Keira is 5!

This birthday created mixed emotions for me.  I felt like Keira turning 5 took a long time coming since she is so mature for her age that I ask her all the time if she's sure she is only 5.  But, each year she gets older, I feel just a little bit of sadness only because I don't want her to grow up so fast!  Yes.  It's cliche, but I don't care.  This little doll of mine plays a huge part in keeping my sanity.

-Keira is a big helper.  She almost never hesitates when I ask her to do something.  In fact, she'll often run, especially if it has to do with little brother. 
-Keira is a perfect big sister.  You'll often see her protecting Lexi and making sure she is included in any fun with friends (Lexi and Keira share friends which makes many of them a little older than her.).  She loves to entertain Cooper and find lots of ways to make him laugh.  He beams every time she laughs because her laughter is contagious.
-She just started a new tumbling class.  Strictly tumbling which I LOVE for her.  After only 2 classes, she was doing a cartwheel.  I was so glad because I had tried to teach her before, but wasn't sure how to do it.  It probably helps that she is older; nonetheless, I'm happy she loves it. 
-Bike-riding is probably the most popular activity around here.  Just before her 5th birthday she learned how to ride without training wheels.  Daddy took off the pedals to create a balance bike and after just a few days of learning how to balance, she was off!
-Keira's emotions run very deep.  She gets it from her mother.  Her emotions surface often and for different reasons.  I know if she knows she has done something wrong, she internalizes it and tries very hard to fix it. 
-She is a perfectionist which goes right along with being a little emotional.  We have helped her to see that she can't do everything perfect the first time so this has toned down some in the last few months.  I love that she always tries her best, though.  She is very good at lots of things.
-Keira is obedient.  If I ask her to take a nap, even if she protests, she will take one.  Of course, even if there has been a lot of "why's" lately, she is still obedient.
-She is super health conscious.  Between Daddy teaching her and a dentist day at school a few months ago, she is well aware of "sugar bugs" and tries to eat healthy.  That doesn't mean she NEVER eats treats, but she doesn't eat them as often as might be expected.
-Keira keeps us righteous.  She is often the one who remembers we need to read scriptures or do "a lesson" for FHE.  Since she is reading she does really well at reading the scriptures on her own.  And, of course, she loves it.
-Which brings me to...she LOVES to read.  Because she does, she reads anything she gets her hands on and it has expanded her skills very quickly.  When Rick and I are talking and we spell something we don't want them to know just yet, she figures it out.  With reading comes writing.  She loves to write notes and draw pictures almost daily. 
-She doesn't mind public speaking...for now.  She's given 2 talks in Primary before and was a complete natural.  I hope she keeps that ability because it is something she will do for the rest of her life.

Keira awoke on her birthday to a fun surprise.  Once everyone else was up, we headed out for birthday donuts.

Later that day I let her pick 2 friends to hang out with us and we left Cooper with a sitter.  We're doing a joint friend party for her and Lexi later in the summer.  She picked her cousin Olivia, her friend Elle, and Lexi is a given.  I took this little group of girls to the movie Epic, where we ate dinner, and then played at Jump On it.  Their little conversations in the car ride were pretty funny.  Just try to imagine what little 4 & 5 year olds have to talk about. 

Jump On it was my favorite.  They have oodles of trampolines and a recently installed rope swing.  Keira and Lexi were hooked to the rope swing.  I got a little exercise myself.  I've always loved trampolines thanks to my parents for buying one for us when we were young.

Um...this is what I got when I asked them to pose for me.  What cute girls!

Happy birthday Keira bug!  Love you babe!

Magical May

We had a lot going on in May.  It was all fun stuff though. 

Keira had her Kindergarten check up.  The doctor's office sets aside a few weeks to try to make the rounds with the physical, the immunizations, and other tests that needed to be done and they make it fun!  Each kid gets a box of goodies, a sticker chart to check off each item completed in the appointment, and they get to pick out prizes for being good.  Keira got a princess box complete with princess dress-ups.  She passed her physical and is ready for Kindergarten.  The doctor we saw isn't our regular pediatrician, but he was a great substitute.  Keira liked that he was super silly and she now does the same silly face for all silly pictures.  What a brave girl!

My Mama Judy came down for a weekend to help me with a garage sale I was having.  As a thank you for watching Cooper during our Vegas trip combined as a birthday present, I took her to Harmon's cooking school.  We did fondue night!  Harmon's grocery offers a variety of cooking classes and it was so fun!  I plan to take Rick on a date night soon. 

Lexi and Keira celebrated their birthdays at school. 

School finished up!  We had Circus Day at school.  I dressed up as a clown for my class and, if you know me at all, this is right up my alley.  I love any excuse to dress out of the norm.  I came home with the coolest teacher gift I have ever seen.  One of my kids mom's does balloon creations as a side business.  She is awesome!!  Working at the preschool has been such a neat experience.  I have learned a lot about myself, about how to manage children that are not my own (let's face it...that's not an easy feat), and I definitely feel like it has made me a better mother.  These little kids were so fun and I never expected to miss them, but I totally do!

The girls also said goodbye to their teachers.  I was more sad than Keira to say goodbye to Mrs. White because she is transferring to a new school to be the director there.  Mrs. White trained me and basically took care of me as a first year teacher and so I have grown to love her so much.  I definitely will be stopping in to see her when we're in her neighborhood.  Lexi will only be saying goodbye to Mrs. Covington for a few months because she is now teaching 4 year olds!  Lexi is so excited to get her again because we adore her as well.

I got a new calling!  I don't teach the CTR 4 class anymore.  I really enjoyed teaching this class and felt a little sadness because I got pretty attached to those cute kids.  But...I am now in the Primary presidency as the secretary so I get to stay in Primary!  Yay!  Not too long ago, I was nervous about being called into the Primary because I had little babies and what did I know about teaching someone else's kids?  Let me say that it has been such a growing experience for me and probably much needed.  It definitely has prepared me for teaching preschool.  So I am overwhelmed with this new calling because there is a lot I am responsible for, but I am excited to do my best to add to this Primary!

Gramma Judy had a birthday so the kids and I went up for a night to celebrate with her.  Daddy and Grampa Steve were both working so just me, the kids, and the birthday girl.  We went to the beach (Cooper's 1st experience...doesn't surprise me that he ate it since everything ends up in this kid's mouth), barbecued, played in the yard and the hot tub, Keira got an early birthday present,and went to the cute petting zoo close by. 

This petting zoo has become a favorite annual tradition and this year they made a lot of expansions.  It's so fun to watch it grow.  

Cooper can't leave Gramma's without playing with the tractors.  He is such a boy already. 

Happy birthday Gramma!  We had fun celebrating with you!

Memorial Day weekend - we had to hold up our tradition of camping in the backyard.  Just Daddy and the girls this time.  Cooper still had a cough so I stayed inside with him.    It was a good thing because at about 3 am, in comes the campers to escape the noisy wind outside.  The girls slept through it, but Rick couldn't sleep because it was so powerful.

A Rainy Day

Farm Country - more animals to pet and feed.  This was the only picture I got.  I sort of forgot to pull out my camera.  But I thought this was so cute and was glad I documented at least this part of our adventure.

And...I'm spent.  Next up, Keira's birthday!

Mother's Day weekend

Mother's day was so fun this year.  Both of the girls had programs at school and sang cute songs for me.  Keira's was first.  She sang a song called "I wish I had a little red box" and then "That's my mother".  Our little starlet is always heard above others and this was no different.  I love her confidence.  I hope she holds on to it forever.  Lexi performed later that morning and she sang cute little songs "I'm bringing home my baby bumblebee" and also "That's my mother".  She was so cute and acting shy, even though you'd never think that at home.  I love the little questionnaires they fill out with the kids answers. Some of their answers are totally classic.

My refrigerator was complete with the personal questionnaires from the girls and their mother's day cards.  I love them!

While I was enjoying these sweet programs, Rick was dropping Cooper off with Gramma Judy so that we could take the girls to Las Vegas for the weekend.  Yes it was sad to leave Cooper on Mother's Day, but he would have had way more fun at Gramma's house anyway.  When we arrived we went straight to sushi.  We discovered a sushi restaurant on the strip a few years back and make sure we stop for happy hour whenever we go.  I love happy hour in Vegas.  It's usually dinner hours which works perfect for us!  Later, we checked into our hotel, The Encore at The Wynn.  This hotel is gorgeous! 

I took Keira to see the Cirque du Soleil, Le Reve, for an early birthday present and it was a mother's day present to me.  Lexi needed to be 5 to go so she hung out with Daddy while Keira and I had a date.  I love CdS!!  This is one of my favorites, too.  We also went swimming, enjoyed walking through shops, and FINALLY got to do the Adventuredome.  Last time we went, they were doing renovations so it wasn't open.  The girls had a ball!

I can't get enough of my family.  Being a mom to my little gems is so rewarding, challenging, fun, educational, and much more.  I have a wonderful husband who is an amazing dad and I love that I get to raise these kids with him and have them all for eternity.  Happy Mother's Day to me!  And to all you wonderful mothers out there too.  It's the best job in the world!