Father's Day Festivities

Life is so much better when Aaron is around.

I told him the other day that I couldn't be married to a person that's as high-maintenance as me. And I meant it. But being married to Aaron, really is easy. And at the risk of sounding like a 12 year old girl: it's super fun, too. And as an added bonus to all of this, he's an excellent hands-on Dad. Seriously, the hands-on stuff just comes naturally to him. How'd a girl get so lucky?



Date and Donuts with Dad at Cottage Preschool is always a hit, where shopping at the "Cottage tie shop" is always fun...

and where donuts are thoroughly enjoyed...

and then there was the music performance where Leda sang her little heart out...

and Chase stared down the crowd. (We're so proud)



and when all was said and done, Aaron felt spoiled by the attention and homemade gifts and cards. Well done Cottage!



Father's Day morning began with breakfast in bed. Leda had already found her way to her Dad long before this picture, but Chase walked into the room and knew just how to get his Dad's attention that breakfast was coming...




We love making Daddy laugh with funny cards



After an awesome two-hours at church where we really enjoyed Stake Conference (seriously, the music and speakers were amazing!) we headed home to Lucy and took her to the dog park to enjoy the beautiful sunshine as a family.









Then it was home to a Father's Day BBQ at our house with my parents. Not sure why I didn't whip out the camera for those festivities, but I didn't :( But grateful that we got to enjoy the day with family.

I'm so grateful for such wonderful men in my life. Grateful for the best "pinchy bug" Grandpa there is and that he takes the time for my children...

I love you so much Dad. There are no words...


And also for SUCH a fun father-in-law. He is such a hoot and we sure do love the spunk and wit he brings into our home!


We LOVE you Daddy Mac! xoxo


It's weekends like these where I'm reminded that the people I love most are my biggest blessings. And I'm so grateful.

Artichokes

My kids are excellent eaters. And it wasn't anything I did, they just came that way, willing to eat just about anything. Well, anything but celery and sliced tomatoes.

So last week while grocery shopping and passing a killer sale on artichokes, I realized that I've never before served them to my family!

The kids were super excited to try them out as we told them their was a special surprise waiting for them in the middle :)

They all started out very excited for this new artichoke eating adventure...but only two of them made it to the end. Two out of three kids loving artichokes isn't so bad, right?

Wanna guess which one was disgusted? It's not that hard.




I asked Leda how her artichoke was and she did this:

And when I asked Spencer how his was, he did this:



But he gave it a valiant effort. Two artichoke leaves were choked down before he called it quits and begged us to remove his artichoke from the table because the smell was making him sick.

So now I guess I'll add artichokes to his list.

Saturday was a special day...

It was the day we found out if we were going to have another niece or nephew...courtesy of my sister Carrie and her husband, Philip.


And the way we all found out, was so very exciting.

On Friday, Carrie went to her ultrasound appointment with strict instructions to the tech that she did not want to know the sex right then and there. He finished the appointment, wrote the sex on the ultrasound picture, sealed the envelope and she as on her way.

Well, on her way to the bakery, that is!

With the help of her friend Angela, the envelope was then carefully delivered to the local bakery where the bakers were to bake a white cake if the ultrasound said GIRL or were to make a chocolate cake if it said BOY.

On Saturday afternoon...a whole 24 hours later (dying!)...when Philip got home from scout camp, he came home to a cake on the table. A cake that EVERYONE couldn't wait to cut into!

With my folks and my family gathered round the computer, and other family at Carrie's house up close and personal, we all watched the events unfold in Utah...



The moment of truth...Carrie with her three boys gathered round, ready to dig in....


And the cake waaaas....


WHITE!! WHITE!! WHITE!!

Screams all around. Crying all around. It was so very exciting.

After three studly boys, they are having a GIRL!

Meet Jane Elizabeth:



I love her already. (I think she looks like me)

Hurry up and get here Jane, okay? And then convince your parents to move back to Cali...where your coolest Aunt lives.

(No offense to other Aunties)

What a great Saturday!

Leda turns "5"

I'm not sure I've met anyone more excited to turn five. May was a looong month. Most every morning Leda would ask, "Is it the 29th yet, Mom?"

And then it finally came.

Thanks Grandma McLendon for the killer tutu. She loves it and clearly knows how to pose in it. It'll now be retired for weekly ballet lessons only...but it was sure fun to wear out and about for a few days!

My friend Emily has long ago joked that her birthday month is her "birthday season" and I think Leda will most likely follow that suit. We sure strung out her birthday celebrations---though not all intentional. Getting diagnosed with strep throat with an accompanying fever ranging from 102.9-103.4 really can put a damper on birthday celebrations. But we got it all done. Even if we did drag it out over about four days and things were a bit out of order.

First, was a celebration at school. This was her last time celebrating her birthday at Cottage Preschool---Grandma's school. It was bittersweet, for sure.

We made a bouquet of homemade goodies together



And with a fresh coat of hot pink fingernails, she posed for a photo before taking the goods to school


Birthday Breakfast wouldn't be the same without Grandma coming over


and without 5 candles in her biscuits and gravy


and definitely wouldn't be the same without Grandpa McLendon on skype singing his little heart out!




This year wasn't her party year (we do parties every other year), but my folks have for years had season tickets to the South Coast Repertory (the plays for young audiences) where they routinely take two of our children at a time to see a play. They so kindly gave us their tickets this weekend so we could take Leda and her friend in honor of this exciting birthday.

Aaron and I took the girls to see "Ben and the Magic Paintbrush" and we had a ball!



Leda and Sasha

These gals are two peas in a pod. We had some time to kill before the play started, so what did these two sweet ones do while waiting around on the grass?

Started out with friendly girl conversation


and then Sasha convinced Leda to do a log roll down the hill.


Loved it! Grass stains and all.
>


After the play, they didn't want to get up out of their seats, they wanted the play to keep on going!



But once the theater cleared, they realized they had to get up as well and it was off to the patio for autographs from the actors.






After the play we met up with Grandma, Grandpa and her brothers at The Rainforest Cafe for some dinner of mac n cheese.


While waiting for dinner to be served, we escaped for a bit to hit the indoor carousel for a birthday ride!



And then later on enjoyed attention with singing and an exploding lava cake!



Once all the sickies were feeling better from strep, we opted to have Grandma & Grandpa over for a family dinner where we would also dish out some presents and blow out the candles to her cake.


All she wanted this year was a purple candy cake with Ariel on top. NOT a mermaid cake, mind you...but specifically, "I just want lots of candy on it and then Ariel on top...you know, just hanging out, Mom"


Where she came up with these specifics? I'll never know. But her wish was my command!


But funny sidenote: When we served up the kids their pieces of cake, the only thing Leda ate off her entire plate was the ring pop. Nothing else. Chase picked off the candy and left the cake, and of course Spencer ate the entire thing and asked for seconds.

Aunt Kiki had to be on skype this time around--too bad we couldn't dish her up a piece of cake, though!


Thank you everyone for the fun presents



And to end our night: Our routine family shot


We've all grown up a bit since her first birthday shot taken in this same spot, huh?



Oh how we love this girl, and I thank my Heavenly Father for her every day.



Happy Birthday Leda-Lou!