It's Field Trip Season!

I'm so glad I took the time to go be my girls on these field trips. Sometimes it can feel inconvenient to give up your day but that is a very small sacrifice for days that will one day be long gone.

Here kitty, kitty....

This year was Jenna's very first friend party! She was so excited to have a real party this year (we only do friend parties every other year). Jenna had no problem deciding what kind of party she wanted...a kitty party all the way! With so many creative ideas floating around, I had no problem finding cute things to do. Jenna loved handing out her kitten invitation (found on Etsy) and she also loved helping me get ready for the party. Just before the party as I was running around trying to finish everything up, I exclaimed, "Where did the time go?!" Without missing a beat, she hollered from the other room, "It's on the stove, Mom!" I love, love this age.

As each of the girls arrived, I told them they would come as a little girl and leave as a kitten. While they were waiting for everyone to arrive, They got to practice licking like a kitten with a popsicle. (yes, I tried to turn whatever I could into a kitten theme)  We then started our first game in which they would be given their new kitten name. My little helpers (Sarah and her friend Maggie) had strung yarn every which way in the basement and the girls had to follow their string to their new, unique kitten name. I think my helpers got a little carried away with the string as it got a little tangled and confusing, but still very fun.

Next, we created name collars with ribbon and tags. Then, they were given a set of "paws" (socks with pink felt paws). Once they had their paws on, it was time to start the next game. I had two boxes wrapped in layers and layers of paper. The girls then had to paw their way through the layers. I love this game (and have used variations of it in many parties), the socks make it take longer and what kid doesn't love unwrapping something? When everything was unwrapped, the kids found two of their party favors; kitten ears and a kitten tail.

To make the transformation complete, I had my helpers paint whiskers and nose on each girl. They were so excited....I have never heard so much meowing (yes, it was loud!). They all began running, hopping and crawling (and of course, meowing...lots of meowing) like kittens all over the house.

Finally, it was time for cake and presents. In true Jenna form, she got a little embarassed and shy when everyone started singing to her. Look closely at the photo....she has her head turned to the side with her tongue twisted in her mouth....so funny, so Jenna. The girls loved their kitten cupcakes and kitten party bags. I think it was all a success. Jenna slept with her kitten tail pinned to her pajamas....I don't think I could have been given a better compliment!

Babies grow up

So my baby turned six today. I am trying really hard not to think about it too much. I keep pushing down the sentimental memories of Jenna when she actually was a baby. I swore I would never "baby my baby," but the hard thing about that is when you have your last one, you are never forced to move onto babying the next one and so you just kind of get stuck into always seeing that child as a baby. It's these darn milestones that force us to face reality a bit. We all grow up and that's a good thing, right?

As soon as Jenna realized her birthday was approaching, she began counting down the days. "Six more days, Mom...then I will be six," she said while holding up the appropriate amount of fingers. Without a doubt, this last year has shown a big jump in Jenna's maturity level; emotionally and educationally. It hasn't been without a lot of work though. She has really worked hard this year and it has been exciting to see so much growth. With each sight word learned, I have seen her confidence grow. If you know Jenna, you know she is a bit shy and that shyness usually exhibits itself with a ornery-tinged scowl. This personality characteristic has made learning certain things a bit of a challenge; she doesn't like to be wrong and it's been hard for her to find the confidence to try whether she knows the  right or wrong answer. Nothing has made me more proud of her than to see her keep pushing forward and allowing courage and confidence replace the fear of failure.

Last night, Jenna whispered to Chad that she wanted all of us to be hiding and surprise her this morning. This morning we all gathered around her just after she woke up and sang "Happy Birthday" to her. In typical Jenna fashion, she tried to hide her smile as she was shrinking into Chad's arms from embarassment. So funny to see her love the attention, but still not liking being put on the spot at the same time! Today she had a special lunch date with G'ma and G'pa Jensen, got a special phone calls from Aunt Tammi and G'ma and G'pa Medeiros, opened some fun gifts (she loves "I Spy") and had a dinner of her choice (Chuck-a-rama). I think she had a great day and she will get to celebrate all over again when she has her very first friend party next week!

The Medeiros Family Thespian Club??

It seems many members of this family have been participating in theater activities as of late. This is a new thing for us and it's been fun to try new things.

In January, Sarah auditioned for West Jordan's production of "There's a Monster in My Closet" and was given a great part (with 60 lines!). She is loving every minute of memorizing and rehearsing as she gets ready for the April performances.

Before Christmas, Andrew auditioned for his class' production of "Macbeth" and was asked to play the part of Macbeth! His teacher had written a comedic adaptation of the play. The part would be shared between the 2 Acts with another classmate. In true Andrew style, he dug right in and quickly began memorizing his lines. I was so excited to see him perform especially since he wouldn't let me practice with him at home. I couldn't wait to see how he would project his lines. It was so fun seeing him up there giving his lines without a single stutter! It was wonderful to see how well prepared the kids were....and how much humor there was. Well done, Andrew!

Every year, our elementary puts on a Kindergarten Operetta and it really is highlight for the kids and parents. This year, "Jungle Book," would be performed. It has been so cute to see Jenna's anticipation and excitement as her class has prepared. She was asked to be a snake dancer. They danced with little ribbons attached to a stick and I tell, Jenna was right on! She was whipping that little ribbon around right on beat, all the while her shy smile peaking from underneath her hat. What fun!

A girls night out...

Last night, the boys of the family were on a campout. Yes, a campout. In February. In tents. The girls and I were much too happy to be left at home! As soon as the boys left, we began our planning. We had fun getting a little dressed up. The girls asked if they could wear a little make-up so I let them have a dusting of sparkly eye shadow, blush and a little mascara.

I was pleasantly surprised when Sarah requested sushi. Jenna was thrilled when I told her she could get pot stickers (I know, they call them gyoza. We call them pot stickers....Jenna calls them "pop stickers). Since this was turning into a full-fledged night out, we swung by the theater on our way to dinner and picked up tickets for "Tangled."

Once we arrived at the restaurant, we were seated at the sushi bar. The girls had fun watching the sushi being made and they loved using the chopsticks (see photo of Jenna). Sarah loved her sushi. I did, however, gasp when she dropped, not one, but two pieces of sushi on the floor. So sad to see that yummy pile of money sushi now inedible.

After dinner, we headed to the movie. We had already seen the movie, but we loved seeing it again. When we got home, we all snuggled into my bed and when we woke up this morning, we had chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast. Jenna declared, "I love girl's weekend," and Sarah said, "This was the best ever!" I have to agree...what a fun it was to have some special time with my girls!

Is a 5yr old still considered a toddler?

Because Jenna, really, really still seems like a baby to me! Today Jenna turned FIVE. My baby is five years old. I could go on and on about how it doesn't seem possible, but I won't. This was a fun birthday for Jenna...it's the first year that she has really anticpated her birthday (for about 3 weeks now!). She woke up this morning to the traditional signs on the door and a waffle breakfast served on the "special" plate. I decided to spend the day savoring this time with my "baby." We read books, did puzzles and baked her cake together. She is really into puzzles and helping my bake right now...I love that. Later, she had her gymnastics class and today was family day. The g'parents met us at the gym to watch her show off her stuff. After, we headed home for dinner, presents and cake. I'd say all in all, Jenna had a wonderful day!

I can't tell you how happy these pictures make me and I will tell you why. There is nothing, nothing digital, electronic or computerized involved in this playtime.  Just when I think I've completely failed as mother because the TV, computer and gameboys are becoming permanent appendages to my children's bodies, I see this. Actual creative play. And I've been seeing a lot more of it lately. And, seriously, how cute is she?

Miscellaneous cuteness

When we were working on the dining room two weeks ago (yes, it's done and yes, I will post photos), there were some tense moments. Hanging the new light fixture to a 20ft ceiling would be one of those tense moments. The kids wanted to be part of the excitement. Jenna and Sarah were hiding behind a chair to watch. Finally, we excused them all to bed so we could continue the fun. Needless to say, we didn't get it hung that first night. We even thought a few  "words" would help, but no, we would have to try again the next night. As I climbed into bed that night, I found a note from Sarah on my pillow. She leaves notes often and they always bring a smile to my face. This one had me laughing out loud. She could not have captured the night more perfectly. I promise, it's worth clicking on it to enlarge it. Can you see the picture? Notice the details: Chad on the ladder, me holding the light....and Jenna hiding under the chair in the corner. Can you read it? Notice the post script. It says, "P.S. What was that shattering sound?" Umm, that would be me tripping over the old light (although it didn't actually shatter) and that would also be when a few unacceptable words came out. I'm thinking that is what prompted this note of love and concern.

Next item of cuteness. There are a few things about Jenna right now that are so her. Four of them are in this awesome photo. 1) Helping mama cook. She loves to help me. Anytime I am in the kitchen, she scoots the white stool to my side 2) The shark goggles. Pretty cool, aren't they? I'm thinking her love for these comes from the kids love of the movie "Shark Boy and Lava Girl." She even wore these out to dinner a couple weeks ago 3) Gloves. She has been on a glove kick for quite some time now. I'm not sure how or why it started. We did have a spike of interest with the death of Michael Jackson. I think she noticed the connection with glove and him. She was overhead saying to her siblings, "Guys, are you sad that Michael Jackson died?" and "I'm sad Michael Jackson died."  Even so, her glove love has been going on even before that. 4) Boots. Whether it's the bright pink rain boots or the brown snow boots, she's always up for some boot-wearing fun.

These are just a few things that my girls have done that just absolutely make my heart smile. These are definitely moments that I wish I could freeze in time.

Preschool field trip....check!

If you've read my past entries, you'll know that I had a terrible record for attending preschool field trips last year. This year, is Jenna's last year in preschool and she is my baby. I am bound and determined to mantain a better record this year. So far I'm 2 for 2!

A couple weeks ago, we headed to Thanksgiving Point to see the farm animals. Jenna loved the baby horse and having a tractor ride and a horseback ride.

Yesterday, the kids headed to a local pumpkin patch. She had so much fun pushing her own wheel barrow, picking her own pumpkin...and most of all the corn maze. I think she and her friends ran through that thing a half a dozen times!
I am really trying to enjoy and live in the now because wow....it is flying by was too fast.

The other night I left the girl's bedroom window open. In the middle of the night Jenna bursts into our room,

"Mom! The window is flying away! 

It keeps flying up!"

Yes, Jenna is wearing Shark goggles in public...and I loved it!

Cuter cheeks have you ever seen?

Look at that smile. Look at those cheeks. Yep....those cheeks, too. Seriously. Makes me grit my teeth. Nothing cuter than a 4 year old in a leotard. Just enough "baby" left to make you want to pinch her! Anytime Jenna has gone with me to Sarah's gymnastics lesson, she has asked for her turn. She would say, "Is it my turn for 'nastics?' She was thrilled when it was finally her turn. Any worries I had about her being shy or upset once we got to class were quickly gone as I saw her happily join the class. She jumped right in without missing a beat. I was surprised at how well she listened and waited for teacher and how she tried everything without hesitation. I think we may have found something she will enjoy for a long time!

Finally! Jenna was old enough to take swim lessons at the Guy's house this year. She was so excited to have Miss Amee (her preschool teacher) help teach her to swim. Just the mere mention of water, towel, pool or swimming would send Jenna into an impatient fit. When lesson time finally arrived, she was very cooperative and attentive...trying to do everything that was asked of her. One day, the kids were told to dunk themselves in the water to get their face and head wet. In a quick action, Jenna began splashing herself with the water. What a clever girl...getting her head wet without going under the water! It was also very entertaining to watch her on the diving board. What bravery! Shivering from cold and fear, she would inch her way to the end of the board. When she reached the end, she would promptly sit down, arms reaching our to be caught (ie...lifted down into the water! lol) I think this year was a great start to swimming for her.

Celebrating with the G'parents

We officially celebrated Jenna's birthday with the g'parents on the 8th. A little BBQ, some cake, some presents and we called it good! Jenna was so excited for her turn in the limelight. Each g'parent gave her gifts perfect for her right now. To mention a few...
- a pink soccer ball (she is loving soccer right now)
- a set of gardening tools (she loves working outside w/me)
- an "I Spy" game (loves "I Spy")
Thank you to the G'parents for celebrating with us and making Jenna feel so special!

Happy Birthday Punkin'

I can't believe my baby is FOUR years old! Really? I swore I'd never be one of "those parents" that babied their baby. Never say never. She is my baby. I find myself still nibbling her cheeks and squeezing her little bottom all while gritting my teeth saying, "Ohhh you're so cute!"
Okay, so this is not about me and how I hate seeing my baby grow....this is about JENNA and how much she adds to our family. As much as I hate seeing her get bigger, I equally love seeing her play and interact with her brothers and sister. It's been wonderful seeing the age gap close. She can hold her own...all the while using her "baby" status to her advantage. She loves her "waffles plain" for breakfast and noodles (Ramen and Alfredo are her favs) for lunch. Would you believe she also loves salad...with hard boiled eggs, feta cheese and basalmic dressing? She is mommy's little shadow especially when it comes to baking and gardening. After working in the yard with me tonight, she said, "I need a freshie!" Uh oh. lol Puzzles, I Spy, coloring/painting, movies and games are some of her favorite things to keep her busy. She loves to sing and is often caught singing along to tv and movie themes. We cannot drive by the temple without singing "I Love to See the Temple" and I really love that. She also loves singing her address and phone number. I love that she gives me tight hugs...really, she knows how to give good squeezes back. I also love that she understands our secret three-hand-squeezes for I love you. I especially love it when she tells me, "we best friends" and "I need to hug you." I've almost reached my quota for the use of the word love, but not before I say how much we LOVE Jenna!!!

Spring sports in full swing....

Spending lots of time running from one grassy spot to the next...mostly in the wet and wind. Spring in Utah. The kids are having a great time (mostly). Jenna has taken to soccer more than I thought (look out Aunt Megan). Josh is having a great baseball season...still being a lefty short stop and doing some pitching. Andrew is working hard on defense, working on the aggression...he's had some great blocks!

PS...The "diet coke thing" is having some success. While I have decided not to turn my back completely on it, I have cut back dramatically. Better yet, I have increased my water intake...I try to get over 60 oz a day. I've been saving diet coke for weekends or special treats.

Could she be any cuter? That uniform is bigger than she is! She was so excited, she wore the uniform the whole day before the game and slept in it, too! By the time we reached the game, she had food dribbles down the front of the jersey. I worried that once we reached the field she would shut down, cry and not participate. I was wrong! She loved it! She listened to the coach, let him move her around, ran with the kids and even kicked the ball twice. What fun!

So my friend, Greg, issued a challenge to have lunch somewhere different. (you can read about it here) Now he currently lives in Switzerland....and I live in Utah. Hmm....you tell me which one is more exciting. But, that's just the point of his challenge. Take advantage of what you have where you are. So this morning as I was getting ready go to my local Holiday gas station to get my "freshie" (a fresh soda from the fountain) I thought of Greg's challenge and I decided to indulge his request.

Jenna and I drove to Chick-fil-a, grabbed some lunch and headed to the park. Yea, I know, it's not the Alps, but, it is the Wasatch Mountains. (see....it's all how you look at it, eh?) So there we were, just the two of us enjoying this almost-fall-day, at the park, surrounded by the beautiful mountains of Utah.

As I'm sitting there, I realize that my days as a mom-at-the-park-with-little-ones is limited. In other words, my kids are getting big and I'm getting old (and big). I observed a young mom there with two little boys. What? Wasn't that just me with Josh and Andrew? I swear it was.

Jenna and I just hung out for bit. Climbing, playing, swinging. She loved it all. It totally cracked me up when she curiously looked at the "Vita Course" signs on the track and began imitating the moves. My favorite moment was when we were swinging side by side and Jenna happily says, "We together mom." Yea, we were together on the swing, but my heart swelled a bit at the thought that we were together. So in that moment, I enjoy that I'm at the park, with Jenna and not at home eating our typical lunch of Top Ramen. So thank you Greg for issuing the "lunch break challenge" and I in turn, challenge YOU to make your lunch special.

**LOL I just noticed I spelled "Chick-fil-a" wrong...and I'm not going back through Photoshop to fix it. Sorry!

A little extra room in the nest today...

I know I'm still a ways off from truly having an empty nest, but today I'm getting a melancholy glimpse into how it might feel. Yes, I'm looking forward to 2 1/2 hours all to myself, but just for today I'm a little sad to see my baby take this step. Today is Jenna's first day at preschool. She will have "Miss Amee," the same wonderful teacher that Sarah had. This morning, I pulled out one of Sarah's pink backpacks, but she said, "That's not my backpack!" I know, I'm a sucker and she's my baby so off to Target we went for her to pick out her very own backpack. (it doesn't take much to get me to Target) I can tell she is excited...she's been ready to go since 9:30 this morning...school starts at 12:30! She's watched all the others head off to school and I know she is thrilled that it's finally her turn. I had to chuckle, when I took her to the front porch of the traditional first-day-of-school photo she knew exactly what to do. As we were driving in the car, she knew she was going to school and instinctively started singing her ABC's. Between her small size and the large size of the backpack, she had to carefully crawl do the steps to keep her balance. Sadly, it will be no time at all before her size catches up with her backpack. As soon as we got inside she began to explore and had no problem telling me goodbye!

Excitement vs. Comfort

When your body is young, excitement always wins over comfort. Perfect example, Jenna sleeping in a laundry basket...two nights in a row. I'm thinking I'd be pretty sore, but for her, it's exactly the excitement she needed in her little life right now. When I got home late the other night, Chad was laughing as I walked in the door. He said, "Go check out Jenna." There she was, curled up. Snug as a bug in a laundry basket. When we tried to move her she was insistent to stay put. I reluctantly indulged her cries and figured if she was uncomfortable enough she'd move. Apparently she liked it enough to do again the next night!