The V6: May 2009

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Elliot's Kindermusik Recital

Elliot started Kindermusik a few months ago and has LOVED it. They just had their end of the year recital. He did a great job!

Adorable!

Sunday, May 24, 2009

So, our residency in Spokane has kind of been up in the air. Ray's work has made it clear to him that the plan is to move us to Boise eventually. We thought this would be sooner, but now it is looking like it won't be for another 2-3 years. We have been renting, not wanting to buy if we were going to be moving soon. But now that we know we are here for a while we have been looking for a house (amazing interest rates, dropping home prices=great time to buy!!). We didn't want to move out of our neighborhood, school, or ward. The choices, given these guidelines, are pretty limited, especially in our price range. So imagine our delight when we drove by this house for sale for a REALLY good price, right around the corner from our house! They just put it on the market last Monday. We immediately called the realtor and arranged to see it the next morning. We found out that the seller had already turned down one offer and 3 more people were coming to see it that same day. We didn't even have to think about it, there is no way we would find this opportunity again. It is exactly where we want to be, in our price range, and we even like the house! So we made an offer and they accepted it later that night. We close on July 15th, and while I dread the thought of moving again I am comforted by the fact that we are moving right around the corner (less packing required) and it won't be very disruptive for the kids, at all.

Naomi is so smiley lately, but I'm having a hard time getting it on camera. This is the closest I got yesterday.

Check out Maggie's crazy bedhead...this is how I feel at the end of the day :)

Sweet baby girl, she's definitely a VanderLouw...

Crazy Maggie, she is definitely in the terrible two's. Good thing she is so cute!

A rough few days...

The weather has been so nice the last few days. We have been spending a lot of time outside. Poor little Elliot has had so many trips and falls during his running and jumping! I felt the worst about the big scratch on his forehead :(

Happy Birthday Ray!!

We had a little party for Ray the day after his birthday. He and Elliot got to go on a father/son campout with church on his birthday-of course I forgot to have him take the camera. I made Ray a cake from scratch. It was really dry but he kept saying how good it was, he is always so nice:)

Little Naomi, droolbaby, 4 months old :)

You Gotta Fight...For Your Right...to PAAAARTY!

About 3 weeks ago we had a combined birthday party for Grace and Elliot. I let Grace talk me into inviting everyone in her class, thinking only half, at the most would come. There are 25 kids in her class, I think that 21 came. Plus, we invited all of Grace and Elliot's friends from church. That was about another 20 kids. That is over 40 kids, people!! Luckily my mom and dad came up for the party and helped out. I don't know what we would've done without them. It was totally insane. I had great plans of splitting everyone into groups, doing a little rotation of activities. That went out the window after about 5 minutes!! It was all I could do to just make sure no one got injured in the bouncy house! Despite all of the craziness the kids had a GREAT time, and no one was seriously injured! But I will never, repeat NEVER, have a party with that many kids again!! I didn't take the pictures, luckily my mom remembered to grab my camera and snap some shots! We didn't get a picture of the cotton candy machine, but it was a HUGE hit. The kids loved it. Grandpa figured out how to make the cotton candy and served it up to all the kids :)

We made beaded necklaces and bracelts...

We played duck, duck, goose...

how cute is little Gabe concentrating so hard on his necklace :)

We played duck, duck, goose in the bounce house (even Maggie got in on the action!)

We decorated cupcakes...

(Maggie just ate the candy, every time I turned around she was shoving more candy in her mouth!)

Check out how dirty this little angel is...she had such a great time!

More cupcake decorating...

Grace with a couple of her presents, she got a ridiculous amount of presents...

Elliot with some of his presents...

Grandma and Grace at the end of the night, plumb tuckered out!!

Sunday, May 17, 2009

I don't get it...

For the last couple weeks I have been spending significantly less time on the computer. But I feel like I still can't keep up. I feel like I'm running the kids around all the time, but I can't recall specifically why. Getting out of the house on time, with all the kids (and me) dressed, teeth brushed, hair combed, diapers clean, bladders empty, bellies full, takes some sort of herculean effort. My house is a mess, despite my best efforts, and I feel overwhelmed by it. I feel like I'm drowning in clutter. Going to book club for a few hours shouldn't take so much out of me, should it?! I try so hard to get my workouts in, but only manage about 3 days a week. Where is all my time going?!?!

On a positive note, I watched my friend Wendy's son Peter for the day a couple weeks ago. (Which, by the way, is not work at all. He just kept my kids entertained for the day, so I didn't have to). Wendy is a massage therapist and gave me a gift certificate for a free 1 hour massage. I always feel all my stress in this one spot in my back, it is so tight and painful right now. I'm going to have a massage next week!! (Imagine angels singing hallelujah right now...I can't wait!)