The Lasts of May

So the last few weeks have been emotional ones for me. I have been having a difficult time feeling like these kids are growing up too fast! Eric just graduated from kindergarten, Rachel just graduated from joy school and is ready to start kindergarten and I keep thinking WAIT this is all happening too fast! They grow up too fast....except when they are two because then they are two FOREVER and no one is growing up fast! My Mom says that it just catches you off guard sometimes and I suppose that is what has happened to me. Here are a few pictures from our lasts of May.

Eric at his kindergarten graduation. And I say, since when do we need a graduation from kindergarten? He is holding the piggy bank that they made as their final project.

Rachel at her Joy School graduation. "Oh Boy, I've Got Joy!" See, and I am feeling all sad about this because after four years of joy school I am on break for the next two. Meanwhile, most of my group is going to be finishing up with their youngest children. I am SO sad about this. I'll be the old mom of the group when I start up again!

Tim and Eric at the annual Father's and Son's camp out with our church

Jenna finished her ISR swim lessons which is a six week course teaching babies and young children how to swim (my older two did this several years ago). She can swim at 18 months old! The top picture is of her with the final test, which is being able to float with your clothes on. (More on this in a future post, I will try to get some video, also more in another post on my obsession with zebra print things, it has become a problem for me).

Rachel after finishing her dance recital.

After all of these lasts, we need a first. First flip into the pool of the summer!! Yeah for summer! I am excited to get to have all of my babies with me full time!

I just had to include this picture because it is the cutest thing ever. For Rachel's birthday Grandma White made little Rachel (the doll) a matching dress. Sadly, little Rachel still wasn't allowed to come to church with us. Aren't they adorable!

So for the last two weeks I have just felt exhausted and now that I am looking at all of these pictures I can see why!

Mother's Day Past

So about Mother's Day - I have always said that I didn't want to be one of those mothers who felt guilty every Mother's Day wishing she were a better mother. I totally don't feel that way, because I feel like I am trying the very best I can. However, this Mother's Day I am feeling a little sad because I don't get to talk to my mother who is in Denmark with Dad on a trip they have wanted to go on for years. I am missing her, but it prompted me to get out pictures from previous Mother's Days, and you know what I found?? Mom has taken a lot of trips on Mother's Day! This isn't even close to the first Mother's Day she has been gone for. Hopefully that is just because May is such a good time to travel and not because she was trying to escape us! Happy Mother's Day to Mom and all other Mothers reading this!

Can you believe it, this is the first picture I found with my Mother on Mothers Day, the year is 1994. I don't suppose us children could have dressed up just a little for the picture. Also, seeing my sister in sweats makes me remember just how warm it is here in May (101 today). Do you think we just escaped a flood or something - me with my short shorts and Amanda with her short pants.

Apparently trying to make up for lost pictures from years past, we all reassembled and dressed up a little more for another one here in 1995. I needed a good friend to tell me not to wear those white nylons though. Oh, and that skirt and belt too.

Here we are in 1997 looking a little spiffier. Doesn't mom look great!

With Mom in 1998 and missing Robert who was on his mission. This is the last one I have with my Mom on a Mother's Day. It looks like we need to get together again for Mother's Day. Maybe next year.
2003, my first Mother's Day as a Mother.

2004. On my first Mother's Day I had one child and on my second I had two!

Mother's Day 2006.

Mother's Day 2008

Mother's Day this afternoon.