First Graduation of many....

My baby has graduated...from pre-school!!! I can't believe he is headed off to kinder!!!! He is so excited! Aunt Megan was able to come down for the special event. :-) Thanks, Meg! It was a great ceremony. Spencer was excited to wear his "robe and crown"...he thinks he's royalty! Here he is with Grammy & Grampy:

And with Grandma and Grandpa:



Kendall smiling and Cooper playing

Surviving

OK, I know you are all on pins and needles waiting to hear how it's going, this chaotic life I lead!



Well, survived my first day...and my 2nd...Kendall slept through a feeding last night...yes! It's been a challenge getting to school at 7:45! The kids were so excited to see me, though they have been chatty and a little bit naughty! I can tell they've had 2 subs...and lots of changes...shouting out in the classroom is not OK! Getting up from your desk constantly is also not OK! SOOO glad it's the end of the year...I am only going in for a half day tomorrow. It's Spencer's last day of school, and I really want to document it...his LAST day of pre-school!

Plus, I need a break...whew, working moms with 3 kids, how do you do it???? It's not for me, I tell you. Part time, I can handle...



I am also posting some pics of the Lepere's from the celebration weekend..the anni-birth-ary! It was a big celebration for Joe's Nana and Grandpa's anniversary and birthdays! All 3 of their kids, plus all the grandchildren (9) and great-grandchildren (8...so far!) got together for dinner and BBQ and hanging out. It was very nice to visit, as we are spread out around CA and WA. I didn't get as many pics as I wanted...not one of everyone, but we did have a photographer at the dinner and he got family shots, as well as a picture of the whole group, crying babies included (luckily, none of mine!). That's what happens when the average age is 1.5! :-)
Here's Grandpa with his youngest grandchild: Audrey (8 months).

Here's Maddie with Pana!

The WA Lepere's: Katherine, Uncle Steve, and Elizabeth...Cooper adored these girls!

Cindy & Nana with the cake!

Jake and Spencer at dinner! This was after the ties came off! Cousins and best friends!

In other news, Kendall is starting to wear 3-6 months clothes...wow! At 7 weeks...she's my big baby! Yes, Jenny, she is fitting in that purple outfit, and looking so cute! Man, my girl is one stylish fashion plate...wish I had even half as many clothes as she has!!!

what was I thinking???

tomorrow I go back to work...granted, it's only 7 days...but it's 7 days!!! 7 days of testing, cleaning, field trips, end of year stuff away from my babies!!! (that's K at 7 weeks!)I should have just stayed out...I am already thinking of getting a sub later this week...to top it off, it's Spencer's last week of school, Joe's going out of town Wed. night to see The Cure, and then he's also going out of town next week to do the commercial filming with Ryan...whew, also music class for Cooper, and swim lessons start for the boys next week! Can I survive this next 7 days of school?????

I feel like this:
(that's a yawn, BTW)




We had a wonderful weekend with joe's family....will blog more later about it and share some pictures (here's a sneak of the cousins!)...gotta get my boys into the tub so I can make some lesson plans for tomorrow...and get to sleep EARLY!

Kendall montage

As if you've never seen any pictures of this sweetie (that's how she mostly smiles...tiny hints of smile. She gives me full on grins!)...I LOVE having a baby...though I. am. exhausted.......she's eaten every 2 hours the last two nights....augh...she's been eating and sleeping A LOT the last 2 days...she must be growing!!!

Happy Birthday to Grampy!!!! A.K.A. Charlie/Dad

Time is flying...

...by!!! Can't believe my baby Spence has 1 more week of pre-school! I remember when he was born, so sweet and tiny, how I just stared at him for hours and told him stories about his parents as we walked around in his Baby Bjorn. Now he is heading to elementary school...

Yesterday was the pre-school field trip to Fresno and home on the train. Daddy went with Spencer. They had a blast! Here he is with 3 of his good friends!Last night I had Open House at school. It was nice to see my kids and parents. My room looks great! My subs have been amazing! My newest one did a great job getting the room ready for Open House! I ended up needing two subs because they can only be in one classroom for 30 days, and I was out 8 weeks. I go back on Tuesday...for a whopping 7 days, clean up, park field trip, field day,etc...I will miss my babies like crazy!!!! wondering why I thought it was a good idea to go back...oh well...those days will fly by!

It has been super windy here...sounds like a hurricane swirling around out there. Everytime we go out, my hair stands straight up. It better die down soon...we have a big weekend ahead...Charlie (Grampy)'s birthday party, Nana & Grandpa's Anniversary dinner, BBQ the next night...lots of Joe's family will be in town...family time! :-)

I better go, got some cleaning to do. Had the carpet cleaned, so I am doing some rearranging as I put stuff back...and some is going in the garage for the next garage sale...never say never...Maddie, can I hire you to watch my kiddos???

My boys at Pump It Up last weekend...

my girl...

Playing, playing...

...with my camera...lucky you get to see them! :-) I cannot get a real good one of my baby girl, though! Need to keep playing with that...she is adorable, but these picks don't do her justice! this pick here shows her with a hint of a smile...she is smiling now, but haven't gotten a good pic yet of that!

I think I took like 75 great ones of my boys yesterday! Yes, 75! I am just sharing some so you don't get too bored. Playing with the lighting...like the dark shots, and the ones that are "blown out" a bit...love close ups! Now my camera is fast enough to catch my boys!

Went shopping today...the boys made out with some new clothes for summer. Kendall and I only got 1 thing each...so we need to shop some more! I am having a harder time losing the weight this time, and the new styles are kind of flowy, so I look pregnant still! Oh well...today I was able to wear non maternity pants for the first time! Thank goodness I still have my Bella Bands for everything else....they rock! Pregnant or not!

OK, better go get some sleep. Kendall is 6 weeks old this week, and the interrupted sleep is getting to me now...I am exhausted!!!! Good night!

Browsing...

...check this out for your baby! Go vote! And check this out to help promote healthy eating...think I will order...
And this is super cute...our babies grow so fast! :-)
And because I am learning what's safe and what's not for kids...a new obsession for me...check this site!
And we went here today...it is awesome!!! Go check it out if you have one near you!

Picture play

been playing with photoshop...converting

to black and white...love it!

P.S. If you are wondering why she takes pictures with the Strawberry shortcake doll a lot, it's because I take a picture with her and the doll every Sunday to show her growth...a weekly way to document her getting bigger. I've seen it done and didn't do with my boys, so I thought I'd try.

P.P.S. Thanks, Charlene for the new book! I can't wait to start reading it...you know I love reading! :-)

Updates all around

Here are some pictures from my new toy! I haven't gotten to play with it too much...life is busy with 3 kids! And poor Kendall is battling her infant acne time, and my camera takes such clear pictures of your skin...I have to go in and play on photoshop sometime to see if I can clear her skin! But she is still a cutie! And the fussing is decreasing! Yesss! She adores her swing (thanks for the loan, Amber!) and her pacifier. She is giving us smiles now...not frquently, but enough that we know it is really a smile! :-) So anyway...that being said, I did not post any of her close ups...

Spencer has 2 weeks left of pre-school...and we signed him up for soccer for next fall...my baby! Cooper is taking music classes, and he likes them. We call him our rock star. He likes to dress himself, preferably in a shirt with a ball on it...hence, it seems like he is wearing the same thing over and over! Which, I guess, he really is! Ha! :-)

The weather here is hot! We went to the park today, but we didn't last very long...my poor babies turned red quickly! Busy weekend, birthday party and wedding reception tomorrow...

Have a good weekend!

A Must Read...

OK, my name is Amy and I am a parenting book junkie...I read them all! And I think they are all pretty good...but I found one I REALLY like, and this one won't sit collecting dust on the shelf with the others...

Go and get it! The "secrets" are very simple and ones we actually already know...but it is good to hear it again...like "attentive listening" to your child. Focus on the child, and turn everything else off...it's easy to get so busy with life that we hardly slow down and sit and do nothing. I know I usually am driving, cooking, nursing, cleaning, etc. while chatting with the kids...but now I am making more of an effort to do nothing but sit and listen. It happens every night at bedtime for sure, but now trying to extend it more throughout the day. Anyway, just had to share...not done reading it, but enjoying and absorbing it in my quest to be a better mom!

Happy Belated birthday to Robin!!!! And congrats to Virginia on the news she is expecting a little GIRL!

Happy Mother's Day!

Family pics

Whew...I can tell it is going to be hard to get family pics...here's some attempts!

I had a great birthday! Yummy Mexican food, family together, wonderful gifts! Besides my NEW camera, my parents got me a great Dooney & Burke purse...I've never had a really nice purse before (actually Joe bought me a small Kate Spade purse a few years ago, but it's not an everyday purse b/c it's too small, but it's darling!)...and I got a memory card for my camera and pedicure and a Bluetooth wireless speaker...only hands free on the cell in the car starting in July! I am ready now! Yay!

Now it's off to make pancakes for my boys! Happy weekend!

My PRESENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Finally...I got this:

Yay!!!!! My blog readers know I have been wanting a new camera for soooo long!!!! THANKS Joe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday to...

Me! Yay! It's birthday day for me! Thought I don't know why I am excited...I don't want to be a year older! :-)

Spent the morning at pre-school with Spencer for the Mother's Day Brunch...it was so nice! Activities, crafts, delicious food, quality time with our kids, and gifts! I just adore Spencer's pre-school...wishing Coop could go next year, but we're not sure about our schedules yet...it's a co-op pre-school, so there is a time committment for parents.

Went to visit my class this afternoon. They wanted to celebrate my birthday...how sweet! I have honestly not been missing school...but when I walked in, I realized that I have missed it..a little bit! I brought Kendall in the sling so they could see, but not touch! It was very cute!

Now I am home, relaxing and tonight we are having dinner! I really am jonesing for a date with my hubby at a restaurant, being served and my own plate and all that...maybe tomorrow night?

Haircut time! Both boys got cute cuts...

The boys checking out baby sister...