool this year. This is his friend, Jonah. On the first day of preschool, Lance noticed that they both wore the same shoes (crocs). This friendship was meant to be. Their dads both happen to be in medical school. While having a playdate one day, they had a hiliarious conversation about their dad's careers here.

Raise your hand if you're 3 years old! There were two 3 year olds in the bunch that got a turn to run under the parachute while it was up in the air.Cami found her spot in someone else's stroller.This little girl is amazing and inspiring. She has a disability where she cannot use her hands, but she doesn't let that stop her. She writes, eats, and does most things with her feet. The entire preschool class absolutely loves this sweet, beautiful girl.Lance is congratulated and given a certificate by one of his teachers. Wanna see?

Twinners! His other preschool teacher called him "G.I. Joe" because he wore camoflauge every chance he got.

What a great year this has been! Lance has had so much fun this year with his friends in preschool. I can't believe he's going to Kindergartin!

Jace Can Hunt Now

Jace passed his hunter safety course with flying colors today. He'd been studying the Hunter Proclamation all week, but was nervous because he didn't get to finish reading it. His dad gave him a crash course before the test.
Jared said that he peeked in at Jace while he was taking the test at one point and Jace was gazing around doing nothing when he caught his dad's eye and he excitedly clapped his hands (quietly) and had this big grin on his face. Jared heard the instructor asking question #34 out of 50, and Jared was like, "What are you doing, Jace?" He gave a hand signal as if he was writing like, "Get it done! Finish the test!" And Jace mouthed back, "I'm done!"
Soon after, he got back his score and he got a 100%!!
He also scored well on the shooting test ( they count how many you have within range of the bullseye).
Now he can hunt small game with his dad. Way to go, Jace!!

Jace Farewell/Early Birthday party

We had planned to move the day after Jace's last day of school, June 9th. Jared begins residency on June 21st. After looking at the calendar, I realized that, if I took Jace out of school for his last two days, we could be at our new house a WHOLE week earlier. Then we could have DAD home with us an EXTRA WEEK before we never see him. When I approached Jace about this idea, he wasn't big on it. Who wants to miss the last day of 4th grade and all the fun and parties? So we made a deal. It worked out great for both of us.

What a Party!!!

Great Food,Great Friends,

Great Games,

(Just a closer look at that nose that seems to be looking better)
Voting for Bowling Championships (Most Valuable Bowler, etc)

The bowling alley here at the U of U let me buy a used bowling pin for a buck. The kids signed the pin, the basketball (a gift from his good friend that played on his Junior Jazz team a few years in a row), the Atlas book(another gift from a friend), and the autograph book that Mom made (Hey, I thought it might be a good idea!)

It was so fun to watch Jace and his friends that he knew, many of them, since the first grade, when we moved here. We will miss Utah and the great friends we have made!

Soccer Season Spring 2010

Lance and Kyle got to be on the same soccer team this year. It was Kyle's first season. Look at these cute boys and girl!

This team rocked. Look at all the dads (minus one family, that was out of town and we missed them!). They're all in the same graduating medical school class. And the moms got another opportunity to visit. It was so fun to watch our kids play together and enjoy each other's company as we cheered them on.We kept seeing a little blonde cheerleader that got into it so much, she tried to join her brothers out on the field.Lance cheers Jace on during his game.Jace's team

What a great season!

Cami, the Red-nosed Reindeer

What with all the cold winter-like weather, we began singing Christmas songs here. It wasn't hard picking a song...

Walking home from getting the mail, I was pushing her in the stroller as we passed the playground where some of our friends were playing. She protested and I told her we had to get inside. Cami had other plans. Just when I looked up to wave, she jumped out of the moving stroller. It was a sad day, but she got to see her friends for a few minutes. I guess that's one way to get what you want.

Happy Cinco De Mayo!

In celebration of Cinco de Mayo, we had tacos for dinner with Mexican rice, and made churros for dessert.
Jace was finished with dinner first, so he began making them. The directions said to boil 1 cup of water, and before ebullition, pour in the churro mix. I was still eating with the kids, as I usually do because I'm a slow eater, and Jace asked me, "Mom, what is 'ebullition'?" He had to repeat it a few times, as he is used to doing (I know for a fact that if my children marry a hearing impaired woman, they will be the best of patient husbands in repeating themselves!), before finally asking him to bring the instructions over so I could look at them. Sure enough, it said the word that he was trying to say. I told him to look it up. He keeps a dictionary handy, so it wasn't a big deal, only I wasn't sure if the word would even be in there. After he found it, he told me that it means, "before boiling", so he figured that meant anytime before boiling, even if the water wasn't warm yet. If I were his age, that's exactly what I would have done, too. (I remember mixing the ingredients written on the cake mix box and going to my mom asking her why it doesn't look like very much cake mix. She asked me if I added the mix, and I realized my oops.) So when I came to help him mix it, it seemed a little dry, so we kept adding a little more water (this time at "almost boiling" temperature) here and there, in efforts to make it more ready to squeeze through the cake decorating tube. But alas, if you can tell from this face...

It was really difficult to squeeze! So instead, the boys used their hands to shape the churros into their own unique shapes. Lance made a heart shaped one, Jace made some donut shapes and a fish (is someone missing their dad that's gone on a fishing trip?), and they all made lots of little balls, or donut holes :)

We played the closest we could come to Mexican music, the soundtrack from the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, "Evita", which has a little Spanish in it, even if it's based in Argentina. Hurray for reasons to celebrate!

Kyle's Stuff

In an effort to energize and motivate myself to pack for the move, I popped in one of my favorite Madonna CD's, "Like a Prayer". (For the record, the only other one I have is my other favorite, "Evita".) Kyle caught the beat while Cami tried to steal the spotlight:

Reverse Roles

I was in the kitchen when I dropped the dish rag on the floor.

Jace: (exasperated) "Mom! I just mopped that floor!"
Me: "Oops, sorry."

Bedtime

It's time to get ready for bed! When I take Cami's hair down at night, I just love it! Reminds me of a poodle.
Maybe we should try starting the day out with this great "do".

Smoothies

Jace had a great idea when he got home from school today. He wanted to make blueberry smoothies and pour it into an ice cream cone. We used vanilla icecream, milk, and blueberries, with a little wheat germ sprinkled on top. YUM!!!

Ummm...

...Not sure what to say about this...
(If you can see him, it's Kyle in the background)

"I'm Done, I'm Done, I'm Done!!!!"

...were the words that came out of his mouth tonight, when he got back from taking his last class and test ever, in medical school Way to go, Luv!

Our House!!

We are under contract for this beautiful 4 bedroom, 2 bath house, (and unfinished basement) and I am SO EXCITED!!!!! If all goes well with inspections, etc., we could move in the end of May! Our move date is June 9th, the day after Jace is done with school.

Check out this kitchen! Can you just see me baking bread in it? That's my desk at the end. Other side, can you believe all this counter space?!

The kids will love this yard and jumping on that trampoline. Oh ya, we haven't gotten it yet :) The french doors on the left of this patio walk into our master bedroom. Sweet!The green rug room is the entryway and, probably home teacher/visiting teacher room :)

They mention a breakfast room that this might be. I wonder if you can eat dinner in it, too.

Master bedroom with walk-in closet and bathroom

Bedroom #2

Bedroom number 3

Bedroom number four isn't pictured, and Jared doesn't remember the color of the walls, so I guess this is trusting him! I'd say he did a pretty fantastic job! And it is so great having him back home again today!

Ah! I am filled with gratitude. Gratitude to my Heavenly Father. Gratitude for my husband and children; Gratitude for my family and friends; my ward's Relief Society, especially the tremendous help, and offers of help, I received while Jared was gone finding this house and I was sick. Gratitude that I am at the end of this silly pneumonia. Gratitude for my life.