The end

It is with great sadness that I announce the end of 2TRDMOMS blog. It's been a good run and I've so enjoyed blogging with Annie and reading all your comments. See, Annie and I got in this huge fight over the background color on 2TRDMOMS and we just decided we can't work together anymore because of our artistic differences. Okay, that's totally a joke. If you'll notice our blog background has been white for a long long time and both of us have more important things to worry about. You can catch me on my new blog at:

http://erardfam.blogspot.com/

Please join me there, change you blogroll links for me, and you can catch Annie on Facebook.

Milestones

Emma has hit some big milestones this year that I keep meaning to write about. She is so excited about them. She has learned to blow a bubble with bubble gum, tie her own shoes (I'll admit this is the first year I've bought her shoes with laces, that's called lazy parenting), whistle, and is almost riding a bike. Most of the time she is challenged at doing them by her little brothers so I know she could have done many of them earlier since they are doing them but that's what she gets for being the oldest :). She'll be riding a bike at six and Ben will be riding one at 3 I can guarantee it. Anyway, it is so fun to see kids hit milestones and celebrate along with them as they feel so accomplished.

I had a fabulous weekend in San Fransisco with a old high school girlfriend. We hung around the city all day shopping and reminiscing (SF used to be my old stomping grounds in high school, it was the nearest big city to me and we used to go there all the time) and then we finished up the night with a night at the theatre and saw Wicked which was a fabulous play. I couldn't even believe the nice break it was to be away from the kids for a couple of days. I love my job of being a full time mom but whew is it tiring :). Just sitting on the airplane for an hour by myself was a luxury. I had so much time to sit and think and relax. Every time I have a night away I remember that I need to do it more often but don't seem to get around to it.

I have summer on my mind and can't get it off. I feel like it's Christmas Eve. Yesterday Emma's teacher sent out and email saying there was no more homework for the rest of the year. Emma started dancing a jig and yip-eeing all over the living room and I felt like jumping up and joining her. With all of our summer plans I can already tell that it's going to fly by though and I'll be sitting her next year at this same time before I know it looking forward to summer again. Awww, the circle of life.

Looks like another Friday...

This was our only Easter picture this year!

I got the garden started. So far we have tomatoes, beans, sunflowers and lots of strawberries. I still have a long way to go but I'm so excited for my summer harvest again. It was so wonderful eating fresh veggies last summer.

Last night was bliss...I took dinner over to a friend and on the way home around 6:00 both boys fell asleep in the car. Jacob woke up when we got home and then fell asleep on the couch so I put him in bed. Ben I had put in bed and then he got up and came and laid on me on the couch and we both fell asleep. Poor Emma was stuck watching T.V. all night (I'm sure she was just heartbroken) until dad got home at 9:00. He put Ben back into his bed, covered me on the couch and I slept the rest of the night! Of course Dave got up at 5:00 to go to work so it was an early morning but I got a really good nights sleep!

Ben decided my bedroom carpet needed watering this week so he stood at my sliding glass door with the hose on and the door open. I'm not sure how long he was there before I found him but my floor was sopping wet! I'm sure my entire neighborhood heard me scream "NOOOOOOO" when I caught him doing it. Luckily I had my MIL carpet clean and I spent a good hour sucking up water! That kid is going to be the death of me. Once day I'll walk in and have a heart attack when I see what he's doing I'm sure of it.

Painting birdhouses for grandma for Mother's day.

Jacob had a mother's day tea at his school this week. His class reenacted the story of Moses and then fed us lemonade with muffins. I can't believe he'll be in kindergarten next year! He's so ready for it though. He's already starting to read a little bit and our summer goal is for him to be reading by the time he starts kindergarten. Anybody know a good website for teaching? I'm looking for the site words so I can make flash cards.

Jacob and mom at Mother's Day Tea

Tball season is coming to a close on Saturday. Jacob loved every moment of it. I foresee many future Saturdays of mine sitting in a folding chair on the sidelines.

There is a little bird at the top of my chimney right now chirping and it's so melodic it doesn't even sound real. I wish you all could hear it. They sit on my chimney and chirp and you can hear it in my living room. What a great way to start the weekend. Although it seems our weekends are so packed lately they don't feel much like weekends. Summer is just around the corner! We had a water balloon fight yesterday and then swam in the pool and next week we are starting up with swim lessons again. Can't wait!

Friday

Yeah! It's Friday. After a week like this one I need to celebrate something so I'm celebrating Friday. We are all feeling the end of school year blues around here. The weather is warming up, the pool is beckoning, and we are ready to be done. Only another month and a half that will hopefully fly by. The summer plans are pretty much set and I'm getting excited at the thoughts of lazy summer days.

On a different note, I have a heavy heart this week as a good friend of mine just discovered she has colon cancer that has spread to her liver and ovaries. She is just 35 and has two small children at home and the news was absolutely devastating. She's in the hospital now and we'll find out soon what the prognosis is but it's not looking too good at the moment. Please keep her family in your prayers her name is Vann. I'm praying daily, no hourly, for my lovely friend. She is one of the finest, just a sweet, sweet lady and deserves a miracle in her life. Learning news like this really puts into perspective the little things in life. I've snuggled a little more with my children this week, been a little nicer, and tried to slow down a bit and remember the purpose of my life and what's important.