The CRAZY month of May!

I think I am not the only one who has felt that this month has been insane! I can't believe all the things we have tried to cram into one month. Here is a brief recap:

Final lacrosse games and end of season party
Final t-ball games and end of season party
Cub Scout Day Camp
Burke's Graduation from U of U Physical Therapy School
Mother's Day
Stake Bishop's Wives dinner
Iron Girl Triathlon
16th Anniversary
Buying a car
Selling a car
3 major 6th grade projects...all due in one week!
Finishing Carter's make-up work
National Junior Honor Society Induction
Kindergarten Program
Training for upcoming 1/2 marathon
All this....on top of the "regular" stuff!


I am ready for a VACATION....but just from all the busy stuff! I have lots of things to blog for this month, but they will have to wait. Right now I am cleaning my office in preparation for company. My office is the last place in this house that gets attention. I can close the door and sort of forget about it. But, this afternoon, Chris' brothers' family is moving in for 10 days before they move to Arizona. Amy is expecting baby #5 next Monday...so they can't move just yet. We are happy to have them come and spend their last few days with us. With 7 kids and 4 adults under one roof....it is sure to be CRAZY! Thankfully the weather is warming up and we can send the kids out to the pool.

Well, off to my duties....update you soon!

Meltdown Monday

We have been very busy the last few weeks with school, ball games, and this past week cramming in as much time with Grandma and Grandpa Skousen as possible. In addition, I am training for a triathlon next week and a half marathon in June. Needless to say....our plate has been very full. We tried to get to bed early last night....but that didn't seem to do the trick. It must be the many late nights and crazy schedule we've been keeping, but this afternoon the big meltdown hit. Fortunately....mom wasn't the one having the meltdown...it was two little boys! I was able to remain relatively calm during the whole scene, but I was ready to put everyone to bed at 5pm!

I especially love when my kids tell me I am the worst mom in the world and they wish they wouldn't have met me! (Actually, it makes me sad....but I know they are just exhausted and really don't mean it!) Tonight Tanner had a great one...when he was sent to his room for the night, Chris took him dinner. I finally went up to get him in bed, mind you he had been crying for most of the evening, and he hadn't eaten anything. He told me that his dad gave him "garbage for dinner!" I said, "What are you talking about?" He told me, "Dad went to the garbage can and brought me this for dinner! It's junk and tastes gross!" (Well, thanks kid...that's what we all had for dinner!) That boy has a wild imagination! Oh well. We made it through, thankfully, but it reminds me how much more smoothly our lives run when we follow our routine!

Games are almost over for the season and there are only 21 more days of school. I am looking forward to summer and not having to worry about homework and being up and out the door by 7:45 to get the boys to school. We have a "low key" summer planned. I am still tired from all of our traveling last summer! Hard to believe this time last year we were preparing for our trip to Peru. We've just got to make it through the next couple of weeks with Cub Scout day camp and my triathlon to check those things off the list. Then we can get into the swing of summer! Can't wait!

Viva Las Vegas...out on the town!

My parents were visiting for their last week before they left on their mission to Madrid, Spain. We took them out on the town on Friday night for dinner at Lawry's and then went to see the new "City Center." It comprises two hotels, condominium towers, a mall and much more. It was enormous! Chris and I posed in from of this cool waterfall....that you can't see because I didn't have the correct flash. Oh well.

Mom and Dad...same waterfall.

Inside the mall there were these interesting "ice sculptures." We still aren't sure how they were formed....but they were pretty cool.

On Saturday, after our morning flurry of activities, which included an 8-mile training run for me, a t-ball game for Tanner and a lacrosse game for Parker (both of which started at 8 am), we set out to have lunch down on the Strip with the kids at Serendipity 3.

We bought a couple of pretzels to tide us over while we waited for our table. Here Carter is showing the cool "S" pretzel.

Serendipity is known for its "Frozen Hot Chocolate." Parker, Grandma and Grandpa share the yummy drink.

Tanner and his yummy french toast sticks with chocolate dipping sauce!

In addition to the "S" pretzels they had giant donuts! Yum!!

Parker sure LOVES dessert of any kind! This sundae was HUGE.....so he shared with the rest of us.

Grandma and Grandpa try to polish off a banana split....with a little help from the rest of us, of course!

Frozen Hot Chocolate statue....only in Vegas! Tanner and Parker pose with Grandma and Grandpa.

Hmmmm...looks like Donny Osmond needed a little treat before his next show! :)

Sheli and Grandma pose with the "S" pretzel....."S" for Sheli....or is it "S" for Skousen....who knows, but it is definitely unique!

All in all we had a really fun weekend taking in some of the sights of Las Vegas. Chris and I have lived in Las Vegas for 16 years now. It is still a little overwhelming to me to spend an evening on the Strip. Sensory overload!! I definitely prefer my quiet little life in the "burbs!"

Bonner Field Day

Bonner Field Day was April 16 this year. It was a little earlier than normal....but it was a nice day and not nearly as HOT as it usually is when they hold it in May. Carter wanted me to come so I went and took a few pictures.
Nick Ogan and ......?

John Thompson getting a little wet! The kids all love this game!

John at the scooter race.

Carter getting the water in the cup....

then transporting to the water jug. Looks like he kept a little more water in the cup than John did!

Scooter race....

Some of the girls waiting in line for the scooter race. (Marissa Cribbs, ???, Lexi Stagg and Haylie Pullan)

Nick Randall and Carter! Carter has great classmates this year and he especially has fun with his best buddies....Nick, Nick and John.

Date with Mrs. Haire

Tanner has had an AWESOME year in kindergarten. We were very blessed to get a "zone variance" to attend Staton Elementary so he could be in Mrs. Haire's full-day kindergarten class. We have known Mrs. Haire for many years and she is a great friend. In fact, now we are in the same ward...which is even better! Staton had its big fundraiser a couple of weeks ago. They had a silent auction, raffle and showed the movie "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs." Tanner and I went for the evening and it was a fun time seeing him interact with all of his friends. To show our support we bought 10 raffle tickets. We only bid on one item and that was "Lunch with Mrs. Haire." Well, guess what???? Tanner WON! He was soooo thrilled. I am telling you....Mrs. Haire is THE BOMB! Well, last Tuesday, April 20, the Staton PTO put on a special lunch for all the teachers and their "dates." I had to go up to the school to snap a few pictures for the fun of it!
Here is Tanner and Mrs. Haire enjoying lunch together.

Tanner is one LUCKY boy! All the other kids in his class were jealous that he got to have lunch by himself with Mrs. Haire! She is one popular teacher and has quite the following of current and former students.

Tanner's lunch consisted of cheese pizza from Costco, cantaloupe and Cheetos. Everything was orange and matched his shirt!

After lunch and a little recess he got back to work on his afternoon assignments. He is quite the diligent worker! We will be very sad to see this year end. It has been such a fun year. Thanks Mrs. Haire!!! Glad we will still get to see you every week at church!

T-ball -- Pepperdine Waves

It is finally spring in Las Vegas....and that means baseball season. Well, at our house it's T-ball. This in Tanner's second year playing t-ball and he absolutely loves it! Last year we were able to form a team with a bunch of his little buddies and we had such a fun time. The kids are so fun to watch and they really made some progress last year. Well, when it came time to sign up again this year, we got an email from "Coach Jim" asking if we were interested in putting our team back together for another season. We, of course, were thrilled! We lost of few players due to age, but picked up a couple more friends. It has been another fun season so far. The kids are doing great and are really having a fun time. Next year we won't be able to "stack" our team but we are having a great time while it lasts!

Tanner really enjoys playing catcher. I think he does all right as long as he is somewhere in the infield. But, stick him out in outfield and there is mischief that starts brewing! None of these little guys can hit that far.....so we have seen a few WWF matches take place in the outfield along with picking dandelions, group picnics, etc.

Tanner is pretty serious about his hitting...so he has to make sure everything is ready to go!

Cleaning the plate.....

Tapping the plate....not really sure what that is all about....but the older guys do it so it MUST be important!

Eyes on the ball.....working on the stance.

Waiting for the pitch.....

Whew! Finally made it on base. You know....we have "won" every single game....then again, so did the other team! I just LOVE t-ball. GO WAVES!

Pepperdine Waves Fan Club! (Heather Berlien, Danielle Dyer, Dawn Waid, Shauna Earl and Kim Bennett) What a fun group!

Rogich Rough Riders -- Lacrosse

Parker has played many different sports over the years. T-ball, tennis and swim team to name a few. He has played soccer since he was 6. At the end of soccer season this year we were introduced to the Palo Verde Lacrosse Club. Parker had played just a little bit of lacrosse in PE and decided he wanted to try it. So, in January he started playing with the Rough Riders. He has fallen in LOVE with lacrosse. Before the season started they were practicing three times a week for 2 1/2 hours...many times in pouring down rain! The Rough Riders have had a GREAT season so far....with only two losses. We are looking forward to many more seasons of lacrosse!