May Flowers

It's my favorite time of year.  The snow is gone!  The fruit trees are in full blossom and surrounded with a halo of happy, buzzing bees.  My yard is green and the air is sweet and the days are long and it's ALMOST SUMMER--what's not to love?

We've already packed a lot into May.  We had quite a fiasco with the Honda Civic we bought for Truman after his Subaru threw a rod (it had almost 300K miles on it!).  Long story short, we got all our money back after two awful months of stress, and decided to let Truman drive the Astro and buy a truck for Allen.

Boom.

Allen's new Toyota Tacoma.  Which we've already used to haul wood.

The kids are ready to be out of school, and I am, too!  

I turned in my resignation last month.  It was a really hard decision, and was months in the making, but we finally felt right about it.  Allen and I did not anticipate having the personal challenges we have been having this year--we had been looking forward to me teaching and working ever since I got my degree, and during all the years we had small children at home.  We thought the timing was right, and I think it WAS right for this year . . . just not for next year.  It's been pretty hard on our kids having me gone in the mornings and right when they get home.  Our household has slowly been taken over by entropy . . .   

The Nanking Cherry that was already here when we bought
our house.  More like NanQUEEN!  She's all decked out!

There is a middle school English job opening in Soda Springs, and all my friends have been asking me if I will take it, but I didn't even apply for it, because that is not the direction I feel I should be moving.  My choice has not been "Where should I teach?" because I love North Gem!  It's been more a question of, "Should I be teaching or not right now?"  

I wish I could figure out a way to make things run smoothly at home and at school . . . but Allen and I both feel confirmation about the decision for me to be home next year, and that is the only thing that makes it bearable, though it goes against the "plan" we had for ourselves.  As of now, I am planning on being home for a year, then see what the next step will be.

We feel grateful to know that this decision is right for our family, even though it is so hard to feel like we are letting other people down.  I especially hate feeling like I am letting my students down.  I told my students right after I let my boss know I wouldn't be back, and it was AWFUL.  They have been begging me every day to please stay.  It makes me feel so good and feel so bad.

One great thing about coming home after the kids is that they have been waiting for ME.  Calvin always has something to show me, and one day he was so excited to greet me with a nice bundle of dandelions.

 

Calvin has had a good year, and is happy most of the time, but he has struggled socially in school and we are going to repeat first grade next year with his wonderful teacher, Mrs. Wistisen.  Academically, he is right in the middle of the pack, but he is so much younger than the other kids with his August birthday.  He just doesn't quite "get" what is going on, most of the time, and he misinterprets cues from the other kids.  He has gotten his feelings hurt several times because kids were laughing and he assumed they were laughing at him.  I think this extra year will give him the confidence he needs, and some time to mature.

Evil laughing . . . hmmmmmm

Calvin is CONSTANTLY drawing, coloring,
or (sigh of resignation) painting

I like how that guy is frowning

He's pretty darn sweet

Mollie made me laugh so hard when she brought home an invitation to her leadership assembly.  This is what she wrote:

You're invited to whatever this is . . . I think and hope it will be fun.

She is such a delight.  I can't believe she will be done with the elementary school!  She'll be starting fifth grade at the middle school in the Fall.  She loves to help me with anything I am doing, and we've had a pretty fun time burning all the branches from the huge tree Allen cut down in November.  When Allen and I brought his new truck home with all the wood in it, she had just gotten home from softball practice, but hopped right in the back of the truck and started unloading wood.

Mollie is getting busier, too.  She is in softball right now, which has turned into a five-nights-a-week commitment.  She is progressing in piano and is really good!  She loved 4H last summer and plans on doing as many 4H crafts as she can this summer, in addition to Activity Days and playing with her two best friends, Sarah and Riley.

My wheelbarrow bestie!

Brigham is loving track, and he is killing it in the 800!  He has not eaten anything sugary for about three months, and goes running or lifts weights every day but Sunday.  He is so driven, and he's definitely seeing good results from all his hard work.  He has got one lawn-mowing gig lined up, and is trying to earn mo' money--he's hoping to take care of people's dogs over the summer when they go on vacations. 

My handsome Briggy with Jim--
remember him from last Labor Day?

He'll have plenty of time to earn money, because he lost his iPod for the ENTIRE summer for sneaking two apps we do not allow on his iPod.  This was his third strike for breaking iPod related rules (hashtag tough love!)  He's a super smart, super good, super fun kid and we are proud of how he is growing and maturing. 

Some day this will be funny to him. . .

In addition to life guarding almost every weekend, Truman is enrolled in the online CNA courses for college credit and will probably be doing hands-on work in the hospital next year.  Everywhere I go, people tell me how much they love Truman and how funny he is--his teachers, classmates, and friends.  He and Mollie share a lot of characteristics, the most common one being that they both LOVE TO SLEEP.  They go to bed early and sleep in as late as possible (I think there might be a correlation with how even-tempered and content they are).  Truman is also super generous--he loves to buy things for other people and share anything he has with everyone.  He always helps me when I ask, even when it's to get big logs out my minivan in the pouring rain (see below).  He'll be life guarding again this summer and is looking forward to having a car that won't break down (we are too!).

Our animals are also loving this weather.  They all want to be outside, and the chickens are going crazy for the green grass and bugs.  All I want to do is work in the yard, but it's so hard when I am tired from being at work all day.  I have gotten tons of stuff done on the weekends, but on regular week nights it's tough to muster the energy I need to do some laundry, make some dinner, and feed some animals. Summer break is looking better every day . . . 

Zuko joined me in the hammock and kept me warm

Meet Gilderoy Lockhart II.

Oh, I love my sweet Twyla! 
Even though she looks mad in this photo.

They know how to find the warmest spot in town . . . 

Allen is still my dream date.  And, did I mention?  The prophet of the Restoration . . .

He got roped into playing Joseph Smith for the youth conference our stake is doing this summer.  He's also an assistant scoutmaster, a stake clerk, and works in the nursery with me every Sunday.  He is going on high adventure, to scout camp, and planning all the overnight trips for the summer.  He is working this Saturday because the plant is on shutdown and they need extra work done.  He jumps on the tramp with the kids and teaches them to cook and builds cool stuff with them (he and Truman have been working on a metal forge).  He makes dinner all the time, takes the kids to school every day, and takes me out on a date every week.  He also gives me a back rub any time I ask for it (as long as we can watch TV while he does it).  Seriously, I don't know anyone who deserves a new truck more than he does!  I am so grateful to have him--he's thoughtful and kind and patient and good to the core.  Just like Joseph Smith.  

Peace out, homies.

Apricot blossoms!  I think we'll actually harvest some this year!