Baby Hungry

Guess who I devoured last week?

Elsa Ruth
... isn't she scrumptious?

My cute sister in law had to have her gall bladder removed just 10 weeks after having a baby via C-section... after being on bed rest for the last half of her pregnancy... Ya, it's been rough for she and her little family lately. I must say I was so excited when my brother called and told me about her surgery. Don't get me wrong, I felt awful for Edie and was definitely not excited for HER... only for myself... because that meant that I could have this little dolly to love on...

I also had her older brothers, all but Mathew. He wanted to hang out with his grandpa. Jeffery went to school with my boys and Ethan who is three years old and Gabriel were the best little play mates during the day! I pulled out some of my baby gear... bouncy seat, baby swing, bumbo chair... but she came with all the accessories, lots of PINK clothes, tiny socks, several styles of outfits, hair clips and bows, PINK blankets, and shoes, polka dot burp clothes... It was heaven! I felt just like a little girl playing dolls! I washed her angel face with a warm wash cloth and she leaned her little head back and let me scrub those puppy dog wrinkles in her neck... I couldn't keep myself from kissing them. I slathered her in baby lotion... I love that smell! I retrieved some of my hair product and played beauty salon. Her hair- I could not leave it alone... it curls when it's wet and fluffs up full of body as it dries... and it is like baby chick feathers... soft as clouds. We bonded quickly! All day she would "ooh" and "goo" at me and her smile... like every baby smile... priceless and heart melting... that was when she wasn't peaceful in dreamland... it was pure JOY! I think I kissed her a million times, at least. What is it about babies that makes you just want to eat them? Am I the only one who feels that way? Not in a cannibal sort of way but the way that you just can't get enough. Like eating a giant pink frosted Granny B cookie from 7-11 ... only better.

That evening I bathed her soft perfect self in the tub. My back was on fire, because carrying TWO babies around all day (remember I am 8 months pregnant!) and leaning over the side of the tub was taking it's toll but I just couldn't bear to make her get out... she loved the water! I finally wrapped her in a tiny hooded towel, warmed her up and slathered her again with the scrumptious lotion. I snapped up her jammies, and with a belly full of milk and a little rock-a bye.... oh, and lots more kisses and loves from auntie Em... she was ready for our sleepover! In the meantime, Glen was wrestling boys left and right, finding jammies, setting up beds, reading stories, and finally it was lights out! We both looked at each other and decided right then that we would probably not be having six children with one on the way :) anytime soon... or ever! All of the kids were so good and had lots of fun together... it was just a little more busy than usual :)

I wasn't exactly sure how the night would go, but I've had a newborn before so I figured it probably wouldn't be a night filled with only frequent bathroom breaks for me. But I was in love. and love makes EVERYTHING possible, right? We moved the cradle into our room and I realized that I had missed my little shadow Gabriel all day... I was busy and although he had fun it was different... pretty soon he won't be my baby. I decided that the next day I'd do better at spreading the love. I fought back the urge to let sweet Elsa sleep in my arms all night... I didn't want to put her down. She slept like an angel and was only up twice for bottles. She went right back to sleep after her belly was full and both times I didn't want to part with her warm little body.... so I rocked her awhile!

The next morning Gabe kept telling me to "put baby Elsie away now, mommy" as he pointed to the bouncy chair. He climbed up on my lap everytime I was holding her and was back as my shadow... guess he missed me too? That afternoon when her momma (who by the way, did great with the surgery) and daddy came to get her, I didn't want to give her back to them... I wanted to keep her... as my own baby doll.

I reminded myself that in a few weeks I'd be getting one of my own...He doesn't have many accessories... and maybe he won't have any hair, like his daddy... but I don't care! I am so in love with him already, I can't wait to finally hold him and love him and smother him with kisses...

I am so baby hungry!!

12 years of bliss...

Hmmmm... definitely not every single day of the past 12 years have been "blissful." We've had our ups and downs, as I assume most marriages do. But overall I am married to my best friend! I am truly the luckiest girl around to have a husband who loves me unconditionally. Who is so patient, thoughtful, kind, funny, smart, giving, hardworking, positive and oh, so handsome!! (just to name a few) He always encourages me and keeps our life pointed in the right direction. My happiness is the most important thing to him, he truly treats me like a queen... EVERYDAY! He is my rock, my everything... I completely adore him. I fell in love with Glen 14 years ago. I've loved him everyday since then...

and I will love him forever!

pretty much Glen's whole life revolves around me, and I don't mean that in a conceited way... he is just an amazing husband!! After me, comes the boys then lots of other stuff... career, many responsibilities etc...and to be totally honest I'm not sure he ever even thinks about himself... seriously! I do big things here and there to show him how I love him... but he is the one who is really good at showing and telling love in the little small things everyday... you know, the really important way!! I think I've mentioned that I am a bit cranky lately and VERY needy and maybe even a bit down in the dumps (that's all??? gheesh the poor guy) and he has been my constant. Truly my best friend and oh so loving and patient. So you'd think with the big anniversary coming up that I would have planned something... after all I am pretty good at the big things :) but NO, this year for our anniversary I did NOTHING for Glen... it's not like I forgot and I did really want to make a big deal over him... heaven knows he deserves to feel the love but I completely dropped the ball, not sure I've ever done that, actually I know that I've never done that on a special occasion... and believe me, if the roles would have been reversed and he dropped the ball, he'd NEVER hear the end of it! (can you believe he even likes me?) but because he is the world's greatest husband, he is totally fine with my slacking this year and of course didn't even show a flicker of disappointment. He was just excited all day about the special things that he had planned for ...once again.... ME, of course!!!.... have I mentioned that he is an amazing husband... because you should know.... He IS!! I knew he had arranged for a babysitter and that we were going to go out to dinner... "perfect" I thought. Sadly enough it has been awhile since we've been on a date so I was really looking forward to it just being the two of us! Last night I told Glen that I hadn't done anything special for the big day and he reassured me that dinner out and being together was ALL we needed and
a great way to honor and celebrate our 12 years... etc....
but he had some other things up his sleeve too...

Here are a few specials that he did for me on this our 12 year anniversary...

Glen always picks the perfect cards for every occasion!

what a sweet card and it pretty much sums up us right now... I did not however include the hand written love note from my husband found inside this card... a bit too personal to share with the world... but ooh-la-la it was awfully SWEET too!!

Glen gave me a clue as to where I could find one of my favorite treats that he had hidden... chocolate covered cinnamon bears and they are not the cheap chocolate Albertson's version. They came straight from the famous local chocolate shoppe... Alvey's... YUM!

along with the yummies pictured above was another gift and this love note....

and this is what he was talking about.... My wedding Ring!!

originally my ring was yellow gold... Everyone who got married 12 years ago has a yellow gold ring... it was just more popular then... but before we knew it... yellow gold was out and everyone was wearing white gold... It changes often, I know.... but one year Glen surprised me by changing my ring from yellow gold to white gold. Not a new setting, just a "rodium flash" which is basically dipping the ring in white gold for 30 dollars at the local jewlers... fun for a change! Well my ring has needed a dip for awhile so my cute husband surprised me with a freshly dipped and polished ring!! I love my wedding ring and all that it represents! I wonder if he was thinking that the reason that I haven't been wearing my ring for the past couple of weeks is because it was needing a dip and cleaning but the real reason is that it is getting VERY tight on my sausage fingers!! By the end of the day it is all I can do to wedge it off!! SAD... I know!! With my other babies I wore my ring to delivery... no hint of tightness EVER... I'm telling you, this pregnancy is a beast!! But on a positive note, my ring will be sparkly new and ready for wearing once I lose... oh, many many pounds!! but anyway...back to the anniversary.... Glen made reservations at the Coppermill Restaurant, which just happens to be the place where we had our wedding luncheon, so romantic!! We reminisced about the past and talked about our future over dinner, it was a perfect night... but that's not all.... after dinner Glen took me to the mall for some shopping, and treated me to some new earrings and a comfy maternity outfit... just for ME!! He was interested, and brought me things to try on, he waited and helped... it was almost like shopping with a girlfriend...and he is NOT a shopper!! Have I mentioned that he is an AMAZING, thoughtful, romantic husband though... because you should know that he IS and I mean it when I say that I am the luckiest girl around because he is mine!!

Happy Anniversary!
I love love love YOU forever my Glen-o!!

five more minutes...

Gabe does this thing that I am completely in love with. He cocks his head to one side, almost touching his ear to his shoulder and simultaneously his eyebrows arch. Then he uses his highest voice and in the sweetest tone he makes a request. He is getting smarter by the second and definitely had us figured out a long time ago. I try to be good about keeping him on somewhat of a schedule, more for my benefit than his. :) He has always been such a happy little guy. BEST sleeper ever, easy going and like a little ray of sunshine! I usually warn him when it will be time to change course by giving him a five (or so) minute warning. I say "you may play for five more minutes and then it will be time to....." whatever is coming next. Being the mellow little angel that he is... he doesn't resist and is such an easy baby. UNTIL... a few months ago.... he started needing not only his binki and blankie at bedtime but also a train to go "nigh nigh with" I figured that couldn't hurt too much??? and so he's been sleeping with a train for awhile now. We read a few books at bedtime and "rock-a bye" while singing songs. Well here's where the getting smarter thing comes in. The past few weeks Gabe has been very choosey about what train he wants to sleep with... he picks one out but then just as I go to lay him in bed he needs "nutter train, mommy?" "green one, mommy" or "black engine, mommy" so cursing my soft heart I go off and retrieve the "nutter" train that he would rather have. He says "thant tu mommy" and rolls over, off to dreamland. "Not a big deal" I tell myself... "he IS such a good boy!" But that is not all, it's getting worse.... now he says "one moh book mommy?" "child of Gogg song again, mommy?" "I have drink o wader mommy?" and accompanied by all of these requests are my favorite head cocked to the side, raised eyebrows and angel voice... It. is. so. hard. not. to. give. in! Just last night when I went to scoop him up for bedtime he ran away and when I reminded him it was time for bed he did that thing... with his little head and face that I cant' resist but this time he also held up his hand, all five fingers extended and he said ever so sweetly "I pay five mo minutes... mommy?"

What am I going to do?

And yes, he really does say "mommy" at the end of every phrase (unless he's talking to Daddy, E-wah, (Evan) or Eli and then he just substitutes the name) which of course, only makes it that much cuter and meaningful and also that much harder not to give him WHATEVER he wants!!

Is it time for tough love? ... I am not so sure. With Evan my FIRST I read every book on parenting and wanted to do everything just right so that he'd be perfect!! I didn't have to do much because, as you know he came that way. :) When I had Eli things became more busy so a schedule and rules were just what we needed, and Eli ended up being perfect too. We waited so long for Gabriel and in that time my heart softened a lot and I also realized what a blessing little ones are and how fast the time flies... they are not little and angelic for very long!!

You know what?

to be totally honest I LOVE rules and a schedule and I expect a lot out of my kids, probably too much most of the time but I am not a big believer in tough love I much prefer ooey gooey love....

don't you?

Spring Picnic

ahhhh... I am sitting outside right now with the warm SUN on my skin! It is suppose to be 70 degrees today and tomorrow (I won't even think about the expected snow on Monday) One of Gabe's favorite parts of the day is when we open the front door mid morning for our "weather check"... this morning felt different there was spring in the air! He was surprised when I squeeled "it's so warm!" as I squeezed him tight! He watched Thomas the Tank Engine while I hurried to get ready, anxious to be OUT! A perfect day for a picnic! As I pulled his short sleeve shirt on he tugged on the sleeves, trying to get them to reach his wrists.... "I cold mommy" "oh, no" I said "It's warm outside today." He didn't believe me and insisted that before going out he wear his jacket and his boots. I gave in about the boots, only because they are the one pair of shoes that fit him right now (need to do some spring shopping) but a jacket? "No way" I told him, "The sun will keep you warm!"
We headed outside with him wearing
his sun visor, shorts, short sleeves... and boots :)

I love the sounds of spring, water dripping and birds chirping. Everything seems to echo... the snow muffles noises and it's just too cold outside to notice any during winter... but with spring comes lots of sounds. I probably wouldn't have really noticed just how many, but that's what exploring toddlers do for you... they make the world more magical!! I guess you could say Gabriel is a bit of a worrier! He is terrified of the vacuum and blow dryer, seriously cries! He is afraid of the noise of tub water running, he worries about cars and trucks and covers his ears when we are in parking lots. He is terrified of remote control toys.... oh, and bugs! He sees little pieces of lint or string and worries that it's either a spider or a fly so he covers his ears and runs away... you get the idea, he is a nut! So as you can imagine the echoing sounds of spring time made him very nervous and only made me more aware of them too!! We heard lots of airplanes overhead, which he loves, so that's nice. After we'd been outside for awhile, he didn't jump every
time he heard a "birdie." He stopped and held perfectly still though every time there was a sound and said "oh, what's that?" "horsey mommy" or truck mommy " "donkey mommy" "hear a fly mommy" "motorcycle mommy" I kept saying
"yes that right Gabe it's just a _________" As he got more comfortable he played with his dump truck and dug a little bit in the flower beds while I just basked! I went in to make lunch and of course he was right on my heels, never letting me out of his sight. I finally got the picnic all ready and sat him at his little table. I told him I was going to go in for a minute just to grab a drink of (much needed) ice cold water, he said "ok mommy" I went in leaving the door open and a few minutes later he was bawling, yelling, crying... a combination of all three... Like Evan used to do when he'd see a dog... my heart leapt to my throat and I ran outside. He was sitting at his table with his hands over his face, knees pulled up. I asked frantically "what?" "what is it?" I checked him quick for blood. I glanced around looking for a bear... nothing! Then with big tears in his eyes he said
"fly on Gabe's hock gogg (hot dog) mommy" "Oh brother" I thought as I reassured him... it might be a long summer!! :)
I hope it gets here soon because today SUNSHINE is just what I needed, that and...
a little laugh because of this silly boy!

Outstanding!!

Are you sick of hearing about how smart my kids are? If so, well then just look away right now... because this is another one of THOSE posts... Now I know that every parent thinks that their kids are the cutest and smartest and I also know it can get old to always hear about how perfect other people think their kids are... blah blah blah... personally, I love to hear horror stories and naughty stories... they are much more believable because, well I'm a mom and I have a stack of those kinds of stories too. It's just that most people try to focus on the good and share those things about their kids with other people, right? But lets get real... the ooey gooey, my kids are perfect stories ALL THE TIME make you want to roll your eyes just a little, don't they??? (please tell me it is not just me) you know the kind .... always talking about the cute wonderful things their toddler says in his daily prayers, or how their kids are the best on the team and how they reached all their goals at parent teacher conference, or how perfectly they carry out their FHE assignment EVERY Monday, have all the articles of faith memorized at four years old and can speak spanish and read at 13 months etc.... I've been there, heard that and must admit I've had to hold myself back from a giant roll of my eyes a few times about the ooey gooey. But as I read back over MY posts.... I realize that I am guilty and am totally one of those ooey gooey, my kids are perfect kind of mom's... I just hope your all better than me (which is very likely, and not too hard to do either) and don't roll your eyes too much when you read my ooey gooey blog.... I am just a mom... in love with my boys! I think that by recording it and writing the love down it only helps to make it stronger... and on bad days it's nice to have some " good reminders" oh and I promise no more eye ball rolling... give me a break, I am pregnant you know? :)

So here it is.... another "my kids are so smart" story and this time I have proof.... :)

Glen went with Evan to his Parent teacher conference a couple of weeks ago while I stayed home with the other boys. When they got home they showed me all of his reports and grades and there was not any core score or test under 96% not to mention that his reading and comprehension is at a six grade level! Then Evan who was completely beaming pulled out the above certificate. He received it for being in the top 10% in the nation among third graders in reading, math, social studies, total composite, language, core total and Science!!! WOW! At first I thought that all of those areas were listed because that's what they were overall tested on, but Glen explained that the majority of the kids who received this award had only one area where they were in the top 10% and Evan was the top in seven subjects!! So... pretty big deal! I know he's only in third grade, but they say that third grade is a critical year where students really start dividing and those who are ahead academically at this point tend to continue that trend into college! We are so proud of Evan and so glad that he truly loves learning. He is very driven and a stickler for rules... he is a good boy and the thing his teacher said that she loves about Evan is that he is so well rounded... he reads, he plays sports, he is currently taking a ballroom dance class, he thinks about other people and is good at making friends. He is a leader among his peers!!! I think that's a pretty great compliment to Evan! I wish I could take the credit for what an outstanding kid he is but seriously he just came this way...

Now if we could just get him to eat his vegetables...

Leprechauns and Lucky Boys

Last year I shared some of our annual St. Patrick's Day Festivities and I was thinking about that and realized that this year wasn't any different... same traditions- we are all just a year older! Now that I've been doing this blog for awhile... the holidays become duplicates -just new photo's! How many times really, can I pay tribute to my amazing husband or write a birthday post to EVERYONE on their birthdays? How do I top the anniversary post that I wrote last year?? Not that it was perfect, but seriously?? So... right now I'm too tired to think of a way to shake things up a bit or write some creative description so I'll just go ahead and copy from my post last year! Whew, nice and easy! Here it is....

Leprechauns love treasures and gold! They frolic in the pots of gold at the end of the rainbow... When I was younger I used to imagine them using the rainbow as a slide and landing... buried in gold!! living the good life!! Well... a few years ago on St. Patrick's Day my friend Anne Parker's daughter told us that leprechauns came to their house and left a treasure! Evan was amazed and wondered why we didn't have leprechauns come to our house??? I wasn't sure how to answer him?? and so I asked Anne about it and this is the secret that she shared....

If you put a "treasure box" outside in the moonlight the night before St. Patrick's Day, Leprechauns will come. They will see your empty treasure box and fill it!! ... sometimes those little mischievous guys can't help but play a few "tricks" along the way!! So the secret is out and the word is spreading...

Every year since then we look forward to St. Patrick's day and our visit from the leprechaun's...

Making "treasure boxes."
The more green the better. Leprechaun's love green. they love rainbows too, of course and don't forget the shamrocks and gold!!

Eli's treasure box...

and here is Evan's

Gabe was a mess and went straight in the tub and then to bed before
I could snap a picture of him with his finished box.

after adding some glitter, the empty treasure boxes were placed out in the moonlight waiting for the little rascals to come. After a little debate the boys decided against trying to trap a Leprechaun this year... apparently one of Eli's friends actually broke a Leprechauns arm last year in an attempt to catch him?? and they didn't want that on their conscience I guess :)

Sure enough... the Leprechaun's came!! They left a Leprechaun's favorite cereal (lucky charms) and they couldn't resist playing a few tricks too

They turned our toilet water and our milk green, they put our shoes on the fireplace mantel, the kleenex in the fridge and the TV remotes in the oven. They turned our chairs upside down and toilet papered the boys room. Everywhere they went they left a trail of gold. Oh, and of course they also filled those empty treasure boxes...

Does the title say... lucky boys?

Although they are pretty lucky... I think I am the luckiest of all...

Because these little boys are MINE!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Cake Recipe ... for my cuz

When I had my cousins over for a little Valentine lunch last month I made a new recipe for a cake that I found through my friend Jynjr's blog... I think? Anyway the cake just sounded good so I decided to try making it. I know that it can be a bad idea to make a first time recipe when guests are involved but hey, I figured even if it was disgusting... my cousins would still have to love me, right? what better guests to try it out on! :) Well if I do say so myself.... and I do...It was fabulous!! moist pink cake, sweet yet tart... and creamy too... YUM! Take my word for it, your gonna love it but watch out because one piece is not enough!!
(especially when your eating for two! ;)
Here is the recipe, dedicated to Toni who is relentless... sheesh, girl here it is!! :) (J/K)

Raspberry Cake

1 pkg white cake mix
1 pkg (3oz.) raspberry gelatin
1 pkg. (10oz.) frozen sweetened raspberries, thawed, undrained
4 eggs
1/2 C. oil
1/4 c. hot water

combine cake mix and gelatin in lg bowl. Add raspberries with juice, eggs, oil and water. Beat until well blended. pour into greased 13x9 pan. Bake 350 for 35-40 min. Cool.

Frosting
1 carton 12 oz. Cool Whip thawed
1 pkg. (10oz.) frozen sweetened raspberries, thawed, and undrained.
Fold raspberries into cool whip. Spread over cake. put in fridge for 2 hours before serving.

posing... for the record, I guess?

This new thing started a few years back where everyone takes pictures of their pregnantness and then I guess... frames them in their house or something?? Well I wish I would have documented myself pregnant 9-7 years ago when I was pregnant with Evan or Eli... I was young, feeling good and had a cute "baby bump" (sigh) But no one really took pictures of their bellies back then... at least that I knew of. Probably because everyone looked the same, wearing big tent shapeless maternity shirts or better yet, wearing your husbands XL shirt was sort of in (I know that totally dates me... scary) so it was hard to really tell what size you were or how far along you might have been. Well now everyone wears tight little shirts over their cute little bellies and I like it... I just wished I had a cute little belly and looked better in them than I do :) I had trouble getting pregnant before Gabe (hence the 5 1/2 year gap between he and Eli) and... food was my comfort? (stole that line from Oprah, and it just sounds good!) I got chunky and then finally pregnant... I think the only picture taken of me prego with Gabe was the day of delivery in a hospital gown laying in bed, and you guessed it... not too cute!! After having Gabe I didn't lose enough of my baby weight yada yada and with another pregnancy on top of that.... I am pretty much avoiding camera's and people from here on out because heaven knows it's only downhill from here! So this is some documentation for.... I guess my grandchildren who I'm sure will be very interested to know what I looked like pregnant??? Here I am ... doing some ridiculous, embarrassing pose with 10 weeks to go! feel free to comment about how tiny my tummy is and how great I look oh and be sure to mention how slim my face still is etc... even though I probably won't believe you!:)

"uh-oh"

When we were little my mom had a set of mini tupperware dishes that we loved to use for tea parties and picnics and pretty much ALL meals for that matter... There is something so fun about mini things... I love them... everything is just cuter mini. (except pregnant girls, they are always cuter LARGE, right?) Anyway before these tupperware sets sold out my mom bought me one of my own. My kids love it! One afternoon (still in jammies... :) we don't get dressed around here until 4 PM) Gabe pulled out the mini dishes and wanted some "appa sauce" He loves using the cups and I actually hide the mini set now because if he sees the cups he wants his drinks out of them all day instead of his regular sippie. And this is how that goes... he says "drink o' wadda mommy." I fill the thing, hand it to him and just as I get turned around he's swallowed it down and saying "drink o wadda mommy?" I can spend half a day just filling up his cup over and over, bless his heart :) Now where was I? oh yeah, he found the mini dishes, and wanted a snack. something about mini dishes means mini everything... he didn't want to sit at the small kid size table NO not small enough.... he dragged in this stool to use as his mini table for his mini dishes

After lots of refills :) we cleaned up the snack and it was time for an activity. coloring. perfect. He usually stays occupied for at least 5 minutes doing that. Maybe I could get to the dishes? He wanted to use the mini table again so I got him all set up. He colored while I washed the dishes. I looked over at him a few times and he was scribbling away. My mind wandered as I busily loaded the dishwasher to who knows where and when I looked up to check ... He was gone.

I called his name... silence. So I walked over toward the mini coloring table and saw him out of the corner of my eye pressed up against the side of the kitchen island. In his hand was a crayon and on his face was guilt... and then I saw why. I didn't have time to say anything, my eyes said it all... and he knew it. "uh-oh mommy?" he said hesitantly and oh so sweetly and I just melted thinking in the back of my mind "thank heaven for Mr. clean magic erasers" He saw the change in my eyes immediatley and said cheerfully "good boy Gabe!" and he proceded to point to his art work all over the wall. I reminded him that we only color on paper and that we were going to have to clean it up. He insisted on helping (I promise)

how could anyone get mad at something so innocent even if magic erasers were never invented and the island still had his scribbles all over it, I couldn't be mad at HIM. He's too cute! Last night Evan and Eli were being stinkers about our bedtime routine and Gabe was watching with interest as they were getting in trouble. Glen turned to him and said "your not going to be like that when you get big... are you!" Gabe ducked his head and snickered with a twinkle in his eye as if to say "you just wait and see."

EVAN and the BEE

Evan came home from school a couple of weeks ago with a thick green paper packet. He presented it to me, smiled and said "I get to be in the spelling bee!" I asked him all the typical questions excitedly... when, why, how etc... And here are the details; Evan and one other boy were selected to represent his third grade class. He has earned 100% on ALL his weekly spelling tests and each week they also have 10 "bonus words" that are more advanced words. He has missed only 4 of the bonus words all year!! Each week as he'd bring home his tests with a big 110% circled at the top I'd tell him to keep up the good work and maybe he'd be a spelling bee winner, like his mom was in fifth grade!! Sure enough....He won his class spelling bee and therefore would be moving on to the school bee, where two students from each class would be competing (3rd-5th grade) The green packet consisted of lists of words, origins and definitions divided in sections ranging from beginning words to advanced words and there were a LOT of them! The spelling bee was to be held on Friday the 27th so he had about 2 weeks to prepare. He was excited and we were so proud of him!! My sisters and their kids were in town for a week and we had events planned EVERYDAY. I pulled the boys out of school for two days during the week, one for skiing and the other for a sledding, fun day and the opportunity to be with their cousins! Needless to say we didn't get in a whole lot of studying for the bee. There were a few nights that Evan looked over the words and Glen or I helped him... but I figured the next week, once everyone was gone home we'd really dig in! Well Evan came home from school the Monday before the bee and told us that instead of having it Friday they had moved it to TOMORROW!! yikes!! We crammed a bit that night but after talking to my dad who is an educator and is familiar with spelling bee's I knew that it was not looking too good for Evan. I made sure to take my dad's advice about letting Evan know that it was a really big deal just to be selected. that's quite an accomplishment! My dad made a good point also that out of all those kids (40) there is only ONE winner and a good portion of doing well in a spelling bee is luck, depending on which word you get asked to spell. :) I was so proud of Evan for being such a hard working, smart kid and we made sure to send him out the door that morning feeling no stress or pressure and with the reassurance that no matter what the outcome, being part of the bee was a big honor! He seemed excited, calm and ready, but I couldn't help feeling guilty and like a loser mom, thinking I could have prepared him better! My sister Julie was still in town for a few days so my mom offered to babysit Gabe and Ruby so that Julie could come and cheer Evan on with us. When we arrived at the school I had a knot in my stomach for my sweet boy, I didn't even have to do anything and I was nervous! When the spellers entered the stage I could feel his panic. We waved, smiled and gave him a bunch of thumb's up signals. He kept taking deep breaths and wiping his wet palms on his knees. Poor kid doesn't stand a chance at being brave up in front... Glen and I are both full of nerves about that stuff too!

In this picture he's up next... can't you just see the tension in his shoulders , poor kid... but he did so great and relief washed over his face after that first word.

Yeah!!! We were hoping he'd at least get one word right, very ambitious of us huh? But hey, this was our first time and now we know what to expect, right??:) He made it through two rounds and luck was not on his side... a few of the words spelled before him were foxy and cupcake?? come on!!! Well Evan's word was avail. not a very common word like the others.... I specifically remember practicing that one and he spelled it with an e on the end a-v-a-i-l-e. I corrected him but before he started spelling it at the bee I wondered if he'd remember. He started a-v-a-i-l...... long pause and then an E ???? shoot!! it just slipped out and he knew it before they told him that it was incorrect! Oh, well...

My gosh.... he's such a cute boy!
totally off subject but just remembering...when he was little. Each night as I'd tuck him in bed I'd whisper in his ear..."out of all the little boys in the world, how did I get so lucky to get you" He'd giggle and whisper "say it again mommy" and we'd repeat it at least four times :) He is such a special kid... and oh, how we love our Evan!!

After the round that he got out on he came down off the stage with the other kids... some were in tears... pretty intense!! He was disappointed and a little mad too! He said "I can't believe it! I knew that word" We told him he did great and that from now on he'd always remember and probably NEVER spell avail wrong :) I was pretty surprised about the rules of the spelling bee they are pretty harsh and the advanced words are insane... tricky and long and basically have to be memorized! There were some pretty serious competitors. Maybe our spelling bee days will be over with this one??
A hug from dad makes everything better!

I picked Evan up from school and we went straight to grandma's house... on the way there I asked him what everyone at school said to him about being in the spelling bee. He was all surprised and said "Everyone told me that I did so great, even though I got out mom, can you believe that?" what a funny kid! When we got to my mom's me and Julie had a little surprise waiting for Evan. A candy card telling him "way to "rock" and " roll" at the bee and we SPELLED his name out with rice crispie treats! I breathed a little sigh of relief that the spelling bee was over and that Evan ended up as confident as ever not to mention, he's got some new words in his vocabulary too!

Evan and aunt Julie