Ordinary Life

We had to peel that kite out of two trees before he decided it might be better to try flying it at the park next time!

Even though the days are getting longer, it's getting harder to get kids out of bed in the morning. Micah leaves for school right after scriptures and prayer, but Eve and Hyrum have an hour to slowly get moving.

Hyrum slept like that for about fifteen minutes--me stepping around him making breakfast. Silly sleepy guy!

 Micah and Eli are great buddies. I wanted to remember this moment and Eli's self-comforting with both his pacy and his tuft of hair.

Ben and Makayla found out their new little addition will be a boy, and we are all excited for July when we get to meet him and squish him!

 These two are usually at loggerheads, but this particular day they spent coloring and sharing. I needed to document this small slice of heaven so I remember it did occasionally happen.

The weather has been spectacular this spring, and I'm finally recovered enough to walk Cleo around the block (still not back up to three miles, but I'll get there . . . not before the heat hits, unfortunately).

Our spring is going to be shortened this year because of all the snow and rain and low temperatures, but we've been enjoying the evenings in the back yard as our family. Eve was showing me her newest tumbling trick--back handspring--and Cleo couldn't figure out how to get on the tramp to play with her!

Speaking of the tramp . . . the mat finally gave out and needs to be replaced.

I bought a new one, brought it home, and drafted Hyrum and Micah to install it. With minimal argument, they headed out to do it.

 It's an annoying process, but they kept at it . . .

 . . .  until they got to this point . . .

 . . . and we realized Mom had purchased the wrong size. New mat is on order, but the kids have made use of the gigantic open pit by inventing a few ball games.

And Cleo turned one! Eve took it as her personal responsibility to make the day great.

 (Daisey is her toy puppy.)

She even made a paper "cake" and everything!

 Cleo has been here for seven months now, and we're all finally hitting a good, predictable groove. I think this whole dog thing may work out this time--fourth time's a charm!

As for me . . . school has been extremely difficult over the last few weeks. I can't ever seem to get ahead of all of it or truly understand one of my classes. Lily asked me how I was doing one day, and here's the pic I sent her. Kind of a mess, just like I feel.

I have midterms this week, and hopefully I'll have a better idea where I stand in my linguistics class. I never thought 16 credits would be easy, per se, but I didn't foresee how hard this class is.

Wish me luck!